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Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

This famous author’s hideaway not only gives a peek into his life and interests, but is also home to his beloved cat’s many descendants.

Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum: Our most recommended tours and activities

Key West Conch Train Tour

1. Key West Conch Train Tour

Climb aboard Key West’s conch train for a 75-minute sightseeing tour of the tropical paradise. The train departs from Front Street Depot and loops through the Old Town to end back behind the Depot at Mallory Square. Stock up on ice cream and homemade fudge at the Depot to eat on board during your tour. You can jump off at Truval Village to visit the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, Key West Lighthouse, Southernmost Point, and Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. Climb to the top of the observation tower at Key West Shipwreck and Treasures Museum. Travel back in time to the days of hand-rolled cigars at Mallory Square. And stroll through the Cayo Hueso y Habana Historeum. Back on the conch train, learn about Key West characters, such as Mel Fisher, whose lifelong search for 2 sunken Spanish galleons finally turned up treasure worth USD 450 million. Jump off to enjoy great shopping on Duval Street, and fine dining at restaurants such as Hog's Breath Saloon, Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville or the Hard Rock Café.

From Miami: Key West Bus Tour

2. From Miami: Key West Bus Tour

Embark on a full-day tour of Key West from Miami. Feel the Caribbean atmosphere of the Florida Keys and explore at your own pace. See important sites, including Hemingway’s House, or opt to swim in the sea. Start with a 4-hour drive across 43 bridges and 31 islands to America's “Caribbean Islands,” the Florida Keys. The string of islands and islets, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, leads to Key West, the only frost-free city in the continental United States! Once in Key West, experience a Caribbean atmosphere complete with friendly street artists, lively outdoor cafés, and alfresco restaurants. Spend some time exploring Key West on your own. Book lovers might like to visit Ernest Hemingway’s House to see the former home of the famous author. Or, if you prefer, you can go to the southernmost point of the continental United States at the famous "90 miles to Cuba" Monument. Explore museums, such as the Mel Fisher Museum, the Light House Museum, or Ripley's Believe It Or Not Museum (tickets not included). Feel the pulse of Key West at Mallory Square next to the cruise ship port. You may also choose to add one of our most popular adventure activities, such as a snorkeling trip to see tropical fish, a ride in a glass-bottom boat, or the hop-on and hop-off sightseeing trolley bus (tickets not included in the price). Depart Key West at 5:30 PM for the drive back over the bridges and islands.

Key West: Guided Bicycle Tour with Key Lime Pie

3. Key West: Guided Bicycle Tour with Key Lime Pie

Meet your friendly guide at the local partner’s office and get kitted out with your bike gear. After a short safety briefing it's time to head out on your island paradise adventure to see the very best that Key West has to offer. The first stop of the tour is the iconic Mallory Square, home to a popular nightly sunset celebration. Here, learn about the island’s history of smuggling and the shipwrecks that have crashed on the nearby reef. Next, pass by the presidential gates that lead to Harry Truman’s Little White House, which is known to have been his favorite vacation spot. Continue the tour onto Mile Marker Zero, which is quite literally the end of the road in the USA, then stop outside Ernest Hemingway’s former home where the famous writer penned many of his treasured novels. Head to the Southernmost Point in the Continental USA for a photo opportunity, then complete your circuit of the island as you ride past Higgs Beach, the White Street Pier, the Key West Cemetery, and the historic Seaport. At the end of an unforgettable 3-hour tour, enjoy a well-deserved rest and a slice of traditional key lime pie, an absolute must for any visitor to the island.

Florida: Key West Overseas Highway Self-Driving Tour

4. Florida: Key West Overseas Highway Self-Driving Tour

Begin your sunshine-filled journey just an hour outside Miami, Florida: on Key Largo. Start the scenic 100-mile drive bypassing the ‘African Queen’, the iconic Hollywood riverboat. Follow in the historical footsteps of the Overseas Railroad to Plantation Key, the smuggler's haven. While there, check out Big Betsy, the giant lobster, and Theatre of the Sea, home of the original dolphin shows. Continue through Isla Morada while learning about the hurricanes, ecosystems, and wildlife of the tropical Florida Keys. Explore Anne’s Beach, Long Key, and Marathon, each of which contains unique attractions. Cross over the iconic Seven Mile Bridge and make sure to check out Fred the Tree, the famous spirit of the Keys. Journey past Pigeon Key and Geiger Beach until you reach the most famous Key of all: Key West. In popular Key West, discover Mallory Square, Truman’s White House, the Hemingway Home, Tennessee Williams’ House, and the historic lighthouse. Wrap up your tour at the Southernmost Point of the Continental US.

