Golf Cart, Bike or Rideshare: The Easiest Way Around Key West

Key West packs a lot into an island about four miles long and one mile wide. Duval Street, the Historic Seaport, the Southernmost Point, Higgs and Smathers beaches and the Mallory Square sunset celebration are all within a couple of miles of each other. That compact layout is why three very different ways of getting around all work here, and why the right one depends on your group, your plans and the weather.

Golf carts: the island's favourite ride

Most Key West rental carts can be driven on nearly every city street, Duval Street included. Many drivers prefer Simonton or Whitehead for lighter traffic, but the whole grid of Old Town is open to you. Carts stay on the island: US-1 and the bridges to the other Keys are off the route, and so are sidewalks, bike paths and the beaches themselves.

Where a cart shines

• Groups. Carts seat 4, 6 or 8, so a family or a group of friends travels together with room for a cooler and beach bags. Compare a 4-seater, a 6-seater or an 8-seater for your dates.
• Covering the whole island. Smathers Beach in the morning, the Hemingway Home after lunch and Mallory Square at sunset is an easy day by cart. Our full-day route lays one version out stop by stop.
• Gear. Chairs, umbrellas and shopping ride with you instead of on your back.

What to weigh up

• Parking. A cart parks in a standard space the way a car does, and most Old Town spaces are metered or paid, with the same rates and time limits as a car. Near Duval Street and Mallory Square those spaces fill early in the evening. Our Key West parking piece covers it in detail.
• Weather. Carts are open-air. Afternoon showers and midday heat are part of the deal, so plan beach time for the morning and shade for the early afternoon.
• Booking. In high season the 6- and 8-seaters go first. Book ahead if you need a specific size or a feature such as a Bluetooth soundbar.

Bikes: classic Key West

Key West is flat and small, which makes it a natural cycling town. From the Historic Seaport to Fort Zachary Taylor is a ride of under twenty minutes, and bike racks sit outside most attractions and beaches.

Where a bike shines

• Solo travellers and couples who want to set their own pace.
• Short hops between Old Town guesthouses, restaurants and the waterfront.
• Quiet streets. The shaded residential blocks between Duval and White Street are a pleasure at bicycle speed.

What to weigh up

• Heat and rain. Early morning and late afternoon are the comfortable hours for a longer ride.
• Carrying things. Check whether your bike has a basket or rack if you are heading to the beach with gear.
• Locks. Bring one. Racks are plentiful but open.

Rideshare: the backup plan

Rideshare apps operate throughout Key West and are the easy answer for the moments a cart or bike does not suit: arriving at the airport or the ferry terminal with luggage, getting back to your hotel late after a night on Duval, or a sudden downpour.

Where rideshare shines

• Airport and ferry transfers with bags.
• Late nights. No parking to think about and nothing to ride home in the dark.
• One-way trips when you do not want to loop back for a vehicle.

What to weigh up

• Wait times stretch in the evening around Duval and during festivals and cruise-ship days.
• Cost adds up. A group making several trips a day will usually spend less on a cart for the day than on repeated rides.

Side by side

A sample day for each

Family day by cart. Load the beach gear and head to Higgs Beach for the morning. Roll to the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory after lunch, then park early near Mallory Square for the sunset celebration.

Couple's day by bike. Pedal from Old Town to Fort Zachary Taylor for a swim, stop for ice cream on Whitehead Street, browse Fleming Street, and finish with a slow ride along the harbour at dusk.

Night out by rideshare. Dinner and live music on Duval, then a ride back to your hotel or vacation rental with no vehicle to collect in the morning.

Mixing and matching

Plenty of visitors do all three in one trip: a rideshare from the airport, a cart for two or three full days of exploring, and a bike or a walk for the evenings in Old Town. If you are deciding whether a cart alone will carry the whole trip, our piece on getting around Key West without a car goes deeper, and the Key West guide covers the local rules. When you are ready, compare Key West golf cart rentals for your dates.