Key West is a very dog-friendly community with plenty of spaces to walk the dogs.  However, one must be aware that it does get hot in Key West and especially in the summer months the temperatures start rising rather early in the day.  This can be problematic for dogs as the pavement gets hot under their paws and they can have other adverse effects from the heat. 

              Our day in Key West started with a walk down the streets of Key West through the hustle and bustle of the tourist crowd. Chickens walked proudly through the streets as if they owned the place.  The dogs were intrigued by the chickens.  They had never seen chickens walking so freely through a city street before. Honestly, neither did I. 

              The Key West Aquarium offered us an air-conditioned reprieve from the oppressive heat.  We picked the wrong season to visit Key West and the heat bared down upon us well before noon.  The Key West Aquarium welcomed the dogs graciously and staff offered cups of water for the dogs as they collapsed on the cold damp floor. 

              The Key West Aquarium is small in comparison to places like The National Aquarium in Baltimore, but it’s holding some amazing creatures.  In the center of the room are tanks with rescued sea turtles.  Smaller aquariums make up the walls of the aquarium and contain a variety of sea life, many of which are native to the waters around Key West. A touch tank allows humans to get up close and personal with sea stars and urchins.  For their own safety, it’s advisable to keep pups back from the touch tank. 

              After finishing exploring the Aquarium, the sun was hot and beating down upon us as we walked outside.  The time was right to find some shade from the sun, some sand and water to cool off in.  I drove to quiet roadside pull-off and followed the stone trail to the shoreline. There wasn’t much of a beach here, but it was quiet and secluded enough for the dogs and I to enjoy our time in private.  The dogs splashed and played until their fur was thoroughly saturated, and we all piled back into the air-conditioned car. 

              Overall, Key West welcomed us with open arms.  The people we encountered were friendly and welcoming. We found shops that allowed the dogs to hang out and enjoy an air-conditioned break.  The Key West Aquarium allowed us to come and go as frequently as we needed or wanted to with our admission bracelets.  We can definitely recommend Key West for large dogs to have some leashed discovery opportunities.