Whether you’re searching for the perfect flip flop, a designer bag, or the most awesome souvenirs to take home to friends and family, a Duval Street shopping spree will take care of everything. Set aside a morning, afternon or evening (most shops are open at night, too), and stroll up and down Key West‘s hub of shopping, eating, entertainment and catching the scene. Yes, Duval Street has its share of tacky t-shirt shops and souvenir vendors, but it’s easy to identify them, and therefore easy to avoid them if you want to.

Starting at the northern end of Duval, near Mallory Square and Front Street, work your way up Duval and then back down on the other side of the street from where you started. Since the Mallory Square area at lower Duval is near where cruise ship passengers disembark, this end of Duval is much busier and the density of tacky t-shirt shops is much much higher. As you walk further and further, the crowds thin out and the stores even get a little nicer in some cases.

However, lower Duval is also where you find some of the more famous Key West attractions. You get Sloppy Joe’s Bar, Captain Tony’s Saloon (not right on Duval but within spitting distance of it), and some of the more famous eateries like Hog’s Breath. The Bull & Whistle is worth hitting too, three levels of rustic bars, each with its own flavor (especially the rooftop bar…we won’t spoil the surprise, you’ll just have to visit and find out for yourself).

Best Soft Serve in Key West

At the 300 block of Duval Street take pause and have some homemade soft serve at Kohr Bros. They have soft peanut butter ice cream, need I say more. In fall, they have special flavors like pumpkin. For winter, there’s peppermint. Simply Divine. Look for the neon sign in the shape of an ice cream cone.

By the 500 block of Duval, you’ll notice some higher end chain stores like Coach, Banana Republic and Biton. You’ve probably heard of Coach and BR, but not Biton, which is not really a true chain store although it does have multiple branches all over the country. Biton sells fully upscale clothing by designers you’ll see in Vogue. Beautiful and pricey. It’s also in this area (and a few other areas of Duval, since they have a few branches) that you’ll see Crazy Shirts, a very gimmicky yet irresistable (for some) store. Their t-shirts are dyed and smell like whatever you choose, and you can choose from beer-dyed, money-dyed, and more.

One of the best places to get original, thoughtful souvenirs of Key West for folks back home is Artisans, and Aria. They sell costume jewelry, handbags, decor items, and fine jewelry. Their offerings are very carefully selected and staff is very friendly and helpful. The souvenirs would be the costume jewelry you can buy, from $4 to $12 for earrings, necklaces, and bracelets and hundreds to choose from. It’s an emporium of jewelry and bargain prices. You can take home something much more original and thoughtful than a mug from Margaritaville or a t-shirt from Hog’s Breath.

After the 600 block or so, it quiets down and there are lots of nice galleries. This upper end of Duval has great dining, too. Locals’ favorite La Te Da has outdoor dining. Nine One Five has award-winning chef. Upper Crust has the best pizza in Key West. Take the time to make it to this end of Duval. You’ll be glad you saved your money when you see the great artist wares for sale at a myriad of galleries up at this end.

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center is run by NOAA, which stands for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, a wing of the Federal government. They did a bang-up job of creating a beautiful space where you can learn about the coral reef and other marine life that exists in the waters around Key West and the rest of the Florida Keys. It’s professionally done, and miles ahead of any other similar type of Key West attractions in town.

The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center has a nice bookstore/giftshop too, so don’t miss that on your way out. And although the museum is free, there are donation “buouys” around, where you are encouraged to donate a dollar or two or five. The place is so nicely done, so professionally carried out, that you will probably want to donate after seeing it. There’s a short movie that plays every half hour, interactive displays and beautiful wall-sized color photographs that make you feel like you’re actually in the coral reef. A small aquarium with reef fish can be found, too. It’s going to be interesting to see how popular the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center becomes, if they ever decide to start advertising!

To get to the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, drive south on Southard Street all the way to the Truman Waterfront. It’s next to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. Parking is FREE! It’s open Tuesday through Saturday, 9am to 4pm.

Of all the things to do in Key West, the best ones involve the ocean. Whether it be snorkeling, diving, fishing or even glass bottom boat tours, the coral reef is what makes Key West special. Other things to do in Key West include Key West museums, bar hopping and Key West tours of Old Town and points of interest, but really, nothing compares to North America’s only living coral reef just six miles from shore!

That’s not to say that only the best things to do in Key West involve being on a boat or in the water. At the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center, for example, NOAA has set up a state of the art interactive museum dedicated to the coral reef and the marine world around the Florida Keys. If you came to Key West for the natural beauty and the marine activities, head on over to the Truman Waterfront and take a look because it’s one of the nicest things to do in Key West.

For other things to do in Key West, check out the wonderful array of watersports you can take part in. Parasailing is a favorite new activity for most people. Or everyone should see the reef in person, either by taking a snorkeling trip or a glass bottom boat cruise.

For land lubbers, or if you need to take a break from the water for a day or an afternoon, take a conch train tour or a trolley tour of Key West. Or take in a few museums, or just stroll on Duval Street. For a complete guide of things to do in Key West, go to our special section, Things to do in Key West.