It's definitely a must visit when you're in Key West. Luscious greeneries all over the property. Keep an eye on the six-toe cats all around. Some of them occupy the cat house that looks like the Hemingway house itself. Very cute. The gift shop is at the back. You can find some cats there too. Very friendly and helpful staff read more

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Heard this was a must stop in key west so had to come by. We didn't do the tour which I regret. I think the tour would have brought the whole thing together better. It was super crowded when we went which made it a bit hard to take everything in but loved the cute cats! read more

Ernest Hemingway Home - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

We visited the Ernest Hemingway House & Museum Tue February 3, 2026. It is located in the very walkable Old Town area of Key West, FL. It offers guided tours that include the house, grounds, & haunts of this American author. We chose general admission for a self guided tour. A large house surrounded by a walled garden. A unigue feature is the walkway from his second floor bedroom to his writing studio. Many photographs of his "sports" fishing, boxing, movie posters, & his "haunts" (saloons). Through the house & gardens are a multitude of polydactyl (six toed) cats. Many are descendant of the Hemingways' original pet cat. Much to read as you tour this place, probably 1-2 hours would suffice. Open: 9am-5pm daily. General admission is $20.pp Thank you to all the helpful staff. Nick & Liz, Albnay, NY, USA read more

For my personal preference, I'd rate this a 2/5, but that's just because I don't care about Ernest Hemingway. I found it boring, especially the inside since it's set up like a museum. If you like Hemingway, you'll like it! The grounds were nice to walk around. I only saw about 10 cats throughout and was expecting a lot more. We chose to walk through on our own instead of join the free guided tour. Either way, it takes about 30 minutes to walk the whole property, inside and out, with stopping to read and such. I honestly only went because someone bought me a ticket. Tickets are bought in person, and they charge 3% extra for credit card and mobile. read more

Ernest Hemingway Home - Pool - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

Nice and well maintained house once lived in by Ernest Hemingway himself. They offer free tours every 15mins. Make sure to tip the tour guide after. read more

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Finally...I have wanted to tour the Hemingway House for the past three visits to Key West. I am so happy the friends we were with also wanted to tour it. The line wasn't super long on a Tuesday morning in late February. The grounds are well maintained and the employees are friendly. It is so interesting to see where Hemingway lived and wrote from 1931-1939. The home and furnishings are beautiful. And you get a real sense of who he was from all the pictures and displays. It is fun to imagine the home in the 1930s with not many if any homes and busy streets surrounding it. If you are a Hemingway fan or you just want a visual on his life during the years he lived there, I recommend touring the home. read more

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Almost all the estate is up for grabs and you learn a little history about the house and the man, including his wives, in particular the second one who technically owned the house. On the property are 57 cats, so they are just as much a part of the tour as the house itself. Many have six toes and a few have seven toes. You get a decent view of the top of the lighthouse from one of the balconies, which was also how Hemingway found his way home many times when he indulged too much at the bar. It also has a gift shop on site. $19 for admission and includes a 30 minute guided tour. 5 stars because... cats. read more

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I haven't read all of Hemingway's work, but I've enjoyed some of his most famous pieces, including The Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bell Tolls, A Farewell to Arms, and The Snows of Kilimanjaro. So I would definitely consider myself a fan. I'm also familiar with some of the more infamous incidents and accidents in his life. He was, without question, a legendary figure. Many people say that visiting the Ernest Hemingway Home is a must, and while I'm glad we went, I came away a bit underwhelmed. The guides did a reasonable job with their storytelling, but the experience didn't leave me with a deeper understanding of Hemingway as a person. Perhaps my expectations were too high. I think having more photographs or video of him actually living and working in the home might have helped connect the experience more directly to the man himself. The home itself is very well maintained. The interior is preserved in period style, which helps you imagine what daily life there may have been like. The exterior and landscaping are beautiful, and the estate is lovely to walk through. The writing studio was especially interesting to see. I do wish the second-floor walkway between the home and the studio had been restored, as it would have added another layer of authenticity. If you're a cat lover, you may have mixed feelings. There are many cats on the property, over 60, according to the guide. Most of them were lounging quietly or slowly wandering the grounds. They were very calm and tolerant of attention, but surprisingly unresponsive. While they allowed petting, they didn't seem to react much at all. As someone who enjoys interacting with cats, it felt a bit unusual. I'm glad we made the visit, but I was left wishing for a more immersive and personal connection to Hemingway himself. read more

