Get out of the Cold This Winter and visit the Florida Keys

 

Key West Sunset

  I’ve probably been to the Sunshine State 50 times in my 30 years of traveling down, no exaggeration, but every trip to the multicolored waters of the Florida Keys seems as "brand new" as the very first time. I Truly LOVE the place! 

   For those who have never made the trip, check it out!

   Most people know the Florida Keys and Key West as a great getaway. One of the most unique places on earth. Calm. Serene. Laid back. Just the right setting to recharge your batteries and rejuvenate your spirits.

 
But a getaway to the Florida Keys and Key West is much more than peace and quiet. And not just because of the legendary fishing and the world’s most spectacular dive sites.

   The Keys mean history. Art. Theater. Museums. Shopping. Fine dining. Entertainment.

   All told, 120 miles of perfect balance between natural beauty and extra-ordinary excitement. Between relaxation and activities. Between the quaint and the classic. And you’ll find it's accommodations just as diverse as it's pleasures. 

   
From some of the best camping spots in the country to luxurious hotels. From charming bed-and-breakfasts to rustic, family-owned lodgings. In other words, the keys offer something for everyone.

Here is a video featuring the islands starting in Key Largo and ending in Key West - The natural beauty is AMAZING!

 

 Key Largo

   The moment you leave the mainland and cross into Key Largo, you’ll want to kick off your shoes and put your bathing suit on. And that’s just the perfect attire.

   Because Key Largo is the Diving Capital of the World. 

   America’s most dazzling underwater parks and reefs are waiting for you here. From John Pennekamp State Park and the National Marine Sanctuary, to the crystal clear waters of Molasses Reef and the underwater caves of the French Reef. You can also explore the 510’ U.S.S. Spiegel Grove, which is one of the largest wrecks ever in divable U.S. waters.

  And if you want to take a break from diving, we’ve got great fishing here too. But there’s plenty more to do onshore. Like a family outing to Harry Harris Park. A visit to Dolphins Plus or Dolphin Cove where you can actually go swimming with these friendly and highly intelligent mammals.

   Or breathtaking ventures into the Everglades, which just happens to be the backyard. You can also journey back to a simpler time in historic Tavernier and explore railroad stations, churches, pioneer homes, a school, and family-owned stores from the turn of the century. Or experience a bit of old movie magic checking out Bogey’s “African Queen” and locations where scenes from Key Largo and PT 109 were shot.

Islamorada

Tarpon

   Imagine. Two oceans full of the world’s most sought-after gamefish. Marlin, tuna and dolphin in the Atlantic.

   While the backcountry offers a grand slam shot at permit, tarpon, and bonefish.

   You’re now in Islamorada, the Sport Fishing Capital of the World.

   The variety of fish swimming these waters makes Islamorada a favorite of divers too. But here you can also catch fish on dry land. Like acrobatic dolphins and other deep sea stars at the Theater of the Sea, on Windley Key.
 
   Or cast your sight at the colorful collection of arts, crafts and other island treasures in the shops and galleries at Rain Barrel, on nearby Plantation Key. Perhaps you’d like to pick your own camping site, grab a fishing pole and kick back at Long Key State Park.

   Or explore the wild tamarind groves and Mexican sisals planted by Henry Perrine in Indian Key Historical Site. And if you feel daring, drop by Lignumvitae Botanical Site and ascend to the highest elevation in all the Keys - a dizzying 18 feet.

Marathon

   Fly into Marathon airport and you’re landing right in the Heart of the Keys. A place where pirates once roamed. Where the diving is clear and inviting. And fishing means record breaking trophies. Archeological digs at Crane Point Hammock have revealed seven centuries of visitors, residents and natural treasures. And at the Museum of Natural History you can hike on nature trails that date back hundreds of years and enjoy a variety of exhibits and special events.

   The Dolphin Research Center, on nearby Grassy Key, was once the site of Flipper’s Sea School and where Flipper’s original 1950’s movie was shot. And while much of Henry Flagler’s railroad to Key West was destroyed by a hurricane, when you travel along our historic Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually
6.9 miles), you’re driving where Flagler’s mighty locomotives once roared.

   Of course, your visit here wouldn’t be complete without checking out the old conch houses on Pigeon Key, which is only accessible from the old Seven Mile Bridge. Or a nice, refreshing dip in the inviting waters
of Sombrero Beach. Yes, Marathon is not only in the Heart of the Keys, it has more than plenty to steal
your heart.

The Lower Keys

   It’s real. And breathtaking. The kind of natural beauty that doesn't exist anywhere else. From our pristine
waters to the spectacular Great Heron National Wildlife Refuge. Put on your gear and explore the incredible artificial reefs of the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, named after the HMS Looe which ran aground here in 1744. But while you marvel at certain reefs that nearly break the surface, please remember not to touch them. They’re protected.

   The Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge is home to several hundred miniature deer. If you want to see them, the best times are early morning and dusk. If you want to capture one, don’t forget to bring your camera. Of course, the fishing here is outstanding, especially in our huge backcountry. And so is kayaking and canoeing the inland waters at Watson’s Hammock. And if you want to find out what a gorgeous beach is really all about, visit Bahia Honda State Park and its camping areas, cabins, marinas and picnic grounds.

Key West

   Whether you drive or fly into Key West, one thing’s for sure: there’s simply no place quite like it. An island city of palm-lined streets boasting Victorian homes, gingerbread conch houses and mansions on the National Register.

   John Audubon and Ernest Hemingway lived here. One had a passion for preservation. The other, a great zest for living. And that combination gives Key West its unique personality. The moment you get on world famous Duval Street, in Old Town Key West, you do more than feel the ambiance. You become apart of it.

    Sure, Key West is dive shops and charter boats. And glorious sunsets. But it’s also a Bahamian Village. Historic Forts. Lighthouses. Theaters. Museums. Galleries. Festivals. Markets. Sidewalk cafes. Legendary pubs. Even Truman’s Little Whitehouse. You don’t need a car. Tour the city on foot or by trolley. Mingle with some of the world’s most fun-loving characters. And find some of the best made cigars and aloe products anywhere. Key West is unique. And unspoiled. A feast for your heart and your soul.

Incredible Fishing

   Come and fish in the waters of the Florida Keys & Key West where fishing legends were born. Ernest Hemingway fished the waters of the Florida Straits between Cuba and Key West for giant blue marlin. Zane Grey applied his angling and writing skills to the in-shore and backcountry of the Florida Keys, landing sailfish and giant tarpon. Just a few of the 225 species of gamefish that prowl the crystal clear waters of the Florida Keys.

  But you don’t have to be a legend or a writer to enjoy the thrill of big game fishing year round in the Keys, just bring your boat on down or charter one. Charter boats and guides are available to introduce you to one or more of our natives that bite. Deep sea fishing experienced captains are waiting to take you into the Gulfstream just minutes away from the dock where you can test your angling skills against the sailfish and marlin.

   Backcountry guides have staked out the flats where tarpon and bonefish await the anglers preferring to use light spin or fly tackle or perhaps a party boat that offers a day or night fishing trip to the pristine coral reefs for snapper or grouper. Remember you don’t have to be a legend or a writer to enjoy big game fishing in the Florida Keys, but you may run the risk of becoming a legend in your own time.
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