Key West in February: Weather, Events, and What to Expect

By mid-February, the license plates in the Old Town side streets tell the story: Ontario, Michigan, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York. The snowbirds who arrived after Christmas have settled in for the season, the weekenders flying in from the frozen north are queuing at the airport rental desk, and every porch on William Street has someone on it reading a paperback in the sun. Key West in February is the island at its most in-demand — reliably dry, comfortably warm, fully booked and priced accordingly.

This guide covers February weather and water temperatures, the month’s events (from the Seafood Festival to the historic home tours and the biggest outdoor art show of the year), how busy and expensive it really gets, how to handle Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day weekend, what to do and what to pack, and whether it is worth paying peak prices. Weather figures are NOAA 1991–2020 averages for Key West International Airport. Event dates and price patterns were checked in September 2026; festival organizers sometimes move dates, so confirm them before you commit.

§ 01

Key West in February at a glance

§ 02

February weather

February is Key West’s winter at its most dependable. The average high is about 77°F, the average low about 67°F, and the month averages only about five days with any rain at all, making it one of the two or three driest months of the year. Humidity is low, the sky is usually clear, and the light is bright without the glare of summer. A typical February day starts in the upper 60s, warms to the mid to upper 70s by lunch, and stays pleasant enough for dinner outdoors.

Cold fronts still pass through, though usually less often than in January and with less bite as the month goes on. When one arrives, expect a brief band of cloud or showers, then a day or two of north wind, highs in the upper 60s, cooler nights and choppy water. They are short and rarely spoil more than a day, but they are the reason to pack a light jacket and to schedule boat trips early in your stay.

For the rest of the year, see our Key West month by month guide, and for a closer look at January, our Key West in January guide.

The water in February

The sea is at its coolest, averaging about 71°F — the same as January. On a still, sunny afternoon, that is a lovely swim for most people from colder climates. On a breezy day, it feels chilly getting out. For snorkeling, a rash guard or thin wetsuit keeps you comfortable for longer, and many snorkel boats rent them. Visibility on the reef is good on calm days and poor for a day or two after a front, when the wind stirs up the bottom.

If a warm swimming pool is important, ask your hotel whether the pool is heated. Many are in winter; some older inns’ pools are not.

§ 03

February events

Old Island Restoration Foundation home tours

One of the best things to do in Key West in winter is also one of the least known to first-time visitors. From December through March, the Old Island Restoration Foundation opens a selection of private historic homes and gardens to the public, usually on one weekend a month. You walk through restored Conch houses, converted cigar-makers’ cottages and grand Victorian mansions that you would otherwise only see from the sidewalk, with volunteers explaining the architecture and the history. It is a genuinely special way to understand how the island was built. Check the foundation’s schedule for the February weekend and buy tickets early.

Florida Keys Seafood Festival

Held at Truman Waterfront Park in mid-February — the 2026 edition was February 14–15 — the Seafood Festival celebrates the Keys’ commercial fishing industry with stone crab, lobster, shrimp, fish dishes, live music and local vendors. Admission is modest and children get in free. It is a relaxed, local-feeling day out, and a good place to try stone crab without restaurant prices. Check the festival website for the 2027 date.

Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day weekend

In 2027, Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday, February 14, and Presidents’ Day on Monday, February 15, so the two combine into one very busy long weekend. Expect every romantic restaurant to be fully booked, sunset sails to sell out, hotel rates at their highest of the month and three- or four-night minimum stays at some properties. If you are planning a romantic trip, book dinner and your sunset sail at the same time as your hotel — weeks or months ahead, not days. Our romantic restaurants in Key West and romantic sunset sail guides help you choose.

Key West Art & Craft Festival

Key West’s largest outdoor art show, organized by the Key West Art Center, fills Truman Waterfront Park with painters, sculptors, jewelers, photographers and craftspeople. The 2027 festival is listed for February 20–21. It is free to browse, and a good place to find a piece of genuinely local art rather than a mass-produced souvenir.