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If you love Ernest Hemingway, or cats, this is the place to be! The tour was insightful, funny, and informative. We loved searching for all the cats and petting them. It is very warm. Take note: only one room is air conditioned. read more

We self-guided our tour but listened into the guided tours a bit; loved experiencing this piece of history as the property is beautiful and a great view into the life of this amazing writer. I don't love cats, but the cats were so chill and friendly! Had a cuddle with Walt Disney and enjoyed seeing Betty white from a distance! read more

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So it was an interesting place to check out. $19 per person entry seems a bit steep. Bring cash...they charge a credit card fee. We chose to do the self tour which we actually liked because we could read all the signage w/out trying to listen/keep up with tour. House was nicely organized and signage told the history nicely. A few cats inside...a whole slew outside. They were all super chill and seemed very well cared for. read more

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Came here with my son, who really only wanted to see this place for the polydactyl cats and told me point blank he could care less about Hemingway. Admission includes the optional guided tour so when we came a little after 4 before closing, they had a guided tour that was slated to begin at 4:15. That gave me enough time to go to the restroom first, which left a bit to be desired and a shudder on walking out. There are 3 small gender neutral public bathrooms with a relatively quick line. I waited and upon one opening up to a woman who walked out without washing my hands I quickly overlooked what I just witnessed and looked for a place to set my stuff down on to do my thing. With the amount of admission $$ paid it would be helpful to at least put a hook on back of the bathroom door or a small table so that I wouldn't have to find a sliver of clean place on the TP stand to put my stuff in restroom. Our diminutive tour guide was rather difficult to hear. Although she was quite audible enough, but kind of slurred, if I could sum up an explanation for why I couldn't understand a bit of what was said throughout. I was looking forward to the writing studio but our guide completely skipped it. After the tour we were free to roam the grounds and I rejoined my son to enjoy the weather, watching the cats that are living their best life out here. read more

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If you're in Key West and curious about Ernest Hemingway or just love quirky historic homes, don't miss the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum. This place is truly special. The moment you walk through the gates, the lush gardens with koi ponds and shaded courtyards make you feel like you've stepped into Hemingway's own world. The home's interiors are fascinating -- packed with original furniture, photos, books, and artifacts that give real insight into Hemingway's daily life. You're surrounded by pieces of history that you'd never see in a generic museum. And the best part? The guided tour. Our guide was full of stories and rich detail that you just wouldn't get from wandering alone. From the way Hemingway wrote in his studio to personal anecdotes about his time in Key West, the narrative brought the house to life. A fun extra: the famous six-toed cats! They wander the grounds and are cared for on site. They're super friendly and absolutely Instagram-worthy. Perfect for couples, families, and solo travelers alike -- especially if you like history, literature, or beautiful old homes. Highly recommend taking the guided tour to get the most out of your visit. A wonderful, memorable stop in Key West! read more

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I was honestly surprised the admission was $20. The guided tour tried a little too hard, focusing a lot on the affairs -- I feel like we could have learned more about other things. But honestly, the cute cats make it worth it. They steal the show every time! read more

