15 KEY WEST Scams, Rip Offs & Tourist Traps (Watch Before You Go in 2022-2023) !

I’ve lived in many vacation areas if you want a shirt that says Key West go to the thrift store in Key West. People leave clothing items in hotel rooms all the time and it all goes to the thrift stores in that area.

Going to fort Jefferson and the dry tortugas is not a rip-off. It's probably one of the most impressive things to see in the state of Florida

I have been to Key West many times and I absolutely love the Butterfly Conservancy and highly recommend it- when you open the door - hear the music and are surrounded by 100's of royal blue butterflies - it is just surreal!

The rip-off is watching this entire video. Can I get my 12+ min back???

Wife and I flew into key West in October 2022 from Maryland and we talked to the locals and asked where they would go out to eat and they steered us to some great off the wall places to go! The Cuban food trucks were the best and had the best atmosphere at night for partying.(I enjoyed the pork tacos) We also drank and ate for next to nothing and hung out and partied with a lot of great local people. We saved the tourists stuff for the day and did Mallory square for the sunset and it had some great entertainers working for tips. Last night key West we decided to eat at Margaritaville and I ordered the cheeseburger in paradise and it was the worst burger in history for me. So talk to the locals and you will have a great time without breaking the bank. Great video.

My wife and I went to KW a few years back. We found that renting bikes were the best way to get around the island. Also, some of the best food was where the locals said to go to. Although, Sloppy Joe's was pretty good, but crowded. The beaches were ok, not like the panhandle area of NW Florida. The Mel Fisher's gold shop was impressive. All in all, we had a good time in KW.

It was so different when we were there in 1995. We camped in Big Pine Key & drove back & forth to Key West when we felt like it. Although we did spend a few nights in a motel in KW. Not nearly as populated as now. We didn’t go to Hemingway’s house, which was ok but I hate that we missed the Shipwreck Museum’s We drove all the way down the west coast & visited all the beaches. Then drove through the Everglades (took an airboat ride) through Homestead then driving all down through the Keyes! It was breathtaking! We were gone 5 weeks & it was great! Only thing we didn’t think about was it was February when all the snowbirds were there!

Ft. Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas were my favorite part of my Keys trip. We've been three times. First, we flew there and took the boat twice. The boat trip itself was fun.

Enjoyed your video. I haven't been down there in over 40 years. I know it's not the same as it was pre-1990's. It used to be a fun place to escape to and have some fun, now it's just a big boutique and has lost its charm.

We lived there in ‘72 ‘74 my daughter was born there husband was military and we lived in Sigsbee park. Right on the gulf I loved it,,,, It was different then ! Not so many tourists! Easy parking, our biggest thrill was the flea market they had every 2 weeks! Returned in 2005 and it was sad ! no longer could we see the beautiful colors of the water on the 7 mile bridge! They have planted trees and bushes and it was spooky driving back in the dark! My house was gone ! Got flooded in a storm ! So they knocked down all the houses facing the water and planted more bushes and trees ! Saddened me ! It was an idyllic life, out on the water boating ! We didn’t have money to spare so made our own amusements , now so many people ! Big crowds everywhere ! I loved the Cuban beef hoagies ! Never had any better ! Also the Keno sandals great buy! Every where in Florida and any touristy towns is a rip off !!

It's a small place with accommodation limited by the size of the island - so you pay more, and if you don't, someone else will.

If the speed limit says 45 on US1 Heading down cruise control it. A few miles over driving back home with a ticket

I didn't really see any scams on this video. Pretty much of all of these points apply to popular tourist coastal/beach areas. The same can be said for Long Island, Cape Cod, Jersey Shore, etc.

Thank you for this video! My husband just surprised me with a romantic getaway to Key West, and this video was so helpful and full of information! 🙂

Thank you for all the information! 🤙

Great video! I do love Key West but haven't been there since the pandemic. We always drive there, and love the drive down, and stopping along the way to take in the scenery. We also take our bicycles and think that is the best way to get around. Watch the motels because now they are starting to charge for parking there! Forget parking along the streets. Most of them are marked "residents only." There is a decent multi-level parking garage on Grinnell and Caroline Streets that did not charge a ripoff price to park all day and night. If you have a handicap placard, parking anywhere in KW is free. July and August seem to be the stinky times when the seaweed washes in. As gross as it is, you kind of get used to it. Where they are standing and talking about it is one of the smelliest areas at that time of the year. About sales.. that's what sales are, they mark up the price to mark it down, everywhere. Why don't they just sell it for the right price to start with? There are some places off Duval Street where you can get some really nice tshirts for a good price. You don't have to get ripped off on food either. I think Harpoon Harrys is the best place to get a good meal in KW, followed by El Siboney. I am a big fan of the Dry Tortugas day trip. It's fun to stand outside on the trip over and back, to watch the flying fish, turtles, and to see the various shades of blue in the water. They serve a continental breakfast, and their lunch is delicious! If you have a national park senior pass, they knock $6 off the fee. You don't need to snorkel in order to see some awesome marine life. Just walk around the moat and look down. You can also walk on top of the fort and get some spectacular pictures but there are no rails or ropes to hold on to. In the summer it is crazy hot, and there isn't much shade there. The nightly sunset celebration at Mallory Square; I've seen it packed and not so crowded. Anything the vendors sell there has to be made in Key West. There is the typical street entertainment, guitar players, jugglers on unicycles, sword swallowers, a funny cat show, and others. It is changing though. Many of the regulars have left the island, but there are still absolutely breathtaking sunsets.

Working downtown without a parking past was a nightmare! Thankfully, our office moved to Eaton street and we had our own parking lot.

Thx Guys . Very informative.

Thanks for great info😊😊

If you can’t afford ATM fees, then KW probably isn’t your destination.