Theater, galleries and music

February is the height of the island’s cultural season. The Tennessee Williams Theatre, the Red Barn Theatre and the Waterfront Playhouse all run winter programs, galleries hold openings, and there is live music every night in the bars and restaurants. Check what is on for your dates; the small theaters sell out.

For the whole year’s calendar, see our Key West events guide.

§ 04

Crowds and prices in February

This is the part of the February plan that needs the most thought. February and March are, in most years, the most expensive months to stay in Key West. The combination of perfect weather, snowbirds staying for weeks or months, winter weekenders, Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day and the start of spring breaks means that demand outstrips supply for much of the month.

What that means in practice:

• Book early. The best-located and best-value properties sell out first. For February, three to six months ahead is sensible, more for holiday weekends.
• Arrive midweek. A Sunday-to-Thursday stay is usually noticeably cheaper than one spanning a weekend, and the restaurants are easier.
• Read the fine print. Resort fees, parking charges and minimum stays add up quickly.
• Consider staying outside Old Town. Hotels in New Town and on Stock Island are often cheaper, and a bike or scooter covers the distance. Our affordable Key West hotels guide lists options.
• Or stay up the Keys. A rental in the Lower Keys, 30 to 45 minutes away, can cost much less. Our where to stay in the Florida Keys guide weighs the trade-offs.

Restaurants are just as busy. Reserve dinner a few days ahead at popular places, especially on weekends, and expect waits for walk-in breakfast spots. Attractions like the Hemingway Home get crowded by late morning; go at opening time. For a full budget breakdown, our Key West trip cost guide has the numbers.

§ 05

What to do in Key West in February

Explore Old Town on foot or by bike

February weather is made for walking. The humidity is low, the streets are shaded by royal poincianas and gumbo limbos, and there is something to look at on every corner — gingerbread porches, cats asleep on steps, chickens crossing Duval Street. Rent a bike and cover more ground, or follow our Key West walking tour.

Get out on the water — early in your trip

Snorkel trips, sunset sails, kayak tours through the mangroves and the Dry Tortugas ferry all run in February. The water is cool and the wind can interfere, but calm February days on the water are glorious. Book your most important trip for the first or second day of your stay so there is a chance to rebook if a front cancels it. Our Key West boat tours guide compares the options.

Visit the museums and historic sites

The Hemingway Home, the Truman Little White House, the Key West Lighthouse, Fort Zachary Taylor, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and the Custom House are all at their most comfortable to visit in winter — and at their most crowded. Arrive at opening time. See our Key West museums guide.

Eat the season

Stone crab claws and spiny lobster are both in season in February, along with the island’s year-round Cuban sandwiches, conch fritters, fresh fish and key lime pie. Our Key West seafood restaurants guide lists the best places.

Watch the sunset — somewhere other than Mallory Square

Mallory Square’s sunset celebration is a must-see once, but in February it is shoulder to shoulder. Truman Waterfront Park, Fort Zachary Taylor and the rooftop bars around town offer the same sunset with a lot more room. See our Key West sunset spots guide.

Fishing

Winter is sailfish season offshore, and reef and wreck fishing are good. Flats fishing is weather-dependent in February, with cold fronts pushing fish off the shallows for a day or two. See our Key West fishing seasons guide.

§ 06

A long weekend in February

For the classic February escape — fly in Thursday, fly out Monday:

• Thursday evening: Arrive, walk to dinner in Old Town, catch live music on Duval Street.
• Friday: Morning snorkel trip or sail while you have the best chance of calm weather. Afternoon at Fort Zachary Taylor. Sunset at Truman Waterfront Park.
• Saturday: Hemingway Home at opening, then the Lighthouse. Afternoon bike ride around Old Town with a stop for key lime pie. If it is the right weekend, the home tours or the Art & Craft Festival.
• Sunday: Cuban coffee breakfast, the Truman Little White House, a long lunch. Sunset sail or Mallory Square.
• Monday: Slow morning, a last walk, then the airport.

For a full plan, see our Key West 3-day itinerary.

