10 Most Unique Things to Do in Key West

You don’t have to take your passport for this tropical getaway from the continental United States! While Key West is best known for beaches, watersports, live music, vibrant art galleries, and the famously free-spirited fun of Duval Street parties and Mallory Square musicians, this island is also full of hidden surprises.

From six-toed cats and pirate ships to Key lime pie classes and haunted pubs, there are so many unique things to do in Key West. And — let’s not forget about the wonderfully unique vacation homes in Key West, where you can book everything from a cozy oceanside condo to a lush tropical private island compound.

Ready to explore some hidden gems? Here are ten unique things to do in Key West that you might not find on tourism websites!

 

1. Go SNUBA Diving 

While you could go on a snorkeling tour, perhaps you’d like to try another way of getting up close and personal with the marine wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico. In Key West, you can explore the clear waters and coral reefs in a really unique way through SNUBA diving - a sort of marriage between snorkeling and scuba diving!

SNUBA stands for Surface Nexus Underwater Breathing Apparatus, and it works by allowing divers to remain attached to an air hose while they explore waters up to 20 feet deep. Unlike SCUBA diving, there are no air tanks to manage, and no training or certifications are needed. Almost anyone can SNUBA!

While snorkeling in Key West is at the top of nearly every visitor’s itinerary, not everyone has heard of SNUBA, making it one of the island’s best-kept secrets. If this sounds like an adventure you and your family would enjoy, we recommend SNUBA of Key West.

 

2. Learn to Bake a Key Lime Pie Like a Local

There’s no food more famous in Key West than the Key lime pie. This sweet and tangy treat originated here over a century ago and has been a local and visitor favorite ever since.

You’ll find slices of this pie served nearly everywhere on the island, with each restaurant and pie shop claiming theirs is the best Key lime pie in Key West. And of course, it’s a rite of passage for visitors to try them all. But how about learning how to make one?

One of the most fun and unique things to do in Key West is to take a Key lime pie-making class. You’ll learn how to make a Key lime pie, just like the locals, and have a sweet treat to take back to your vacation rental at the end of the day.

Key West Key Lime Pie Company offers Key lime pie-making classes.

 

3. Do a Haunted Pub Crawl

The vibe in Key West is all about having a friendly drink with the locals in a cozy pub, but how about having a drink with a ghost?

Key West is considered one of the most haunted cities in America, and while you’ll find plenty of different ghost-hunting tours and Key West Cemetery tours offered, one of the most unique ways to explore this phenomenon is through a haunted pub crawl.

Learn all about Key West’s haunted history while you stroll from pub to pub on a guided tour of the island's most famous haunts with Bone Island Ghost Tours. And maybe you’ll spot a friendly spirit along the way!

 

4. Meet Some Six-Toed Cats 

Most visitors to Key West are familiar with the Hemingway House, and yes, it’s a must-see for many reasons, but not everyone is familiar with the home’s unique polydactyl feline residents.

Nearly 60 six-toed cats roam the grounds of the Hemingway Home and Museum, each a descendant of Ernest Hemingway’s original feline friends from decades ago.

If you’re a cat lover or just curious about their six toes, taking a stroll through the Hemingway Home is a unique and fascinating experience. You can even download the Hemingway Home Cat App to learn about each cat and shop for some unique cat souvenirs in the museum gift shop.

You can see six-toed cats in Key West at The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum.

 

5. Have Breakfast with Roosters

Considered by many to be the island’s unofficial mascot, the mighty rooster can be seen (and heard) nearly everywhere in Key West. The roosters have a long, sordid history with the island, originating from the once-popular sport of cockfighting, which was thankfully outlawed, leading to the now-protected population of feral fowl found throughout the island.

So, why did the chicken cross the road in Key West? To have breakfast at Blue Heaven, of course!

