Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum and the Key West Lighthouse from the Key West cruise port

Attraction5 minutes by taxi (about 20 min walk)1-1.5 hours for the house, plus 30-45 minutes for the lighthouseFits a typical call

The 1851 house at 907 Whitehead Street where Hemingway lived from 1931 to 1939, now a National Historic Landmark with its gardens, the Keys' first swimming pool and about 60 resident cats, many six-toed. It is the island's most visited attraction (600-800 people a day). Across the street, the 1848 lighthouse has 88 steps to a view over Old Town and a keeper's-quarters museum.

Getting there from the ship

From
Pier B
Key West has 3 cruise piers; your line confirms which one the evening before. Pier guide.
Travel time
5 minutes by taxi (about 20 min walk) · 1 km
Allow about 20 minutes to get off the ship first. Key West taxi fares.
Cost
Hemingway Home about $17 adult / $7 child 6-12, cash only (2022-23 report); Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters $17 adult, $9 youth 7-18, under 7 free (online $15.50 / $7.50).
Time to allow
1-1.5 hours for the house, plus 30-45 minutes for the lighthouse

Will you be back for all aboard?

Yes. On a typical 8:00 am–3:30 pm Key West call you have up to 6 h at Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, enough for a visit (allow 1-1.5 hours for the house), and you are back at the ship with at least an hour before all aboard.
  1. 1
    8:00 am · Ship docks
    Allow about 20 minutes to get off and through the terminal.
  2. 2
    8:25 am · At Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum
    5 minutes by taxi (about 20 min walk) from Pier B.
  3. 3
    2:25 pm · Leave Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum by
    That gets you back to the ship an hour before all aboard.
  4. 4
    3:30 pm · All aboard
    Typical for Key West; your ship's time may differ. Check ship time vs local time

Tip

Guided tours run continuously and take 20-30 minutes; go early before ship crowds build. The house opens 09:00-17:00 daily, the lighthouse 10:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30). Blue Heaven, the courtyard restaurant with roaming chickens and tall meringue key lime pie, is a short walk away at 729 Thomas Street in Bahama Village.

Key West cruise port: Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum FAQ

How far is Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum from the Key West cruise port?

From Pier B it is 5 minutes by taxi (about 20 min walk), about 1 km.

How much does it cost to visit Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum?

Hemingway Home about $17 adult / $7 child 6-12, cash only (2022-23 report); Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters $17 adult, $9 youth 7-18, under 7 free (online $15.50 / $7.50).

How much time do you need at Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum?

Allow 1-1.5 hours for the house, plus 30-45 minutes for the lighthouse. Yes. On a typical 8:00 am–3:30 pm Key West call you have up to 6 h at Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, enough for a visit (allow 1-1.5 hours for the house), and you are back at the ship with at least an hour before all aboard.

Can you visit Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum on your own from a cruise ship?

Yes, it is easy to do on your own: it is 5 minutes by taxi (about 20 min walk) from Pier B. Guided tours run continuously and take 20-30 minutes; go early before ship crowds build. The house opens 09:00-17:00 daily, the lighthouse 10:00-17:00 (last entry 16:30). Blue Heaven, the courtyard restaurant with roaming chickens and tall meringue key lime pie, is a short walk away at 729 Thomas Street in Bahama Village.

Tours that go to Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum

Checked against a typical 8:00 am–3:30 pm call with an hour's margin.

All tours

More things to do near Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum

All 12 places