Shop Local: Key West Farmers Market Guide

During your next Key West getaway, we encourage you to support our local community by shopping locally! Find a fantastic selection of locally grown produce and handcrafted goods at the farmers markets of Key West & The Florida Keys. Whether you are looking for fresh ingredients to prepare meals in your vacation home or want to find the perfect souvenir, you can find it all at our local, open-air markets. Choose Rent Key West Vacations to host your getaway and stay close to everything our slice of paradise has to offer!

Key West Farmers Market

When: Every Thursday, 2 pm – 7 pm

Where: Truman Waterfront

The Key West Farmers Market offers something for everyone! Shop for fresh produce grown in Homestead, gorgeous orchids & native plants, artisan selection of meats and cheeses, pickles, honey, nuts & dried fruits, natural soaps and so much more. You’ll find Key West crafts, gifts and the perfect souvenir to take home. While browsing, fuel up with something from one of the food trucks with varying weekly options, like fresh seafood, Mediterranean, Indian, smoothies, and freshly brewed coffees and teas. There is ample parking, bike racks or take the FREE Duval Loop which conveniently stops close to the market. The entire park, market area, restrooms and parking lots are wheelchair accessible.

What else is there to do at the Truman Waterfront Park?

The USCG Ingham is a self-guided maritime museum open Tuesday – Saturday 10 am to 4 pm. $10 adults/$5 kids/$5 active military.

Truman Waterfront park features a splash park, playground and lots of grass to spread out a picnic. Restrooms & shower rinse stations are available.

The Quay faces the Gulf and often cruise ships and Navy cutters on duty will be docked nearby. There’s plenty of park benches to enjoy the view (but little shade, umbrella recommended),

Fort Zachary Taylor Beach & State Park is a National Historic Landmark on 54 acres and houses a civil war fortress and the best beach on Key West. Entrance fees start at $2.50 and up.

Florida Keys Eco Discovery Center is a kid-friendly & adult interesting educational exhibit open Tuesday – Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is FREE.

Key West Artisan Market

When: Select Sundays, November-April, 10 am – 2 pm

Where: Key West Wildlife Center parking lot across from White Street Pier & Higgs Beach

The Key West Artisan Market, celebrating its 10th season, is a unique open air bazaar filled with artists, authors, chef-made cuisine, craftspeople, performers and fresh produce representing diversity, creativity, ingenuity and locally made products. Participants must live and also create/curate in the Keys in order to qualify for booth space.

Local artisans include culinary, textile, jewelry, wood, art & crafts, curiosities, fresh produce and lots of great, fresh food. Each week is a different theme focused on island living and local charities. Guests are encouraged to go green and ride bikes. There is limited free parking and marked handicapped spots at the park. Please BYOB (bring your own bags). Find your beach reading material at the Local Authors Nook and enjoy live entertainment at the weekly variety show.

What else is there to do at Higgs Beach?

Higgs Beach offers a Civil War Era Fort, Fort West Martello home of the Key West Garden Club that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, a beachside café, the African Refugee Memorial and burial site, and an AIDS memorial. Activities available include swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing, beach volleyball, tennis, pickleball, and a children’s playground.

Higgs Beach Park also hosts the only shore-accessible underwater marine park in the United States and is the end of the Florida Overseas Heritage Trail, one of only 31 nationally designated All American Highways in the United States.

A beach concessionaire offers beach items for rent including chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, and paddleboards, among others. The Key West Garden Club offers free self-guided tours at Fort West Martello and its nearly two acres of beautiful gardens. The park also hosts a large dog park with separate runs for small and large dogs.

Florida Keys Farmers Market

When: Every Sunday, Year Round, Rain or Shine, 10 am – 3 pm – 305-432-6900

Where: Islamorada Gardens Plaza parking lot, 81001 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036

Local, Fresh, Organic & Sustainable Shopping just under a two hour drive from Key West. Walk through an outdoor oasis featuring colorful artwork and murals by Miami artist DaveL @davel_art on Instagram. Each week features a rotating line up of vendors passionate about their craft. Find Artisan cheeses, select meats, fresh and local seafood, delicious baked goods, farmstand fresh juices, natural and organic produce, local art, orchids and so much more!

