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Walking into this Wednesday with an extra pep in o Walking into this Wednesday with an extra pep in our step.  While we’ve always raised our girls to know they can be or do anything we couldn’t be more excited for them to have witnessed #HERstory themselves today. How y’all feeling on this glorious Wednesday? #representationmatters #thefutureisfemale
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice every “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “The time is always right to do what is right.” Nearly 53 years later and these words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are words that fit so perfectly in today’s society, that is a sad truth.

My dream for America would be for it to get its shit together. For the many Americans in denial of what is actually happening in this country to wake up. For allies to be loud all the time, not just on #blackouttuesday. The work Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. helped start is not done and I’m afraid it never will be. 

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Wow, so many new faces in our tiny corner of IG! I Wow, so many new faces in our tiny corner of IG! I am so happy our “how we afford to travel so much” series and photography tips have been helpful, more coming soon! Just wanted to share a little more about us. We’re Monet, James, Jordyn and Kennedy and we live in South Florida. I started The Traveling Child in 2016 to inspire parents to travel the world with their kids while providing tips to make it easier and affordable. Our motto is if kids live there, kids can visit and you’ll often find us exploring destinations most don’t consider “kid friendly”. 

Hubby and I met at the one and only University of Florida #gogators. We’ve been together for 14yrs and have our 8yr wedding anniversary coming up soon. Our love for travel isn’t new, 2 months into our relationship we studied abroad together in China.

Jordyn is 6, Kennedy is 4 and they both go to regular public school because well homeschool is not for us lol, but school has been virtual recently because of you know what. Still travel with school aged kids is possible and there are flight deals during school breaks!

James works in sales in Corporate America in an office setting so while I have my own business now we do have tips on traveling frequently with a full time job as well.

I’m Jamaican and well that means I’m a hustler lol. I’m the author of the children’s book, The Traveling Child Goes to Rio de Janeiro (available on Amazon), a freelance writer for The Points Guy and wannabe photographer.  I also write for our own blog/website www.thetravelingchild.co where we share our tips on affordable travel, traveling with kids and providing the itineraries for all the places we’ve traveled to.

While travel is the main focus of this page we’re parents too so we also share things we find helpful raising these kids and sometimes random dance videos 🤷🏾‍♀️.

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How we flew to Singapore for free! We got a flight How we flew to Singapore for free! We got a flight deal for $395RT (tip from our how we afford to travel so much part 1 reel) and coupled that with points earned from a sign up bonus from a travel card. That cards bonus was 100,000 points which was redeemable for $1,250 in travel purchases. $395x3 plus only the taxes for Kennedy’s lap infant ticket meant we paid nothing out of pocket for the fights there! (Save and share this post.)

Is this series helpful? What do you want me to cover in part 3?

P.S. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using points and miles and 60 seconds is def not enough to go in depth. So I’m hosting a webinar on Saturday, January 23rd at 1pm EST where I’ll tell and show you how to find and book flight deals, go over travel credit cards and the other tools we use to afford travel so much. You will be able to ask all the questions you want and because of that it’s an intimate event with only 30 tickets available. Can’t wait to help you learn the tools to afford travel now so when the world is completely open you’re prepared! #traveltipsandtricks
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For protective styles what are you go to’s? I need some inspo as I grow my hair back out for this in between phase. #naturalhairstyles
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The Best Things to Do in Key West with Kids

July 22, 2019      Destinations, Florida, North America

The Florida Keys makes you feel like your outside of the United States. Apparently so much that some businesses are asked if they accept American currency or if Key West has their own. After all, once you make it down to Key West you’re only 90 miles to Cuba, closer than you are to Miami. With great seafood, Key Lime Pie and a plethora of sunshine is waiting for you year round. So if you’re heading to this beauty with your family here are things to do in Key West with kids.

family standing in front of Greetings from Key West mural

How to Save Money on Things to Do in Key West with Kids

One of the ways we afford to travel so much is by finding ways to plan vacations without breaking the bank. We were able to save on some of the activities we did with the Key West Sightseeing Pass. We also checked Travelzoo and Groupon to see if they had any restaurant or activity specials that could lower our costs. Don’t forget to grab some of the free coupon books you’ll see scattered around Key West. Even a $2 per person coupon adds up when you’re a family and doing multiple activities.