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Here's what I knew about Ernest Hemingway before touring his home: he wrote a bunch of popular books that I never read, that were made into movies that I never saw, he is the grandfather of Margaux and Mariel, and he had/has polydactyl cats on his property. Here's what I know about Ernest Hemingway after taking the tour: Psych! I'm not going to spoil it for you, as I'm not a monster! C'mon! I WILL say this: I like it when a tour guide dishes the real dirt on a celebrity, the good, bad, and the ugly. We're all human, and we're all fallible. Tell us the good stuff! For $19 per person, you get a guided tour of the house and a small portion of the estate. After the tour, you can roam around at your leisure. You can even pet the cats, if they'll let you! The gift shop is small, but has some really nice and unique gifts in it. I bought a Key Lime scented bar of soap shaped like a cat's head, for example. Our tour guide did a great job of dishing the dirt on Hemingway, as well as weaving his history into that of Key West and some of the local businesses. I don't need to come back here for a visit, but I would, just to hear the stories. And the cats. Always for cats! 96/2025 read more

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Absolutely a must see when in the Keys. The tour is amazing and you get a bottle of Rum for doing it. Definitely worth the price. Our guide was super knowledgeable about the area, The product and the Man behind the brand. I highly recommend this distillery to any visiting the keys. read more

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I could've stayed here FOREVER. This was my first time visiting and it was so interesting! But to be honest, the best part (for me) was the sweet kitties!! I was in heaven - I spent a lot of my time on property looking out for them and getting some pets in (if they allowed). As far as the property itself, it was so beautiful and amazingly preserved! Our guide, Rusty, was super! He was really funny, kind, and very knowledgeable - he's been employed there for many years! I would definitely recommend to be on one of his tours (which are free with your entry!) I really learned so much about Ernest Hemingway! To be able to see his writing studio was very cool too! You really could feel it when you saw it (as Rusty said!). This is totally a must if you are in town! Lots of amazing history, stories, and lots of kitties! A lot of the Polydactyl cats (famous on this property for their 6 toes) made themselves known and loved to get some love from the guests - super cool! read more

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We were in Key West on a cruise stop, and found that the Hemingway House is a short walk from the cruise terminal. From Mallory Square, turn right on Whitehead Street, then walk about half a mile and you'll see a brick fence around the two story house. Tickets were $19, and that gets you a guided tour which takes about 30 minutes. After that, you are free to roam around the property and can take as many photos as you wish. Just don't get in the pool! You'll get to see most every room in the house, including the bedrooms, dining room, and even get to walk around the upstairs porch. There are some unique furniture pieces and lots of photos from over the years. Don't expect much A/C, so be ready for that during the summer months. If you're a cat person, you'll love the many polydactyl cats. They have extra toes, which is considered good luck on ships. Hemingway had a bunch named after various stars of the 50's and 60's, and the cats there now are their descendants. The guides will tell you which ones are friendly enough to pet. The main reason to visit here, in my opinion, is to see Hemingway's writing room. It's in a separate room right next to the house, and inside is the actual typewriter where he composed many of his most famous fictional works. Just being able to look inside is pretty amazing if you think about what was created there. read more

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I love this place and always try to stop by when I'm in key west! I'm a big fan of all the cats but just walking around the grounds is pretty, too. There was actually a wedding being set up the last time I was there and it looked like it was going to be gorgeous. There are a few rooms/etc you can view that are still set up like Hemingway had and I recommend doing one of their tours if you have time so you can hear some cool history about the house! read more

Ernest Hemingway Home - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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This was my first time in Key West and the Hemingway Home was most certainly on my list! First of all, I love history and it was so exciting to see this famous home and learn all about Hemingway's life. One of my favorite parts were the 61 cats that live on the property! They are such an integral part of the Hemingway story. read more

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Except for the high admission price, this an interesting historic house to visit. Favorite for be was the very masculine writing studio he used. Don't cone if you don't like cats! read more

A visit to the Ernest Hemingway House is well worth the time. We were there during a cold snap (low 60's) in the Keys and were able to get in without a long line or wait. Our tour guide was excellent and offered many insights to Hemingway's life in the Keys and in this house. There are something like 100 cats living on the property - including a number of cats with an extra toe - direct descendents of Hemingway's original cats. Before or after a tour of the house, you should explore the lush gardens surrounding the house. The property is also an extremely popular wedding venue, hosting hundreds of weddings per year. The tour of the house, however, is the highligt. Seeing the actual house, Hemingway's writing studio, the photographs and artifacts is fascinating. Allow 1-2 hours (not including any time waiting in line for entry). read more

