Duval Street is one of the absolute best things in Key West. I mention it in almost every single post I have on Key West.
But since it’s not always possible to go into great detail, I thought I’d make an entire post dedicated to Duval Street.
What is Duval Street?
Well, it’s a street.
Duval Street runs north and south from the Gulf to the Atlantic Ocean. That’s pretty cool because it’s the only place you can walk from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf. And to it’s just over a mile long (1.25 miles!)
Some people compare Duval to Bourbon Street in New Orleans or Broadway in Nashville.
Duval Street truly it captures the spirit of Key West. It’s vibrant, alive, and fun, full of restaurants, shops, world-famous bars, and attractions.
Duval Street is walkable (but I do suggest wearing comfortable shoes) and you can wander from one place to another. I like to be spontaneous because you never really know what you’ll find and that’s my favorite part. I like to say that I’ve never been to the same Duval Street twice.
Duval Street is really known as the center of Key West’s party atmosphere. And while it is definitely a party once the sun goes down, there’s so much more to do on Duval Street than grab a drink.
Things to Do on Duval Street
The best way to explore Duval is to just take off and start walking. But here are some of the highlights:
Go Shopping
Duval Street has tons of shopping, ranging from upscale boutiques to dollar-type stores. There is a Walgreens and a CVS. You’ll find cigar shops, jewelry stores, and so much more. Whether you’re looking for basic necessities you forgot to pack or whether you want to bring home a souvenir, you can find it on Duval.
Here are some of my favorite shops on Duval Street:
- The Walgreens is housed in the historic Strand Theater. While you might not need anything from Walgreens, you’ll probably appreciate the historic building!
- The Shops at Mallory Square are located in one of Key West’s most historic structures right by Mallory Square (we’ll get to Mallory Square Later). It’s kind of like a shopping mall type of feel with several different shops, boutiques, and art galleries.
- Mallory Square Festival Marketplace is right by the Shops at Mallory Square. It’s more like a hub consisting of several different shops and brick-lined pedestrian streets. Most of the shops in this area sell more “touristy” items like shells, postcards, coffee cups, and signs.
- Key West Aloe for bath and body products such as bath/shower gels, soaps, and scrubs.
- Kermit’s Key Lime Shop has everything key lime that you could possibly imagine, and even some key lime flavored things you probably wouldn’t have imagined. There are pies, cookies, fudge, sauces, salsa, and mixes. My personal favorite is a chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick!
- Island Style Gallery has vibrant and colorful hand crafted jewelry, home decor, art, and clothing.
- Besame Mucho for clothing, jewelry, and candles in a romantic-type setting
These are just some of my favorite places to shop on Duval Street, but there are so many more options around the island so don’t be scared to wander off one of the side roads that connects with Duval Street.
Key West Restaurants on Duval Street
You could almost never run out of good places to eat in Key West. I love that Key West has such a wide variety of great food from more affordable (by Key West standards anyways) to fine dining. Here are some of my favorite restaurants on Duval:
- Fogarty’s – a bit touristy, but a must. We get the shrimp club every single time, it is SO good. And don’t forget to get an alcoholic slushy from their bar, Flying Monkeys
- Seaside Cafe at the Mansion – get their famous lobster pizza
- Kaya Island Eats – their Signature Asian/Cajun Catch is SO good – it’s blackened fish over jasmine ginger rice, hog Chinese mustard beurre blanc, and pickled carrot ginger salad.
- Banana Cafe – best for breakfast and known for their crepes. If the weather is nice, try to get a seat outside – it’s a perfect place to people watch on Duval while you enjoy your meal.
Pictured: The upstairs deck at Banana Cafe and the famous lobster pizza from Seaside Cafe
Get Dessert
No trip to Key West is complete without a trip to Mattheessen’s to get a cookie bigger than your head (you’ll also smell them from a mile away).
Kermit’s sells all things key lime pie. There are a few locations, but the one at 123 Duval has key lime nachos (key lime ice cream with chocolate chip cookies to dip in it). I also cannot resist a chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick.
Or you can just try as much key lime pie so you can decide who has the best key lime pie in Key West.
Grab a Drink (or More)
I highly, highly recommend not making specific plans. Instead, create your own Duval Crawl by following whatever sounds good to you!
