The Key West Cemetery is one of the more unusual attractions I visited on the island.
I know recommending a cemetery sounds a little strange, but this isn't your typical cemetery. Between the funny epitaphs, colorful local history, beautiful trees, famous graves, and plenty of wandering chickens, the Key West Cemetery offers a completely different side of Key West than Duval Street, the beaches, or the bars.
If you enjoy history, photography, local stories, or simply exploring places that feel a little different from the typical tourist attractions, I think it's worth adding to your Key West itinerary. If you're still planning your trip, be sure to check out my Key West Travel Guide for First Time Visitors.
Yes. Even if you're not normally someone who visits cemeteries while traveling (I am not usually this person ha), this one is worth a stop. The Key West Cemetery is one of the most unique historical attractions on the island and provides a glimpse into Key West's history, culture, and sense of humor.
What makes it interesting isn't just the size of the cemetery. It's the stories attached to many of the graves, the unusual monuments, and the famous epitaphs that have become attractions of their own.
It's also a nice break from some of the busier tourist areas. During my visit, it felt peaceful without being boring, and there was always something interesting to spot around the next corner.
If you're building an itinerary, this pairs well with Visiting the Hemingway House in Key West.
Plan for about 30 minutes to an hour.
If you're simply walking through to see a few famous graves, you can move fairly quickly. If you enjoy reading headstones, stopping at historical markers, taking photos, and exploring different sections of the cemetery, it's easy to spend longer.
I originally thought I'd be in and out fairly quickly. Then I started wandering through the various sections and looking for specific graves, and the visit took longer than expected.
The cemetery dates back to the 1800s and contains thousands of graves, many of which tell fascinating stories about the people who helped shape Key West. Unlike many cemeteries, there are quite a few above-ground tombs and monuments throughout the property. The architecture alone makes it interesting to explore.
The cemetery is also known for several unusual epitaphs that have become famous among visitors. Some people come specifically to find them. The combination of history, architecture, local legends, and a little bit of Key West humor makes it feel very different from a typical cemetery visit.
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There are several notable spots that many visitors try to find while exploring.
This is probably the most famous grave in the cemetery and one of the main reasons many visitors stop by.
It's easily the most searched-for gravestone in Key West, which is why so many people end up wandering around trying to find it.
More on exactly how to locate it below.
Another well-known epitaph that reflects the sense of humor Key West is known for.
It's one of those details that catches your attention and reminds you that this cemetery has plenty of personality mixed in with the history.
As you walk through the cemetery, you'll find family plots that date back generations and provide a glimpse into Key West's past.
The Jewish Cemetery section is one of the most recognizable areas within the grounds and serves as a useful landmark when searching for the famous epitaphs.
Because Key West has such a strong connection to the ocean, you'll also find memorials connected to the island's maritime history.
Some of the most visually striking areas of the cemetery feature elaborate above-ground tombs and monuments that make excellent photo subjects.
Honestly, yes.
The cemetery is much larger than it first appears.
From the entrance, it doesn't look particularly complicated. Once you start walking around, though, you'll quickly realize there are multiple avenues, sections, pathways, and graves spread across a much larger area than most visitors expect.
Many of the locations people specifically want to find can be surprisingly difficult to locate.
I would strongly recommend using my map while exploring. Otherwise, it's very easy to spend a lot of time walking in circles looking for a single gravestone.
The famous “I Told You I Was Sick” gravestone was one of the main things I wanted to find during my visit, and honestly, it was more difficult to locate than I expected.
If you're entering through the main Key West Cemetery entrance, you'll know you're in the correct place because you'll see the large Key West Cemetery sign.
From there:
The famous gravestone is located near the Jewish Cemetery section.
You'll know you've reached the correct area when you see the Jewish Cemetery archway featuring a Jewish symbol above the entrance at the very end of 7th Avenue.
This is where having a map becomes especially helpful. The cemetery is much larger than it appears at first glance, and many visitors spend far longer searching for this grave than they planned.
I may or may not have done a few extra laps myself.
Yes. While it is still a cemetery, it also functions as an outdoor historical site. During a visit, you'll see a mix of history lovers, photographers, families, and curious travelers exploring the grounds.
Children will probably be more interested in spotting the chickens than reading historical markers, but families regularly visit the cemetery without any issues.
If you're interested in photography, there are plenty of interesting subjects throughout the property.
Some of my favorite photo opportunities included:
The combination of old stonework, tropical landscaping, and historic monuments creates a very different look from most Florida attractions.
If photography is a priority during your trip, you may also enjoy my guide to Best Photo Spots in Key West.
The Key West Cemetery isn't usually at the top of most visitors' itineraries, but it ended up being one of the more memorable stops of my trip.
Between the famous epitaphs, historic monuments, wandering chickens, beautiful trees, and stories hidden throughout the grounds, it offers a side of Key West that many visitors miss.