Bahia Honda State Park is on the drive and one of the most popular state parks in the Florida Keys. This is where you will find another icon of the Florida Keys, the Old Bahia Honda railway bridge. You can see the old bridge if you continue your drive without stopping at Bahia Honda State Park. But if you do stop at Bahia Honda State Park, you can get a classic view of the old bridge. Bahia Honda State Park also has picnic tables so it can provide the perfect stop for a picnic with views! There are snorkel gear and kayak rentals at Bahia Honda State Park as well.

You will also drive across the iconic Seven Mile Bridge! There are parking areas on either side of the bridge for amazing views and photo opportunities.

Enjoy the Amenities at Our Key West Vacation Rentals

Shop local at our Key West farmers markets during your Florida Keys getaway and keep money within our communities! Discover Rent Key West Vacations collection of vacation rentals complete with fully equipped kitchens, linens, and laundry facilities. Many of our properties also come with private pools, hot tubs, and tennis courts. If you need help customizing your Key West vacation, please get in touch with us at 1-800-833-7368.

Key West Brewery and Distillery Guide

After a day at the beach, we invite you to cool down with a refreshing drink at a Key West brewery or distillery, and/ or bring your favorites back to your Rent Key West Vacations home-away-from-home. Whether you want to sip on island-inspired brews while overlooking the water or sample rum inspired by the exploits of Ernest Hemingway, you can find it all in Key West! And Rent Key West Vacations puts you within minutes of the best drinks on the island with our impressive collection of vacation rentals in Old Town’s historic district!

The Waterfront Brewery

Visit The Waterfront Brewery for fantastic brews, views, and food. Overlooking the Key West Historic Seaport, kick back and relax as you watch the boats pass by during daily happy hour from 4:00 – 6:30. They feature beers like their world-famous Crazy Lady Honey Blonde Ale, which is brewed with local water and honey. They are passionate about using local ingredients to capture the essence of island life in every sumptuous sip!

First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery

Enjoy delicious brews in this historic birthplace of Pan American World Airways. Pan-Am’s first tickets were sold out of this very building in 1927. Pan Am was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991.

Accessing the brewery is an adventure in itself; stroll through the red-bricked garden and head through the French doors to be greeted by the unique bar area. A seaplane plunges through the ceiling, offering a one-of-a-kind drinking surface. We recommend their Sunset Clipper brew, which uses fresh Florida citrus peels for the perfect refreshing drink.

Key West First Legal Rum Distillery

Stop at the first-ever legal rum distillery on the island and try their collection of home-brewed rum. Join their free tours and learn about the process of distilling sugar cane into rum. They are also known for having the best pina Coladas and mojitos on the island, and they will even give you the recipe so you can perfect the making of the drinks at your vacation home so you can impress your friends when you get back to reality!

Papa’s Pilar Rum Distillery

Taste the rum inspired by the life and exploits of beloved local author Ernest Hemingway. Their rum is named after his boat, Pilar, expressing a bold and well-traveled blend of maple, dark chocolate, fig, and candied orange. While you are here, we also encourage you to sign up for a tour, cocktail class, or haunted ghost tour!

Old Town Tavern & Beer Garden

Although not technically a brewery, Old Town Tavern offers one of the largest selections of craft beers in Key West. They host happy hour twice every day and whiskey Wednesdays, where you can enjoy 50% off whiskey, bourbon, and scotch. Head to the outdoor beer garden and pair your drink with a homemade dish from their expansive menu for a very satisfying meal!

Key West Vacation Rentals in Historic District

Discover our collection of over 60 Key West vacation rentals, and take advantage of amenities like private pools, hot tubs, and tennis courts. Whether you want to stay near the action in Old Town or in a gorgeous oceanfront property, we have the perfect rentals for your getaway!

