For our summer vacation this year, instead of traveling out of state or even abroad, I decided to explore our home state of Florida. There are so many things to do, that we hadn’t tried, and places to visit, that we hadn’t seen, that it seemed like a great opportunity to do so.

Our road trip consisted of a mix of beach and city locations, water activities, land activities, fancy restaurants and cheap eats.

Our trip took two weeks, and we barely scratched the surface of Florida. The first stop on our road trip was Key West.  Key West is a great destination for families and offers tons of fun activities for kids to do. Whether your family is adventurous, loves the water, likes trying different foods or loves to relax on a beautiful beach, there is something for everyone in Key West.

Key West Family Vacation

Here is where we stayed in Key West, the activities that we did while we were there and some of the places that we ate if you want to recreate our trip.

Where we stayed in Key West

In Key West, we stayed at the Margaritaville Beach House Key West. We had a two-bedroom suite, which is the perfect configuration for a family. The room had a king in one room and two queens in the other, a living room and a kitchenette. The room also had 1 1/2 bathrooms which comes in very handy when traveling with kids. 

Margaritaville Beach House Key West has a resort pool, a restaurant and bar, and fun nighttime activities. If you just want to relax, the hotel has hammocks throughout the property. The hotel has a great island vibe throughout, and everyone was super friendly.

The hotel is located approximately 12 minutes from downtown Key West and is across from Key West’s only beach, Smathers Beach. We thought the location was perfect, as we were close enough to downtown when we wanted to go experience all that it had to offer, but we didn’t have to be in the midst of everything at night with the kids. We could go back to the quiet of the Margaritaville Beach House.

To get downtown, you can drive, which we do not recommend, or take the hotel shuttle. The shuttle runs every hour and drops you off within a 5-minute walk of Duvall Street. We made use of the shuttle every day and never had a problem getting a seat. Note, that the shuttle does not run on island time; it leaves on time.

Activities in Key West for Families

There are tons of activities to do in Key West, both on the water and on land. We did at least one water-based activity each day of our trip. We didn’t do many land-based activities, but that gives us a reason to go back when it is a bit cooler.

Here is what we did below:
Our first day in Key West, we hopped on the shuttle to downtown Key West and just walked around town for a bit until dinner time. After dinner, we headed over to Mallory Square for the Sunset Celebration and enjoyed a comedic juggler and then a gorgeous sunset.

The next day, my son and I were up early to go on a jet ski tour with Barefoot Billy’s. This was only my third time on a Jet Ski and my second time driving a Jet Ski, the first time was only for 15 minutes, so I was far from a Jet Ski driving expert. Barefoot Billy’s is the only outfitter that gives you practice time out on the water, before heading out on the tour, which I really appreciated. After practice time was over, we did a tour around the island. This was probably my favorite activity of the trip.

That afternoon, we were back on the water, this time for the kids to go parasailing. For this activity, we booked Sebago Watersports. Parasailing was done in tandem and there were around 6 or 7 pairs going up. I had been before, so didn’t go up this time, just the kids went. They were a bit nervous at first, but once the parasail pulled them up in the air, they told me they had a good time. I enjoyed just being out on the water, as that’s my favorite place to be.

On our last day, we did a Dolphin and Snorkel Tour with Sunset Watersports. The first portion of the tour was dolphin spotting/watching. We did spot dolphins pretty quickly and we were able to watch a few of them play in the water for quite a bit. After everyone had their fill of dolphin watching we drove over to the reef to go snorkeling.

We didn’t see as many fish as Caribbean locations, but the reef was pretty cool to see. We stayed in the water until someone said they saw a shark, and that was our indication it was time to get back on the boat. On the way back, drinks were served onboard. (good to note: I would recommend bringing snacks with you as snacks aren’t served on board, just drinks, and your kids will probably get hungry after snorkeling.)

Some of the land activities in Key West, that we didn’t get to on this trip include the Shipwreck Museum, The Conch Train, Ghost and Gravestones Tour, and The Truman Little White House. Other water activities that are great for families include: stand-up paddleboarding and kayaking.

Check out these fun activities to do in Key West

Key West Florida Reef Half Day Snorkeling Excursion
Key West Jet Ski Tour
Do it all Watersports Adventure
Key West Full-Day Power Adventure: Sailing & Watersports Package

Where to Eat in Key West

In Key West, we ate at a few different places, some were really good, others were okay and some were downright disappointing. Here are the places that we would recommend:

Eaton Good – This is a little bit away from the main area, but was the best food we had in Key West. They serve Jamaican-inspired cuisine. We tried the ribs with scotch bonnet mango bbq sauce, mac and cheese, jerk chicken, ginger key lime slaw and a cowboy cookie. The ribs were amazing. If you go here, I would highly recommend getting them. The mac and cheese was pretty good as well and my daughter loved her jerk chicken.

Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe  – At Kermit’s, we got key lime pie on a stick and a strawberry key lime pie. Both of which I would recommend.

Cuban Coffee Queen – This is a food stand offering Cuban coffee, breakfast, sandwiches and sides. It is located near the Key West Marina. We got two Cuban mix sandwiches to share and black beans and rice. I would recommend both things. They were really good. As they are a food stand, they don’t offer anywhere to sit, so you will have to take your food to go and find somewhere to sit by the waterfront.

Seaside Cafe at the Mansion – This restaurant is located in an old Mansion, turned hotel. We went for their “world-famous lobster pizza.” I will say that the Lobster pizza was pretty tasty and their drinks were pretty good as well. Their location was amazing, as it is right on the water and you can sit with your toes in the sand if you want to. The location is right around the corner from the Southernmost Point, so we were able to grab photos after dinner.

Is Key West a Good Family Vacation Destination?

We would say Key West is a great family vacation destination. We were only in Key West for 3 days and we could definitely have stayed longer. If you are thinking of visiting Key West with the kids, we would say go for it. It is perfect for a quick getaway or for a longer vacation.