If you enjoy history, photography, local culture, or simply exploring places that feel different from the typical tourist attractions, I'd absolutely recommend spending an hour wandering through one of the most unique cemeteries in Florida.
Just bring my map. Your future self will appreciate it.
If you're trying to fit multiple attractions into the same day, my One Day in Key West Itinerary (Perfect for Cruise Passengers & First-Time Visitors) may help.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
Sky Ranch Lodge, Sedona. Booked it for the location, stayed for the sunsets.
This is not a five-star resort with ten restaurants and a spa menu the length of a novel. It’s a family-owned boutique hotel on Airport Mesa that knows exactly what it’s good at: red rock views from basically everywhere and one of the best sunset spots in town, private, with maybe four other couples instead of a crowd.
We booked a Premier Rim Room and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Watched the sunset from our own patio one night and it’s still one of my favorite moments of the whole trip.
✨ Six acres of botanical gardens to wander morning and evening
✨ Pool + hot tub that hit exactly right after a day of hiking
✨ On-site food truck for easy breakfasts and lazy room service nights
✨ Complimentary shuttle so you’re not fighting Sedona parking
✨ Robes, slippers, and a staff that felt genuinely happy to help
Two stays in and I’d book it again without a second thought. This is where to stay in Sedona if you want it to actually feel like Sedona.
Thank you to @skyranchlodge for having us, link in bio for the full review 🌵
Four hours on a train through a canyon you can’t reach by car — such a fun experience! We picked the indoor seats with unlimited access to the open-air viewing car, which honestly felt like the only right call. You’re not stuck in an assigned seat the whole time we bounced between the two, snacks in hand, chasing the best light.
The scenery is the whole point. Red rock cliffs, the Verde River, a 734-foot tunnel, historic trestle bridges views most people visiting Sedona never see, because you literally can’t drive to them.
The charcuterie box that comes with your ticket is shockingly filling ✨ so skip lunch at the Copper Spike Café beforehand, save your appetite for dinner back in Sedona.
Four hours with no stops did start to feel long by the end, but the trade-off for scenery like this? Worth it.
Would I ride it again? Yes. Would I buy lunch first again? No.
Link in bio for the full review cost breakdown, what to pack, and exactly how early to arrive 🚂
I ate chilaquiles while a Cessna taxied past the window, and that’s just a normal Tuesday breakfast in Sedona.
@mesa_grill_sedona sits right beside the Sedona Airport Scenic Lookout, so along with your food you get red rock views stretching in every direction and a front-row seat to tiny planes lifting off. Chef Mercer Mohr runs the kitchen, serving up Southwestern comfort food from breakfast through dinner, chilaquiles, elevated diner classics, burgers, steaks, seafood, all of it.
The view is what pulls people in the door, but the food actually holds its own. Good enough that this place stays packed with locals, not just tourists passing through on their way to the lookout. It also picked up the 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice and OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards, so it’s not just me saying it.
Indoor seating if you want the AC, a pet-friendly patio if your dog’s along for the trip. Either way, get there before plane-spotting turns into a wait for a table.
Link in bio for the full Sedona breakfast roundup ✈️🌵
Confession: my newsletter is where the good stuff lives. Not the polished, edited-for-the-grid stuff, the “here’s the hole-in-the-wall I almost skipped” stuff, the packing lists I actually use, the “don’t book this hotel” warnings before you waste your money on them.
The newsletter is basically me texting you before a trip instead of after one. Sign up and you’ll be the first to know where I’m headed next, plus a few things I’ll never post here.
Link in bio if you want in. ✈️
Yes, it’s only July. Start planning anyway. Fall books faster than people expect, and a few of these destinations are worth getting ahead of. Here are five places worth putting on your radar right now.
Ireland: Cooler temps, moody skies, dramatic coastline fall was made for it. Tourist crowds drop, the green stays, and the whole country feels a little more like itself.
Great Smoky Mountains, TN/NC: Fall foliage in the Smokies is the real thing. The color peaks mid-October and the views from the ridgelines are hard to argue with. It’s also one of the most visited national parks in the country, so going on a weekday makes a real difference.
New York City: Fall is NYC at its best comfortable temps, the energy of the city shifting into a new season, and every neighborhood doing something worth showing up for. It’s also just a great walking city when it’s not brutally hot.
Japan: Fall foliage season is as good as spring cherry blossoms and somehow less talked about. The colors are dramatic, the temples and gardens are stunning, and it’s worth planning around peak dates by region.
Mystic, Connecticut: Small, walkable, genuinely charming Mystic in fall feels like exactly what a New England autumn is supposed to look like. Easy to pair with a broader New England road trip if you want to extend it.
Full guides linked in bio 🍂
Follow @travelwithwendyplummer for Beautiful Beach Destinations, City Guides, Foodie Spots, and Luxury Hotel Recommendations.
