What You Will Do
Explore beautiful coastlines, wild history, and fascinating wildlife with this self-guided walking tour of Key West. Get to know famed author Ernest Hemingway and the island’s influence on his work. Hear stories of pirates, shipwrecks, and disasters and marvel at lush tropical gardens and coastline. Then stroll along Duval Street, the bustling heart of Key West, and savor the rich culture of this one-of-a-kind island.
After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
Meeting Point
Begin from 1400 Duval St, Key West, FL 33040, USA. After booking the tour, search your emails and texts for "audio tour". Your tour is VALID FOR ONE YEAR so follow these instructions NOW to finish setting up the tour while you have Wi-Fi/data. Do NOT wait until you are onsite.
1
Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A.
10 minutes
See that big red buoy straight ahead? It’s hard to miss, as it’s the last thing you’ll see before the ocean. This marks the southernmost point in the Continental United States! Well, sort of. Let me explain.
NOTE: This 2.3+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Florida Key West in 1 hour.
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
2
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
The Historic Cedar House is coming up on our right. It’s pretty hard to miss, given the name! Why do they call it the Cedar House? Take a look at the house and the fence surrounding it. That’s right, they’re both made out of cedar. This is one of the only homes in Key West made entirely out of cedar.
3
The Kapok Tree
10 minutes
Ahead on the left we can see the famous Kapok Tree. It’s the big one with wide branches spreading straight out from the trunk. Kapok trees are some of the largest flowering trees in the world, reaching heights of over 200 feet tall. They’re found in warm tropical climates, and considered sacred by many cultures.
4
Zero Mile Art
10 minutes
The intersection ahead marks the beginning of US Highway One. Mile marker zero stands just ahead on our left. We’ll be approaching from the back of the sign, so make sure you walk around to the front for a better look.
5
Key West Pirates Well
10 minutes
If you’d like to take a quick detour to a piratical attraction, turn right onto Caroline Street. This will take you to the Captain George Carey house, home to the Pirates Well. The well is just out in front of the house.
6
Captain George Carey House
10 minutes
On our right stands the Captain George Carey House! Have you ever heard of the “Wreck of the German Brides?” It’s a real thing! A ship wrecked near here in the 1800s and five German women survived. All of them were single, and every one of them ended up marrying a man from Key West!
7
Truman Little White House
10 minutes
Take a look to the left. See the sign for Truman’s “Little” Whitehouse? It’s a short walk from here, so if you’d like to check it out, you can follow the signs. But if you don’t, just keep heading down Whitehead Street while I tell you a little about it.
8
Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
10 minutes
On our right stands the Audubon House and its surrounding tropical gardens. You can’t miss it! Constructed in 1849, this used to be the home of Captain John Geiger, one of Key West’s wealthiest men.
9
Capt. Tony's Saloon
10 minutes
We’re approaching Greene Street, home to a very special Key West landmark: Captain Tony’s Saloon! The barstools in this establishment bear the names of celebrities who’ve stopped for a drink there. Want to drink at the same bar where Robert DeNiro, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, and Clint Eastwood once tossed a few back? This is your place.
10
Sloppy Joe's
10 minutes
On our left stands the new location of Sloppy Joe’s. Time to set the history straight once and for all. As I mentioned, this isn’t the original Sloppy Joe’s. But did you know that neither was Captain Tony’s Saloon? So where was the original?
11
The Oldest House Museum & Garden
10 minutes
Believe it or not, that white house with the porch on our right is the oldest house on the island! Built in 1829, it was home to the prominent wrecker, Captain Fracis Watlington, who lived there with his wife and nine daughters. Yes, you heard that right: Nine!
12
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
10 minutes
Notice the large white church to our left? That’s St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, one of the area’s most beautiful buildings. You wouldn’t know it by looking, but the church has seen its fair share of tragedy and disasters over the years.
13
San Carlos Institute
5 minutes
Remember the fire of 1886? The white building with three archways on our right is the San Carlos Institute, and it’s where that fire began! These days it’s a museum, library, theater, and school. Oh, and an art gallery. It’s also been recognized as one of Florida’s most beautiful landmarks.
14
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
5 minutes
Just ahead on our right stands the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Here, you can see over 50 butterfly species from around the world, as well as gardens replete with flowering plants, exotic birds, and cascading waterfalls. Sort of a paradise inside of paradise.
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