Fun little trip through history by visiting the Hemingway house in Key West! Do the guided tour, our guide was great. You'll miss a lot of the history of the house if you self-tour. Lots of historical stuff in glass cases, pictures on walls. A lot of character held in one little house. The writing shop upstairs out back is very cool, where most of the writing occurred. The largest private pool in Key West is a sight to see! Nice gift shop out back. And yes, lots of cats, with extra toes, running, sleeping, etc. everywhere! Highly recommend you visit! read more

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Cats! 61 cats - all with 6 toes! They're so chill and unbothered by tourists. We did the tour and found it enjoyable and not too long. The house did smell like cat pee, but that comes with the territory. read more

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Must do when in key west. Do the guided tour if you've not been there before. Tour guides are all great and enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. Unless your kids are into it. Its probably not the thing for them. 6 told cats are cool. Whole place is great and you can feel the history in the walls. read more

Great way to spend an afternoon in Key West! $10 to get in and do a self guided tour. The 6 toed cats are the sweetest and are a direct descendant of Hemingway's cat. Beautifully preserved and love seeing all of the other ways he enjoyed his life, read more

Ernest Hemingway Home - His writing studio - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Beautiful home with a wonderful guided tour by a very funny lady! One of my favorite parts of our trip to Key West.

This place is probably the most iconic and most visited attraction on key west. The historic home is in the center of the island just off of Duvall street and is where author Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote his books. The home is maintained as a museum and kept in the way Hemingway had it. The property has his home, his writing studio, a swimming pool that you can't use, and a book store (where you can buy his books for marked up prices). I enjoyed going through the home by myself but you can take a tour if you prefer. It does get crowded but it comes and goes in waves. It's around $20 to get in. Look out for the 6 toed cats. read more

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If you go to Key West you must take time out to tour this Mansion. You will learn so much about Ernest Hemingway one of Americas greatest authors. Some facts are interesting and some are shocking. Over 55 six toed cats live at the Mansion. Each one had its own care taker. He bred the cats for this trait and believed that having a six toed cat on your boat was good luck. They were everywhere and no place was off limits. At his Mansion the first pool in the America's was at his house. His then wife took out his boxing ring to pour the pool. There is a bar on Key West where he had a very specific stool and the boxing ring resides there too. Next time we visit we are going there. The grounds are lush and beautiful. There is only one Hemingway left due to a long line of mental illness and all of the previous family all died by suicide with Ernest being the oldest one at 65 years of age. Many years later she figured out what was causing it. Too much iron in their systems would sit on their brains for too long causing extreme mania. She discovered much too late that they just needed to go monthly to have blood removed from them. Many people have to do this. It was not known then and we lost some amazing people because of it. All I know is if I get to come back after death I want to be one of those cats. They have a great life. read more

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This is a destination! Yes, I'm an Ernest Hemingway admirer. "Every day is a new day. It is better to be lucky. But I would rather be exact. Then when luck comes you are ready." ― Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea. Be exact and plan your trip here early in the day, many days out. Then you may see many 6 toed cats, catch a super guide, and rub elbows with famous celebrities taking in this famous landmark and museum as I did. Just walking through here, I could see the charm and perhaps grasped the inspiration that created great stories I admired as a kid. It is was more impressive than I thought it would be. Quite odd, but as I was leaving, I had a hunger for a Sloppy Joes and a few drinks. I will come here again. This place is soothing deep into the soul. Thank you Ernest for this place as well as your works. read more

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Beautiful well-preserved home of one of my favorite writers. Hemingway was an eccentric sort of character and with newfound medical knowledge today, it seems fairly certain that he suffered several traumatic brain injuries which affected his life, including possibly prompting his death. One of the interesting features of this home is his handwritten notes near his bathroom mirror in which he logged his weight. We also appreciated the fact that the multiple polydactyl felines are left to roam and own the property as they choose. Gorgeous property overall that serves as a snapshot in time and easily allows visitors to transport themselves to an era vastly different from today. Highly recommended to anyone visiting the Keys for the first time to get a glimpse into the lifestyle for the heyday of the region. read more

