19 Super Fun Things to Do in Key West on Spring Break with Kids
The island of Key West is one of the best places to visit for spring break in the United States. If you're trying to escape the cold, a road trip through the Florida Keys ending in beautiful Key West should be at the top of your list.
Our family just got back from our second visit to the Keys, and since the first time was over our Thanksgiving break when we lived in Florida, we wondered if the town would be overrun with college spring breakers if we visited in March. Maybe we got lucky with an early spring break, but we truly didn't see many college students or young people partying at all! Most of Key West remained very family-friendly and easy to navigate with kids.
After our wonderful experience, I can truly say that Key West is an excellent spring break destination for kids! You get the tropical feel of a Caribbean Island without needing a passport as soon as your vehicle hits the overseas highway.
There is truly so much to do in Key West that you could easily spend your kids' entire spring break here and not run out of things to do. Whether you just want to relax on the beach or try some adventurous outdoor activities, you'll find something that fits your vacation style in the Florida Keys, and especially in Key West.
After 2 visits to Key West with our kids, here are my top recommendations for things to do on a Key West spring break with kids.
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Best Time to Visit Key West
What is the best time of year to visit Key West?
As the southernmost city in the continental United States, Key West has a tropical climate that means you'll get to experience warm weather almost year-round. However, there are a few things to be aware of when planning your trip.
The summer months are the low season for tourism with fewer tourists and better hotel rates, but you'll also be dealing with high temperatures, humidity, and hurricane season, which stretches from June to November. As a former Florida resident, I can tell you that even though it's the rainy season during summer, you mostly see a quick afternoon thunderstorm or downpour that clears up pretty quickly.
The winter months are Key West's high season for tourism, which means everything is more expensive, but the trade-off is beautiful sunshine and weather in the 70s and low 80s.
A spring break vacation (March through May) to Key West is a great time to visit! The snowbirds are starting to clear out, but the weather is almost perfect! We didn't see big spring break crowds, as many find it a bit too remote for their liking. I will say that hotel prices were still insanely expensive, though it might just be that we visited in a very expensive year when all travel has been much pricier than normal.
We also visited over our Thanksgiving break one year, and while it was still a bit crowded, the weather was absolutely perfect at the tail end of hurricane season.
Fun Things to Do with Kids in Key West
I often hear that Key West is not a kid-friendly destination, but in my experience, I've found so many exciting activities for families. Sure, you might want to avoid Duval Street in the evenings as it starts to get a bit rowdy, but beyond that, it's so easy to find experiences your kids will love in Key West.
Smathers Beach
On our most recent visit to the Florida Keys, we stayed at Margaritaville Beach House Key West which is right across the street from Smathers Beach, the largest public beach in Key West!
What makes this beach so welcoming to families is that there are bathroom facilities, jet skis and paddle board rentals, nets to play beach volleyball, and shower facilities. You can also rent beach chairs and umbrellas! We brought our weighted beach blanket and set it up in the shade of a palm tree, and that worked perfectly for us.
The water was shallow and calm, and our kids loved splashing in the waves and hunting for seashells in the surf. The sand was soft and clean, and the beach never got too crowded.
We walked to the beach, but there is parking for $5 per hour if you're driving there.
Sunset in Mallory Square
This is one of the most popular Key West activities for a reason. Sunset at Mallory Square is an absolute celebration each and every night! Street performers gather in the square vying for tourists' attention, and they put on the most entertaining shows! There are food stands everywhere, and you might even find live music or local vendors selling their unique wares.
The main show is, of course, the sunset painting vivid colors in the sky over the ocean, so bring your camera, or just take a seat and enjoy the spectacle.
The sunset celebration begins 2 hours before sunset, so we made sure to get there early with the kids so we could leave as soon as possible right as the sun was about to sink beneath the water.
Try Some Key Lime Pie
There's some debate on the origins of key lime pie, but we do know that it originated in Key West, Florida. That means it's your duty to sample as many variations of Key Lime Pie as you possibly can during your visit.
We stumbled upon Key Lime Pie Bakery, which has a placard claiming to be the Birthplace of Key Lime Pie. It was around dinner time, and we hadn't eaten yet, so we decided to stop in and have some pie as an appetizer.
There is a souvenir shop inside the Key Lime Pie Bakery, so naturally, we got distracted and ended up purchasing a few of the kids' souvenirs here, in addition to a slice of Original Key Lime Pie, and a slice of Key Lime Cheesecake. Both were a huge hit with the kids.
The Key West Aquarium
The Key West Aquarium is surprisingly small, but very centrally located near Mallory Square. Compared to many of the other aquariums our family has visited, this one was a bit of a disappointment. There are a few touch tanks, a pool with a few nurse sharks, and sea turtles.
