Opal Key Resort & Marina, Key West

Take a stroll through a tropical paradise... walk through an exotic and inviting environment filled with hundreds of the most beautiful winged creatures in nature -- butterflies. During your breathtaking journey you will experience an impressive collection of flowering plants, cascading waterfalls and trees that set the stage for the “flowers of the sky.” Witness some 50 to 60 different species from around the world, as well as varieties of colorful birds, all under a climate-controlled, glass-enclosed habitat. Our butterflies are not collected from the wild. They come from butterfly farming operations. The captive breeding of butterflies is well suited to tropical regions and can be an environmentally beneficial endeavor through the release of excess production into the wild and the culture of native shrubs, flowers and trees as host and nectar plants. You will have a unique opportunity to observe butterflies and birds in a tropical setting. The diversity of size, shape, color, patterns and behavior make these delicate winged creatures a delight to see.

The center of Key West's historic waterfront, Mallory Squaresm stages the famous Key West sunset celebration. Historic Mallory Squaresm and the city of Key West both had their beginning along this deep harbor waterfront - the wrecking schooners, the frigates and warships of the US Navy, the Cuban cigar makers tobacco warehouses, ship's chandlers and government offices combined to make Key West a bustling seaport out on the frontier of a young America. Today, Mallory Squaresm is a Key West must see. You will find exciting attractions, unparalleled shopping, the Key West historic sculpture garden and of course, every evening, the famous sunset celebration.

Follow a path once traveled by wreckers, pirates, and politicians to South Florida's most important historic building. The Custom House, built in 1891, served as a post office, court house and government center when wrecking made Key West the richest city, per capita, in the U.S. But by the 1930s, the island city was bankrupt. Eventually, the building was boarded up and completely abandoned. Now, after a 9-year, $9 million restoration project, the Key West Art & Historical Society has returned the big red brick building to its former glory.

Visit one of the top museums in Key West, The Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, and discover the hidden treasures and rich history that Key West has to offer. Experience our amazing treasure collection that Mel Fisher and his crew discovered in our 1622 Fleet exhibit of the Spanish galleons. Our Spirits of the Passage and Key West African Cemetery exhibits are two popular attractions at the museum. The Key West African Cemetery provides a thought provoking experience and glean insights into the transatlantic slave trade and Key West’s unique role in it. Be sure to check out our three new exhibits -- Spanish Coins in the New World, the Real Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Science of Shipwrecks. We also offer lab tours so you can see how history is revealed through excavation and conservation of shipwrecks. Stay at The Westin Key West Resort & Marina for the perfect Mel Fisher Museum hotel and be just one block away from interesting Key West history.

Get a history lesson and visit the Harry S. Truman Little White House when you plan your next stay at The Westin Key West Resort & Marina. The Harry S. Truman Little White House is a historic site, known for being the winter White House of America from 1946 to 1952 and continued to be used by later Presidents. Here presidents relaxed and restored body and mind while dealing with the threats of the Cold War. Our Key West hotel is just a short walk to Truman Little White House, making it the ideal location for your next stay. Since 1890, history has left its mark on the Truman Little White House. It served as the naval station’s command headquarters during the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II. In 1946 the building first served as the winter White House of President Harry S. Truman and a site for the Cold War response by later presidents. Today, the Truman Little White House serves as a public, living, Key West museum as well as a retreat and place of government business by our nation's leaders. Visitors to Key West can tour the Little White House in Truman Annex. The tour guides introduce visitors to the 'personal' of the Harry S. Truman Presidency, as well as offering a glimpse into the politics of the Cold War and the Naval History of Key West. Visitors can also tour The Truman Little White House Botanical Gardens, which consists of nearly an acre of tropical foliage and trees surrounded by the original 1890 wrought iron fence.

The Audubon House offers a relaxing and educational environment for families and visitors of all ages. Enjoy the art gallery, tropical gardens, gift shop, and much more when you visit The Audubon House. Just one block from the historic Audubon House & Tropical Gardens, The Westin Key West Resort & Marina is the perfect location for your Key West stay. The house was saved by the Mitchell Wolfson Family Foundation, a nonprofit educational institution, after being slated for demolition in 1958. This was the first restoration project in Key West, and is still considered a gem on the island. Explore local history and folklore when you visit the Audubon House & Tropical Gardens. The gardens offer a lush one-acre view of tropical foliage, perfect for hosting outdoor events. Inside the house you will enjoy viewing the works of John James Audubon, world renown naturalist, with 28 first edition Audubon works. Our newest exhibit is a historical representation of an 1850's out door kitchen, furnished with antiques of the period. Next to the kitchen is an 1850's medicinal and herbal garden. Your tour guide will give you an introduction to the property and its history, then you can roam the house and gardens at your leisure. Be sure to stop at the Koyi fish pond and the 1850's medicinal/herbal garden. This is the finest tropical garden in the Florida Keys. Feel free to linger as long as you like. The House and Gardens can also be rented for weddings, luncheons, dinners, receptions, and other special events, during or after hours. Make your event memorable at this tropical Key West setting.