One of the best restaurants in Key West, Blue Heaven, is famous for its resident roosters that roam the patio. And while you can dine at Blue Heaven anytime, its “breakfast with the roosters” is one of the most unique experiences you’ll find. Enjoy a delicious breakfast on the open-air patio with friendly roosters roaming about — just keep an eye on your pancakes.

 

6. Try a Scandalous Dessert 

While Key West is well known for its collection of Key lime pie shops, there’s another dessert spot that’s just as famous but only mentioned in whispers due to its scandalous menu.

The iconic Better Than Sex Dessert Restaurant serves up specialty desserts and cocktails with cheeky names like “Between the Red Velvet Sheets Cheesecake” and “Berry Naughty” glasses of wine dipped in chocolate and berries. It’s no surprise it was voted as one of the best date night restaurants in the nation on Tripadvisor.

While it probably goes without saying, Better Than Sex dessert restaurant is for adults only, so leave the kids at home for this one!

 

7. Sail into the Sunset on a Pirate Ship

Taking a sunset cruise is a must-do in Key West, and you’ll find plenty of tour operators offering them. But for something a little bit different, consider booking your sunset cruise on a pirate ship.

Sail into the sunset on the Jolly II Rover, known as “Key West’s most photographed ship.” This 80-foot tall topsail schooner will have you feeling like you stepped onto the set of Pirates of The Caribbean.

You can relax and enjoy a laid-back sunset sail, or if you want to get in on the action, you can help hoist the sails and fire the cannons. It’s the ultimate swashbuckling adventure on the high seas!

 

8. Take a Seaplane to Dry Tortugas National Park

While most people are familiar with Dry Tortugas National Park (home to Fort Jefferson), and the ferry that takes you there — not everyone knows that there is another way to reach this remote island, and the views along the way are incredible.

For those who want to splurge on a truly unique experience, you can charter a seaplane for your day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.

With Key West Seaplane Adventures, you’ll embark on an approximately 40-minute flight to the island, soaring over clear turquoise waters below, with ample opportunities to spot marine life. And the best part is, everyone gets a window seat.

 

9. Have a Drink and a History Lesson at the Oldest Bar in Key West

While Key West is famous for its big, lively bars like Sloppy Joes and Hog’s Breath Saloon, sometimes it pays to step off the beaten path and visit some of the city's unique dive bars.

Built in 1851, Captain Tony’s Saloon is one of the oldest buildings in Key West and the city’s oldest dive bar, and it’s full of quirky, historic charm.

Pull up a barstool and enjoy a cocktail while you learn about the fascinating history of the establishment. Serving as everything from a morgue to a bordello and once even Hemingway’s favorite hang-out spot, this saloon has stories to tell!

 

10. Take a Shark-Watching Tour

The waters surrounding the Florida Keys and Key West are known for their incredible diversity of marine life; they’re home to hundreds of species of fish, plus sea turtles, crustaceans, stingrays, dolphins, manatees, and sharks — lots of sharks!

Many species of sharks can be found in the Keys, including Lemon sharks, Blacktips, and Bull sharks, and if you’re brave enough, you can get up close and personal with some of them on a one-of-a-kind eco-tour.

Led by the local Harris family of boat captains, aptly nicknamed the “Key West Shark Whisperers,” Key West Extreme Adventures offers a boat tour like no other. You’ll cruise the backcountry waterways in a catamaran in search of nature’s most fearsome predators and get incredible up-close views of shark feeding and behavior.

 

Don’t Miss These Unique Things to Do in Key West

While Key West is full of famous sights like the Southernmost Point Buoy, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, and the Key West Lighthouse, sometimes it pays to stray from the traditional tourist spots and uncover some hidden gems. You just might make friends with some six-toed cats, roosters, ghosts, pirates, or sharks.

Ready to plan your Conch Republic getaway? Book your stay with VHKW for a unique experience you won’t find in hotels.

Enjoy fully furnished vacation homes with private pools, lush gardens, and so much more to make your vacation memorable. Best of all — you’ll be close to all the local attractions, including all the fun, unique things we’ve listed here!