If you want to get more out of your experience, there are a few tours and interactive experiences you could book, so if you have a family member interested in conservation and marine life, this might be something to consider.
Key West Conch Train Tour
Take a 75-minute conch train tour with narration sharing the history of Key West and the famous people that lived there. You can get off at 4 locations for sightseeing, including the Ernest Hemingway Home, the Shipwreck Museum, and Duval Street.
This is a great way to get acquainted with the city if your kids don't feel like walking, or if the sun is particularly hot and you just want to listen as you take in the Key West sights.
Board at the Front Street location.
Southernmost Point
The Southernmost Point in the continental United States is located in Key West, and a large concrete buoy marks the spot. It's a popular place for people to come and take pictures.
This is definitely a cheesy and very touristy thing to do, but we took a picture with the Southernmost Point Buoy on both of our visits. It's fun to compare our picture from 2018 when we only had 3 kids to our picture from 2023 now that our 4th child is 3 years old!
There is usually a short line to take a picture at the buoy, but it moves pretty quickly. Most people just ask the person behind them to snap a photo, but you could also bring a travel tripod if you want to make sure you get just the perfect shot.
Dry Tortugas National Park
We visited Dry Tortugas National Park on our first visit to Key West, and there are a few important things to know about getting to one of the most remote national parks in the United States.
First of all, it will take up an entire day of your trip. The only way to reach the park is via ferry or seaplane. We chose the ferry as the cheaper option, but it takes about 2 and a half hours of sailing to arrive. On board the Yankee Freedom (the name of the ferry), you'll receive breakfast and lunch, and there are benches, picnic tables, and TVs.
Once you arrive, you have a little less than 5 hours to explore. This doesn't seem like much time, but it's a very small island, so you should be able to fit in everything you want to do.
We had a good time swimming in the calm, shallow water with our kids. At the time we had a 1, 3, and 5-year-old. We also visited with friends who also had a toddler, so we took turns watching the kids and snorkeling to see the coral reefs around the island.
This is such a great place to visit with kids, and a really unique experience. While it is expensive and time-consuming, I found it to be a worthwhile excursion.
You can read my entire blog post with Tips for Visiting Dry Tortugas National Park with Kids.
Mile Marker Zero
This is another quick and free photo opportunity in Key West!
The sign marks the beginning (or end) of US Highway 1 which stretches from Key West all the way to northern Maine, so it's kind of cool to say you've been there!
We got a photo on our 2018 trip, but not this time around.
The Hemingway Home and Museum
Ernest Hemingway was one of my favorite authors when I went through my intellectual era during high school and college. (Now that I have 4 kids my brain feels like mush most days so I am not quite as ambitious with my choices in reading material). He was one of the authors that inspired me to become a writer, so I just had to visit!
Anyway, I was really excited to tour his home in Key West, and especially to see his office where he wrote "For Whom the Bell Tolls" along with several other novels.
You can take a guided tour, and just wander the grounds. My daughter loved finding the six-toed cats, and all of the cats on the property are descendants of Hemingway's cats.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Fort Zachary Taylor is both a popular beach hot spot in Key West as well as a historic fort that predates the Civil War.
We started by touring the fort with the kids, and we all really enjoyed learning about how the soldiers lived at Fort Zachary Taylor. It's just one of many examples of how you can learn so much from traveling with kids because it really brings history to life!
The beach at Fort Zachary Taylor is nice, but not as great of a swimming beach as Smathers Beach. The large stones near the water make it difficult to get in and out of the water. There are chairs and umbrellas as well as a nice little cafe, so it would be a nice place to spend the day.
Side note: if you're looking for another beach, South Beach is a small public beach at the end of Duval Street, so you could also try a beach day there!
Old Town Key West
Honestly, we really just enjoyed wandering around Old Town soaking in the sunshine and checking out the charming houses in the area. Old Town is where most of the tourist attractions are, so there is certainly plenty to do here. But don't discount a chance to take a stroll and enjoy the laid back vibes of Old Town!
While you're in Old Town, be sure to grab a Cuban coffee from Cuban Coffee Queen! They're sweet and strong, just how I like them. I always get mine iced!
Old Town Trolley Tour
On the first day of our first visit to Key West we took the Old Town Trolley Tour. Similar to the Conch Train tour, it's a great way to see the city and learn about the history of Key West.
It's a hop-on, hop-off trolley, so you can also use it as a form of transportation to get around Key West. This is a great option if you don't want to deal with parking around the island! In my opinion, this is one of the best Key West tours to take with kids.
The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
The Butterfly and Nature Conservatory was a new experience for us this year! We didn't get a chance to go on our first visit to Key West, so we decided to add it tour itinerary this time around.
