Key West is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the United States. So, you’ll need to book your stays in advance to avoid any disappointments later on. You don’t need to worry if you’ve booked in advance and changed your plans. Most of the hotels in the city have a free cancellation policy. Here, we’ve listed some of the best places to stay while you’re in Key West:

1. Duval Street

Located at the center of the Old Town, this neighborhood can be reached with a short walk from the downtown. It has many shops, restaurants, bars, and museums. Besides, Duval Street is also close to many of the city’s attractions. This makes the district a perfect place to stay if you’re a first-timer. You can easily go walking to discover some fabulous places on Duval Street.

If you don’t like walking, you can save some time by taking the Duval Loop. This is a free shuttle that runs on the main street. You can begin your sightseeing trip by visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum. Then you can continue walking to the Historic Seaport and check out some quirky shops and beautiful cafes. If you wish to enjoy a great nightlife in Key West, check out the popular bars of Duval Street.

2. Historic Seaport

If you’re someone who loves water sports, this would be the best place to stay in Key West. It’s located in the Old Town and is set by the marina. Besides the water-based activities, you can enjoy the best seafood while staying in this neighborhood. In the evening, you can take a pleasant stroll by the waterfront. Some of the activities you can enjoy during your stay are parasailing, snorkeling, and fishing.

An excellent way to have a great evening meal is to take a dinner cruise. Besides the delicious food on the boat, you can also enjoy the live music. If you can spare some more time during the day, you can visit the elegant shops, galleries, and museums.

3. Smathers Beach

The largest and the most beautiful beach in Key West is Smathers Beach. This white-sand beach stretches to about 2 miles. It gives you the chance to enjoy some wonderful beachside activities, such as volleyball. You can easily reach this beach within 15 minutes from the city center. Before heading to Smathers, make sure that you have all the beach essentials.

This beach is located in the eastern part of the city called New Town. This is a more residential portion of Key West, where there are waterfront hotels, modern shops, and contemporary homes. If you wish to stay in this area, you can book your accommodation in a waterfront hotel.

The post Top 3 Places to Stay in Key West appeared first on mopedhospital.com.

1. Walking

Old Town is a relatively smaller area, but its neighborhoods are among the most beautiful and charming. This part of Key West is mostly flat. The highest point of Old Town is just 18 feet above the sea level. Walking is highly recommended for exploring the Old Town. This will give you the opportunity to see more of its historic homes and lush greenery.

2. Cycling

Another best option for exploring Key West is to go cycling. This is especially the best option if you’re visiting the Old Town. Locals prefer the beach-style bicycles, also called Conch Cruisers. If you wish to rent a bicycle, there are plenty of places in Key West that offer bicycle rentals. One of the best ones is located at 929 Truman Avenue. They provide an excellent selection of bicycles for rentals.

While riding a bicycle in Key West, there are certain things you must keep in mind. One is to obey all the traffic laws. Second is to make sure that you have the bicycle lights on if you’re riding at night. You can ride on all the sidewalks if you need to. The only exception is the Duval Street sidewalk. Don’t forget to lock your bicycle to the right bike racks, or else it might go missing easily.

3. Mopeds

They’re not generally recommended for tourists, although many of the locals prefer mopeds. If you’re inexperienced in riding a scooter or a moped, don’t take the risk. Don’t let someone force you to get a scooter or a moped if you aren’t comfortable with it.

You can easily walk or rent a bicycle to explore Key West. Besides, the city is quite small. However, if you’re experienced in riding a moped or a scooter, you can rent one. Just make sure you follow all the rules while on the road.

4. Taxis

If you wish to get to your hotel from the airport, you’ll find many cabs awaiting the passengers. Key West has several taxi cab companies servicing the entire island. You can also hire air-conditioned cars or vans. If you want to transport your bicycle, you can request a cab that has a bike rack.

5. Electric cars

The small electric car you come across in Key West is sometimes referred to as an ‘egg’. This is owing to their shape. These cars were once a novelty, but now they’re a common sight here. It is an extremely popular way of getting around in Key West for families.

You must keep in mind that they’re subject to all the rules of the road. It is also difficult to get a parking space for it. Electric cars are available in a range of shapes and sizes and some can carry six passengers.

The post 5 Options for Getting Around in Key West appeared first on mopedhospital.com.

There are some accommodations where they offer bikes for free! You can also take the sightseeing trolley or Conch Train to enjoy the sights. All the excellent places that offer comfortable stays are located within walking distance of Duval Street.

Mallory Square

Some of the best resorts in Key West are located on the boundaries of Old town. You can reach them from Mallory Square using a shuttle boat. After sunset, Mallory Square comes alive with an exciting nightly street fair. You’ll come across artisans, fire-eaters, tourists, and vendors who keep the night-long thrills going.

Duval Street

From Mallory, the eight-block stretch along Duval Street is the place where you’ll find most of the action. There are some bars, clubs, and taverns that are popular among many who frequent this place. Music from these establishments can be heard on the streets. The restaurants along the street would be ideal to stop and have something to eat. You’ll also find something unusual, such as Ripley’s Believe it or Not.

When you go a bit off Duval, the side streets will take you to some more attractions. They include The Harry S. Truman Little White House. This is the place where many American presidents have stayed. You’ll see a Caribbean restaurant, which was a former PanAm airlines ticket office. A micro-brewery restaurant here has been named after Kelly McGills, the actress of Top Gun.

You can visit a Bahamian ‘Conch’ village and see the orange-feathered chickens on the streets. Don’t miss the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum and a factory that sells cheap sandals. There are some corner shops where you can find many items from cigars to bikinis. There are seafood shacks, water sports rentals, and specialty shops in the Historic Key West Seaport area.

