Florida Keys with Kids: Fun Things to Do

There’s really something unique about the Florida Keys. Visit once and you’ll know there’s a reason Ernest Hemingway lived in the Keys.

The Keys are an incredible place to spend some time if you want to hit the beach but you don’t want to deal with huge tourist crowds. They’re also a wonderful place if you want to spend some time at gorgeous old bars and inns, without having to worry about getting a headache from the legions of noisy weekend revellers.

In terms of culture and climate, it’s somewhere between a charming, rustic American town, and the relaxing, scenic appeal of a beach resort destination in the Caribbean.

Sounds like a great place, doesn’t it? For adults, anyway.

It’s not exactly Disneyland, but fear not! You can totally take a trip to the Florida keys without boring your kids to tears. The Keys are definitely a laid back part of the country, but really, a lot of the attractions strike a perfect balance between relaxing and fun. You won’t get bored, but you won’t get a headache, either.

So here are just a few of the cool things you can do in the Keys without boring your kids half to death.

Mallory Square
Something of a Key West tradition: At dusk every day, visitors and locals alike gather at the seaside Mallory Square to watch the breathtaking sunset and enjoy the entertainment of street performers. The beauty of nature, some entertainment, and nobody walking around with a giant Mickey Mouse head on their shoulders.

Charters
There are a lot of charter tours in the Keys, in fact, far too many to ever list here. You can take Danger Charters and take a look at the sharks and wildlife of the area, or you can take Easy Day charters for fishing, snorkeling, and even, hopefully, some dolphin sightings.

Hemingway Home and Museum
Your kids might not be so into The Old Man and the Sea just yet, but you can go to appreciate all the stories and artifacts that really bring literary history to life, and your kids can enjoy the six-toed cats, descended directly from the cats owned by Hemingway himself.

When your kid is asking for Six Flags and you tell him that you’re going to some place in Florida he’s never heard of, he probably won’t be too thrilled at first, but rest assured, the Keys really are a great place to take your whole family. You get the laid back atmosphere of a real grown up vacation, but with a degree of entertainment and excitement that the kids will love.