6 Of The Best Ways For Getting Around Key West Without a Car
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Getting around Key West without a car is much easier than you think! And actually… these are more preferable ways too!
Key West is a very small Island, only 2 miles by 4 miles. And with that, tons of restaurants, bars, shops, and homes are crammed into there. Combined with very old and narrow cobblestone roads, Key West can be difficult to maneuver with a car.
We spent an entire week in Key West and while we did have a car with us (we drove down from Miami), we often left our car at our Airbnb and barely used it while we were on the island.
Key West has a ton of alternatives to getting around without a car.
Why You Don’t Need a Car In Key West
With its packed narrow streets, Key West is hard to get around with a car. But even if you did have a car, heres a couple reasons to leave it at your hotel…
It can be very expensive to park. Parking anywhere in Key West is very limited and the parking you do find, you need to pay for. If you end up walking around Key West for a few hours or spending a full day at the beach, parking expenses add up and it’s just not worth it.
Parking is very limited. Key West does offer street parking but it is very limited and very hard to find. You’ll be lucky if you can find parking a few blocks away from your destination so between driving around looking for a spot and paying for parking, you’re better off calling an Uber.
Enjoy as many Margaritas as you want without driving! If you dont drive, you dont have to worry about drinks! And Duvall Street in Key West is a drinker’s paradise. I mean, how do you visit Key West without having a margarita?!
Keep Reading: 12 Things To Know Before Visiting Key West
Alternatives to a Car
Uber/Lyft
When visiting Key West, we found that using Lyft or Uber was the most reliable and easiest to get around. With the parking situation being so hard, it was so much easier to just call up a driver and be picked up and dropped off wherever we wanted.
And because of the island’s small size, we could go from one end to the other and the rides were short and inexpensive. I also found an abundance of rides available throughout the day and we never had to wait more than 5-10 minutes for a car to show up.
Pedicab
Pedicabs are guys who ride bikes with a little cab attached where you can hop in for a ride. These are all up and down Duvall Street and a great way to get from one end to the other, or to other areas nearby. They are affordable and don’t need to be reserved. You just flag one down and jump in!
The only drawback is they are obviously a little slow (but great for a scenic drive to take photos!) and do not take you all around the island. They pretty much stay near Duvall Street.
Bikes
Bikes are a fun way to get around Key West! You can rent bikes in several places around the island. They have bright colorful bikes with baskets, or even tandem bikes.
And since Key West is such a bike-friendly place, you’ll often find bike racks at every place you want to visit. You can rent bikes by the hour, day, or even for the week.
Scooters
Do you prefer getting around Key West in a faster way? Try renting a scooter! Scooters are a fun way to get around and see the island. They are affordable and can take you anywhere you need to go. And because of Key West’s small and narrow streets, scooters are an easy way to get around.
The con to scooters is that you do have to be 16 with a valid driver’s license to drive one. So this might be a fun idea for adults, but it is not usually a good option for families with small kids.
Golf Carts
A good option for families in Key West is to rent a golf cart! That’s right, Key West has more golf carts than I’ve ever seen. Is there even a golf course nearby? Who knows! Golf carts can be rented by the day or week and are a good option if you want to get around quickly with kids.
We’ve even seen golf carts with dogs driving down Duvall Street. It’s a fun and easy way to get around that accommodates the entire family!
The Duvall Loop Bus
The Duvall Loop Bus is a hop-on/hop-off bus that runs all over Key West and stops at 18 different locations. It is FREE to use. You just find the designated stop signs and wait for the bus to show up!
This is a great FREE option to get around Key West. The only drawback is that you have to wait for the bus. You can check on the app when it is coming, but there are times you can be waiting for 20 minutes or longer for the bus to show up.
How Much of Key West Can You Walk?
The short answer is all of it! Key West is a very walkable town. There are sidewalks everywhere and pedestrians usually have the right of way.
On my first day there, I met a woman who walked the entire island every morning. It only took her about an hour. It really just matters how hot it is outside and if your family can do it. But there really isn’t a place in Key West that isn’t walkable.
Why You Would Need a Car In Key West
There are a few reasons why you would want to have a car when visiting Key West. We did have our car on hand, and I’d say we used it about half the time we were there.
If we went on an excursion, like our fishing trip, we often had to travel a little outside of the island, so taking our car was a little easier than finding an Uber or Lyft. Or if we wanted to go grocery shopping, it was nice to have a car with us.
Key West also has several other smaller keys nearby that would require a car to get to. Bahia Ford State Park is about a 45-minute drive from Key West and is worth the trip!
So while having a car in Key West does help, it is very possible to visit Key West without a vehicle. There are so many options for Getting Around Key West Without a Car!
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