KEY WEST ONE DAY ONLY
 

I will be taking the ferry service from Ft. Myers to Key West and will only have a few hours to spend there. Would one of the train tours cover everything or should we skip it? Looking at either the Conch Train Tour or the Old Town Trolley Tour - is one better than the other? Also, any suggestions on a great lunch spot? Thanks in advance for your help!

The Conch Train is a good way of getting to see the whole town. Mangoes is a great place for lunch or just sit and sip one of their speciallity drinks and watch the people along Duval Street.

I normally recommend the Conch Train Tour to anyone visiting Key West for the first time, but since you'll be limited to about 4 hours there I'm not sure you'd want to spend an hour and a half on a tour. I suggest you research local attractions before your arrival (Hemingway House, Little White House, etc.) to see if you might want to spend your time touring one or more of them. And although I love Mangoes, I'd recommend you go to Half Shell Raw Bar because it's more representative of Key West.

I agree with the rsmith. Nothing beats the Half Shell but if seafood isnt your thing you could have lunch at Blue Heaven. You just have to see it. Don't miss the Audubon House.

We took the Conch Train tour, and although I usually love that sort of thing, I got bored, and we got off half-way through.

Too bad. Its the 2nd half when things get good. I guess you missed the surprise at the end.

Do what lots of other tourists do. Go get plastered at Sloppy Joe's then puke off the boat the whole way home.

You must be a blast at parties.

People have stopped inviting me. I wonder why? Any ideas?

I second the blue heaven nomination. Avoid the following: Margaritaville, Hard Rock Cafe, Planet Hollywood. Maybe if we all ignore them they will go away (perhaps they already have, I haven't returned since they sprung up there).

Planet Hollywood closed a couple of years ago.

Yes, yes, yes. It is working, we ignore them and they go away. Bye bye planet hollywood. Planet hollywood is next. Why did they have to disneyfy KW?

I meant Hard Rock.

Walk; the trolley is very boring! Walk on Duvall and on the side streets. Choose what you like: shopping, historical houses; people watching is really what it is all about there.

When the cruise ships dock, the polyster clad run for the trolley and conch train. Better to avoid them. I would opt for walking. You can get a walking map from the Visitors Bureau with the sites listed. Key West is a walking town.

Skip the conch train. Take a walk down Duvall, end to end and check out the sights along the way. &quot;Must Dos&quot; would include a stop by Sloppy Joe's, Hemingway House (for the cats if nothing else) and watching the sunset. The Banana Cafe (on Duvall) is nice for breakfast and if you have time go to the Half Shell Raw bar too (another section of town, not sure what it's called). <BR><BR>If you're a parrothead stop by Jimmy Buffett's place for a &quot;mediocre cheeseburger in paradise&quot; or average margarita. The gift shop is a good place to pick up little odds and ends for the folks back home.<BR><BR>

I took the Key West Ferry and they try and sell you the Conch Train Tickets on the Ferry. I am not sure if they were discounted or what the story was. They really push it though. We didn't take it, but we did rent a moped. That was fun, and also went to the Hemmingway House for a tour. Just some ideas. We had lunch at Margaritaville. It was a nice day trip. We were there in June. HOT and Muggy.

I actually thought the cheeseburger I had at Margaritaville was very good. The peach margarita I had with it was only so-so. But if you only have less than one day - eat at Blue Heaven!<BR><BR>Go to either the Hemingway House, Truman White House or Mel Fisher Treasure Museum. They are all worthwhile and unique to Key West - it just depends on your interests. (Note, if it is a really hot day, the Hemingway House isn't air-conditioned, the other 2 are.) Then stroll down Duval.

<BR>Loved the conch train tour. Go to the Hemingway House (and see the 5-toed cats), the Mel Fisher museum, stop at Sloppy Joe's, eat key lime ice cream.