Spent one night at The Gardens Hotel and I wish we could have stayed longer. I love this hotel in…read morethe heart of Key West which is walking distance from all the best dining & shopping. This hotel is truly charming and the gardens & decor are beautiful and well-maintained. We enjoyed the outdoor areas - especially our private patio and the pool area. The wine room is super fun for anyone wanting to try something new. There is live entertainment in the evening. Because of an early flight, we didn't get to take advantage of the complimentary breakfast. A few things to consider when booking this hotel. You need to reserve parking when you book the reservation- there are only a few spaces and you give them a key to your vehicle in case they need to rearrange things. Also, do not forget the gate code or you will be locked in or out of the property after hours. Finally, the room we stayed in was pretty small. No end tables by the bed and no dresser. If you are going to be staying for a few days, you'll need to pack accordingly (or check the room descriptions carefully). That being said, the room was gorgeous, well-maintained, and had the most comfortable bed. Can't wait to stay here again.

Had a fantastic time staying here. It's a wonderful oasis. Centrally located in old Key West so…read morealmost everything is walking distance. Rooms are very nice. Beds comfortable and everything is well maintained. Pool was nice to relax in anytime of day. Especially in the afternoon heat. Staff are very accommodating and helpful. Overall very relaxing atmosphere. Definitely recommend staying here.

A must see while in Key West!…read more It's quiet, serene, beautiful place to just sit among lush garden and watch the sea. So many amazing views and benches available to sit and just relax. It's free, but they do request a donation that is voluntary! There was a kind woman sitting at the desk who gave us a map, and explained their history briefly. It's a beautiful place to stop in and visit, with their butterfly garden and orchid arbor stealing the show. Bathrooms were very clean as well.

This garden is also called "Key West Gardens at Fort West Martello", free entry, free street…read moreparking and run by volunteer, donation are welcome. It's a well maintain garden in the Martello Fort, the volunteer lady was very helpful and friendly. Pretty place with lot of orchid and a small butterfly garden, very relaxing walk and there are picnic tables and benches. Every corner of the garden is a beautiful spot for photographers

On vacation at the keys and the wifey and I stopped at butterfly world !…read more Absolutely loved the vibes I was able to buy a butterfly to take home and walk thru a beautiful garden filled with butterflies, birds and turtles Price was super cheap to enter the garden and the butterflies you can buy to take home was ehhh on the price but worth it since it goes to the butterflies and animals. Everyone was very nice. Would recommend if you have kids or have a gf like mine who enjoys all type of animals

This was a short but sweet stop in key west. We were looking for something to kill time and this…read morewas a good way to kill 30 minutes or so. They do let you come back all day, we didn't end up doing that but it was a nice option. I was amazed at the number of butterflies in this place! It is a pretty short walk through the inside but it was gorgeous with them flying everywhere. There was lots of information around for you to read up on. It was pretty crowded the day we went but there were a few seats you could stop at. It was pretty expensive but worth doing once.

Another beautifully preserved historic property as well as extensive lush gardens. We passed by…read morethe property daily during our brief visit to the keys and admired the well maintained tropical gardens visible from the pathway.

Lovely. Dedicated staff. An unexpected treat in Key West (which turns out to be a thoroughly…read morelikeable town despite the rumor and innuendo). An easy place to have a very nice time.

Tours are not free or have a tour guide as stated in some of these older reviews. It's $10/per…read moreperson now and it's a self walk through/guided tour. It's all self guided. Make sure you read all of the signage - you'll learn a lot. Beautiful gardens out back. Currently under construction as they are building a kitchen for catering of their events. Fun to do if you're looking to kill 30-45 minutes or so.

I really enjoyed this visit. A docent gave us a quick overview of each room in the house then let…read moreus explore the house and grounds at our own pace. The shop was cute as well. It was great to spend time speaking with the docent and curator as well. They had so much knowledge, not just about this house, family, site, etc., but other historic spots and trivia about Key West. Money well spent.

We visited here on Wed 2/04/26 in the afternoon. Only a few other visitors, but it was a weekday &…read morewe were in Key West on vacation. Located on Stock Island just east of Key West off US Route 1, next to the College of the Florida Keys campus. A visit is 1-2 hours. Plenty of parking. Easy walking trails that let you meander through the key's native diverse flora. Must be 200+ plant/tree identification markers. Very helpful woman at the entrance provided us with a map for the self-guided tour. This place is maintained by the volunteers of the Key West Botanical Garden Society. Has been here for 90 years. Admission is $15.pp, $10.pp for seniors. Open 10am-4pm daily. Recommended for the visitor that wants to enjoy an alternative to the crowded Key West Old Town & Duval St. Thank you. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

This place is located on Stock Island and was my first visit here since I didn't know it existed…read moreand I've been to Key West maybe 8 times. It is more a forest than a Botanical garden, and in the June heat and humidity, use insect spray for sure! I love Strangler Fig trees, and there were plenty of them. Plant signage was everywhere, there is a stand with plants for sale. I was lucky to be there when the Nursery employee was there and brought me back to the Nursery where there were so many more varieties of plants. They are all very reasonably priced. I bought a small Soursop tree for $10 and another vine type plant with a trellis for $10. I enjoyed the experience, but don't expect the typical Botanical Garden.