We never bore of Ernest Hemingway's Key West home & menagerie of 6 toed cats, I've been here more than a half a dozen times. It was built in 1851 and purchased for Hemingway and his second wife, Pauline, by her uncle for $8,000 in 1931. The tour guides are engaging, the wraparound porch Y& lush gardens are stunning. The 57 cats are all over the house & garden; half of them six-toed descendants of ones the Hemingways owned and named after celebrities like Zsa Zsa Gabor and Babe Ruth, are worth the $19 price of admission. It was a hot afternoon but we took photos of the pool, still the largest in the city & constructed at the behest of Pauline, much to Hemingway's chagrin, on the site of his homemade boxing ring for the then outlandish price of $20,000. Another highlight of the tour is his writer's studio, which still has his favorite Royal typewriter. read more

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Interesting tour and our tour guide had a lot of extra information and he also had a great sense of humor. It was fun to explore this piece of history. One thing that has been added is a/c making it very pleasant on the balmy day we toured. read more

I had an excellent time here, but I have to make some specific notes about why. First, I'm a Hemingway fan and wanted to know more about his life. Second, I love cats and was thrilled to see them everywhere. Third, I took the included tour which seemed to greatly enhance the experience. With these asterisks, I really enjoyed myself there! The house and grounds are gorgeous and it's nice to have a little green space in downtown Key West. The tour was pretty good, but vastly better than just reading the signs. The tour guides create a narrative that takes you through Hemingway's life and his time spent in Key West. It is well worth your time. With a quick Google search, some historians question the authenticity of some of the furniture in the building. But it was still an amazing experience to see Hemingway's writing studio where he worked on so many amazing books. The cats were amazing, but a totally separate experience. They are everywhere, but they have safe spots to escape people, so most of the ones sitting within reach want to be scratched. It's so fun to see their different personalities and of course to see how many toes each cat has. You could visit and only see the cats or you could visit and only learn about Hemingway. If you like both, like me, you'll love the Hemingway House! read more

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If not for Hemingway, then go for the polydactyl cats! This was my second visit to Ernest Hemingway's home. The first time I went I did the tour with a guide which I highly recommend. They give you so much great information as they take you through each room. On my second visit, my husband and I did a self guided tour. This does give you a chance to be leisurely in some areas where you want to read more or breeze through an area if you choose. The outdoor grounds are lovely with lots of greenery, shade and a beautiful pool. I also loved the upstairs cottage where he did the majority of his writing so be sure to take a peek up there! The stars of the house are the polydactyl cats. You will learn of Hemingway's own polydactyl cat, Snow White and the numerous descendants who currently reside at the home. Honestly, the many cats might get more attention and photographs taken than anything else. read more

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Hemingway himself, although a gifted writer, was not the greatest person as you will learn on the guided tour, but his adorable (and friendly) cats remain and are the true stars of the visit. As of my writing this in early 2025, half of them uniquely have 6 toes while 4 reportedly have 7 toes on one paw! Either way, this is a great place to visit for a slice of history, architecture, culture, and fuzz therapy. Greg was a phenomenal tour guide. The total visit took about 1.5 hours. Admission is about $20/adult. read more

Ernest Hemingway Home - Museums Near Me - Key West, Florida

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We took a few hours to do a self-guided tour of the Hemingway property, it's always been on my bucket list but never was a priority in all my visits to Key West until now. This is a beautiful piece of history and one can't help but be curious and although we opted out of the guided tour this place provides plenty of opportunities to understand what life must of been like during this era. General Admission is $19 per person and the tours start every 15 minutes everyday 9 am - 5 pm and the guided toured takes about 30 minutes but you can hangout as long as you like and interacting with the 59 felines onsite is acceptable the cats are really laid back and are tolerant of the attention they are very friendly and hangout without running off and mingle with the crowds and have free range of the property. This is not a large property although during its era I'm sure it was quiet the home and very modern for the times. There are clean restrooms and a beautiful gift shop filled with his books, souvenirs and of course cats. I thought the experience was worth the price of admission but for me it's a one time visit... read more

