Key West Old Town Trolley Tours
Easy Sightseeing Includes Hemingway House and Mallory Square
May 7, 2009
Some Key West accommodations are too far from Old Town for easy walking. Instead of driving into the Historic District and looking for parking, one option is to do a day's sightseeing on the Key West Old Town Trolley Tour. A ticket is good for the full day, and the entire ride takes about 35 minutes. There are ten stops, each with multiple attractions to check out.
For visitors staying in Old Town, the trolley is a convenient way to get to all the attractions in one day, especially as parking can be limited in Key West.
Here are the ten trolley stops, in order:
- Stop #1: Mallory Square
- Stop #2: Key West Seaport
- Stop #3: Simonton Row at Greene Street
- Stop #4: Crowne Plaza La Concha
- Stop #5: Bahama Village
- Stop #6: Key West Welcome Center
- Stop #6A: Best Western Key Ambassador
- Stop #7: Casa Marina Resort
- Stop #8: Southernmost Trolley Stop
- Stop #9: Truval Village
- Stop #10: Angela Street depot on Duval Street
Key West Hotels Served by the Old Town Trolley
All but Stops #6, #7, and #8 are on or near Duval Street. Stops #6, #7, and #8 are well-placed for the Key West resorts and hotels located in the newer part of town. These include
- Fairfield Inn and Suites at Stop #6.
At Stop #7, near the Key West Welcome Centre,
- Key West Marriott Beachside Hotel
- Holiday Inn Key West
- Days Inn Key West
- Comfort Inn Key West and
- Radisson Hotel Key West.
At Stop #8,
- Best Western Key Ambassador Resort Inn.
The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum (Stop #5)
One of the best-known Key West tourist attractions is the beautiful former home of the famous American writer Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway and his wife, Pauline, lived here during the 1930s, with their two young children, Gregory and Patrick. The house itself was built in the 1850s for shipbuilder Asa Tift, a slave owner and strong supporter of Florida's secession in the 1860s.
Although the original furnishings have been replaced, the owners of the house have restored it to a condition similar to what the Hemingway family knew in the 1930s. Hemingway owned the house until his death in 1961, though by 1956 it was rented out. He kept an apartment in the carriage house and visited sometimes.
Visitors may take a guided tour, or look around independently at the house, carriage house (including Hemingway's studio), tropical gardens, swimming pool, and the much-publicized six-toed cats who live on the grounds.
Admission (as at May 2009): Adults $12, Children $6, 5 and under, free.
Open 9 to 5 every day.
Sunset Celebration in Mallory Square (Stop #1)
Every evening before the sun sets, acrobats, musicians and other performers entertain the crowds in Mallory Square, at the Key West waterfront, near the Westin Hotel and the cruise ship dock. When the sun goes down, everyone turns to watch, and it's nearly always spectacular. A great photo opportunity.
The Key West Trolley makes its last stop here at about 4:30. One option is to get off the trolley at one of the nearby stops (#1 through #4 are reasonably close to each other), and walk through part of Old Town to get to Mallory Square a little later, but in time for the sun set.
Key West Trolley drivers use a loudspeaker to tell passengers about the sights and stories of Key West during the tour.
Tickets cost $29 per adult, $14 for children 4 to 12, under 4, free. There are group discounts available, and lower prices for purchasing tickets online.
Also about Key West
Key West Accommodations Near Duval Street
Key West Ghost Tours to Haunted Houses and Hotels
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