where is the best area to stay in key west, florida?

What is the best area to stay in Key West?

By Carles Barcelo. Updated October 27, 2023

If you want to be in the heart of things, the best area to stay in Key West is the downtown area. Here, you’ll be within easy walking distance of Duval Street, giving you plenty of options for drinking and dining, as well as some excellent shopping. You’ll also be near some of the main attractions of Key West, including The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, and The Little White House, where president Harry S Truman used to stay. From this area, you can easily access the waterfront where you can catch a boat tour or the Key West Ferry.

Perched on the southernmost tip of the Florida Keys, this island city is a haven for divers and snorkelers, and is home to America’s only living coral reef. This is the perfect place to try something new, whether it’s learning to scuba dive or swimming with dolphins. On dry land, stroll past pretty pastel coloured houses or head to Duval Street, where you’ll find some of the liveliest shops, bars and cafes that Key West has to offer. While you’re there, hang out at Sloppy Joe’s bar, where Hemingway used to drink. Elsewhere, there’s the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory to keep nature lovers happy.On the map, which shows the most convenient area to stay in Key West, you can see a selection of some of the best located hotels.

If you are interested in where to stay in Key West, you may also be interested in where to stay in Miami, where to stay in Orlando, where to stay in Fort Lauderdale and where to stay in Tampa.

Downtown, the best area to stay in Key West

This area certainly contains the most amount of fun in the city with many splendid things to do and see. One of the first things to do is head to the southernmost point on the island as well having the same title for the whole country. You can find this point by the lovely Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, which has an impressive collection, and the views are absolutely gorgeous where you can look right down to the Caribbean.

One of the most moving memorials in the city is the Key West AIDS Memorial, which is dedicated to the thousand people that have lost their lives to the deadly disease. Another popular landmark is the Key West Lighthouse, which has fabulous views over the ocean and you can climb the lighthouse for a small fee. One of the most celebrated museums is the Shipwreck Museum, which is relatively close to the lighthouse and has interesting and informative exhibitions on the many shipwrecks that have occurred on and by the island. For the animal lovers, the McCoy Indigenous Park is a rescue centre and helps wild animals recover from their traumatic deal and is free though donations are more than welcome.

Another place to check out if you are into wildlife is the Key West Nature Preserve, which is a large space and is inhabited by various local animals like snakes, butterflies and lizards. The harbour is a great area to look at architecture and the old town is part of it with other places of interest being the Malloy Square, Duval Street and Hemmingway House. From the harbour, you can arrange various trips including fishing, snorkelling, diving, dolphin watching and many others. Other activities, which can be organised by various tour companies offer rock climbing, seas kayaking, parasailing, jet skiing, cycling and many other things to do. One of the key tourist attractions is the swimming with dolphins, which allows tourists to swim with our great friends of the sea for half an hour.

Hotels in Downtown Key West

Other places to stay in Key West

Poinciana Plaza

Cheaper Hotels

Poinciana Plaza is only 2 miles north and 6 minutes away by car from Key West International Airport. This is a great place to stay as there are many well-known hotel groups in the area and prices are often cheaper than downtown! Many hotels have free parking, and it is only a 10-15 minute drive to spectacular beaches and Duval Street! For those who don’t drive, hotels in Poinciana Plaza often have free shuttles to both Duval Street and Mallory Square!

Poinciana Plaza extends right to the oceanfront, so there are many peaceful and enjoyable walking trails right next to the water! You can also take a scenic stroll along the canal front towards the south of the neighborhood. Poinciana Plaza has a small shopping mall called the Searstown Shopping Center where you can buy groceries or find places to eat, plus there are plenty of restaurants dotted around the neighborhood.

Most booked hotel in Poinciana Plaza: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Key West at The Keys Collection ⭐⭐⭐

New Town

Cheaper Hotels

New Town is a residential neighborhood that is only a short drive away from Old Town, which is considered Key West’s “downtown” area. It is a 5-minute drive from Duval Street and only 7-minutes away from the airport. For those who don’t drive, there are hourly shuttle buses from New Town to the city center, as well as a shuttle to Smathers beach, a white-sand, palm-tree-lined beach at the southernmost part of the neighborhood!

For families visiting Key West, New Town is a fantastic place to stay as it is quieter and the hotels are better value, with plenty of waterfront options to choose from too! New Town is home to the Key Plaza Shopping center where you can stock up on groceries or snacks for the kids as well as find somewhere to eat. You’ll find familiar chain restaurants in this area and a range of international cuisine.

Most booked hotel in New Town: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Key West ⭐⭐⭐

Stock Island

Quiet and relaxing

Stock Island is just a stone’s throw away and can be accessed by road and is home to lots of attractions. The Bernstein Park is used for recreational sports like football, tennis and basketball and there are some professional teams that use the stadium, so do check out the schedule. The Key West Golf Club is a world-class golf course with some of the best views anywhere in the world to the actual course itself. This and the Botanical Garden pretty much take up the north side of the island and the gardens display exotic plants and flowers as well as a Tropical Forest. From the harbour, you can go on fishing, spear fishing and general boat trips and glass-bottom boats are usually used to make it that bit more extra special.

The south part of the island has many restaurants and bars that give Key West a run for its money, though there aren’t as many hotels.

Most booked hotel in Stock Island:

The Perry Hotel & Marina Key West

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