Bluegreen Colorful Places

There’s so much to see in Key West, and it’s hard to know where to start. It can also be difficult trying to negotiate unfamiliar city streets while looking for attractions like Truman’s Little White House or the Mel Fisher museum. The solution? Let someone else do the driving, and get a fabulous overview with a professional tour of Key West during your next Bluegreen vacation to the Florida Keys.

You have several options to try out during your Bluegreen vacation, and they’re all good. It’s always a savvy idea to take a guided tour of a new place soon after arrival. Then you can decide which things you really want to go back and investigate on your own. There are so many things to do in Key West that unless you’re staying a week, you’ll be choosing which attractions you really want to check out.

A popular choice for those who take their Bluegreen vacations to the area, is the “world-famous” Conch Tour Train. Over 15 million people have enjoyed the little choo-choo’s narrated tour through the quirky streets of Key West since 1958 . “Conductors” of the gas-driven open-air train happily share details about local attractions, as well as some juicy local lore. No matter who’s driving the train at any given time, it’s obvious he or she is happy to live in the city also known as The Conch Republic. Of all the Key West tours and attractions, the conch train is the best known. (Kids twelve and under ride free, which is a nice bonus for Bluegreen Vacations families staying at The Hammocks at Marathon).

The conch train will give you a peek at Mel Fisher’s museum, Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Audubon House & Gardens, The Hemingway House, the Key West Lighthouse Museum, Truman’s “Little White House”, the Wreckers’ Museum, Key West Aquarium, the Southernmost Point, and Sloppy Joe’s famous bar.

Another great option for touring the city during your Bluegreen vacation to Key West is Old Town Trolley Tours. These comfortable, open-air trolleys make stops all over the island, and cover more ground than the train, which stays in the downtown district. A ticket lets you hop on and hop off the trolley at will, so it serves as a fantastic backup to a rental car for the day. Leave the driving to an entertaining professional: they cleverly call it “transportainment.”

The trolley is a good choice if it looks like it could rain; windows have protection which can be rolled down during the tour, and when the rain stops, up they go again. The trolley also allows for riding a second consecutive day for free, which is a nice two-for-one bonus. Didn’t see everything you wanted to? No problem: keep your pass and finish up “tomorrow.” Kids under 12 also ride free, and military and senior discounts apply here as well as on the conch train. Trolley drivers combine colorful stories and anecdotes with intriguing history and facts about one of America’s most unique cities. There are more than 100 Points of Interest covered on each tour.

Key West’s persona isn’t all sun and margaritas. Apparently there is a rather substantial body of ghost and spirit sightings here. Visitors who are so inclined to explore the city’s spooky side will certainly enjoy Tim Glancey’s Key West Ghosts & Mysteries Tour.

Departing each night at 7 and 9 pm, these reservations-required tours tease potential customers with the saying “join us if you dare.” This tour has been featured on Discovery and Biography channels, CNN, The Learning Channel and public television.

A 90 minute guided walk will show you the Key West that the Chamber of Commerce is not talking about, through the eyes and narration of a master storyteller. Over 16 years of research has gone into this tour, and there’s absolutely no telling what you’ll see behind closed doors. Guests are encouraged to bring their cameras, as many have experienced unexplainable events.

Sights on this tour include haunted Victorian mansions and pubs, “the original hanging tree,” and Key West’s oldest graveyard. The tour meets at the corner of Duval and Caroline Street in the courtyard of the haunted Porter Mansion. Tickets are $18 for adults and $10 for teens. This is, by far, the spookiest way to tour Key West during your Bluegreen vacation.

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