Key West: Ghosts of Key West Walking Tour

5. Key West: Ghosts of Key West Walking Tour

Explore the spooky side of Key West on this ghost-themed walking tour. See the city’s most popular haunted spots and hear fascinating stories about the ghosts of its past. Hear about Robert the Doll, the haunted doll with supernatural powers who sits in the city's East Martello Museum. Stop by the La Concha Hotel and learn about the ghostly legends contained within. See fascinating locations like the Hemingway House and the Artist House. Stroll the city's streets with a guide who is an expert on its dark, haunted history. Become a history buff after learning about the historic events and figures that helped shape the unique culture of Key West

Key West: History and Culture Southernmost Walking Tour

6. Key West: History and Culture Southernmost Walking Tour

Start your journey at the famous Kino Sandals Plaza, where you will meet with your local guide. On your walk listen to stories about how Key West became one of the wealthiest cities in the mid-1800s. Learn about the island’s shipwrecking industry, sponge harvesting, and cigar manufacturing.  The end of the tour will end at a buoy showing the Southernmost Point of the continental U.S. Here, your guide will give you free maps so that you can continue to explore the various shops,  museums, and other points of interest along this section of the island.

Key West: Hemingway's Life and Local Food Walking Tour

7. Key West: Hemingway's Life and Local Food Walking Tour

Discover the life of Ernest Hemingway while he lived in Key West on this guided walking tour. Uncover where the author lived, worked, and played. Stop to try three different samples of Key West cuisine as you walk.  Meet your guide at the front gate of the elegant residence where the author lived during the 1930s, Hemingway House. Make your way to get some local treats to help energize you for your walking tour. Try some delectable food like grilled chicken street tacos, conch fritters, and key lime pie. Find out where he watched and refereed boxing matches. See where he kept his boat the Pilar. Capture pictures of the bookstore where his books were sold. Stroll by his first apartment in Key West where he finished writing “A Farewell to Arms.” Make another stop to for some food before visiting where the author used to catch the train. Observe where he used to fish and charter boats. Finally, head to Sloppy Joes which was a favorite watering hole for the writer. 

Key West: Self-guided old town treasures walking tour

8. Key West: Self-guided old town treasures walking tour

Find out why Key West attracted so many cultural legends on a self-guided walking tour of the quirky old town. Starting from Mallory Square, follow the precise directions of your audio guide mobile app to learn the fascinating history behind the people and places that make the island so special. Starting from the Memorial Sculpture Garden in Mallory Square, you’ll discover the stories behind Key West’s most famous sights, including the residence of former President Harry Truman, Florida’s oldest bar, the hotel where Tennessee Williams stayed for ten years and the so-called longest street in the world. Along the way, you’ll learn how salvaging shipwrecks transformed the city, why the buildings’ aesthetics are so strictly controlled, how the city became known as the ‘Conch Republic’ and why there are so many chickens running around.

Key West | Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

9. Key West | Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour

One of the USA’s most famous and classic road trips, the Overseas Highway, US1, jumps from Key to Key over 113 miles, either ending or beginning at Key West, just 90 miles from Cuba. Flexible Tour: Follow the suggested itineraries, or divide the commentary and create your own half, full or multi day sightseeing trips. Major Highlights: Annes Beach Bahia Honda Betsy Giant Lobster Duval St Hemingway House* John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Deer Key Largo Key West Pigeon Key Seven Mile Bridge Southernmost Point Buoy Tarpon Feeding Turtle Hospital* Includes: Miami - Key West Along the journey, you’ll hear the story of how a determined Henry Flagler fought many challenges from engineering, financing, hurricanes and some ridicule to build an Overseas Railway. Those tracks forged the initial route and became the foundation on which the road was eventually built upon. You'll also hear how famous musicians, writers, adventurers and other characters have also been charmed by the Florida Keys and Key West’s unique location and way of life. They came to chase huge fighting fish, find buried treasure or just themselves. Snorkel, scuba or take a glass bottom boat to get up close to the living coral reefs, fish and an old Spanish shipwreck, of the Florida Keys at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Your guide will point out areas to keep your eyes peeled for the endangered Key Deer, the smallest of North American deer and visit the lovely beach at Bahia Honda for an up close up view of the old rail bridge. As you loop Key West, appreciate the brightly coloured Key West style houses, including Ernest Hemingway's, which open to visit. Grab a selfie at the striped buoy that represents the Southernmost Point in the Continental USA. And of course, take some time to wander Duval Street. You’ll quickly find yourself slowing to Key West pace.

Other Sightseeing Options in Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

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What people are saying about Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

Overall rating

4.2 / 5

based on 419 reviews

Our trip started from Miami to Key West.The driver was very professional with the safety of the passengers. Lily was our tour guide and she was really awesome at her job. Her patience was great and she made us comfortable on the trip. Thank you both for a great trip.

The app was very easy to use and very helpful. I would recommend using this app to learn about the area and the sites to see.

Make sure you get Lauren as your guide. She’s fabulous, as I’m sure the others are too.

The tour was great! Tamara and Frank was gently. Route to Key was fast.

the place is beautiful and is worth the long ride.