Uncover the Island’s Haunted History on a Key West Ghost Tour

Beyond Key West’s breathtaking white sand beaches lies a world unknown to most- one of eerie tales and ghostly encounters. Embark on a Key West ghost tour and explore one of the country’s most haunted cities this Halloween season. From the terrifying legends of Robert the Doll at Fort East Martello to the Lady in Blue that still roams the halls of Captain Tony’s Saloon, endless ghost stories are waiting to be uncovered. Stay with Rent Key West Vacations and visit the island’s most haunted bars, restaurants, hotels, and cemeteries on one of these ghost tours:

Ghosts & Gravestones Tour

Sign up for a Ghosts & Gravestones Tour and explore the island’s haunted history with a Ghost Host. These eccentric hosts guide you through the evening on the Trolley of the Doomed, taking you through the historic Old Town to hear tales of murder, disease, and misfortune. Along the way, you will hear the story of Robert the Doll and pass haunted sites like Captain Tony’s Saloon. Then, you will disembark at the Key West Shipwreck Museum and learn about the cursed silver bar from a shipwreck!

Ghost Key West

Get up close and personal with the island’s most famous haunted resident, Robert the Doll, at Fort East Martello. Join Ghost Key West on the Fort East Martello Ghost Tour and learn about the haunted artifacts of the fort before sitting down for a lockdown with Robert the Doll. Want to do some ghost hunting during your visit? Sign up for the VIP ticket and gain access to ghost-hunting equipment and an additional hour at the fort. Explore the fort with your flashlight and try to capture evidence of the supernatural!

Key West Ghost Hunt

Key West Ghost Hunt is the island’s longest-running ghost tour, providing exclusive access to areas not visited by any other tour. Join local experts on a ghost tour around town with equipment like dowsing rods, K-II meters, spirit boards, and spirit boxes. 

Key West Ghost & Mysteries Tour

Explore the haunted history of Old Town on foot with the Key West Ghost & Mysteries Tour. Get off the beaten path and walk past mansions, graveyards, and pubs while hearing first-hand ghost stories from your tour guide. 

Reserve Your Key West Vacation Rental

Get off the beaten path and discover the city’s haunted history on a Key West ghost tour. Book one of our homes in the historic district and immerse yourself in the charm of Old Town. Every home has its own distinct architecture and history, from the grand Victorian mansions to the cozy conch cottages. Book with us today and experience the paranormal in the Florida Keys!

Experience Frights and Fantasy During the Key West Halloween Season

Rent Key West Vacations invites you to experience Halloween island-style in the southernmost city. Plan your visit during the Key’s spookiest season and experience the perfect blend of mild weather, seasonal events, and haunted attractions. The season’s highlight is the annual Fantasy Fest, bringing ten days of costumes, parades, and libations to our island paradise. Immerse yourself in the excitement of Fantasy Fest while enjoying everything the Key West Halloween season has to offer: 

Fantasy Fest

Started in 1979 to increase fall tourism on the island, today Fantast Fest is Key West’s most popular event of the year. This ten-day festival welcomes as many as 75,000 visitors each year.   Join the party and attend dozens of adult-oriented events, including costumed marches, street fairs, parades, and glamorous balls. Check out the 2024 schedule of events and experience the island’s biggest party this October.

Ghosts and Gravestones Tour

Uncover the island’s haunted history on a Ghost and Gravestones Tour this Halloween. Each tour is guided by a Ghost Host who will take you through the historic streets of Old Town aboard the Trolley of the Doomed. Pass the island’s most haunted sites and learn about tales of murder, lost tombs, strange dolls, and the Lady in Blue. Sign up for their Halloween Sights and Lights Tour for the ultimate outing!

Screaming Green Halloween

If you are looking for family-friendly fun, we recommend planning your visit around Screaming Green Halloween at Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden. Learn fun ways to save the environment while enjoying kid-friendly activities like arts, crafts, games, and costume competitions.

Haunted Places in Key West

Key West is considered one of the most haunted cities in the country. Pay a visit to our most haunted places this Halloween season:

  • Audubon House and Gardens
  • Marrero’s Guest Mansion
  • Fort Zachary Taylor
  • East Martello Museum
  • Captain Tony’s Saloon

Plan an Unforgettable Key West Halloween Getaway

Pack your costumes and get ready for a frightful Key West Halloween getaway. Whether you are visiting for Fantasy Fest or want to soak up the sun on our beautiful beaches, we have an experience for everyone this fall. Visit the island with Rent Key West Vacations and find the perfect home away from home with our collection of over 140 vacation rentals.

What to Do on Your Key West Boat Rentals

The Florida Keys are a paradise for boaters, offering endless opportunities for visitors to get on the water. Reserve a Key West boat rental and set out into our turquoise waters for fishing, snorkeling, swimming, island hopping, and wildlife-watching adventures. Be your own captain and familiarize yourself with local boating rules and regulations before exploring our waterways. Book your stay with Rent Key West Vacations and plan an unforgettable boating experience in the Keys!

Boating Rules in Key West

Our waters are home to vital Key West habitats that can be seriously damaged by irresponsible boating. Please help us protect the Keys and boat responsibly during your visit by reading through the boating information from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Key West Boat Rentals

Reserve your Key West boat rental from one of these local outfitters:

  • Key West Boat & Jet Ski Adventures offers private boat rentals for four, six, or eight-hour adventures. Their rentals include a bimini top, floating lily mat, cooler, and snorkel equipment. 
  • Sunset Watersports offers the largest fleet of rental boats on the island. Choose from pontoons, deck boats, Boston whalers, cobia, or cape craft for four to eight hours. 
  • Fun in the Sun offers several private boat rentals, including bay boats, pontoons, seacrafts, deck boats, and double-decker pontoons. 

