The Florida Keys Travel Guide

The Florida Keys

The Florida Keys Travel Guide

Welcome or welcome back to my blog! I’ve been getting an influx of Florida requests and urge you to consider The Florida Keys as one of your potential travel destinations. One of America’s most unique motor journeys, the scenic 110-mile Overseas Highway combines ocean views, 42 bridges, natural wonders and history like no other place. Each region of the Florida Keys has its own unique character, worlds away from big cities and theme parks. So if you’ve already visited the more popular Florida destinations like Miami and Orlando, please consider one (or all!) of the Florida Keys.

Did you know that approximately 1,700 islands make up the Florida Keys? That’s a LOT of islands! This archipelago extends over 198 square miles from the Soldier Keys to the Dry Tortugas. You might be wondering why they are called “keys” instead of islands. When explorer Juan Ponce de Leon charted the islands of the Keys in 1513, he called them Los Martires (meaning “the martyrs”) because he thought they resembled men in distress. The more popular name, simply the Keys, is derived from the Spanish word Cayo (“small island”). Let’s break down the Florida Keys below to help you get the most from your trip. Whether you only plan on seeing one of these keys or an epic road trip around all of them!

Key West

Located closer to Cuba than to Miami, Key West is Florida’s southernmost subtropical paradise. The final stop on the Overseas Highway, Key West is by far the most popular of the Florida Keys. Stroll amid tiny, colorfully-restored homes where thousands of cigar workers lived in the 19th century. Key West is only 2 miles by 4 miles long. So you can cover a lot of ground if you only have a few nights to explore. Luckily, getting around Key West is very easy as Uber is available and the Old Town Trolley.

Where to Stay

Here in Key West, architecturally rich mansions were built by business tycoons and city leaders. Some have been converted into guest houses and inns with modern swimming pools and lush tropical gardens. You’ll also find some great hotels in this area. Here are my top recommendations for accommodations:

What To Do

Key West offers many of fun activities for all ages. For the fishers, you’ll enjoy deep sea fishing charters! For the foodies, enjoy a food and cultural walking tour. After a fun-filled adventure day, take it easy with a stroll around Duval Street. It’s the main drag of downtown, running north and south from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. Although it is not much more than a mile in length – this is where the heartbeat of the city comes to life with a diverse array of restaurants, shops, world famous pubs and attractions.

For the partiers looking for a water hole, check out Rick’s Bar – which ironically isn’t just a bar. It’s 8 bars – each with its own venue offering a one-of-a-kind experience. Whether you want to jam out to live rock tunes at Durty Harry’s, dance the night away to disco at Rick’s Upstairs, chill out with a frozen daiquiri at Mardi Gras or sit in the shade of the giant Monkey Pistol tree at Rick’s Tree Bar, there’s something for everyone in this one unique place. For the art lovers, check out the beautiful art at Art@830. This art gallery hosts an art walk every first Thursday of the month from 6PM-9PM. To catch the sunset, there are two great spots: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and Mallory Square.

And of course watersports are aplenty here in Key West! Enjoy a champagne catamaran cruise, or a sunset tiki boat tour. Head to Smathers Beach if you’re looking for calm waters! Additionally, you can head to Dry Tortugas National Park. Made up of seven small islands, Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the world’s most unique eco-attractions. Don’t leave Key West without snapping a photo at the ‘Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A.‘

The Florida Keys - Key West Duval Street

What To Eat

Did someone say lunch?! While in Key West, head to Schooner Wharf Bar for some tasty conch fritters, served with key lime mustard. Looking for dessert? Head to Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe bakery and order yourself a key lime pie. Delish! For my seafood lovers, head to DJ’s clam shack for some quick bites like lobster rolls, kung pao calamari and clam strips. Given the close proximity to Cuba, you HAVE to stop by Frita’s Cuban Burgers serving up delicious Cuban street food with Mexican influences. Try their traditional cubanito sandwich and wash it down with some Cuban coffee! If you’re celebrating something special be sure to make reservations at Latitudes Restaurant. Toast your celebration with a gleaming sunset in the backdrop! Enjoy seafood delicacies like Caribbean Lobster Risotto and pan seared grouper. A fantastic way to end your last night in the Florida Keys!

