The Conch Connection

If you're searching for the best day trip from Fort Myers Beach, you're spoiled for choice. Southwest Florida offers beautiful beaches, nature preserves, and waterfront towns, but one destination delivers an experience unlike any other—Key West.

 Located at the end of the Florida Keys, Key West offers a tropical island experience that's surprisingly easy to reach aboard the Key West Express from Fort Myers Beach.  Colorful streets, historic landmarks, tropical scenery, fresh seafood, and a laid-back island atmosphere make it one of Florida's most unforgettable destinations. Better yet, you don't have to spend the day driving to get there.

Turn a Familiar Florida Drive Into an Unforgettable Adventure

A Florida road trip does not have to be a race from one hotel to the next. The most memorable itineraries mix scenery, wildlife, waterfront stops and different ways of traveling. That is what makes a road-and-ferry trip so appealing: you can explore at your own pace, park the car in Fort Myers Beach and finish the journey to Key West across the Gulf.

This flexible route works for couples, families, friends and solo travelers. Begin wherever your Florida plans take you, add one or two natural stops on the way to Southwest Florida, and then let Key West Express turn the final leg into part of the vacation. Instead of spending another long stretch behind the wheel, you can move between climate-controlled seating and open-air decks while the island gets closer.

Annual Key West BrewFest

September 4 - 6, 2026

The past Key West BrewFest events have been so much fun and an amazing success for the local charities, the committee is teaming up to bring it to you again! Between 150 and 200 beers and micro-brews are on tap at this "tasty" annual event that benefits the charitable efforts of the Key West Sunrise Rotary Club of the Conch Republic.

Like snowflakes, no two sunsets are ever alike. There is no shortage of places around the world to watch our favorite star sink beyond the horizon, igniting the sky with radiant hues that cast magic over the surrounding scenery. However, whether you are overlooking the ocean from beach, pier or boat….Florida offers some of the most spectacular places to view the vibrant range of colors that infuse the sky and shimmering sea – perhaps with a green flash, if you’re lucky.

Choosing a Key West hotel is often less about the room and more about the kind of trip you want once you step outside it. Opal Key Resort & Marina sits on the harbor at the edge of Old Town, placing guests close to sunsets, sightseeing, dining, boating and the lively streets that make Key West memorable.

That location gives the resort a distinct personality. It is not a secluded beach retreat, and it is not removed from the action. It is a waterfront home base for travelers who want to walk out the door and start exploring. Here is what that means in practical terms—and what to consider before booking.

The Key West Garden Club is located at the West Martello Tower, a National Historic site.

 The site was originally built as a protector to Fort Taylor, also on Key West but was rendered obsolete before it was completed.

Photo Credit: Averette - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

Fort Zachary Taylor is one of those Key West places that can surprise you twice. First, there is the setting: a massive brick fort tucked beside one of the island’s favorite beaches. Then there is the history. Behind those shaded archways and weathered walls is a story of military strategy, Union-held Key West and cannons that spent decades buried inside the fort itself.

Today, “Fort Zach” is an easy place to mix a little time travel with a relaxed afternoon by the water. You can wander through old gun rooms, stand beside historic artillery and then trade the brick corridors for snorkeling, swimming or a picnic beneath the trees. That combination makes it much more than a stop for dedicated history buffs.

Celebrate your romance with Seashells, Sunshine & Sand.   Some people dream of this day forever and should be one of the most memorable moments of your life.  Whether your dream wedding includes
glistening tropical waters with sand between your toes, sophisticated sunset elegance at a five-star resort or anything in between, America's Caribbean Island Paradise offering year round weather, breathtaking water views and an abundant array of options will make your special day exactly as you imagine. Make memories at  Smather’s beach, Higg’s beach, Fort Zachary Taylor historic state park or the gazebo overlooking the Atlantic Ocean at West Martello Tower & Gardens. 

Photo Credit: HemingwayHomeEvents via Instagram by @irismoorephoto

You can even forgo the traditional wedding and broadcast your nuptials digitally, as some have taken to social media to live-stream their wedding, for those that are far and away and could not attend personally.  Not only can you invite and and everyone, you want, but you'll also have virtual remembrance as well.

Fort Myers Beach is about to become one very serious sandbox. The 36th Annual American Sand Sculpting Championship returns November 19–23, 2026, bringing five days of towering sculptures, live competition and hands-on fun to the beach behind DiamondHead Beach Resort.