§ 07

February for different kinds of travelers

Couples

February is one of the most romantic months on the island, with warm evenings for dinner outdoors, early sunsets, and the soft light of winter. The trick is to avoid Valentine’s weekend itself unless you are organized: the week before or after gives you the same weather, far easier reservations and noticeably lower rates. Adults-only inns in Old Town are at their most atmospheric in the cool season. Our Key West couples activities guide has ideas beyond dinner and a sail.

Families

Presidents’ Day weekend and the mid-winter school breaks many districts take around it bring families to Key West in February. The weather is ideal for children who melt in summer heat, and the aquarium, the Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, the Conch Tour Train and Fort Zachary Taylor are all comfortable to visit. The trade-offs are cooler water for swimming and high prices. A hotel with a heated pool makes a big difference to children’s happiness. See our Key West with kids guide.

Solo travelers

February is an easy month to visit alone. The island is lively, the bars and restaurants are full of other visitors and snowbirds happy to talk, and the cultural calendar gives you plenty to do. Bar seating is the solo diner’s best friend on a busy night when tables are booked. Our Key West solo travel guide has more.

Long stays and snowbirds

Many visitors stay in Key West for a month or the whole winter. For those trips, monthly vacation rentals are usually far better value than hotels, but the best ones for February are booked the previous year. Be aware that Key West has strict rules on short-term rentals inside the city, so check a property’s license. Our Key West vacation rentals guide explains the rules.

§ 08

Beyond Key West in February

If you have a car and a spare day, February is a fine month to explore up the chain. The drive is pleasant, the air is clear, and the other Keys are quieter than Key West.

• Bahia Honda State Park, about 37 miles north, has the best natural beach in the Keys. On a calm February day the water is clear, if cool. Arrive early; the park limits entry when the lot fills.
• Big Pine Key, about 30 miles north, is the place to see the tiny Key deer, which are most active early and late in the day.
• The Seven Mile Bridge, about 45 miles north, where you can walk or bike the restored section of the old bridge to Pigeon Key in comfortable temperatures.
• Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles west by ferry or seaplane, with a Civil War-era fort and beaches — weather permitting.

Our Key West day trips guide covers each one.

§ 09

What to pack for February

• Shorts, T-shirts, light dresses and sandals for the daytime
• Light long trousers and a long-sleeved shirt for evenings
• A light jacket, fleece or sweater — for cold fronts, breezy evenings and boat trips
• Swimwear and a rash guard
• Sunscreen, a hat and sunglasses — February sun still burns
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Something a little smarter for a Valentine’s dinner

Our Key West packing list has the full checklist.

§ 10

Is February worth it?

For weather alone, February is close to perfect for anyone escaping a northern winter: warm, sunny, dry and pleasant from morning to night. It is also a very good month for culture, food and history, with the home tours and art festival adding something you cannot get the rest of the year.

The catch is simply cost and crowds. You will pay more for the same room in February than in almost any other month, the popular restaurants and attractions are busy, and last-minute planning is difficult.

February is worth it if:

• You want the most reliable dry, sunny weather of the winter and are escaping serious cold.
• You can book well ahead and travel midweek.
• You are interested in the home tours, the art festival or the winter cultural season.

Consider another month if:

• Budget is a priority. Early December or November give similar weather for less.
• You want warm water. Late April to June are better for swimming and snorkeling.
• You dislike crowds. Early December is far quieter.

Our best time to visit Key West and cheapest time to visit Key West guides help you compare.

§ 11

Frequently asked questions

Related Key West Guides

• Key West month by month — every month compared
• Key West in January — the month before
• Best time to visit Key West — weather, crowds and prices weighed up
• Key West events — the full festival calendar
• Key West romantic getaway — planning a Valentine’s trip
• Key West architecture — what to look for on the home tours

§ 13

Photo Credits

Sunset at Truman Waterfront Park: KeyWestFL TrumanWaterfrontPark Sunset1 20230125 by Niranjan Arminius, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Historic Bahamian-style house in Key West: ONE OF THE HISTORIC WOODEN HOUSES OF KEY WEST. INTRICATELY CARVED AND ORNAMENTED IN THE BAHAMIAN STYLE, THESE FINE… – NARA – 548667 by Flip Schulke, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.