Key Largo

In Key Largo, relaxation is the name of the game. The closest of the Keys to mainland Florida, this laid-back haven is a swift departure from the party atmosphere of Key West. Here, vacationers seeking some rest and recuperation can spend their days picnicking on the beach, admiring resident manatees from the docks of their rental homes or taking a slow canal cruise on the African Queen.

Outdoorsy types will be equally happy here, as the expansive, activity-filled wetlands of Everglades National Park are just a short drive away. Even closer is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, where travelers can snorkel and scuba dive among a diverse underwater ecosystem. In fact, as the self-proclaimed “Dive Capital of the World,” Key Largo offers a number of intricate sites that attract divers year-round. But no matter how you choose to spend your days, it would be a shame not to end them with as many fresh lobster dinners and killer Key Largo sunsets as possible.

Where to Stay

Those seeking a little luxury and indulgence should consider the upscale Playa Largo Resort & Spa, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, or the recently rebranded Reefhouse Resort & Marina. Prefer something more spacious? Consider one of the stand-alone cottages at the popular Atlantic Bay Resort. Couples looking for something a little more romantic would do well to check into the delightful lodgings on offer at the beachfront Coconut Palm Inn. Whatever your needs, you’ll certainly not be disappointed with the many accommodations available in Key Largo. Here are my top picks:

Many of my clients have asked me which resorts in the U.S. are all inclusive. Short answer, not many. Long answer, there are a few options and one of them is the Bungalows Key Largo which is an adults only all inclusive resort. The only thing with that is the value is not nearly what you’d find overseas at an all inclusive resort in Mexico or Dominican Republic where the USD goes farther (currently).

What to Do

Given that this is the “Dive Capital of the World” you must go snorkeling or diving out here! This shallow-water snorkeling tour in Key Largo specializes in creating great snorkeling experiences for first-time snorkelers, kids, and families. Get a fun and comfortable introduction to snorkeling on this tour in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, known for its beautiful reefs and marine life. Not looking to get wet but still want to be on the water? Aboard a luxe 75-foot glass-bottom yacht, you’ll enjoy excellent views of the Florida Keys and the Atlantic Ocean as you sail toward a coral reef. Large windows provide excellent views of the reef as your tour guide points out all kinds of sea creatures which may include sea fans, sea plumes and hundreds of fish.

Swap the crowds of the big boat tours that are typical of the Florida Keys for a more personal experience. This small-group cruise from Key Largo takes you out onto the Florida Bay. As you cruise around the local waters looking for wildlife such as dolphins and manatees, the crew over at Pirates Cove Watersports will provide insights into the unique ecosystem of the Florida Keys.

What to Eat

As you would imagine, most of the restaurants in Key Largo Florida specialize in fresh caught seafood! From dockside restaurants to Key largo staples these places to eat are all worth a try!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day right? Head to Mrs. Macs Kitchen for a hearty breakfast! Check out The Key Largo Conch House for lunch. It’s one of the family owned and operated Key Largo Restaurants. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner inside or outside on the garden veranda complete with a house parrot! For dinner, start off with the Conch House sampler with conch fritters, coconut shrimp, cracked conch and conch ceviche. Entrees include fresh catch of local caught fillets either grilled, fried or blackened.

Fish House is both a restaurant and seafood market, meaning you will be served some of the freshest food in Key Largo. On the lunch menu you can find fresh fish catches like grouper and yellowtail snapper, Florida lobster, fish and chips, the famous grouper sandwich. If you are looking to sit outdoors and dine, head to the Lazy Lobster Seafood Restaurant. Located at mile marker 102, it features a large garden outdoor area with umbrellas to help shade the hot Florida sun. A fun part of the Lazy Lobster is you can bring your fresh catch to be cooked by Chef Lupe, if you happened to take a fishing charter earlier in the day! They also start you off with warm rolls and banana bread – yum!

