Is anything open in Key West on Christmas Day 2026? What each source says

Search for Christmas in Key West and Google suggests a follow-up: will anything be open on Christmas Day? When we read the pages ranking for that question on Oct. 21, 2026, none answered it with a source. So we went to the places a visitor is likely to try and looked for a written Christmas Day line from each. This piece is dated 65 days before Friday, Dec. 25, 2026. Read it as what was posted on that date, not as a promise from us. We are an independent planner and do not speak for any venue named here.

Open on Dec. 25, in the venue’s own words

The Hemingway Home and Museum

The museum’s rates and info page says: “Museum is open daily, 365 days a year.” That sentence is the whole of our Christmas Day claim for it. The same page prices adult general admission at $19 and lets children 5 and younger in free. It posts no separate holiday schedule, so we do not print an opening time for Dec. 25. If a set tour time matters to you that morning, call the museum before you walk over.

• Hemingway Home and Museum: "Museum is open daily, 365 days a year", "9:00am-5:00pm for walk-in visits", "Tours start every 15 minutes with the first tour starting at 9:15am". Adult "General Admission – $19"; "Children 5 and younger are FREE". Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum: Rates & Info

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Florida State Parks lists the park’s hours as “8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year” with a $6 charge per vehicle, on its park page. The U.S. Naval Observatory puts sunset in Key West on Dec. 25, 2026 at 5:46 PM, so the posted window that day runs from 8 a.m. to about 5:46 PM. That end time is our arithmetic from two sources, not a time the park prints. The state’s page describes the beach at the southern end of the park for picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, paddling and fishing. NOAA’s table puts the average December water temperature off Key West at 75.3 F. Our beaches page compares the island’s other shorelines.

• Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, "Hours 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year", "$6 per vehicle". "the park is the southernmost state park in the continental United States" and "boasts Key West's favorite beach, located at the southern end of the park, providing opportunities for picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, paddling and fishing." Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
• U.S. Naval Observatory sunset times for Key West (EST): Dec. 1, 2026 5:38 pm; Dec. 12 5:40 pm; Dec. 21 5:44 pm; Dec. 25 5:46 pm; Dec. 31 5:50 pm. Civil twilight ends about 25 minutes later (Dec. 12: 6:05 pm). U.S. Naval Observatory: Sun and Moon Data for One Day (computed for 24.5551 N, 81.7800 W, Eastern Standard Time)
• NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide, monthly average table, "Key West, FL": November 78.3 F, December 75.3 F, January 72.5 F. NOAA NCEI Coastal Water Temperature Guide (all coastal regions table)

Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square

The Key West Cultural Preservation Society, which runs Sunset under a lease with the City, calls it “a nightly arts festival at Mallory Square” on its site. Nightly is the operator’s word, and Christmas is a night like any other on that page; there is no holiday note either way. The two sources differ on the start: the operator says people gather around one hour before sunset, while mallorysquare.com says two hours. With sunset at 5:46 PM on Dec. 25, that puts the dock filling somewhere between 3:46 PM and 4:46 PM.

• Sunset Celebration: "Sunset Celebration is a nightly arts festival at Mallory Square in Key West, Florida." "Each night around one hour before sunset masses of people, both locals and tourists alike, flock to the water's edge". The history page says the Key West Cultural Preservation Society, Inc. was formed "in 1984" and "negotiated a lease with the City of Key West with the understanding that CPS would manage Sunset". Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square (Key West Cultural Preservation Society)
• mallorysquare.com says the nightly Sunset Celebration begins "two hours before sunset"; the operator, sunsetcelebration.org, says people gather "around one hour before sunset". Say "from about an hour or two before sunset" and cite both. Mallory Square: Sunset Celebration; Sunset Celebration (Cultural Preservation Society)

Closed or not running, in writing

The City of Key West’s calendar lists a “Christmas Extension” closure on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026 and a Christmas Day closure on Friday, Dec. 25, 2026, covering “All city facilities”.

Key West Rides, the City’s on-demand bus that replaced the North and South Lines, runs 6 AM to 8 PM every day of the week, with “No service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day,” per the City’s service page. On Dec. 25 plan to walk or cycle. Our guide to getting around Key West in December covers fares and the other holiday gaps.

Two smaller closures are worth knowing. keywestchristmas.org’s listing for Waterfront Winter Wonderland at the Coffee Butler Amphitheater says “Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day”, although the amphitheater’s own ticketing page gave no 2026 dates when we read it. And the MARC Christmas tree lot at 1401 Seminary Street sells trees until they run out or Christmas Eve, whichever comes sooner, so a Christmas morning tree is off the table.

