United States
Florida (FL)
Florida Keys
Key West
Places to visit in Key West
West Martello Tower
See all things to do

West Martello Tower

See all things to do
See all things to do
West Martello Tower
4.5
#19 of 162 things to do in Key West
Historic SitesGardensScenic Walking Areas
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Write a review
About
West Martello Tower is a tropical garden paradise by the sea on the site of the remains of a civil war fort. Maintained by Key West Garden Club, it has garden rooms to delight you, the beach and sea to inspire you and history to intrigue you. This oceanside garden has free admission, free parking and is open to the public. West Martello Tower that houses the gardens has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. The garden is maintained by many dedicated volunteers.
Suggested duration
< 1 hour
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view

Top ways to experience West Martello Tower and nearby attractions

The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
333 within 5 kms
Salute! On The Beach
2,105
42 m₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • American • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly
Louie's Backyard
4,186
0.5 km₹₹₹₹ • American • Seafood • International
Flagler's Restaurant
302
0.3 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • American • Bar
El Siboney Restaurant
4,876
0.8 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Caribbean • Latin • Cuban
Ana's Cuban Cafe
794
0.8 km₹ • Quick Bites • Latin • Cafe
Milagro Restaurant and Bar
113
0.7 km₹₹₹₹ • American • Latin • Seafood
The Lobster Shack Key West
648
0.9 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • American • Seafood
Seaside Cafe at the Mansion
1,781
0.9 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Bar • Pizza • Cafe
Casa Marina Resort & Beach Club
320
0.3 km₹₹₹₹ • American • Bar • Gluten Free Options
Mo's Restaurant
353
0.9 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Caribbean • Seafood • Vegetarian Friendly
See all
Attractions
151 within 10 kms
Higgs Beach
839
69 mBeaches
Key West Garden Club
963
0.3 kmHistoric Sites • Gardens
White Street Pier
302
0.2 kmPiers & Boardwalks
Key West Wildlife Center
157
0.2 kmNature & Wildlife Areas
Key West AIDS Memorial
46
0.2 kmMonuments & Statues
Southernmost Point
12,533
0.5 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
13,025
0.9 kmNature & Wildlife Areas
Indigenous Park
1
0.3 kmParks
Key West Firehouse Museum
298
0.9 kmHistory Museums
The Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
20,926
1.4 kmSpeciality Museums
See all
See what travellers are saying
  • Carrie H
    155 contributions
    Lovely place
    Friends recommended this lovely spot that's free. Go for the gardens with lovely planting and lots of seating to enjoy the air and the view. Mondays it is full of volunteers, but still easy to walk around and stay seated. I'd have loved a bit more history of the place, but you'll have to look that up online.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 8 March 2023
  • YotaPower
    Guilford, Maine813 contributions
    A two for one since it is a garden club.
    This fort is great to tour although the garden club is the main attraction unless you love forts like we do. The garden was an added bonus. The entry is by donation and we spent some quality time here.
    Visited May 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 May 2023
  • Carla Q
    Warsaw, Indiana1 contribution
    Recreated landscaped masterpiece
    I can't express how beautiful this Garden Club is. WMT is a piece of history recreated into a masterpiece of beautifully landscaped nature at its best. We visited on a Monday while the volunteers were cleaning and nurturing the plants. The volunteers were incredibly nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. Thank you for keeping this work of art alive and thriving.
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 September 2023
  • LouAnn S
    1 contribution
    A hidden gem in Key West
    This is truly a hidden gem here in Key West, and one of my favorite places to go. The gardens are well tended, the fort makes an interesting backdrop, and there are amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of only a few places in Key West that are free! Take your lunch and a book, and go hide away for awhile!
    Visited February 2023
    Travelled with friends
    Written 13 September 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
629 reviews
Excellent
404
Very good
181
Average
38
Poor
4
Terrible
2
LouAnn S
1 contribution
A hidden gem in Key West
Feb 2023 • Friends
This is truly a hidden gem here in Key West, and one of my favorite places to go. The gardens are well tended, the fort makes an interesting backdrop, and there are amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean. It is one of only a few places in Key West that are free! Take your lunch and a book, and go hide away for awhile!
Written 13 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carla Q
Warsaw, IN1 contribution
Recreated landscaped masterpiece
Sep 2023 • Family
I can't express how beautiful this Garden Club is. WMT is a piece of history recreated into a masterpiece of beautifully landscaped nature at its best. We visited on a Monday while the volunteers were cleaning and nurturing the plants. The volunteers were incredibly nice, helpful, and knowledgeable. Thank you for keeping this work of art alive and thriving.
Written 4 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
YotaPower
Guilford, ME813 contributions
A two for one since it is a garden club.
May 2023 • Couples
This fort is great to tour although the garden club is the main attraction unless you love forts like we do. The garden was an added bonus. The entry is by donation and we spent some quality time here.