C&C Wood Fired Eats is the place to go if looking for pizza restaurants in Key Largo. They specialize in Neopolitan wood fired pizza ovens, the only one of its kind in the area. Head to Hobo’s Cafe for their key lime chicken or fish!

Marathon

The city of Marathon, set on 13 islands in the Florida Keys, boasts some of the best boating activities anywhere, including deep-sea, reef or flats fishing. Add to that waterfront restaurants, plus jet-ski tours, kayaking, paddle-boarding — or just cruising the turquoise waters. Residents, snowbirds and visitors enjoy Marathon’s fishing heritage, an old-Keys lifestyle and seafaring traditions, a theme celebrated in the area’s accommodations, such as private waterfront vacation homes, small hotels, beachside inns and tropical, family-style resorts. Enjoy local events like the annual Marathon Seafood Festival & The Florida Keys BrewBQ taking place at Marathon Community Park. The main attractions for attendees at the Original Marathon Seafood Festival are the local shrimp, lobster and stone crab alongside a variety of fresh “fishermen-to-fork” menu favorites.

Marathon is one of the Keys’ most marine-friendly cities with nearly 1,200 wet slips, 1,200 dry slips and major facilities to accommodate transient cruisers. Marathon City Marina, considered the Keys’ jewel for cruisers, administers 226 mooring balls and has limited dockage. Both mooring balls and dockage are available by the day, week or month.

Where to Stay

If you are planning a vacation to the Heart of the Florida Keys, and you are looking for places to stay in Marathon, this is the place to start! Whether you’re looking for a luxurious resort to be pampered, a wallet-friendly motel, a vacation rental or RV park, there’s something for you! Here are my accommodations recommendations:

Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club offers a full-service marina, two swimming pools, beach access, and spacious accommodations with separate living areas. There are so many activities already included in your stay including outdoor volleyball, life-size chess, cornhole, and hammocks. Take full advantage of the bicycle rentals so you can ride along 10 scenic miles of the Overseas Highway.

Given Skipjack Resort & Marina’s close proximity to the marina, there are plenty of opportunities to take advantage of both non-motorized and motorized watersports like kayak and paddleboard, etc. Hawk’s Cay Resort is on the small, secluded island of Duck Key. On this secluded island, you’re surrounded by aquamarine waters, bottlenose dolphins, and aquatic adventures.

What to Do

In Marathon, you can interact with dolphins and even paint with one at the Dolphin Research Center. Bring the kids to the Kids Marine Animal Station where they can learn more about sea lions and manatees. Need some children activities on the flight to Florida? Download these fun coloring pages of marine life, available at https://dolphins.org/coloring_pages. Furthermore, animal lovers can head to the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters and feed stingrays or snorkel in their private saltwater lagoon. In the Coral Reef Encounters, visitors spend time in our 200,000 gallon saltwater tank, a diverse coral reef environment with a wide variety of unique species of Coral Reef inhabitants native to the Florida Keys.  We offer several options for experiencing our Coral Reef.  You will see a comparison below that will help you make your selection.

Return to nature and history at Crane Point Hammock and Nature Trail and Curry Hammock State Park. Or tour the area’s railroad history at Pigeon Key Island. Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters features a coral reef exhibit and a predatory fish habitat housed in a 200,000-gallon interconnected saltwater aquarium. Visitors can enjoy an immersive, interactive experience where they can touch, feel and feed reef fish, invertebrates, stingrays and even sharks. Afterwards, hang out with adorable rehabilitated turtles at The Turtle Hospital, where the staff and volunteers rescue, rehab, and release turtles.