• The City of Key West calendar lists City office closures for Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 26, 2026), the day after (Nov. 27), "Christmas Extension" (Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026), Christmas Day (Friday, Dec. 25, 2026) and New Year's Day (Friday, Jan. 1, 2027), "All city facilities". City of Key West: Calendar event notice
• City of Key West: "Key West Rides On-Demand is an innovative form of transportation that will replace the North and South Lines". "This is a bus stop-to-bus stop service". Hours "Monday" to "Sunday 6 AM" to "8 PM", "(No service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day)." Booking help: "305-809-3910". City of Key West: Key West Rides On-Demand Bus Service
• The Coffee Butler Amphitheater ticketing page describes "Waterfront Winter Wonderland": "This December, the Coffee Butler Amphitheater at the Truman Waterfront Park will transition into a Key West Winter Wonderland" with "an ice skating rink, games, rides, attractions, music, light displays, and more." The page gives no year or dates. keywestchristmas.org lists it under "2026 UPDATES COMING SOON!" and says "Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day." Coffee Butler Amphitheater: Waterfront Winter Wonderland
• keywestchristmas.org: "MARC annual Christmas Tree Sale Lot", "More than 1500 trees travel from up North to Key West and are available until they run out or Christmas Eve, which ever comes first. 1401 Seminary Street." It is marked "2026 UPDATES COMING SOON!"; the Holiday Fest calendar lists Nov. 21 to Dec. 24, 2026. Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights); Key West Inns (Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West): Holiday Fest Calendar

Not published: call ahead

For the rest, we found daily hours with no Christmas line, or a Christmas line that a second source does not repeat. We will not turn a general “daily” into a Christmas promise, so each of these is a phone call before you go.

• Truman Little White House. Its museum site lists daily hours and no Christmas Day note.
• Audubon House and Tropical Gardens. Monday to Sunday hours on its home page; no Christmas Day hours posted.
• Custom House (Museum of Art and History). The City’s resource directory says “Closed on Christmas”; the Key West Art and Historical Society’s own page says nothing about Christmas. Two sources, no agreement.
• Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters. KWAHS lists Monday to Sunday hours on the lighthouse page and no holiday exception.
• Oldest House Museum, 322 Duval Street. The Old Island Restoration Foundation’s visit page says “Open Daily” with free general admission; no Christmas note.
• Restaurants, bars and shops. We hold no published Christmas Day hours for any of them.

• Truman Little White House: "MUSEUM OPEN DAILY 9:30AM-5PM" and "Guided tour of Florida's only presidential museum". Harry S. Truman Little White House (museum site)
• Audubon House & Tropical Gardens lists "Admissions & Hours" Monday through Sunday "9:30am" to "4:15pm", "Gallery & Gift Shop" to "5:00pm", at "205 Whitehead Street". No Christmas Day hours are posted. Audubon House & Tropical Gardens
• The City of Key West resource directory entry "The Custom House", "281 Front Street", says "Closed on Christmas" (a search snippet of the same entry gave hours as daily 9:30 am to 4:30 pm). KWAHS's own page gives 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and says nothing about Christmas. Do not state Christmas Day hours for KWAHS museums as fact. City of Key West: Resource Directory, The Custom House
• Key West Art & Historical Society: Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters, "938 Whitehead Street", "Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 a.m." to "5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.)". "The current lighthouse opened in 1848 with a woman as its keeper". Key West Art & Historical Society: Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters
• OIRF Plan Your Visit: "Open Daily", "322 Duval St.", "General Admission" "Free". "Built circa 1829, The Oldest House Museum offers a glimpse into the people, architecture, and stories that shaped early Key West." Old Island Restoration Foundation: Plan Your Visit

If you are building the day around one of these, book it into the days either side and treat Dec. 25 as a bonus if the call comes back yes. Our trip planner lays out an evening on the Harbor Walk that does not depend on any opening hours.

What runs around Christmas, Dec. 22 to 27, 2026

The days around the holiday are fuller on paper than the day itself, and three things on the published calendars fall inside that week.

Holiday lights tours

Old Town Trolley lists its “Holiday Sights and Festive Nights Tour” from Mallory Square on December 7-27, 2026: 60 minutes, 35 seats a trolley, adults from $33.95 and children 3 to 12 at $22.95, with a 5% city fee added to every ticket, which takes the adult “from” fare to $35.65. The trolley page does not list departure times. The Conch Tour Train lists December 8-9, 11-14 and 16-27, with departures every half hour from 6:00 to 8:30 pm at Key West High School, 2100 Flagler Avenue, at $32.25 for adults and $21.80 for kids 4 to 12. Reservations are required and non-refundable, with rescheduling up to 24 hours ahead.

Lay those ranges over the week and both operators list all 6 nights from Tue. Dec. 22 to Sun. Dec. 27, Christmas night included. Neither page carves out Dec. 25 or mentions it, so confirm the night when you book. The holiday lights tours page sets the two tours side by side.