Things to Do in Key West with Kids: Attractions

Key West has so much to offer families from land and sea attractions. Growing up in Miami my parents took my brother here often,  my husband and I spent our first dating anniversary in Key West and now had the pleasure of experiencing it with our children. Here are our favorite things to do in Key West with kids.

Go on a Snorkel Trip

Key West is the only place in the Continental US with a coral reef system so take advantage of that! We used our Sightseeing Pass to cover our 3 hour afternoon snorkel tour with Sunset Key West Tours. We were able to see tons of colorful fish and our boat even had a small slide the kids could slide down and splash into the ocean. The tour is offered daily at 9:00am and 1:00pm. While water and juice is included in the price food in not and no snacks are for sale on board. Be sure to pack something to eat for yourself and your kids.

Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

We’ve passed by the Ripley’s Believe it or Not in Orlando on multiple occasions but never went in. Since it was also covered by the Sightseeing Pass we figured why not. It’s the perfect activity for a rainy day or when the sun is just too hot to be outside. Our kids were so amazed by the different things they saw and enjoyed trying to see if they could do some of the unique things we saw as well.

Without the pass buying online is your best option at prices are reduced from $16.99 for adults to $12.99 and kid prices are lowered from $9.99 to $7.99. Kids under 5 are free! It’s open 7 days a week from 10:00am-8:00pm.

Shipwreck Treasures Museum

My girls are obsessed with pirates so when looking for things to do in Key West with kids we had to visit the Shipwreck Treasures Museum. While the treasures in the museum are from shipwrecks and not pirates taking over my 3 and 5 year old couldn’t tell the difference. They were just happy to walk around with the treasure maps they have for kids so they could look for the treasure. Be sure to ask the ticket agent on the way out for actual treasure, they will give your kids treasure coins.

The cheapest way to book tickets is online as tickets are 10% cheaper unless you have the Old Town Key West Go Pass. Regular prices are $16.11 for adults, $9.66 for kids 4-12, and free for kids 3 and under. The museum is open 365 days a year from 9:00am-5:00pm.

two toddlers holding up a trreasure map

Walk Along Duval Street

Duval Street is famous for a reason! On weekends it’s vibrant and closed off from cars as vendors line the streets. You’ll find freshly made street food, beautiful art work and often times live musicians. It’s a great place to hang on Saturday evenings.

The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory

I asked my audience on Instagram for suggestions on things to do in Key West with kids and by far the best recommendation was to visit the Butterfly Conservatory. My daughters loved this place so much we walked through it twice (admission is good for the entire day so you can leave and return as you please). Before going in the conservatory you get to go through a room that teaches you all about the life cycle of butterflies and see a few types going through the process themselves.

Once you are inside there are thousands of butterflies flying around. While you can’t reach out for them if they land on you that’s just fine and we saw them land on quite a few people. There are also colorful birds and two flamingos inside the conservatory. Right before you exit you might get lucky and see one of the butterflies birthing themselves in the glass enclosure, we saw two! The conservatory is open 365 days a year from 9:00am-5:00pm but it does has holiday hours on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It costs $12 for adults, $8.50 for kids 4-12 and is free for kids 3 and under. There are coupon books that offer a $2 discount on each ticket so find one before you go in!

Key West Lighthouse

little girl standing in front of replica key west lighthouse

The Key West Lighthouse opened in 1848 after the U.S. Navy established a base in Key West. It hasn’t been a functioning lighthouse since 1969 and now it’s a museum. You and your kids can walk up the 88 steps to the top for great views of Key West. My 3 and 5 year old walked up and down themselves so it is definitely doable with young children. After climbing the lighthouse you can go through the Keeper’s quarters and read about the families who lived in the home and kept the lighthouse burning. It’s open daily from 9:30am-4:30pm except for Christmas day. Admission for adults is $12, children 6 and up are $5, and children under 6 are free.

Go to the Southernmost Point in the Continental US

You cannot visit Key West without visiting the marker for the southernmost point in the Continental US. From this symbol you are just 90 miles from Cuba! Come in the evening, especially in the summer as there can often be a line to take a photo and it’s just too hot to be standing still. We arrived around 6:15pm when the sun wasn’t as bad and only waited maybe 5 minutes.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

Things to Do in Key West with Kids: Swim at the Beach

While Key West isn’t known for its beaches like Miami you can still get your beach on. Two of the top beachers here are Smathers Beach and Fort Zachary Taylor Beach but there are others.