What to Eat

Come hungry! There are SO many good eats here in Marathon. For a fun waterside tiki bar, check out Island Fish Company. Serving island bites like coconut shrimp with frozen drinks, it’s the perfect beach spot to cool you off! Whether you’re looking for breakfast, lunch, or dinner Porky’s Bayside Restaurant and Marina has you covered. BBQ, sushi, and seafood, OH MY! This authentic Florida Keys waterfront setting is a great family-friendly destination to enjoy food next to the marina. So after you indulge in some watersports, you can refuel here.

Another good food option is the 7 Mile Grill, next to the 7 Mile Bridge. If you’re seeking some good ole fashioned American comfort food, look no further. For the picky eaters in your life, they’ll find familiar dishes here like omelets, burgers and fries, and BLTs. Later in the evening, if you want a restaurant with a view head to Sunset Grille & Raw Bar. As you’d imagine, the sunsets here are phenomenal! Additionally, you’ll find The Florida Keys’ longest running pool & beach party every Sunday! Poolside DJ, food and drink specials, cornhole tournaments, music, you name it!

Islamorada

Situated between the saltwater wilderness of Everglades National Park and the deep blue waters of the Florida Strait is Islamorada, made up of six islands: Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and the offshore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. Perhaps the world’s highest density of professional offshore charter boats with tournament-grade captains can be found in Islamorada, a village of islands where backcountry sport fishing and saltwater fly fishing were pioneered. Islamorada may be the only place on Earth where it is possible to catch a sailfish offshore and pursue bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and redfish in just inches of water in the backcountry, all in the same day.

The Florida Keys

Where to Stay

Islamorada has some of the cutest most quaint hotels in the keys. You won’t really find many inexpensive options here. Below are my recommendations:

From the real-life Kokomo to the sandy shores of our walk-in beach, it’s no wonder why Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina is a Florida Keys favorite for beach bums, boaters, and beyond. Located just minutes from Key Largo, our oceanfront resort has been serving up iconic cocktails and nostalgic beach vibes since 1951. Wake up on the sunrise side of Islamorada for a day filled with Rum Runners, water sports, and all-day fun. Resort guests also receive access to all four Islamorada Resorts. Home of the Rum Runner, stop by the onsite Tiki Bar to order you one or two.

Tiki John was challenged to concoct a cocktail that would help use the surplus inventory. So he mixed banana liquor, Meyers rum, brandy and grenadine and named it the Rum Runner! He named the drink after the early liquor smugglers that inhabited the Florida Keys in the early 1900’s, known as “Rum Runners.” Just like the bootleggers during the prohibition era, Rum Runners smuggled alcohol too, but by sea instead of land.

Cheeca Lodge is the perfect base for serious anglers! Charter a boat and find over 500 species of fish within minutes from shore. The casual fisherman can cast a line from the end of our 525-foot pier – the longest in the Keys. A host of other activities can be found at our Islamorada luxury resort, including snorkeling, sea kayaking, bicycling, and scuba diving. Between activities, enjoy first-class dining at one of our three restaurants: Atlantic’s Edge, Mia Cucina, or Nikai Sushi.

What to Do

Islamorada is, however, much more than sport fishing capital of the world. Travelers on group tours through the Florida Keys — multi-generation families, reunions, seniors, foreign or special interest groups — can find unique experiences, soft adventure and quality. In Islamorada, permanent and traveling exhibits featured at the Keys History & Discovery Center incorporate the first Florida Keys inhabitants, shipwrecks and salvage, Keys pioneering families, sportfishing legends, Henry Flagler’s Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, and reflect upon nature, art or history of the Keys.

