Printable planning kit
Key West Packing Checklist
For any Key West trip that includes time on or near the water.
Built around the three things that actually go wrong on Key West trips: sun exposure over water, wet gear meeting dry electronics, and arriving without something a boat expected you to bring.
Check what your operator provides before you pack — inclusion lists vary widely, and duplicating gear costs suitcase space you'll want for the ride home.
Sun protection — the non-negotiables
Sun over water hits from above and reflects from below. This section prevents more ruined days than any other.
- Reef-safe mineral sunscreen (apply before boarding, not on a moving deck)
- Rash guard or long-sleeve swim shirt per person
- Brimmed hat with a chin strap or clip
- Sunglasses with a retainer strap
- SPF lip balm
- Aloe or after-sun for the burn someone will get anyway
On the water
- Swimwear worn under your clothes (boat heads are tight changing rooms)
- Dry bag for phones, wallets and keys — one per group, clearly owned
- Towel per person plus one spare
- Full change of dry clothes for the ride back
- Motion-sickness remedy, taken before boarding
- Water shoes, especially for kids on sandbars
- Refillable water bottle per person
Land and evenings
- Broken-in walking shoes (the historic district is unevenly paved)
- One smart-casual outfit with flat, deck-friendly shoes
- Light layer or jacket for evenings on the water — genuinely needed in winter
- Packable rain shell in summer storm season
- Insect repellent for evenings
Documents and logistics
- Photo ID for every adult (and for anyone who may drive a rented vessel)
- Any boater-education certificate your operator requires
- Screenshots of every confirmation, saved offline
- Operator phone numbers saved in your phone
- Refillable prescriptions and a small first-aid kit
Leave at home
- Rings and jewelry — cold water shrinks fingers
- Glass containers (banned on most boats)
- Spray sunscreens (deck-slick and often prohibited)
- Anything electronic you'd mourn, unless it's in a leashed waterproof case
Confirm directly with your provider
These depend on the operator and the day. We don't publish them because we can't know them for your booking.
- What gear is provided versus what you should bring
- Whether kid-size gear and life jackets are available in your children's sizes
- Cooler, food, glass and alcohol policies
- Whether the boat has shade, a restroom and a freshwater rinse
Fill this in
- Operator and departure point
- Check-in time (earlier than departure)
- Operator phone number
- What they said to bring
Key West Compass is an independent publisher, not an activity operator. We publish no prices, availability, forecasts or travel times, and we don't rank or recommend individual operators. Providers control pricing, scheduling, safety and service — verify material details with them directly.