But there are tons of fun bars on Duval and here are some of my must-stops whenever we are doing a bar crawl:
- Sloppy Joe’s bar is a historic, quintessential Key West bar. In full disclosure, it’s not my favorite but I have to mention it because of its history (it’s been around forever and Ernest Hemingway loved this bar). It’s probably the most popular bar in Key West.
- Captain Tony’s was originally an ice house and city morgue built in 1851, it was many speakeasies over the years and was the original Sloppy Joe’s on the island. Today, the ceiling is covered with bras, posts covered with business cards, stickers, and dollar bills. Don’t forget to throw a quarter in the jewfish that hangs out front. It’s a popular bar in Key West yet still maintains a hole in the wall, hidden gem vibe.
- Hog’s Breath is an open air spot with live music. The walls are covered with license plates, stickers, and dollar bills.
- Rick’s is technically part of an entertainment hub with 7 other spots, but Rick’s bar is my favorite and the most visible from Duval. They often have live music and they have a few different buckets of drinks if you want something a little different.
- Smallest Bar is a fun place to get a drink to go (yes, it really is very small).
- Irish Kevin’s is another really popular spot that gets very lively after the sun goes down. It’s an Irish pub with live entertainment.
- Bull & Whistle is a huge establishment on the corner. Their third story, the Garden of Eden, is a clothing-optional bar.
Explore History
Duval Street itself was established in the early 1820s so it’s really not surprising that there are some historic sites to explore.
You can enjoy architecture with Bahamian and Cuban influences and see huge Victorian mansions as well as tiny conch cottages.
The Oldest House Museum and Garden is a conch cottage that was built in 1829. The museum’s three historic buildings give you insights to 19th-century life in Key West. There is also a gorgeous landscaped garden. At the museum, you will see period furnishing, maritime artifacts, and family heirlooms.
The San Carlos Institute is a restored historic building with a Spanish style. The Institute was founded in the 1870s and served as a Cuban cultural center.
The Shops at Mallory Square are located in one of Key West’s most historic structures. Building 1, as it was designated on the Key West Naval Station, was built between 1856-1861 and served as a coaling depot, sail maker’s loft and is now a 26,000 square foot emporium that has Key West’s only up escalator.
Mallory Square
At the end of Duval, you’ll find Mallory Square. During the day, this is where cruise ships dock but they are required to leave by sunset for the sunset celebration.
Every night as the sun goes down, Mallory Square fills up with street performers and vendors to celebrate sunset.
It’s a fun way to end the day. Yes, it’s touristy but it’s in a nostalgic type of way. We still enjoy visiting to people watch and never get sick of it.
Technically not on Duval Street, but in the same area as Mallory Square, you’ll also find the Key West Aquarium (one of the best things to do with kids in Key West) and the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum.
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
This is one of the most underrated places in Key West in my opinion. It’s truly a euphoric experience. You’ll be surrounded by gorgeous tropical plants, butterflies, and exotic birds. They also have a couple of flamingoes.
Art Galleries
There are a lot of art galleries with local and international artists all throughout Key West and Duval Street is no exception.
- Wyland Galleries
- Wyland Collection
Catch a Special Event or Festival
Key West is famous for some really fun festivals. The most famous is Fantasy Fest, held every October, but there are several throughout the year.
A few of the other most popular events include:
- Mile 0 Fest in January
- Key West Food and Wine Festival in January
- Hemingway Days in July
- Race World Offshore Boat Races in November
What to Wear on Duval Street
The great thing about Duval Street, and everywhere in Key West, really, is that you can wear whatever you want.
If you show up in a swimsuit, you won’t be out of place. If you show up all dressed up, you also won’t be out of place!
I do recommend comfortable shoes because you’ll probably be doing a lot of walking.
Check out my full packing guide here.
Is Duval Street Family Friendly?
As you can see, there’s plenty to do on Duval Street that does not consist of bars. During the day, Duval Street is very kid friendly but you’ll want to use your discretion after dark.
While there are plenty of things to do on Duval that are family-friendly, there are a lot of bars. This is the nightlife hub and with that comes the potential of kids seeing adult things.
Ready to Explore Duval Street?
Hopefully this made you excited and ready to explore Duval Street in Key West!
