The Key West Express

Recently we went to Key via the Key West Express, which is a fast ferry that leaves out of Fort Myers Beach. This is our 24 hour itinerary, however all of the destinations are close to the cruise terminal in Key West as well and would be within walking distance to visit while in port on a cruise.

Below is our 24 hour Key West itinerary. To see the full experience following this itinerary watch our Key West Express Youtube episode linked above. 

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Getting to Key West

You will need to book your tickets ahead of time on the Key West Express website. The ferry does recommend arriving in Fort Myers Beach at 7 am to begin boarding, so if you don't live in the Fort Myers Beach area, we'd recommend booking a hotel the night prior. We went with a budget friendly option that offered a complimentary breakfast (Best Western Fort Myers Inn & Suites).

The Ride

The ferry ride typically takes between 3.5 and 4 hours. While you can purchase food and drinks on board, we would recommend holding off until you get to Key West, as there will be plenty of options to choose from within walking distance. We had a calm day on the water and arrived at the terminal in Key West right around noon. (Keep in mind that the experience can vary based on the weather and if the Gulf is too rough, the ferry could even be postponed.)

What to do with your Luggage

One you arrive you can pay to store your luggage at the ferry terminal if your hotel room isn't ready yet, or you can make sure to stay at a hotel that will allow you to drop your luggage off ahead of time (like we did). We booked at a boutique hotel due to it's proximity to the ferry terminal as well as countless restaurants, bars and activities. Plus we were able to drop our luggage off as soon as we arrived which made it much easier to begin exploring Key West. Our next Key West episode and travel itinerary will cover our full experience at the hotel as well as all the things you can can do within a 1/2 mile of the Historic Inn we stayed at.

Lunch on the Water

We chose Lagerheads, not for the food, but for the beach. This establishment does not have indoor seating and shady spots were limited, but it is a spot where you can enjoy the beach, just a few minutes from the ferry terminal. The menu is quite reasonably priced compared to other Key West spots (we'd recommend the chicken wrap) and being right by the beach was our favorite part about visiting. Keep in mind, the beach area is very small and we could see this spot getting very busy during the high season.

Rum Break

Once you've cooled down in the water, a fun and free tour is only a couple blocks away at Key West's First Legal Rum Distillery. It was fascinating to learn about all of the different steps they take to make quality rum, and of course you get to try some for free! After the tour you can purchase drinks at their bar or even bottles to take home, and if you don't have the time for the tour, you can still just stop in for a drink.

Coffee Break

If in the afternoon you are starting to feel the effects of getting up early to catch the ferry, we'd recommend walking over to the Shops at Mallory Square to grab a coffee at Cuban Coffee Queen. Not only is the coffee here robust, but if you order and iced coffee, they use coffee iced cubes, so it won't get watered down in the Florida Keys heat. (Plus this area is air conditioned and there are public restrooms on the 2nd floor).

Things to do around Mallory Square

Just outside of the shops is where you can find a ton of activities to keep you busy for hours including shopping, the Florida Aquarium which has been open since 1934, the Shipwreck Museum which includes a 65 foot lookout tower you can climb to see panoramic views of the island, as well as a stop for the hop on and off trolley.

Dinner on the Water

When you are ready for dinner, we'd recommend walking over to Sunset Pier. Not only can you enjoy live music but you can dine over the water out on the pier. In addition to the band, we enjoyed watching all of the boat tours go by with the sunset in the distance. 

Dessert after Dark

After sunset, we made the walk to Mood Dog Cafe. While we had visited previously for coffee (which was fantastic) on this trip we were going there for the Key Lime Pie. Moon Dog serves up a Key Lime Pie piled high with a sweet meringue, which balances out the tartness of the key lime filing. Even though we didn't order any meals on this trip, all of the food we saw being delivered to tables looked amazing, so really we'd recommend coming here any time of day – for coffee, pastries, food or dessert!

Sailing high above Key West

We ended this episode with an exciting excursion we've been wanting to do in Key West for a while now, parasailing over Key West. We had booked this excursion before with Fury, but it was cancelled due to rain. This time we booked the first time slot of the day and it was worth getting out early to see the morning views of Key West. If you haven't seen our Key West Express episode yet on our Youtube channel, we'd recommend heading over there to see these views, as we can't fully describe the experience in this itinerary. 

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