Do You Need a Rental Car in Key West? Not on the Island, but Maybe to Get There
6 min read
Short answer. If you stay in Old Town, no. The island is small, parking is expensive, and what you came for is on foot, on a bus or on the water. You may still want a car for the drive down from Miami, because the Overseas Highway is a drive, not a ride, and in that case the real question is where you leave it for the days you are here.
If you do want one, compare rental prices for Key West on Discover Cars before you decide. If you do not, the Old Town Trolley is the car-free way to see the town: 499 reviews at 4.6 stars, €50.44 for a hop-on, hop-off ticket.
What parking costs
This is the argument that decides most cases. The City of Key West lists its lots and garage like this:
- Old Town Parking Garage (301 Grinnell Street): $6 an hour, $48 a day, plus tax; 300 spaces, first come, first served.
- Mallory Square lot (412 Wall Street): $7 an hour, $48 daily maximum, 100 spaces.
- Most other city lots (Caroline Street, Greene Street, Simonton Street and others): $6 an hour; several cap at ten hours.
Five nights of garage parking at the daily rate is $240 plus tax. Some hotels include parking or charge their own fee; ask yours before you book, because that single number can settle the question.
What you can reach without a car
On foot. The sights people actually queue for, Mallory Square, Duval Street, the Hemingway house, the Southernmost Point and the harbour, are in the Old Town grid. See our guide to the Hemingway house and the Southernmost Point for what is open and what is not.
By bus. The free-and-easy Duval Loop, last priced at $1 a ride, has been suspended since 2 January 2026; its stops are now served by the on-demand Key West Rides service at $2 a trip, booked in its app, and the city’s transit page will say if the loop returns. Regular city routes cost $2 a ride or $4 for a day. The Keys routes, which go off the island, cost $4 one way and $8 for a day. These are the city’s fares, effective since July 2025.
On a tour. Most of what is bookable on this island starts at a dock, and the operators do not expect you to bring a car. Check the meeting point on the booking page; several tours, such as the mangrove kayak trip, do not start in Old Town, so look at where yours meets before you decide.
Three ways to see Old Town without driving
| Tour | Format | From | Rating | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town Trolley 13-Stop Hop-On, Hop-Off | hop-on, hop-off, 13 stops | €50.44 | 4.6 (499) | first day: orientation and a lift between sights |
| Key West Conch Train Tour | a one-hour loop you stay seated on | €40.92 | 4.5 (271) | people who want the commentary, not a transport pass |
| Guided Bicycle Tour with Key Lime Pie | guided bike ride, 2.5 hours | €49.90 | 4.8 (225) | active visitors; Old Town and the Southernmost Point |
The full comparison of the trolley and its rivals is in our Old Town Trolley guide.
See availability and prices for the Old Town Trolley
When a car does make sense
You are driving down from Miami. It is about 166 miles and about four hours, according to Enterprise’s own road-trip page, across 42 bridges. Enterprise suggests leaving between 8:30am and 9:00am to arrive around lunchtime. The drive is the attraction; the car is the means.
You want to hire one way. Collecting in Miami and returning in Key West, or the other way round, is the common pattern. One-way rentals usually carry a drop-off fee, which varies by company; look at the total in your quote before you compare daily rates, and do not treat the cheapest daily price as the cheapest rental.
You are staying away from Old Town. Check the distance from your hotel to the places you will visit most; if it is more than you want to walk, the bus or a car decides it.
You want to stop along the Keys. The Keys bus routes exist, but a car lets you choose the stops on the way.
When it does not
You fly in, stay in Old Town, and spend your days on boats. A large share of what is bookable here is a boat trip. A car would sit for most of the week at $48 a day.
You arrive on a cruise ship. A day in port is too short for the parking to pay off.
If you are unsure what documents you need to rent in the US, such as whether your licence is accepted or an international permit is needed, check with the rental company when you book rather than at the counter.
Our recommendation
Book the car for the drive from Miami only if you want the Overseas Highway as part of the holiday, and plan to give it back or park it for your stay: compare cars and one-way fees for Key West. For the days on the island, use your feet, the city buses or Key West Rides, and the Old Town Trolley on day one. Do not pay $240 to park a car you are not using.
Prices show in euros where they come from GetYourGuide, which converts them; the operators bill in US dollars. Parking and bus fares are quoted in US dollars as the city publishes them.