Annual Key West Festivals & Events Guide

As one of the longest-standing and most trusted vacation rental companies in Key West, we are proud to be your local experts during your Key West getaway. Rent Key West Vacations’ knowledgeable staff is here to introduce you to the best Key West festivals and events our beautiful island has to offer! Keep up to date with local happenings on our Events page and plan your Key West vacation around one of our exciting annual festivals. No matter when you decide to visit us, our beautiful Key West Vacation Rentals offer the perfect homebase to enjoy events on the island!

January: Key West Food and Wine Festival

Escape the cold this winter and dive into the warmth of our unique culinary scene during the Food and Wine Festival. This festival includes over 20 special events, including wine tastings, innovative culinary creations, and chef collaborations.

February: 58th Old Island Art Festival

This is an artistic Key West tradition not to be missed! Thousands of original pieces of artisan made arts and crafts will be displayed and available for purchase. This is the perfect opportunity to bring home a piece of paradise!

March to April: Key West Spring Break

Some students, young professionals, working grown-ups and retirees recoup and rejuvenate on the beaches and around the island of Key West! Please come take a break with us this Spring!

April: Conch Republic Independence Celebration

Celebrate the founding of the Conch Republic and the brief secession of the FL Keys from the United States. This ten-day festival features parades, reenactments, art fairs, bar crawls, costume contests, drag (Queen) races, bed and boat races, and even more fun in the Conch Republic.

May: Key West Songwriters Festival

This Key West Festival is the largest of its kind in the world! Experience five days of live music with over 150 performers during the Songwriters Festival. From intimate gatherings to large concerts, there is something for every music aficionado at this annual festival.

June: Key West Pride Week

Key West is known worldwide for being an LGBTQ+ friendly destination, and we invite you to spend pride month on our tropical island! Pride Week will be full of events like parades, pool parties, drag shows, talent shows, fun nightlife, sunset sails, and diverse entertainment!

July: Key Lime Festival, Key West Mermaid Festival, July 4th Celebrations and Hemingway Days!

Plan your vacation around the 4th of July and join Key West’s Independence Day parties and fireworks. The Key Key Lime & Mermaid Celebrations also happen during the long weekend holiday. Later in the month, plan your getaway around Hemingway Days and celebrate the author with look-alike contests, poetry readings, imbibing and fishing tournaments.

August: Key West Lobsterfest

Visit Key West during the opening of lobster season and join the biggest party of the summer with mouthwatering lobster dishes, live music, and refreshing drinks. Folks from around the world will enjoy Florida spiny lobster on Duval Street, beaches, poolside and in most of Key West’s excellent dining establishments.

September: Key West Womenfest and Key West BrewFest

This famous global event invites all women to celebrate their gender. Lesbians, straights, trans and allies gather to socialize, soak up the sun, and dance the night away with fellow like-minded women and their friends! Beer lovers can enjoy Key West craft beers which are celebrated during BrewFest each year with this festival celebrating all things grain, hops and fun!

October: Goombay Caribbean Festival & Key West Fantasy Fest

Fantasy Fest is the biggest annual event in Key West, attracting over 75,000 visitors each year! This ten-day festival features parades,costumes, competitions, and parties. Come early for the pre-festival, Goombay Caribbean Festival. It runs the weekend before the start of Fantasy Fest and is full of great food, music and culture on the streets of Bahama Village in old town Key West.

November: Key West Film Festival and Thanksgiving on the Island of Key West

This Film Fest has become world renowned and is part of the beginning of the annual awards circuit! Of course, there is nowhere better to be grateful during Thanksgiving than Key West, so please join us at our bountiful, island table!

December: Key West Holiday Events & New Year Celebrations!

Visit Key West for the holidays and enjoy seasonal activities, including parades, concerts, Santa visits, festivals, light displays, fun on the water, and much more! And, nothing beats ringing in the New Year on the island of Key West. We drop drag queens, giant conch shells, pirate wenches and have all types of parties and celebrations!

Stay in Our Key West Vacation Rentals

There is always something happening on our slice of paradise; plan your getaway around one of our Key West festivals today! Whether you are looking for a Key West vacation rental near the beach or in the historic district, Rent Key West Vacations has you covered! To customize your Key West vacation, please call our reservation specialists at 1-800-833-7368.