{"id":203715,"date":"2026-03-24T10:19:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:19:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203715\/"},"modified":"2026-03-24T10:19:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T10:19:14","slug":"a-new-england-travelers-guide-to-key-west-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/203715\/","title":{"rendered":"A New England Traveler\u2019s Guide to Key West, Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGuides<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Sit back, relax, and let loose on the island that practically requires you to do all three.<\/p>\n

\t\t\tFrom day trips to weekend getaways, our biweekly Traveler newsletter shows you the best of New England and beyond.\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"A<\/p>\n

Sunset at Casa Marina Key West, which recently underwent an extensive renovation. \/ Photo by Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton<\/p>\n

Immediately upon stepping off the plane and into Florida\u2019s southernmost key, it\u2019s clear the vibe has shifted. No longer are you in the land of tight smiles and buttoned-up New Englanders, but somewhere much more laid-back, where everyone wears flip-flops exclusively and wants to know if you\u2019d like another drink. And with a festival-heavy lineup of events, April marks a prime time to party here. Prepare to settle into the island\u2019s relaxing rhythms with the help of a slice (or three) of Key lime pie, azure waters in every direction, and more rum than you ever thought possible.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. \/ Photo by Mark Hedden, Courtesy of the Florida Keys & Key West<\/p>\n

PLAY<\/p>\n

The best way to see the Conch Republic is from the seat of a wind-whipped jet ski. Embark on a tour with Barefoot Billy\u2019s<\/a>; you\u2019ll circle the entirety of Key West in just 90 minutes while cruising over the waves, and in certain areas, you\u2019ll slow down to possibly catch a glimpse of a dolphin or manatee. Come down from your adrenaline rush at Papa\u2019s Pilar<\/a>, a distillery named for famed resident Ernest Hemingway and his beloved fishing boat (and recent winner of Rum Producer of the Year from the USA Spirits Ratings). Opt for a tour from Bahama Bob, the on-site rum consultant, who\u2019ll tell you about the business\u2019s barrel-blending and bottling processes, plus give you a taste of the distillery\u2019s light and dark rum varieties. It\u2019s a perfect precursor to visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum<\/a>, where you\u2019ll see, among other things, his writing studio, his original typewriter, and a gang of six-toed cats. From April 17 through 26, partake in the 44th annual Conch Republic Independence Celebration<\/a>, which marks the island\u2019s playful \u201csecession\u201d with parades, parties, a pirate ball, and more. Then, stay for the beginning of the Key West Songwriters Festival<\/a> starting April 29, when live music takes over the island.<\/p>\n

\"Three<\/p>\n

Cocktails at Casa Marina Key West\u2019s Canary Room. \/ Photo by Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton<\/p>\n

SHOP<\/p>\n

Key West is only 90 miles from Cuba\u2014much closer than the mainland U.S.\u2014so it makes sense that the country\u2019s rich history of cigar-making has made its way to Florida. At the Rodriguez Cigar Company <\/a>factory, you can watch master cigar rollers in action, then shop its four varieties; the Vintage 1925 Series is the original tobacco blend that the company began with in 1984. You\u2019ll also want to make a stop at Books & Books @ the Studios<\/a>, author Judy Blume\u2019s nonprofit bookstore, for a wide selection of Key West\u2013themed books. That includes the staff-recommended The Last Train to Key West, a historical fiction novel that tells the story of the infamous 1935 Labor Day hurricane through the lives of three women.<\/p>\n

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A towering slice of Key lime piece from Blue Heaven. \/ Photo by Madeline Bilis<\/p>\n

EAT<\/p>\n

You must start at least one day of your trip at Blue Heaven<\/a>, the legendary restaurant serving beloved breakfast dishes like pecan pancakes, Key West shrimp Benedict, and a towering slice of the fluffiest Key lime pie on the island\u2014best enjoyed beneath the sweet-smelling shade of the patio\u2019s bougainvillea and palm trees. Later, as you duck in and out of the shops lining Duval Street, stop for lunch at the soon-to-open Fishwife<\/a> for Bahamian-inspired seafood, a seriously indulgent smash burger, and an inventive vegetarian take on oysters. As the day winds down and you make your way to Mallory Square for its nightly sunset celebration, save time for dinner at Bagatelle<\/a>. Start with a fresh salad that mixes Costa Rican hearts of palm, roasted cherry tomatoes, maple-glazed pecans, and radicchio, followed by a main course of seared black grouper over coconut rice and grilled asparagus.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The Henry Flagler-built hotel\u2019s private beach is the largest in Key West. \/ Photo by Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton<\/p>\n

STAY<\/p>\n

Casa Marina Key West, Curio<\/a> Collection by Hilton dates to 1920, when the grande dame was built by railroad tycoon Henry Flagler. A recent top-to-bottom renovation plays up the resort\u2019s Old World glamour, along with dazzling updates like the Canary Room, its walls completely handpainted with a tropical mural by local artist Katlin Spain. Outside, the retreat offers the largest stretch of private beach on Key West, in addition to two pools and a new open-air oceanfront restaurant, Dorada.<\/p>\n

This article was first published in the print edition of the April 2026 issue<\/a>, with the headline,\u201cKey West, Florida.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Guides Sit back, relax, and let loose on the island that practically requires you to do all three.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":203716,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":{"0":"post-203715","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-florida","8":"tag-florida","9":"tag-florida-headlines","10":"tag-florida-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203715","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=203715"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/203715\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/203716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=203715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=203715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=203715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}