Written 29 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
rleth
Carlton, MN3 contributions
Walk in the park
Mar 2023
It was a beautiful, free will offering spot to find peace and visit. I wish I would have had more time to sit and relax. I would have spent more than one hour here but we had lots of visiting to do in 1 day.
Written 27 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carrie H
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States155 contributions
Lovely place
Mar 2023
Friends recommended this lovely spot that's free. Go for the gardens with lovely planting and lots of seating to enjoy the air and the view. Mondays it is full of volunteers, but still easy to walk around and stay seated. I'd have loved a bit more history of the place, but you'll have to look that up online.
Written 8 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael R
7 contributions
Key Garden spot!
Jan 2023
If you are a lover of plants and gardens, do not miss this place. So many cool plants, such great ruins architecture, just an amazing place on the beach!
Written 25 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Triprz
Wimauma, FL13 contributions
Fun place
Dec 2022
Home of the Key West Garden Club (see their reviews). Great place to visit, get married, have an event or just meditate.
Written 20 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
C V
1 contribution
A peaceful old fort and garden not to be missed
Jul 2022
A beautiful shady spot to take a break from the heat of the beautiful nearby Higgs Beach. There is parking right in front. The gardens are well maintained by volunteers (you might see them around on Monday mornings, which we did, and they were happy to answer my many questions). It is free to get in and wander around on your own, but they do take donations. The history of this place makes it quite the unusual garden, as it was a fort during the time of the Civil War, and the remains of the fort can be seen as a beautiful backdrop to the tropical plants. A peaceful place not to be missed.
Written 6 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
coconutheadKW
Thank you for this glowing review. The gardens are open now after hurricane Ian (September 27th) came a little too close to Key West. The gardens are quickly recovering, but some plants need a little more time to flush out green and healthy. You can now see the civil war era fort a little better. The annual Key West Garden Club Plant Sale and Artisan Market will be November 18 & 19, 10:00 to 3:00. Come for plants and gifts and have lunch with us.
Written 15 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dan C
13 contributions
Disappointing visit to a beautiful spot.
Jun 2022
Should keep the place closed on Mondays when maintenance is taking place. Alternatively, the volunteers and paid contractors doing maintenance should be schooled in not being rude to visitors. The friendliest volunteer greeted us and gave us a quick orientation, then it went downhill from there. Volunteers and paid landscape maintenance personnel were doing maintenance around the property and could not have been more grouchy, rude or disagreeable about us trying to navigate the property. We were there with Lloyd's bike tour and he gave us a delightful tour and insight to the property, yet we were constantly met with blocked paths and sorry people who couldn't even offer an alternative or suggestion, let alone being polite or even the least bit cordial. Very disappointing as we have visited before and did not have this type of horrible experience, To top things off the director intervened in our tour to admonish Lloyd about where we parked our bikes (the usual spot apparently on any other day) and when we went to move the bikes the supervisor of the work crew glared at us while we moved the bikes as he was in a hurry to put down the palm fronds he was carrying. He proceeded to curse at Lloyd in front of my teenage daughters when Lloyd made a good natured comment about relaxing while we unlocked and moved out bikes. This contractor guy was totally unhinged and had no business being around guests or visitors of any type. Serious anger management problem, and one of his crew members was equally disrespectful to us. This historical site and the garden club that maintains it should really vet their contractors and volunteers better, or simply keep the place closed when work is going on. Unbelievable how angry these people are doing work in such a beautiful place on such a beautiful key. They need to get a grip and relax a little.
Written 9 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
coconutheadKW
We value your opinion and are sorry you had an unpleasant experience. This was an isolated and unfortunate incident, as you can see from years of excellent reviews. We will look into your comments and take appropriate action.
Written 11 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
walker roamer
new orleans218 contributions
Well worth your time and effort if you have the time
Apr 2022
Right next to Salute's Restaurant and Higgs Beach. The garden is quite large, shaded with a wonderful view of the ocean in one part. Filled with different species of palms, cacti, trees and bushes with nice paths that wander around them. The first area you come to is an impressive display of orchids. If you have any interest in botanical gardens this place is not to be missed. It opens at 9:30 am and is free, although a small donation for the Key West Flower Club is appreciated.
Written 29 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
2
…
Showing results 1-10 of 602
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

West Martello Tower (Key West) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor

Frequently Asked Questions about West Martello Tower