East side of Key West

When you get to Key West’s east side, you can visit some of the city’s most popular attractions. They include the Key West Aquarium, Ernest Hemingway Home, Key West Lighthouse, and Keeper’s Quarters Museum. The beaches are located within a half-an-hour’s walk from Mallory Square. You can stop at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park for some history lessons and a beach break.

Water sports enthusiasts can head to Higgs Beach, the White Street Pier, and Smathers Beach. At the historic Casa Marina, you’ll find a poolside bar to stop in for some refreshments. Walk along Passover Lane and visit the Old Town Cemetery. When you arrive at Eaton Street, you’ll feel that you’ve come full circle.

While taking a stroll on the residential streets, you’ll be quite impressed with the architecture. There are homes here that were constructed at the turn of the last century. Some of the older ones now serve as inns and bed-and-breakfasts.

The post Going Beyond the Old Town of Key West appeared first on mopedhospital.com.

Key West is also popular for its sunsets. In fact, watching a beautiful sunset from Mallory Square is one of the top things to do for tourists. This city has also been home to many famous writers, including Robert Frost and Ernest Hemingway. Even today, Key West continues to draw creative individuals from distant places owing to its tolerant and Bohemian atmosphere. Here are some of the things you can do while exploring Key West:

1. Visit Dry Tortugas National Park by taking a boat excursion

Dry Tortugas National Park is located about 65 miles southwest of the city and comprises seven reef islands. This national park was given its name by the explorer Ponce de Leon owing to the turtles found here. This isolated park offers some exciting opportunities to indulge in snorkeling. If you’re not in the mood for snorkeling, you can simply relax on its sandy beaches.

The Catamaran Boat Excursions leave from Key West to this national park. These excursions include lunch and also provide equipment for snorkeling. One of the dry parts of the national park is Garden Key, which is home to Fort Jefferson. This 19th-century fort was constructed by the United States government. The purpose was to protect and control the shipping channel of the Gulf of Mexico.

During the American Civil War, the fort functioned as a prison for the deserters of the Union. It had also housed Dr. Samuel Mudd. He was a co-conspirator in Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Currently, the Dry Tortugas National Park is run by the National Park Service.

2. Get on the Conch Tour Train

You can find several historic homes and some of the renowned tourist attractions of the city along Duval Street. It also has many shops and restaurants that entertain passengers of cruise ships and tourists. Undoubtedly, this street is the main tourist strip of Key West. It begins from Mallory Square and stretches all the way to the Southernmost Point market.

Throughout the year, a variety of festivals and events are hosted in this area. The most popular among them is the Hemingway Days Festival. You can take the Conch Tour Train, which is a perfect way to enjoy the sights of the area. This train travels through key areas like Duval Street, Hemingway’s House, and the waterfront.

3. Explore the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum displays many artifacts that were mostly obtained from the shipwrecks. It also provides valuable information on Mel Fisher, a diver who discovered many shipwrecks that carried valuable artifacts. One of them was an English ship. It was first discovered about 35 miles west of the city in 1972.

The ship was identified as the Henrietta Marie later on. It was a slave ship, which had disappeared in the 18th century after selling 190 African captives in Jamaica. It had some invaluable artifacts that offered a glimpse into the history of maritime slave trade.

Fisher and his team discovered the wreck of the Santa Margarita in 1980. It was a 17th-century ship from Spain that held valuable objects. They ranged from bars and coins of gold and silver to precious jewelry. In addition to all these artifacts, you’ll also find exhibits on diving and underwater archaeology.

4. Tour the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

Upon visiting this property, you’ll witness Ernest Hemingway’s amazing collection of Spanish furniture. These items are originally from the 17th and 18th centuries. Besides the furniture, you’ll come across some descendants of the legendary author’s original brood of house cats. Hemingway had written a number of novels while staying at this property.

They include Death in the Afternoon, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls. He had purchased this Spanish Colonial house of the mid-19th century in 1931. He lived here until 1940. The property features a salt-water pool and a lush tropical garden. According to the author, the pool had nearly depleted his wealth.

5. Click a selfie at the southernmost point of the United States

When you get to the corner of South and Whitehead streets, you’ll find a red, black and yellow concrete marker. It is the marker indicating that the place is the southernmost point in the continental United States. This is truly a lively spot, where you’ll get to see the performers showcasing their talents.

The street vendors also arrive here to sell some souvenirs. You can take a selfie with the marker as the background. Another landmark that’s similar and equally popular for photo-ops is the US1 mile-marker. The ‘0’ sign marks the beginning of the route, which covers almost the entire east coast.

6. Delve into an intriguing history at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is home to an extensive collection of armaments from the Civil War era. It also hosts an array of annual events, which include sculpture contests, pirate festival, boat races, and concerts. Fort Zachary Taylor was constructed between 1845 and 1866 to protect this area during the Civil War.

In recent times, it is a National Historic Landmark and a State Park. Besides all the historic attractions of this park, you can also enjoy its beautiful beach. It has dedicated areas for snorkeling as well. It can also be an ideal place for couples to witness the sunset and enjoy some romantic moments.

7. Visit Harry S. Truman Little White House

President Truman first visited this house in the year 1946. He used it as a vacation retreat many times during his presidency. The house was constructed in 1890 and served as the naval command’s headquarters through the Second World War. Although it has been restored, the original furnishings and decor from the Truman era have remained intact.

You’ll find the piano of Truman and the desk that he used in a perfectly preserved state. There are helpful guides that give you an insight into the history and political significance of the building. After exploring the interiors, you can enjoy a self-guided tour of the spectacular botanical gardens of the house.

The post 7 Things to Do While Exploring Key West appeared first on mopedhospital.com.