10 Things You Must Do in the Florida Keys with Teens

Just a few short hours from Miami is a place where palm trees sway in the breeze, restaurants and tiki bars pop up along the blue-green water, and colorful signs greet you at many of the local shops. It’s the Florida Keys, a chain of islands connected from Key Largo to Key West by the Overseas Highway. Often people ask: Is the Florida Keys kid friendly? With state parks like Fort Zachary Taylor and Bahia Honda for swimming and snorkeling, the Key West Aquarium and colorful Mallory Square, and accommodations like the family friendly Hawks Cay Resort, there are plenty of things to do throughout the Keys. We found it to be the perfect place for a tropical summer family vacation. Our kids who were teens at the time enjoyed a variety of activities, from snorkeling to a ghost tour. Here are 10 things you should put on your list when visiting the Florida Keys with teens. 

*Originally published in  2016; latest update May, 2023.
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*This post contains affiliate links; if you purchase something familyTravelsUSA may receive a small commission. As always, opinions are my own. 

1.  Enjoy the Sunset. Key West is known for many things, but sunsets are a specialty of the island. There are several fun ways you can enhance your sunset experience. You can hang out in Mallory Square for the famous nightly Key West Sunset Celebration, and be entertained by magicians and jugglers while watching the setting sun do its magic. Another popular option is to view the fiery red and orange sky from the deck of a boat. We took a combination snorkel and sunset cruise, or you can try the popular Glass Bottom Boat Tour with a sunset option. 

2.  Hop on the Old Town Trolley Tour in Key West. Buy a pass for the day, and take your time listening to the 90 minute tour while you hop on and off the trolley in Key West. With 13 stops, including the iconic photo opportunity at the southernmost point in the continental US, it’s definitely a good way to learn about this fascinating island and see the sights. Kids under 4 ride free. Plus if you are visiting over the summer like we did, it’s a good way to beat the heat!

​3.  Feed the Sharks at the Key West Aquarium. This small aquarium allows guests to get up close and personal with some of their favorite sea creatures. Several times a day, guides give an educational talk, and a handful of guests get to drop food to the hungry sharks, which my teens were definitely excited about! There are also opportunities at the Touch Tank to visit with hermit and horseshoe crabs, conchs and sea stars. It’s a great break from the hot sun, and it’s stop #1 on the Old Town Trolley Tour. Check their website for the latest information about events and daily activities before you go. 

4.  Tour the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. This small hospital has a big mission - to rescue, rehab and return sick and injured sea turtles. Taking a tour is a good way to spend the afternoon out of the hot Florida sun and meet some of the turtles currently living at the hospital. Teens will love being able to see these graceful creatures up close, gliding through the water. Guided educational tours generally run daily every 30 minutes between 9 and 4. The tours are the only way the public can visit. We learned so much about the many issues that impact turtles today. This is not to be missed on a family vacation to the Florida Keys, especially with teens. Make a reservation through the website. 
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5.  Hop on the Trolley of the Doomed for a Ghosts & Gravestones Tour. This is the perfect activity to do if visiting Key West with teens, especially if they enjoy watching shows like Ghost Hunters on television. When we took the tour, there were several stops where we were given an EMF device. The suggested age for the tour is 13 years old. Read Key West Ghosts & Gravestones Tour: Teen Family Adventure. 

6.  Hang out at Robbie’s on Islamorada and Feed the Tarpons.  What teenager doesn’t want to hang over the side of the dock and have a hungry and scary looking tarpon grab a fish right out of their hand? When the tarpon are done feeding, sit down at the Hungry Tarpon restaurant to enjoy things like conch fritters or Mahi Mahi Tacos. On your way out, be sure to browse the open air shops. If you can, feed the tarpon early in the day when they are most hungry.

7.  Spend the Day at a State Park. There’s plenty of water surrounding the Keys, but before we went, I had several people tell me that the beaches would not be the same as what I was used to. Lucky for us, we found Bahia Honda State Park, a popular state park located at MM 37. For a small day use fee, there are three Bahia Honda State Park beaches to choose from, with snorkeling right off the beach (note there are no lifeguards). The park has showers and a gift shop with concessions. It’s also the best place to take the snorkeling boat to Looe Key Reef (see #8).  We also spent a day at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park (pictured below), a National Historic Landmark, and a popular beach on Key West. It’s a nice place for teens to snorkel right off the beach, and there are food concessions, along with picnic tables and grills. Bring your own gear (including water shoes) or you can rent snorkel equipment. Either way, plan to spend at least a day at one (or both!) of these scenic Florida Keys state park beaches.    

8.  Snorkle on Looe Key Reef. During our day at Bahia Honda, we had reserved the afternoon snorkel trip out to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. What an amazing experience! Over 150 species of fish live on the reef, including parrotfish, barracuda, and angel fish, along with  many species of coral.  At one point, a reef shark swam several feet below my daughter, but fortunately (or unfortunately) my head was out of the water at the time so I was the only one in the family who missed it. A truly memorable day for all of us.

9.  Relax at Hawks Cay Resort. Between the pools, watersports and hourly activities, teens will find plenty to do at this luxury resort in Duck Key. We spent the last 4 days of our trip here, and really enjoyed relaxing in our villa on the harbor. In 2017 the resort was devastated from Hurricane Irma, with a re-opening in 2018 with a new design and amenities. Read more about our stay at Family Friendly Hawks Cay Resort in the Florida Keys. Or search for other places to stay in the Florida Keys. 
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​10.  Eat Key Lime Pie. From Key Largo to the most southernmost point on Key West, you’ll find Key Lime Pie in various forms. From the traditional recipe, to chocolate covered pie on a stick, to the ultimate deep fried key lime pie rolled in cinnamon sugar (my favorite - see below), you’ll surely regret it if you don’t try this island specialty. Here’s a few we have tried including some recent additions to inspire you to plan a visit. On the left is the very tall Famous Key Lime Pie from Blue Heaven (next time I also want to try their Banana Heaven!), then the Deep Fried Key Lime Pie from the Island Fish Co., and the delicious Blackberry Key Lime Pie from Mangrove Mama’s.

Besides the list above, here's a few other fun things to do in the Florida Keys. Take a tour and find the 6-toed cats at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum on Key West (cash admission only). Stop by the Blue Hole and the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key. There's a chance you will observe alligators from the Blue Hole observation platform. Drive carefully around the refuge as the deer are often found in the road. And if you visit on the weekend between November and April, check out the Big Pine Key Flea Market. 

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Disclaimer: Thanks to Historic Tours of America for hosting my family on the Key West Old Town Trolley Tour and the Key West Ghosts & Gravestones Tour. As always, all opinions are my own.