You have to visit as it is one of the best and unique places to see in the area. The history and…read moreitems on display are amazing. Then, there are 60-very spoiled cats that live in and out the house. Not all have 6-toes, but they all carry the gene. Scott was our tour guide, and he was enthusiastic and engaging. He knew the cat's names, and told you which one not to pet. It was a hot day, which added to the smell of roaming cats. That was the only negative part of the tour for me. However, it was nice to see the 5-kittens outside of their enclosures getting enriched with toys with visitors. What a quality and unique experience.

If you're visiting Key West, the Hemingway House is practically a required stop, but your mileage…read moremay vary depending on what brings you here. We went during the off-season, so we didn't have to wait long for our tour to start or stand in any real line to get in. By the time we were leaving, though, we noticed a small line starting to form. Personally, I wouldn't wait more than five minutes to get inside unless you're a die-hard Hemingway scholar. The tour itself is totally fine, you get to walk through his small, modest home (which thankfully has air conditioning) and check out some historical memorabilia from his life and writing career. It's neat, but straightforward. Honestly, it seems like most people visiting are just cat people, and fair enough, the grounds are littered with six-toed cats, and they are indisputably the real star attraction of the property. On a side note: after our visit, Ernest Hemingway actually appeared to me in a dream. He made a direct request, asking if I could bring him some Krispy Kreme doughnuts because he is utterly exhausted from people bringing him Dunkin' Donuts. I told Papa I'd do what I could, but if there's a long line at the drive-thru, he's out of luck, I'm strictly not waiting in lines on this vacation.

This is one of the most amazing places I have ever seen! My husband & I decided we had to take a…read moreseaplane (Seaplane Adventures) to the Dry Tortugas while we were in Key West to celebrate our 25th anniversary because we didn't know when we would ever get the chance again. I am so glad we did!! After an incredibly stressful year, it was great to see my husband enjoying himself so much! This was definitely the highlight of his Key West trip! We were the second seaplane to land so we practically had the island to ourselves (other than the few people that had camped overnight). It was amazing wandering the fort, snorkeling (him, not me), and just enjoying the spectacular views with very few people around. If we get the chance to come back, we would definitely do it the same way!

Do not miss this trip- book it now! What an amazing day and great snorkeling. The staff is…read moreincredible, they supply breakfast and lunch along with great tours of the fort. I cannot commend the staff enough- very organized and made the trip very enjoyable.

We were in Key West during a cold snap. The high on this particular day was only in the 50's so we…read morewere looking for some indoor activites as opposed to water or beach activities. The Art and Historical Society is housed in a historic buidling that has served a variety of uses in the past - including serving as the island's customs office, a post office, courthouse and the U S Navy. This four-story architectural marvel was built to be a prominent structure near the water in order to collect customs. After the Navy moved out, it was vacant for a number of years until it was acquired by the Art and Historical Society which completed an extensive, multi-year renovation of the building. Seeing the building itself is worth a visit but the museum includes a wealth of art and history of the Key West are that shoudn't be missed. Allow at least 2 hours.

Located in Mallory Square, this museum depicts the paths of citizens of the southernmost town when…read moreit was the richest and largest city in Florida in the 19th century. Here we see local, national and even international exhibits of art and history. I enjoyed drawings of Ernest Hemingway's Old Man and the Sea. There are 59 drawings on the walls from the 1st to the 3rd floor. Open daily from 10-4:30 pm. Elsewhere I wasn't super impressed. Admission charge 13.00 and less for kids. Self guided.

I liked this! I think the ticket price should be lower since there's not much to see, but I loved…read morethe view from the top. Only high up view of Key West I've ever experienced, so it was worth seeing if you like views like this when traveling somewhere. You have to climb the spiral staircase to the top, so I do not recommend it to those who are unable to walk up stairs. It's not too long of an uphill climb, so it's fine for those who are not active. The museum is cute. It takes about 10-20 minutes to walk through the museum if you're stopping to read everything. It wasn't crowded at all, and I went Saturday afternoon in early August.

You get incredible views of Key West from on top of the lighthouse. It is an exhausting 88 steps up…read morebut the view is well worth it. It started to thunder and lightning while we were aloft. That was scary/interesting. The museum and gift shop are nice.