Smathers Beach

Smathers Beach is the largest beach in Key West with two miles of shoreline. It’s a public beach so it’s free to use but like most of Key West you’ll have to pay for parking. It’s the best beach in Key West for young kids since the current isn’t strong in this area.

Fort Zachary Taylor Beach

Key West beaches are mainly man made but not Fort Zachary Beach. If your family is looking to spot wildlife this beach if your best option. Visitors often spot turtles, dolphins, or tarpon.

South Beach

Not to be confused with the South Beach in Miami, South Beach in Key West is perfect for families. The water at this beach is very shallow so even with small children they’ll be able to enjoy the sea.

Things to Do in Key West with Kids: Eat Key Lime Everything

If your kids are foodies like mine they will love trying all the delicious treats Key West has to offer. My eldest daughters favorite thing to do in Key West was ranking Key Lime pies from several different restaurants and pie shops. Her favorite was Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe followed by Mattheessen’s, Blue Heaven, and the Key Lime Pie Co. During parts of the year Key Lime Pie Co. offers Key Lime Pie cooking classes and has a special class for kids ages 2-4.

Little girl eating key lime pie

Things to Do in Key West with Kids On the Drive Back to Miami

While Key West may take a lot of the shine from The Florida Keys it’s not the only island apart of the keys. Break up your drive to Key West with kids by making stops along the way. Here are a few suggestions along with their distance from Key West.

Theater of the Sea

Theater of the Sea is in Islamorada, FL at mile marker 84.5. It serves as a rehabilitation center for animals that sustained injuries in the wild and are non-releasable due to the extent of them. They host dolphin, sea lion, and parrot shows along with exhibits for crocodiles, sea turtles, nurse sharks and many other fish.

Theater of the Sea is open 365 days a year from 9:30am-5:00pm and offers free parking. Tickets are $35.96 for seniors 65+, $39.95 for those 11+, $22.95 for those 3-10 and free for children 2 and under.

Robbie’s

Robbie’s is the perfect place to take a break as it’s about the midway point between Miami and Key West at mile marker 77.5 in Islamorada. Whether you’re hungry and want to eat or the kids need an activity you can easily spend a few hours. The kids favorite things to do at Robbie’s is feed the tarpons. For $2.25 per person you can enter the dock and buy a bucket of fish with 5-8 fish for $4.00 to feed the tarpons. It’s quite a site to see them leap out of the water to grab the fish out of your kids hand. Parents this activity is fun for you too!

Turtle Hospital

The Turtle Hospital is a great place to stop with kids on your way to or from Key West. They rescue, rehab, and then release the healed sea turtles back into the waters of the Florida Keys. The Turtle Hospital are open 7 days a week with tours every hour on the hour starting at 9am with the last tour starting at 4pm. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $12 for children 4-12 and free for children 4 and under. A limited number of spots are available on each tour so make a reservation at 305-743-2552. It’s located in Marathon at mile marker 48.5.

Staying in Florida for an extended time? Here are our itineraries from some of our other favorite Florida cities: Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers and Sanibel Island, and Panama City Beach.

Where to Stay in Key West with Kids

Traveling with kids can be expensive and Key West isn’t the cheapest destination accommodations wise to begin with. Thankfully we not only found a great hotel for kids but we got $173.15 cash back by booking our hotel using the Dosh App. You can read more about that here. We stayed at the Marriott Beachside Hotel which is about 10-15 minutes from Duval Street.

picture of a hotel pool

The hotel is perfect for traveling with kids as they offer 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartment style rooms with full kitchens. With the cost of food in Key West having the option to go grocery shopping and cook some meals at your hotel can save you a lot of money. Still you get the amenities of a well known hotel brand including a 24 hour pool, fitness center and on-site restaurants.

We had a great time exploring the Keys. Hopefully these tips on things to do in Key West with kids will help you plan your next family vacation. Did you find this article helpful? Please share it!

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Hey, I’m Monet!

Hey, I’m Monet!

A full time working woman, wife and mama of two. I use every last one of my vacation days traveling with my kids, hubby, friends or solo. Join me as I share my travel experiences and tips to make travel affordable and easier with the little ones. You can read more about me here.

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