Key West is one of the most popular places for Americans during the winter season because it has a laid-back atmosphere, open-air bars, and limitless sea vistas. The weather is sunny throughout the year and the weather is comfortable.
However, the expensive costs are a drawback that comes along with the sunlight and positive attitudes. Key West is not a trip destination that is inexpensive, even when it is not during the busy winter season. It is not necessary to be disheartened, however, since there are methods to visit without causing your credit card to catch fire if you have some insider information, innovative thinking, and a dash of resourcefulness.
The location of your vacation home, the food you consume, and the mode of transportation you use will all have an impact on your vacation money and help you stretch it a bit farther. This is how you may enjoy a holiday in Key West on a budget that is realistic, even if it may not be feasible to have a vacation that is genuinely inexpensive.
Pricing on a daily basis
The primary reason for the high expense of living in the Florida Keys is the archipelago’s vast remoteness from almost everything (the biggest neighboring major urban city being Miami, which is still three hours away by vehicle, even when traffic is at its worst). Because Key West is the last island in the chain and also a popular destination for tourists, the already high prices that are associated with the Keys are made much more expensive here.
- Rooms in the middle of the range: $190–290
- From $250 to $500 for a self-catering unit
- Cafe Cubano: $4.50–$6 per cup
- Sandwiches from Cuba: $9.50 to $11
- Dinner for two ranges from $55 to $100.
- $12–$20 for a mojito
- The price range for a slice of key lime pie is $8–11.
Take a trip to Key West during the shoulder seasons.
Visit Key West during the off-season, when there are less tourists, unless you are very certain that you want to bask in the warmth of the winter sun. There is a possibility that lodging prices may decrease by fifty percent or more during the autumn season, which spans from September to November. In addition, costs are cheaper during the hot and stormy summer months, and even after the winter throngs have subsided, you may get reasonable discounts in the months of April and May.
What’s not to like about the low season in the Florida Keys? There are less people traveling there, hotel accommodations are less expensive, and there is plenty of sun. There are hurricanes. There is a regular occurrence of tropical storms in the Gulf of Mexico from the month of June to the end of October. Although these storms do not usually make landfall, Hurricane Irma made an immediate impact on Key West in September of 2017, wreaking significant destruction.
Save money by eating out.
It is possible to spend a lot of money on dining out in Key West. Entrées at a restaurant that is considered to be of the middle-range range cost between $19 and $28, but you may avoid paying this amount by preparing your own meals and depending on the grocery shops in your area. Old Town is filled with cafés and counter-service restaurants where you may get a Cuban sandwich to go or other meals that are equally simple. You can find these establishments all across the town. Mallory Square, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, and Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park, which is located at 1801 White Street, are all excellent locations for picnics that are done by self-caterers.
Forget about renting a vehicle in Key West.
On the other hand, renting a vehicle is an expense that is entirely discretionary in Key West. After arriving in Old Town, you may easily navigate about on foot, by bicycle, or by bus. Flights are available that go straight to Key West International Airport, which is a cab trip that costs between $9 and $20 from the core of the city. Taking the bus from Miami is even more cost-effective; the price of a ticket on a Greyhound or Flix bus ranges from around $24 to $30.
The cost of renting a bike from a company like Eaton Bikes is around $25 for the first day and $18 for each subsequent day. This is a worthwhile investment since it allows you to go across the city without having to worry about finding a parking spot, which makes it easier to explore. Walking is not too difficult either, especially when one considers the tiny area of Key West; but, during the hot summer months, walking may be a very exhausting experience. Additionally, there is a local bus service that is of modest use; the fee for a one-way trip begins at $2.
Take advantage of low-cost activities.
Not every sight in Key West requires visitors to pay an exorbitant cost to enter. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park has a moderate entrance cost of $2.50/$6 for each pedestrian or vehicle. For that money, visitors get the opportunity to explore a historic fortification and have access to one of the most beautiful beaches in the Keys.
Located in close proximity is the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, which is a natural history museum that offers visitors a glimpse into the one-of-a-kind natural environment that can be found in South Florida. For the little price of renting a mask and snorkel at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, you will be able to go underwater and see the underwater side of that planet. The sandy Higgs Beach, which is an artificial beach located at the end of Reynolds Street, is one of the few public beaches in the Keys that is available to anybody who wants to go outside and enjoy the sun and sand.
Budget-friendly shows in Mallory Square
As the sun sets, acrobats, fire eaters, jugglers, and buskers congregate in Mallory Square for an evening carnival that has been entertaining visitors to Key West for many years. Despite the fact that there is no entry cost, the performers are dependent on gratuities, so while it is not strictly free, it is still one of the most affordable evening experiences in Key West.
If you like seeing people dress up and turn into gorgeous glitter faeries, sexy superheroes, and just about anything else you can think, we suggest going to Fantasy Fest during the dreamy bacchanalia that it offers. Although the prices do increase a little bit during the festival, it is free to witness the parades.
Discover the Old Town without spending a dime.
ancient Town in Key West is encircled by a genuine museum of ancient Caribbean architecture and historical residences, many of which are painted in appealing pastel tones. The passageways and lanes that flank the streets are filled with intriguing details. You will not be charged for wandering about and taking photographs, and you will be able to download a free walking tour that provides background information on places of historical and cultural relevance.
Enjoy free Key West activities.
As far as the center of ancient Key West is concerned, there are plenty of free things to do there. Be on the lookout for the entrance to West Martello Tower, which is a verdant garden that is open to the public and is maintained by the Key West Garden Club. The garden is planted in the middle of masonry that dates back to the Civil War.
Additionally, the Key West Cemetery, which is located in the midst of town and is a necropolis that is charmingly deteriorating and has graves belonging to some of the oldest families on the island, is open to the public for exploration. Despite the fact that the bars on Duval Street are not free, the people-watching is. Duval Street is the most popular nightlife area in the Keys.
Maintain a flexible attitude about your lodging options.
Certainly, the room with a view of the sea is the Key West ideal, but you will have to pay for the luxury of having that view. When compared to hotels and motels, staying in a guesthouse or bed and breakfast rather than a hotel or motel might result in significant cost savings. You will have to pay for taxis, utilize a hotel shuttle service, or rent a bike if you want to go to the main strip of Duval Street. Hotels on the east side of the island, which is otherwise known as Old Town, are often more affordable than those on the west side of the island.
It is possible to save money by making reservations far in advance; but, even during the shoulder seasons, there are still numerous accommodations that cost more than $200 per night. A more certain approach to cutting expenses is to stay in a facility that has communal bathrooms; the Key West Bed & Breakfast is a solution that can be relied upon.
Explore Key West by day from another island.
One more method for saving money on lodging during a vacation to Key West is to avoid staying in Key West at all costs. The Florida Keys are home to dozens of additional islands, and accommodations are more affordable on each and every one of them. However, it is important to keep in mind that these are just estimated savings. Low-cost connections between Key West and neighboring islands are made possible by the Lower Keys Shuttle and other local bus services offered by Key West Transit.
Marathon, which is located one hour away by car, and Big Pine Key, which is located forty-five minutes away, are homes to the most diverse selection of hotels and motels. The Looe Key Dive Center, which is located around forty minutes away from Key West, is yet another handy choice that is not too pricey. One of the most apparent drawbacks is that if you want to drink in Key West in the evening, you will have to make arrangements for transportation back to your resort.
