Attractions for Guests of Key West Vacation Rentals

A vacation rental in Key West makes the perfect home base for enjoying the "Conch Republic," an island paradise surrounded by the spectacular turquoise sea. Guests of Key West rental properties can enjoy the flavor of the Caribbean in this charming spot with its unique blend of water sports, history, culture, and laid-back island style.

Key West, the southernmost city in the continental United States, is situated just 90 miles from Cuba. Popular activities for guests of Key West accommodations include snorkeling, diving, swimming, fishing, exploring tropical gardens, and visiting cultural and historic sites. Don't miss a photo op at the Southernmost Point marker at Whitehead and South streets.

Key West is home to many well-known writers and artists. Cultural attractions for visitors staying in condos in Key West include innovative theater, dozens of art galleries, several museums and historic sights, and an annual literary seminar. The Heritage House Museum and Robert Frost Cottage (305-296-3573) showcases a wealth of antiques and artifacts, while the Audubon House and Tropical Gardens (205 Whitehead St., 305-294-2116) features 28 first edition prints by famed ornithologist John James Audubon.

Guests of Key West Florida lodging can tour Ernest Hemingway's home and gardens (907 Whitehead St., 305-294-1136) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Admission is $11 for adults and $6 for children. The Curry Mansion Museum (511 Caroline St., 305-294-5349) is open for tours from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Tickets are $5 for adults and $1 for children.

Other Key West attractions include Our Lady of Lourdes Shrine on the grounds of St. Mary's Star of the Sea Church at 700 Truman Avenue and historic St. Paul's Church at 401 Duval Street, featuring fabulous stained glass windows.

History buffs will enjoy admiring the picturesque 19th century gingerbread mansions and tin-roofed conch houses, touring Truman's Little White House (111 Front St., 305-294-9911), and seeing treasures unearthed from the Spanish galleon Atocha at Mel Fisher's Maritime Heritage Museum (200 Front St., 305-294-5671). Another attraction for guests of vacation rentals in Key West Florida is the Key West Museum of Art & History in the Custom House (281 Front St., 305-295-6616).

Vacationers staying in rentals in Key West will find great shopping and restaurants along Duval Street and Front Street as well as in the historic Bahama Village neighborhood. A number of Key West restaurants serve up local specialties like fresh seafood and Key Lime pie.

At sunset each evening, a crowd gathers at Mallory Dock for a spontaneous celebration complete with music and entertainment by street performers. As night falls, the streets of Key West come alive with open-air bars and sidewalk cafes.

The beautiful 18-hole course at the public Key West Golf Club, designed by golf legend Rees Jones, encompass more than 200 acres of palm trees, dense mangroves, tranquil lakes, rolling fairways, and dramatic greens that are graced with tropical wildlife and refreshing trade winds. The challenging "Mangrove Hole" is a 143-yard, par 3 that is played entirely over a thick field of tropical mangroves.

The Key West Golf Club is located at 6450 E. College Road. Call 305-294-5232 for tee times. Greens fees, including cart rental, are about $160 during high season (mid-October through May). Fees are discounted considerably during the off-season, for juniors, and for play early and late in the day. Club rentals are available.

America's most inaccessible national park, Dry Tortugas National Park, encompasses seven islands situated about 70 miles west of Key West. In addition to fantastic snorkeling, bird watching, and fishing, visitors can also tour historic Fort Jefferson. Vacationers staying in Key West lodging can reach Dry Tortugas National Park on the Yankee Freedom II ferry (305-294-7009), Sunny Days high-speed catamaran (305-296-5556), or Seaplanes of Key West (305-294-0709). The park is open year-round and the entrance fee is $5 for adults.

Key West vacation homes are also convenient to other Florida Keys attractions, including the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the National Key Deer Refuge, Windley Key Quarry Fossil Reef State Geologic Site, and Windley Key's Theater of the Sea.

With so many things to do in Key West, you're sure to have an unforgettable Key West vacation. Book your Key West accommodations today!