במדריך הזה · 16 פרקים
- The bar stretch: Duval and Petronia
- Closed or changed: gone but still Googled
- Where to stay
- Beaches and cruising
- Party weeks and events
- Community, health and history
- Practical tips
- A few local words
- At a glance
- FAQ
- Where are the gay bars in Key West?
- Is Aqua open again?
- Does Key West have a gay sauna?
- When is Key West Pride 2027?
- Is there a nude or gay beach?
- Do Florida's anti-LGBTQ laws affect visitors?
The honest summary: Key West is a small island town (about 25,000 people, Census 2024 estimate) at the end of US-1, and it has had an open gay community since the 1970s. The scene in November 2026 is smaller than its reputation: five gay bars, most of them on one block of Duval Street, two men-only guesthouses, no public sauna, and a calendar of party weeks that do most of the work. The main drag club, Aqua, has been dark since July 2026.
Legal in one line: Same-sex marriage has been legal in Florida since January 2015. Key West's human rights ordinance covers sexual orientation and, since 2003, gender identity, the first Florida city to add it. State law is less friendly: the trans healthcare ban SB 254 is being enforced, the drag-show law SB 1438 is blocked by the courts, and the 2022 "Don't Say Gay" law was narrowed to classroom instruction by a 2024 settlement.
The bar stretch: Duval and Petronia
Almost everything happens on the 700 and 800 blocks of Duval Street, which locals call the Pink Triangle, plus a few steps down Petronia Street. You can walk between the bars in two minutes.
- 801 Bourbon Bar, 801 Duval at Petronia: bar downstairs, drag cabaret upstairs with shows nightly, usually at 9pm and 11pm. Google lists it open 10am to 4am.
- Bourbon Street Pub, 724 Duval: open since 1995, with a video bar, dancers, and a garden pool bar out back. The men-only New Orleans House guesthouse is part of the same complex.
- One Saloon (Saloon 1), 504 Petronia: the leather, Levi's and bear bar, run by the Bourbon St. Pub group, with a dark back room. Leather nights during the party weeks happen here.
- La Te Da, 1125 Duval: hotel, restaurant and bars at the quieter south end. The Crystal Room has cabaret most nights, and the Sunday Tea Dance has run since 1977.
- Bobby's Monkey Bar, 900 Simonton St: the gay locals' bar, nightly karaoke, cash only, open until 4am.
- Aqua (711 Duval) closed on 6 July 2026 when its owner, Pride Holdings Group, was evicted. Founder Jill McDonald, who ran it from 2002 to 2011, signed a new lease in August and plans to bring back the Aquanettes; Keys Weekly reported in October that roof work pushed the reopening past Fantasy Fest. Its Back Bar closed with it.
- The Birdcage Cabaret (504 Angela St, earlier called SideBar) closed at the end of July 2026, run by the same company.
- Equator Resort (822 Fleming St), men-only since 1997, closed on 9 January 2025. It is now Bishop Key West, adults-only and open to everyone.
- Atlantic Shores and its pier closed in 2007 and became part of the Southernmost Beach Resort. Pearl's Rainbow, the women's guesthouse, is now the Southernmost Inn; Big Ruby's is the Cabana Inn; Oasis and Coconut Grove are now NYAH.
- Some older guides still list a "Two Friends" gay bar or an "Acid Bar". We found no evidence for either as a gay venue today.
- Key West Pride: early June, produced by the Business Guild. 2026 ran 3 to 7 June, with a street fair on Duval on Saturday 6 June and the parade on Sunday 7 June. 2027 dates were not announced at the time of writing.
- Tropical Heat: a five-day party week for gay men in mid-August, mostly pool parties at Island House and Bourbon St. Pub. 2026 ran 12 to 16 August; 2027 not announced.
- Womenfest: the women's week in early September. 2026 ran 2 to 6 September; 2027 is set for 1 to 5 September ("Alice in Womenfest").
- Fantasy Fest: the island's ten-day costume festival in late October. It isn't a Pride, but the gay bars and guesthouses are packed. 2027 is set for 22 to 31 October, themed "Summer Camp Couture".
- Key West Bear Weekend: five days around Halloween based at Island House. 2026 ran 28 October to 1 November; 2027 not announced.
- Getting there: Key West International Airport (EYW) has direct flights from several US hubs. By road it is about 160 miles from Miami on the Overseas Highway, three and a half to four hours without traffic.
- Getting around: Old Town is walkable and flat; bikes are the local transport. A car is a burden in Old Town.
- Season: December to April is high season. June to November is hurricane season, so buy travel insurance for summer party weeks.
- Late nights: the Duval bars stay open until 4am, and the drag shows are the main event before midnight.