Things to Do on Your Boat Rental

There are endless things to do on your Key West boat rentals, but here are a few of our favorites: 

  • Purchase a fishing license and cast your line in the “World’s Fishing Capital.” Fish in the natural reefs, shipwrecks, backcountry, offshore, or deep sea. Target sought-after game fish like bonefish, tarpon, permit, redfish, and snook. 
  • Snorkel the coral reef and explore our underwater paradise, where you will see over 500 species of fish. 
  • Take your boat to the beautiful sandbars around Key West. Head to the Boca Grande sandbar to hang out with the locals or Mud Keys to explore mangrove trails. 
  • Spot playful dolphins in their natural habitat as you are cruising around at sunset. 

Reserve Your Key West Vacation Rental Today

Whether you want to explore the water on a private boat rental or with a local guide, Rent Key West Vacations offers the perfect basecamp. Reserve tours, activities, and rentals on our website with Key West Hideaways and make your vacation extra memorable. Find the perfect Key West vacation home for your group and book with us today!

7 Unique Things to Do in Key West

Beyond the famous Duval Street and Ernest Hemingway Home, Key West offers a wealth of unique experiences. Rent Key West Vacations invites you to venture off the beaten path and discover all the unique things to do in Key West. From haunted history tours to hidden gem restaurants and one-of-a-kind neighborhoods, our island has something to pique everyone’s curiosity. Head to Key West and discover the quirky island of the Florida Keys: 

  1. Stop at the Hellings Curry Museum for a free tour and explore one of the few brick structures on the island. Stroll through the building and learn about the history of this 19th-century mansion. 
  2. Pay a visit to Nancy Forester’s Secret Garden and visit the orphaned parrots at this educational sanctuary. Learn about Nancy’s mission to rescue, rehome, and train these parrots during your visit, and stop in for storytime from 10-11 daily. 
  3. Wander the streets of historic Old Town with Ghost & Gravestones and learn the haunted history of Key West. Follow your Ghost Host as you hear tales of murder, disease, and misfortune.
  4. Stroll the unique and intriguing Key West Cemetery and use this map to learn about the island’s diverse heritage. Join the Historic Florida Keys Foundation walking tours twice a week.
  5. Experience the Key’s Caribbean heritage at the historic Bahama Village Neighborhood. Stroll the streets and admire the Bahamian architecture, visit the Village Market for souvenirs, and stop for tapas at Santiago’s Bodega.
  6. Learn all about Key West history at our newest museum: Sails to Rails Museum. Visit Key West Bight and stroll through exhibits featuring raw footage, unique artifacts, and a scale model of Fort Jefferson.
  7. Discover the natural beauty of Key West on a Fury Cat Eco Tour. Board a catamaran and head to a backcountry sandbar for snorkeling, kayaking, watching wildlife, and relaxing.

Hidden Gem Restaurants in Key West

If you are looking for some delicious food off the beaten path, we have you covered. Stop at Garbo’s Grill at Hank’s Hair of the Dog Saloon for seasonal specialties like New England lobster rolls and poke bowls. And if you are looking for bars off the beaten path, we recommend going to Berlin’s behind A&B Lobster House. Settle into a cozy leather chair, order a drink from the speakeasy-style cocktail bar, and listen to jazz music as you sip on your cocktail. 

Book Unique Lodging in Key West with RKW

Skip the hustle and bustle and check out all the unique things to do in Key West during your getaway with Rent Key West Vacations. Find unique lodging, like our 1840’s 11-bedroom Watson House Grand Estate, and stay in a piece of Key West history. Whether you want to stay in the historic district or near the beach, we have the perfect Key West vacation rental for your Florida getaway!

Where to Attend a Drag Show in Key West

As an internationally known LGBTQ+ travel destination, Key West Florida is celebrated for its inclusivity and openness. Among its many treasures, Key West boasts a dazzling drag show scene that is not to be missed. Attend a drag show in Key West and experience a night of comedy, glamour, costumes, entertainment, and laughter at Aquaplex, 801 Bourbon Bar, Mangoes, or La Te Da. Come as you are in and stay with Rent Key West Vacations, a proud Key West Business Guild member, a nonprofit organization promoting LGBTQ+ travel in the Keys!

Aquaplex Key West

Aquaplex offers drag shows every night in Key West! Attend a show at Aqua Bar and Night Club and witness the Aquanette’s showstopping drag performance. Aquaplex is also home to the island’s newest live act, The Birdcage Cabaret. See drag icon Christopher Peterson take the stage and show off impersonations while singing and lipsyncing with various local performers, female singers, and jugglers. 

801 Bourbon Bar

Visit 801 Bourbon Bar and attend the longest-running drag show in Key West at 9 pm or 11 pm nightly. Meet the 801 Girls and expect a night of beauty and comedy with a variety of talented entertainers!

Mangoes

Mangoes hosts a special Sunday Drunken Drag Brunch once a month that is not to be missed. Plan your getaway around one of these fabulous brunches and experience Drag Queen performances, a live DJ, bottomless mimosas, specialty cocktails, and a la carte brunch food. Purchase tickets for upcoming events and proceeds will be donated to local charities. 

La Te Da

Make your way to the La Te Da hotel and attend the Randy Roberts Live Cabaret show during your time in Key West. With over three decades of experience, Randy Roberts presents a classic drag show with live vocals, stunning costumes, and impersonations. Purchase tickets to the Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday shows starting at 8 pm!

Welcoming Everyone to Our Key West Vacation Rentals 

Check out the bustling nightlife scene during your visit and purchase tickets to one of the drag shows in Key West. Book your getaway with Rent Key West Vacations and find the perfect Key West vacation rental for your unique needs. For assistance customizing your Key West vacation, please contact us at 1-800-833-7368.