Hemingway Food and Walking Tour

4.7 (111 reviews)2 hKey WestFood & drinkCulture & historyFits a typical call
Fits your day

Back at the ship by about 10:40 am, 4 h 50 min before all aboard. That keeps your 1 h safety margin with 3 h 50 min to spare.

Safety margin
Ship in portGetting ashore (20 min)Safety margin (1 h)All aboard 3:30 pm
  1. 8:00 am
    Ship docks in Key West20 min to get off the ship and through the terminal
  2. 8:20 am
    Leave the pierAbout 10 min to the start point
  3. 8:30 am
    Earliest tour startTour runs 2 h. Latest sensible start: 12:20 pm.
  4. 10:30 am
    Tour ends10 min back to the pier
  5. 10:40 am
    Back at the gangway4 h 50 min before all aboard
  6. 3:30 pm
    All aboardGangway closes; the ship won't wait for independent tours

Estimates based on the tour's longest published duration, our researched travel times and typical pier queues. Confirm the departure time on the booking page and keep your watch on ship's time.

Our verdict

This tour fits a typical Key West call (8:00 am–3:30 pm). It runs 2 h; ashore by 8:20 am, you can start by 8:30 am and be back at the gangway around 10:40 am — 3 h 50 min to spare on top of a 1 h safety margin.

Rule of thumb: it keeps the safety margin as long as all aboard is 11:40 am or later. Even a short 7:00 am–2:00 pm call works.

The operator lists a meeting point in town rather than at the pier, but Key West is small: anywhere in the centre is within about 10 min of the ships on foot or by a short taxi ride, so we count 10 min each way.

Among the 349 Key West shore excursions we track, this is one of the shorter ones (the median runs 3 h); 85% of them fit a typical call.

Computed from the tour's published duration, the distance from the cruise pier to its start point and the typical Key West call. Adjust your ship's times above to recheck.

About this tour

This guided walking tour will take you to the real places that Hemingway lived, worked and played, including where he watched and refereed boxing matches, where he kept his boat the Pilar, the bookstore where his books were sold, his first apartment in Key West where he finished writing “A Farewell to Arms”. Along the way you will have three food samplings, before visiting where he took the train, fished and charted boats in the Key West Harbor, and finally where he spent a lot of time drinking- Sloppy Joe's. Numerous other historical sites that Hemingway frequented while he lived in Key West will also be visited on this incredibly authentic tour.

Max 15 per group English

What's included

  • Three food tastings (grilled chicken caesar wrap, bean salad with famous mango poppy dressing, and slice of key lime pie).

Not included

  • Gratuities

Itinerary

  1. 1
    The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
    You will meet your tour guide outside the front gate of the Hemingway House. Then a guided tour will take you to the real places that Hemingway lived, worked, and played, including where he watched and refereed boxing matches, where he kept his boat the Pilar, the bookstore where his books were sold, his first apartment in Key West where he finished writing “A Farewell to Arms”. Then you will enjoy lunch and a slice of key lime pie, before visiting where he took the train, fished and charted boats in the Key West Harbor, and finally where he spent a lot of time drinking- Sloppy Joes (the original and the second one). Numerous other historical sites that Hemingway frequented while he lived in Key West will also be visited on this incredible authentic tour.
    10 minAdmission not included
  2. 2
    Key West
    This guided tour will take you to the real places that Hemingway lived, worked, and played, including where he watched and refereed boxing matches, where he kept his boat the Pilar, the bookstore where his books were sold, his first apartment in Key West where he finished writing “A Farewell to Arms”. Then you will enjoy lunch and slice of key lime pie, before visiting where he took the train, fished and charted boats in the Key West Harbor, and finally where he spent a lot of time drinking- Sloppy Joes (the original and the second one). Numerous other historical sites that Hemingway frequented while he lived in Key West will also be visited on this incredible authentic tour.
    1 h 50 min

Meeting point and getting there

Start point
Please meet your tour guide OUTSIDE the front gate. Please arrive 15 minutes early.
Please meet your tour guide OUTSIDE the front gate. Please arrive 15 minutes early.
From the cruise pier
About 10 min by taxi
Allow 20 min to get off the ship first. Taxi fares and pier details.
Ends at

Good to know

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. If the operator cancels for bad weather, you can rebook or get a full refund.
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Traveler reviews

4.7
111 traveler reviews
5
86%
4
5%
3
3%
2
2%
1
5%

Read all 111 reviews

Operated by Hemingway in Key West Tours. Prices, availability and tour details come from the booking partner and can change; the booking page is authoritative.

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