Another fantastic experience in Islamorada is snorkeling the Alligator Reef. This spot is located out on the barrier reef, and a decent boat ride away from the Islamorada area. The snorkeling grounds are around and under a lighthouse tower that marks the shallow reef. Unlike some of the closer in patch reefs that tend to have cloudier green water with lower visibility, this area has a constant flow of very clear blue ocean water, providing excellent visibility. And that fresh flow of water is what attracts a lot of fish to this spot, along with the shade provided by the lighthouse structure. In the deeper waters close by you can find many bigger species, like barracuda.

What to Eat

First and foremost, you MUST head to Robbie’s of Islamorada. Voted the #1 Place to Visit in the Keys! Home of the world-famous tarpon feeding. After the tarpons eat, YOU get to eat! Enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dine on delicious seafood watched down by cocktails such as the famous loaded Trailer Trash Bloody Mary! Furthermore, you can take advantage of their “HOOK & COOK” experience. Their chefs will cook your catch after your fishing charter. Be sure to get here as early as possible before the lunch rush!

At Amara Cay Resort, enjoy fresh seafood with stunning ocean views at Reel Catch! Craving some Mexican food? Head to Puerto Vallarta Mexican Grill for a colorful family-owned inspired restaurant. Dine on the usual fare – fajitas, quesadillas, and enchiladas.

The Florida Keys

The Lower Keys

The Lower Florida Keys include many small islands connected by bridges. Big Pine Key travel takes you through small towns and neighborhoods where you just might encounter the endangered key deer. These cute creatures can often be seen grabbing a bite to eat beneath shady trees. You can also visit the National Key Deer Refuge on your Big Pine Key vacation. Just a few of the many keys between Big Pine Key and Key West include Cudjoe Key, Bahia Honda, Sugarloaf, Boca Chica and Stock Island. You’ll find local restaurants, dive shops and eco-tour opportunities throughout these islands.

Where to Stay

Big Pine Key hotels provide a great anchorage point from which to explore the Lower Keys and the rest of the Florida Keys. Here are my top recommendations for The Lower Keys:

From friends and family gatherings to romantic getaways for two, Lime Tree Bay Resort provides something for every traveler’s unique taste and style. Following an extensive, resort-wide renovation, all rooms have been fully upgraded with modern amenities, comfortable furnishings, and Caribbean-inspired décor, creating a casual, carefree environment that is true to the Florida Keys lifestyle. Options include water- or tropical island-views, guestrooms with kitchenettes or full kitchens and multi-bedroom suites and three-story townhomes with ample space for longer stays or larger groups.

The Looe Key Reef Resort is set on the Looe Key Reef, a special protected area inside of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Come scuba diving and snorkeling in this unique marine landscape 7 days a week! They are the only dive shop to offer trips to the 210-foot Adolphus Busch. Intentionally sunk in 1998 this dive is one of the gems in The Florida Keys Wreck Trek.

What to Do

Bahia Honda State Park offers camping, snorkeling, walking trails and beautiful vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. An interesting sight on Cudjoe Key is a big white radar blimp. Nicknamed Fat Albert, it can be seen flying high above the water. Visit the Bat Tower, located on Sugarloaf Key, which was originally built in 1929 as a home for bats meant to control the mosquito population. The uniquely designed Bat Tower is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

Schedule a Big Pine Key snorkeling trip to experience the color and diversity of Florida’s extensive coral reef system. With a variety of coral, a sunken ship and more than 150 species of fish, Looe Key Marine Sanctuary makes an excellent Big Pine Key diving trip.

cruise touristic boat or yacht floating on turquoise water and blue cloudy sky, yachting and sport, traveling and vacation, Key West Florida, USA

What to Eat

Here you’ll find lots of low fuss eateries. The Big Pine Rooster is an easygoing restaurant with steaks, seafood and pasta. Come super hungry as the portions are plentiful! Looking for some healthy fare? Stop by the Good Food Conspiracy. This organic health food market, grocery store, juice bar and deli with a great assortment of delicious, freshly made to order organic juices, fruit smoothies & fruit freezes. You can grab vegan and vegetarian sandwiches, homemade soups, and various desserts.

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