• Old Town Trolley: "Old Town Trolley's Holiday Sights and Festive Nights Tour". "WHERE Mallory Square", "WHEN December 7-27, 2026.", "DURATION 60 minutes". "Limited capacity: 35 seats per trolley." "VIP passes cannot be accepted or used for Holiday Tours." Old Town Trolley Tours: Key West Holiday Tours
• Old Town Trolley: "Adults: From $33.95*", "Children (3-12): $22.95*", "Ages 2 and under ride free. Must ride on parent's lap.", "*5% city fee added to all tickets". Departure times are not listed on the page. Old Town Trolley Tours: Key West Holiday Tours
• Conch Tour Train: "Holiday Sights and Festive Nights Tour", "an hour tour that takes you to all of the island's most elaborately decorated houses, buildings and neighborhoods and caroling." "2026 Dates: December 8-9, 11-14, and 16-27." "6:00 pm, 6:30 pm, 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, and 8:30 pm." "Departs from: Key West High School, 2100 Flagler Avenue." "Limited capacity: 48 seats per train." "Tour includes special holiday lights glasses!" Conch Tour Train: Holiday Sights and Festive Nights Tour
• Conch Tour Train: "Prices starting at $32.25 for adults, $21.80 for kids (4-12)", "Ages 3 and under ride free (must ride on the parent/adult lap)." "Reservations required. Reservation-based tickets are non-refundable. You may reschedule up to 24 hours in advance of tour time." Phone "(305) 707-5775". Conch Tour Train: Holiday Sights and Festive Nights Tour

Truman Little White House holiday evenings, Dec. 22 and 23

The Truman Foundation lists “House Tours and Presidential Holiday Card Presentation” on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2026 and Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2026. The Dec. 22 page runs 6 to 8 pm with tours at 6:00, 6:45 and 7:30 PM, at $20 for members and $35 for non-members. Two non-member tickets come to $70; members pay $15 less a ticket. See the Foundation’s event page for the Dec. 23 details.

• Truman Foundation lists "Happy Holidays at the Harry S. Truman Little White House – House Tours and Presidential Holiday Card Presentation" on Tuesday, Dec. 22 and Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2026. The Dec. 22 page: "6-8pm", "tours will start at 6:00, 6:45, & 7:30 PM", "Tickets are $20 for members and $35 for non-members". Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation: Events 2026

The Harbor Walk of Lights, every night

keywestchristmas.org says the Harbor Walk of Lights “is on every night from Thanksgiving eve through New Year’s eve”, which covers Christmas night by the organizer’s own wording. The lights run along the seawall past Greene, William and Margaret streets to the ferry terminal. Of everything in this piece, it is the Christmas night plan with no opening hours to check. More on the Harbor Walk of Lights.

• keywestchristmas.org: "The 21st Annual Harbor Walk of Lights", "Lighting up every evening through New Year's Eve." and "Harbor Walk of Lights is on every night from Thanksgiving eve through New Year's eve!" It is part of the "Key West "Bight" before Christmas" celebration at the Key West Historic Seaport and Key West Bight Marina. Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights)
• keywestchristmas.org: "The "Harbor Walk of Lights" stretches along the seawall past Greene St, William St, and Margaret St. to the K.W. Ferry Terminal." The Holiday Fest calendar describes it as running "from Lazy Way Lane at the Green Street Plaza to the Ferry Terminal at Grinnell Street." Key West "Bight" Before Christmas: keywestchristmas.org (Harbor Walk of Lights); Key West Inns (Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West): Holiday Fest Calendar

Weather for the day

For December, NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals at Key West International Airport show a 77.7 F average high, a 68.3 F average low and 2.16 inches of rain for the month. Those are long-run averages, not a forecast for Dec. 25. Our December weather page adds November and January.

• NOAA 1991-2020 normals for Key West International Airport (USW00012836), December: average high 77.7 F, average low 68.3 F, mean 73.0 F, precipitation 2.16 inches. NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, station USW00012836 (Key West International Airport)

Sources we checked

• Open daily, 365 days a year: Hemingway Home rates and info.
• 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year: Florida State Parks.
• Nightly: Sunset Celebration; sunset times from the U.S. Naval Observatory.
• City closures Dec. 24 and 25: City of Key West calendar; Key West Rides holiday gaps: City service page.
• Lights tours: Old Town Trolley and Conch Tour Train.
• All read Oct. 21, 2026. A venue’s own page or phone line beats this list on the day.

Written by the Christmas in Key West Editorial Team. We draft with help from AI tools; a person checks each fact against its source before it goes live.

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: City of Key West: Visitors