A Key West local gave me this list of things to do/places to go.
Best Breakfasts:
· Moondog Café (off Whitehead street, next to Hemingway house). Also good for lunch and dinner, but my favorite is breakfast
· Breakfast Club 2 (green street)
· Hot tin roof – particularly for Sunday brunch is unlimited. Reservation definitely required.
· Ocean grill
· Banana Café
· Azur
· Blue Heaven
· Creperie
· Best Lunch/Dinner:
· 915 (located 915 duval)
· Santiagos Bodega (Tapas style- reservation strongly suggested).
· Blackfin Bistro
· Sushi: Miso Happy or Oragami
· Ramen: Kojin
· Virgilios (Italian)
· Café Sole (French)
· First Flight
· Antonias
· Lolas (BYOB, only a few seatings a night)
· The Docks (Stock island)
· Mangia Mangia (pasta)
· Salute on the Beach
· Best Happy hour:
· Alonzos
· Boathouse (next to Alonzos, great view)
· Southernmost Café (on other end of Duval, near Southernmost point).
· The Saint hotel
· Conch Seafood republic
· Tattoos and Scars (drinking)
· Martins (Fancy)
· Bad Boy Burrito (Stock island)
· Hogfish (stock island)
· Hurricane Hole (stock island)
· Best Dessert
· Better than sex (open only 6-12 PM) and reservations required, this will book up!
· Moondog café
· Mathiessons for the big cookies (can get those walking around duval street)
· Best fast food:
· Kojin (Ramen)
· Mr. Z’s for pizza/cheesesteaks/late night
· Glazed Donuts
· Garbos- Food truck inside of the Hanks.
· Activities:
· Beach: Fort Zachary Taylor (walking distance, off Southard but a bit of a walk-can request an UBER to drop you off).
· Also Simonton beach with Lagerheads beach bar. (very end of Simonton)
· On other end of Duval, there’s also Southernmost beach café with the beach at the end
· Sunset: Mallory Square, visit specifically Sunset pier for a beverage/live music.
· Live Music: Hanks, Green Parrot, Willie T’s, Rockhouse Live,
· Bar spots: Green parrot, Sunset pier (at sunset—check out sunset celebrations- food/vendors at Mallory Square at the same time), Chart room, Tattoos and Scars, Sloppy Joes, the Rum Bar (upper duval), Schooner wharf, Willie T’s. Virgilios on Mondays for $5 martini Mondays and dancing.
· Museums: Hemingway house, Mel Fisher Museum, Harry Truman Whitehouse, Butterfly conservatory (Friday after 5 PM is a special ‘meet the birds’ Flamingle experience—must book in advance).
· Botanical gardens outside of Higgs beach
· Wildlife center (near higgs beach as well, end of White street)
· Sunset sail companies: Danger or Party Cat
· Fishing charter: Split charter (pay per seat not the full boat): is Captain conch, captain Gary
· Tiki Boat-can book a seat on Tiki boats as well (to snorkel, beach etc)
· Full charter: High class hooker is top notch. Jerry and Susanna are the owners
· Rent a Kayak or Paddleboard and explore Salt ponds (rent from Hurricane hole)
· Take boat out to a sandbar (Snipes, Marvin key, etc).
· Rent bikes (Eaton street bikes) or a golf cart. Go on a bike tour through key west (Key Lime bike tours)
· Things to do outside of key west (need a car!)
· Perry hotel (Stock island)
· Sugarloaf jumping bridge
· Ramrod Swimming hole- mile marker 26
o -Check out boondocks if you’re that far up—Mini golf and food/music!
· City of Marathon- Turtle Hospital
· Aquarium- also Marathon
o -Keys Fisheries is great to taste STONE CRAB (is in Marathon). Cheapest Stone crab in the keys by far
· If you’re driving from Miami: Feed the tarpon on Robbies