- Florida politics: the rainbow crosswalk at Duval and Petronia was painted over by the state on 9 September 2025, and the city's planned replacement had not gone up when we checked. Nothing about the bars changed.
22&Co at 504 Angela Street is a pink, gay-friendly martini bar with Sunday drag bingo rather than a gay bar. For the full rundown see the Key West gay bars guide.
Closed or changed: gone but still Googled
Where to stay
Two guesthouses are still men-only: Island House on Fleming Street (clothing-optional, open since 1976, with a 24-hour pool, gym, steam room and sauna, and day passes for non-guests) and New Orleans House above Bourbon Street Pub. Alexander's Guesthouse on Fleming Street and the La Te Da hotel are LGBTQ-run, adults-only and open to everyone. Everything else is mainstream. Old Town is walkable, so pick by budget; prices peak from December to April and during Fantasy Fest. Our Key West hotels guide has walking times, fees and policies.
Beaches and cruising
Higgs Beach on Atlantic Boulevard, next to the White Street Pier and the Key West AIDS Memorial (dedicated on 1 December 1997), is where gay locals have gone for decades. It is a public city beach shared with families. Key West has no legal nude beach: nudity, including topless sunbathing, is banned on public beaches, and Florida's public-sex laws are enforced. If you want a clothing-optional pool or a cruisier crowd, the legal options are the Island House day pass and One Saloon.
Party weeks and events
Bourbon Street Pub also runs Bone Island Bare It All, a men's naturist weekend at the guesthouse pools in early December. Check the events tab for the current calendar.
Community, health and history
The Key West Business Guild visitor center at 808 Duval (Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm) is the place for maps and event lists; the Guild has promoted gay Key West since 1978. Queer Keys runs the community center at 1100 Truman Avenue, which replaced the old Gay and Lesbian Community Center. Keys Health + Housing, formerly AIDS Help, provides HIV care and testing, and MCC Key West on Petronia Street holds Sunday worship. Tennessee Williams's house at 1431 Duncan Street is a private home, so look from the sidewalk. Graffitti at 721 Duval has sold gay men's swimwear and party gear since 1987.
Practical tips
A few local words
Conch (say "konk"): someone born in Key West. Bone Island: the old English take on Cayo Hueso, the Spanish name. Conch Republic: the island's tongue-in-cheek 1982 "secession", celebrated every April. One Human Family: the city's motto.
At a glance
| Gay bars | 5 (801 Bourbon, Bourbon St. Pub, One Saloon, La Te Da, Bobby's Monkey Bar); Aqua closed since July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Saunas | None public; Island House day pass |
| Men-only guesthouses | Island House, New Orleans House |
| Beach | Higgs Beach (mixed, swimwear on) |
| Pride | Early June (2027 TBA) |
| Biggest week | Fantasy Fest, 22–31 Oct 2027 |
| Airport | EYW; Miami about 160 miles by road |
FAQ
Where are the gay bars in Key West?
On and just off the 700 and 800 blocks of Duval Street, around the corner of Petronia Street. 801 Bourbon Bar, Bourbon Street Pub (724 Duval) and One Saloon (504 Petronia) are within a block of each other. La Te Da is further south at 1125 Duval, and Bobby's Monkey Bar, the locals' karaoke bar, is on Simonton Street.
Is Aqua open again?
Not as of November 2026. Aqua at 711 Duval closed on 6 July 2026 after its operator was evicted, and the Birdcage Cabaret on Angela Street closed at the end of July. Founder Jill McDonald signed a new lease in August, but roof work pushed the reopening past Fantasy Fest.
Does Key West have a gay sauna?
No public one. Island House on Fleming Street, a men-only, clothing-optional resort, has a sauna, steam room and gym and sells day passes to non-guests. One Saloon has a dark back room. Otherwise the nearest bathhouses are on the mainland.
When is Key West Pride 2027?
Not announced yet. Pride is produced by the Key West Business Guild in early June; the 2026 edition ran 3 to 7 June with the street fair on Saturday and the parade on Sunday 7 June.
Is there a nude or gay beach?
No legal nude beach: nudity, including topless, is banned on Key West's public beaches. Higgs Beach on Atlantic Boulevard, by the White Street Pier and the AIDS Memorial, is where gay locals have gone for decades, but it is a mixed public beach. Clothing-optional means the men-only guesthouse pools.
Do Florida's anti-LGBTQ laws affect visitors?
Mostly not day to day. The drag-show law SB 1438 is blocked by the courts, the 'Don't Say Gay' law applies to schools, and the trans healthcare ban SB 254 affects residents rather than visitors. Key West's own ordinance protects sexual orientation and, since 2003, gender identity. The visible change was the state painting over the Duval rainbow crosswalk in September 2025.
Last verified: November 2026.
