A Refined Lens on the Best of Key West

As locals, we’re almost always asked the same three questions by visitors: how long we’ve lived here, where we came from, and what they shouldn’t miss while on vacation.

I love sharing my story and my personal list of favorites. Working in restaurants, however, there’s rarely enough time during service to highlight all of the exceptional places in Key West that truly deserve attention.

These recommendations are meant to do just that — offering a refined lens on the best of Key West, so you can spend less time searching and more time enjoying every moment.

While there’s always a time and place for some of Key West’s more iconic, tourist-forward experiences — Margaritaville included — my personal preference leans toward the quieter, more refined side of the island. That perspective shapes everything I recommend: filtering out the tourist traps and highlighting experiences that feel more thoughtful, elevated, and genuinely special — the kind of moments that make time here truly memorable.