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Welcome to Key West, where the rum flows, the air hangs heavy with salt, and Ernest Hemingway's ghost probably still mutters about deadlines. The Hemingway Home & Museum isn't just a tourist stop -- it's a pilgrimage. You walk through those iron gates and you're stepping straight into Papa Hemingway's world. This is where he cranked out To Have and Have Not, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, and a few too many daiquiris between fishing trips. The place is dripping with history -- a Spanish Colonial mansion built in 1851, complete with wraparound verandas, lush gardens, and the kind of sultry Key West breeze that whispers, "skip work, stay awhile." But let's be honest -- you're here for the cats too. Dozens of them. Polydactyl cats with extra toes, all descendants of Hemingway's own feline, Snow White. These Hemingway cats are Key West royalty -- they lounge like they own the place (because they do), striking poses like they know they've got a better Instagram following than you. Pro tip: if one of them ignores you, congratulations, you've been blessed by literary nobility. The guides here weave Hemingway's larger-than-life legend with Key West's rum-soaked past. They'll tell you about his six-toed cats, his boat Pilar, his boxing matches in the yard, and maybe, just maybe, hint at how many mojitos it takes to write a Nobel Prize-winning paragraph. By the time you're standing in his writing studio -- sunlight spilling in, typewriter ready, the air heavy with ghosts and genius -- you get it. You understand why Hemingway called this island home. Pro tip: Come early before the crowds, grab photos of the mansion's stunning architecture, and make friends with a cat or two. But fair warning: they'll judge your life choices if you don't have rum in hand. History. Cats. Hemingway. Key West. This isn't just a museum. It's a vibe, a lifestyle, and maybe, if you squint hard enough, an excuse to pour yourself another daiquiri in his honor. read more

Do the tour! I didn't do it, but my husband did. There is no extra cost to do it. The tour is included with your admission ticket. You will learn so much more from the tour guide because they will share entertaining and memorable stories about the author and his life. If you just walk through the building and grounds, there isn't much information to be learned because placards are rare, and if available, generally state the name of the item and the date without any explanation. Also, if you plan on buying an Ernest Hemingway book or a few, do so at the gift shop. Sales help keep the property maintained and open to the public for viewing. Prices here are decent, especially compared to the locally owned bookstore across from the Fousts grocery store. I really loved the story about the penny embedded in the ground by the pool in the backyard. Be sure to ask your guide for the story, if he or she doesn't volunteer it anyway. If you are a cat lover, you will enjoy the many felines slinking around or balled up in various nooks and crannies on the property. You aren't allowed to pick them up, but you can pet them. Most of them seemed to accept the attention of hundreds of visitors each day. I didn't realize the number of books that Hemingway wrote in his lifetime. His last book was the only one known to me. The Old Man and the Sea was assigned as required reading when I was in grade school. I loathed the book back then, but promised to give it and several others of his writings a try. Many were made into movies with famous actors back in the fifties. I was certainly inspired from this visit to do more research since his stories did seem to shape a narrative in the US. Definitely worth a visit when you are in Key West, FL. It's not too far from the main drag of Duval Street. If you are coming from a cruise, it's pretty close to the terminal too. Everything seems to be within a mile or two. If it's too hot or you just can't do the mileage or don't have the time, take the free loop bus which passes close by to the home. read more

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This was the highpoint of our Key West vacay. Tour guide was funny and attentive. I have never read anything by Hemingway, but the place was an amazing slice of time. The cats were everywhere and cute as could be. On the way out, I purchased one of his books (Old Man and the Sea)! Read it in one sitting and cried. I'll read more. read more