Duval Street is the Bourbon Street of Florida. Amid the tacky T-shirt shops, you’ll find bar after bar serving neon-colored frozen drinks to revelers who bounce from bar to bar from noon to dawn. If you want to join the throngs, start at Truman Avenue and head up Duval. Cover charges are rare, except in LGBTQIA+ clubs, so stop into a dozen and see which you like. Key West is a late-night town, and most bars and clubs don’t close until around 3 or 4am.

The Gay Scene

Key West’s live-and-let-live atmosphere extends to its thriving and quirky LGBTQIA+ community. Before and after Tennessee Williams, Key West has provided the perfect backdrop to a gay scene unlike that of many large urban areas. Seamlessly blended with the prevailing culture, there is no “gay ghetto” in Key West, where the whole place is fabulous.

In Key West, the best music and dancing can be found at the predominantly LGBTQIA+ clubs. While many of the area’s other hot spots are geared toward tourists who like to imbibe, these clubs are for those who want to rave, queer or not. Covers vary, but are rarely more than $20.

Two popular adjacent late-night spots are the 801 Bourbon Bar/One Saloon (801 Duval St. and 504 Petronia St.; tel. 305/294-4737 or 305/294-4727;), featuring great drag and lots more disco. While a mixed crowd comes for the drag shows, a mostly male clientele frequents bar from noon to 4am. Another Duval Street favorite is Aqua, 711 Duval St. (tel. 305/294-0555), where you might catch drag queens belting out torch songs or judges voting on the best package in the wet-jockey-shorts contest.


Sunday nights are fun at La-Te-Da, proper name: La Terraza de Martí, 1125 Duval St. (tel. 305/296-6706), the former Key West home of Cuban exile José Martí. This is a great spot to gather poolside for the best martini in town—don’t bother with the food. Upstairs is the Crystal Room ([tel] 305/296-6706), with a high-caliber cabaret performance featuring the popular Randy Roberts, who does a fabulous Cher, Bette Midler and more, in winter.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.