Gay Key West, Florida

If you’re looking to get out and get wet, Key West is the place for you. With an unlimited array of water activities available, such as kayaking, windsurfing, fishing, parasailing, boating, and swimming with the dolphins, you’ll wonder that you ever spent time on land! For an even more intimate water experience, go snorkeling or scuba diving and explore the coral reefs and shipwreck remains hidden just below the water’s surface. It is said the most truly popular destinations in Key West are all underwater.

However, if you prefer to stick to your land legs, you can also look at exotic fish, colorful coral, and old shipwrecks above water at the Key West Aquarium and the Maritime Museum, respectively. Other land activities include touring Old Town Key West on foot or by bicycle, relaxing at a clothing optional pool, and touring one or all of the many theme museums such as the Hemmingway, Little White House, and the Lighthouse Museums.

Before you call it a day, be sure to catch the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square, where you will find an open air market and festival environment complete with arts and crafts sellers, street performers, and food stands. This year round quotidian festival is a great way to collect a second wind before the evening revelry begins.

It is claimed that evenings in the Duval Street district resemble a veritable ‘Mini-Mardi Gras.’ The district is brimming with bars, restaurants, and a variety of entertainment options. And many establishments are catered towards both the local and tourist gay population. Eat at one of the many seafood restaurants or choose from among the international fares available. Then, after an appropriate digestif, start moving your body at a night club or join a dance party in the street!

Key West prides itself upon the diversity of its residents and the relaxing and welcoming atmosphere which permeates the city and its many venues. The official town motto is “One Human Family.” The Gay Pride Fest, held in Key West during the first week of June, and the annual Gay Spring Break, which spans six weeks and makes Key West the destination for as many as ten thousand vacationers, mean that Key West is a familiar and popular city for gay and gay friendly travelers. In addition, Key West is permanent home of a sizable gay and lesbian population.

Well, if all of the above doesn’t convince you to choose Key West as your next vacation destination, then consider the fact that by visiting Key West you will join the important ranks of the many who have had the unique honor of visiting the southernmost city in the continental United States—and you can even get a t-shirt to prove it!  (Check out the Florida Attractions Tickets on our "Tickets: Attractions, Events" page.)