Inside the conservatory was really cool, with butterflies everywhere, as well as flamingoes and birds. You walk around the path observering the butterflies and birds, and my kids had a great time trying to capture photos of them. We didn't expect the flamingoes, and they looked so picturesque in the middle of the conservatory with butterflies fluttering all around them.
The entire experience was a huge hit with my kids, so even though it was a bit expensive for how short the experience was, it still felt worth it.
Helicopter Tour
During our first visit, my husband and I took a helicopter tour since we had friends along who could watch our kids during their afternoon nap. At the time, I asked if kids were welcome to take a helicopter tour, and the pilot said that kids under 2 can sit on your lap, while kids over 2 can have their own seat! She recommended ages 5-8 as the most magical age to experience the helicopter tour.
We did the Key West Eco Tour, and it was so amazing to see sharks and stingrays from high above the ocean, as well as shipwrecks and the backcountry of Key West.
The company we took the tour with was Air Adventures, and the pilot was so informative! You can hear the narration through your headphones, and it's incredible to learn so much while enjoying the stunning views.
Have a Pancake Charcuterie Board
I discovered the Pancake Charcuterie Board at The Breakfast Club, Too on TikTok, and I just knew I had to take my kids there. My husband ordered his own omelet, while the kids and I shared the Pancake Charcuterie Board. It comes with 14 "mini" pancakes, but I found them to be regular sized, along with tons of toppings like Nutella, maple syrup, jam, peanut butter, maple whipped cream, pastry cream, and fresh fruit like strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple.
It was so filling that the pancake board alone filled up my 4 kids and me! We ordered the French Toast Fondue as a backup, but we barely touched it because the pancake board was plenty.
Shipwreck Museum
We have yet to actually tour the Shipwreck Museum, but we have walked past it so many times! The museum brings history to life with actors and films that discuss the discovery of the shipwrecked boat, the Isaac Allerton which sank in 1856.
Boat Tour
Getting out on the water is one of the top things to do in Key West, so schedule a Dolphin Watching and Snorkeling Eco Cruise tour! The tour takes care of snorkeling equipment so you can snorkel in the shallow backcountry water, and tour guide will share information about bottlenose dolphins as you view them in their natural habitat.
This tour comes with water, soda, and beer/wine, and lasts for 3 hours. I can't think of a better way to enjoy the sunshine and warm waters of the Florida Keys!
Go Shopping for Souvenirs
There are countless shops around Key West for souvenir shopping, so set aside a dedicated afternoon to sip your Cuban coffee and wander in and out of the shops in Old Town!
Road Trip Around the Florida Keys
There are so many amazing islands to explore with kids in the Keys, such as Islamorada and Key Largo! Feed the tarpon at Robbie's Marina in Islamorada, visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon Key, try fried key lime pie in Marathon Key and conch fritters in Key Largo!
You'll never run out of unique restaurants, water sports, beaches, and cocktails in the Keys, so rent a car and do some exploring!
By the way, if you want to make it an overnight thing, we LOVED Hadley House in Islamorada! They actually fit our family of 6, and we got upgraded to the 2 Bedroom Ocean View Suite. Breakfast is included, and they have free SUP and kayak rentals!
Where to Stay with Kids in Key West
We have 4 kids, so it can be tough finding accommodations that comfortably fit our whole family. We ended up finding the perfect spot in Key West - Margaritaville Beach House Key West! They have a 2 bedroom suite with bunk beds in one room and a king-size bed in the other room.
The best part, though, is that the bunk beds have a queen size bed on the bottom and a full bed on top, so all 4 of our kids could fit in one room comfortably. This may not work if you have older kids, but there's also a pullout couch in the living room, so you should be able to find a comfortable sleeping arrangement no matter what age your kids are.
There's a nice pool, free smoothies at noon around the pool, a fitness center, and it's located right across the street from Smathers Beach, so you can easily head over for a relaxing afternoon, or to view sunrise or sunset. We absolutely LOVED staying at Margaritaville!
We booked part of our stay on travel reward points in the Chase Reward Portal thanks to a signup bonus and points accumulated from just our monthly spend. (I mean, have you seen the price of groceries and gas lately? And we have 4 kids to feed!). This is my absolutely FAVORITE travel reward credit card for beginners, and while this may not have been the BEST way to redeem our points (Hyatt hotels get GREAT reward redemptions, and you can transfer the points right from the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal), it was the perfect hotel for us, and our points really helped offset the cost!
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Emily Krause is a Wisconsin-based travel blogger who writes about exploring the world with kids. On A Mom Explores you’ll find best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
Read more about our family and how we got started in the world of travel blogging here!
