Maritime Village to Micro State: A Self Guided Tour of Key West

Key West is famous as mainland America’s Caribbean resort town. Here, time slows down as the island vibes take over. But there is more to this island than umbrella drinks and warm breezes.

Key West has an incredible history, from its origins as a maritime village that profited heavily from salvaging wrecked ships and crews along the Great Florida Reef a few miles offshore, to the creation of the micro-state known as the Conch Republic. While in Key West, you will want to visit many of the sites that make the island distinct such as the Key West Lighthouse, the Hemingway House, the Little White House, and Southernmost Point.

On this tour, you will visit all of these and more, stopping for refreshments along the way at many of the island’s signature restaurants and bars. You will hear stories of some of the island’s more famous residents along with some lesser-known tales that have given Key West its unique place in American culture and history.

This is the starting location for the tour. Here, you can enjoy street performers and visit the shops before starting the tour. If you are starting your tour in the morning, then coffee is available at nearby Cuban Coffee Queen.

This is an optional visit for travelers interested in learning more about Key West’s origins as a shipwrecking community.

We discuss treasure hunter Mel Fisher during the audio tour and for those who want to learn more, the museum has artifacts and a detailed account of Mel’s story.

Stop in for a drink, appetizer, or lunch and see some of the named barstools that have supported the backsides of famous customers, or the tree growing in the middle of the saloon as discussed in the tour.

This optional stop is one of Key West’s most famous restaurants. Stop in and check out some live entertainment and some food/drink.

Kermit’s sells Kery Lime Pies, but if you want a frozen treat during your walk, grab a frozen Key Lime Pie Bar on a stick.

We discuss the Little White House as a presidential retreat during the Truman Administration. Tours are available for those who want to learn more about this location.

Pass by the beginning of the longest north-south road in the nation, starting here in Key West and running to the Canadian border at Fort Kent, Maine.

This location is a great opportunity for a selfie or group photo.

Optional stop for Parrotheads who want to visit the first Margaritaville store/restaurant that started a business empire for singer/songwriter Jimmy Buffett.

Visit the home of writer Ernest Hemingway, who lived here for nine years, writing several famous works inside these walls. The house has many six-toed cats descended from Hemingway’s original pet that visitors can interact with.

We discuss Hemingway’s time on Key West during our walk, but tours of the home are available for those interested in learning more

Walk the grounds of the lighthouse and learn about its first light keeper during our walk. Separate admission is available if you want to view the interior of the keeper’s house and climb the 88 steps to the top for a bird’s eye view of Key West and the Gulf of Mexico.

Admission is free for active military.

This is the end point of our tour. The Southernmost Point Bouy is another great location for a selfie or group photo to commemorate your time in Key West.

• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• There are several museums located along the tour route. We will pass by the exteriors, describing them briefly. If you wish to learn more, you may purchase a separate admission from the museum directly.
• Travel time is included in the duration of the tour

• Maritime Village to Micro State: A Self Guided Tour of Key West
  Add

• Audio Guide
• Voice Map Audio Tour App

• Smartphone
• Headphones
• OPTIONAL: Admission to Truman Little White House ($22.95)
• OPTIONAL: Admission to Hemingway Home and Museum ($18.00)
• OPTIONAL: Admission to Key West Lighthouse ($15.50)

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How to access your tour:
1. Download the Voice Map app. This can be done by searching “Voice Map” within the Apple App Store or Google Play Store
2. Create an account with Voice Map
3. Select “Tour Codes” from the bottom menu, then select the “Enter Codes” tab.
4. Enter the code “kw2404s2”.
This code is valid for the number of tours that you purchased.
5. Select Download Now.

PLEASE ALSO NOTE:
• Be sure to ENABLE location services on your smartphone. Failure to do this will make it impossible for the VoiceMap application to locate you on the map.
• You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.
• When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.
• This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.
• The download should only take a few minutes to complete. If it takes longer, please cancel the download, go to Account, select Purchased and download the tour from there.
• Remember to bring your own headphones.

Please be advised..

• This Tour is Provided by Knockabout Travel.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at America/New_York.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 2 valid reviews on TRIPADVISOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 15 Travelers is accepted for booking.