Driving the Florida KEYS
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Calgon1
Awaiting results of mental evaluation
Key Largo, the northern-most island of the Florida Keys island chain, lies only an hour's drive from South Florida's two major airports. Yet it is a world away.
As you look at the tropical hardwoods, the winding creeks, and the stunning coral formations, it is no wonder Hollywood chose to film scenes from the movies "PT 109" and "Key Largo" here.
Key Largo is sandwiched between the watery wilderness of the Everglades National Park to the west and the fish-covered coral formations of North America's only living coral barrier reef to the east. It's not just Hollywood producers who are drawn to the wildlife here. Even Fantasy Fest revelers have been known to relax in Key Largo before, during or after enjoying Key West's famously outlandish costume festival.
Six miles offshore in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary you will find the wreck of the Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot Navy ship intentionally scuttled in June 2002 as the backbone for a new coral reef.
Locals consider their home the Diving Capital of the World but the island is nearly as famous as a sport-fishing destination. Some of the best charter captains and fishing guides in the world work out of Key Largo. You can go after sailfish offshore, bonefish along the Atlantic shallows, or redfish and tarpon in Florida Bay.
Key Largo's proximity to the Everglades makes it a premier destination for kayakers, birders and other eco-tourists. All this beauty, not to mention the island's rich history, has inspired a vibrant community of artists who show their work at several local galleries.
When the day is done, you can trade stories at any of a full-range of restaurants, bars, hotels, motels and resorts. Each is as unique as Key Largo itself.
Islamorada is comprised of six islands including Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and the offshore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key.
This might be the only place on Earth where it is possible to catch a sailfish in the morning, and then venture into the backcountry in pursuit of bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and redfish in just inches of water.
With a fleet of highly-skilled recreational fishing captains, Islamorada's reputation as The Sport Fishing Capital of the World is well earned. Yet there is a secret that is just starting to get out. Not everyone comes here to fish.
Divers and snorkelers are fascinated by the History of Diving Museum that opened in 2006 to rave reviews. Music lovers enjoy warm, tropical evenings on the lawn of the TIB Amphitheater at Founder's Park. Theater lovers routinely take in first-class productions at the Coral Shores Performing Arts Center.
Robbie's Marina sells buckets of bait for feeding swarms of tarpon that linger around the docks. The Theater of the Sea Marine Mammal Park offers opportunities to swim with dolphin and other creatures in controlled settings.
At Long Key State Park, visitors kick back or meander along lush, tropical nature trails. At Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, they view an old quarry dug by the late Henry Flagler's railroad workers. Indian Key Historic State Park and Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park offer visitors a glimpse into Florida's unique island history dating back to the early 1800's.
A trip to Islamorada would not be complete without sampling some of the local island cuisine headlined by succulent fresh seafood served everywhere from island tiki bars and dockside fish houses to gourmet beachfront cafes and secluded island bistros. Shoppers will enjoy many area boutiques and galleries filled with one-of-a-kind gifts, apparel and art.
Located mainly on Vaca, Fat Deer, and Grassy Key, Marathon is a 10- mile-long family-oriented island community rooted in a heritage of fishing, and reflects the old-Keys lifestyle that residents, snowbirds and visitors enjoy so much.
It is maintaining this simple, seafaring tradition that has made Marathon so special.
Marathon airport busily accommodates general and commercial aviation, to easily reach what locals call "The heart of the Keys" for geographic reasons, but also to proudly call home.
Undeniably, Marathon’s natural environment has activities for everyone, of any age, interest or nationality. Spectacular sailing, fishing, diving, snorkeling and SNUBA appeal to families, as do the island’s impeccably maintained Sombrero Beach, and a host of eco-attractions and marine-based environmental programs such as dolphin and turtle encounters.
At Marathon's Crane Point, visitors can hike through a wondrously preserved tropical hardwood grove and visit the home of an early 20th Century settler family. Visitors to Pigeon Key venture back in time to a tiny island that played a tremendous role in the Florida Keys of today.
Sombrero Reef, a federally protected section of the United States' only living coral barrier reef, lies just a few miles offshore. Beyond it are the deep blue waters of the Florida Straits, which host world-class wreck diving on artificial reefs.
To an angler's delight, the waters offshore teem with billfish and tuna in the winter and dolphin fish in the summer. On the north side of the island lie the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Bay and the Keys backcountry.
Many of the island's marine activities are situated nearby Boot Key Harbor, a peaceful tropical cove in the center of the island. The harbor is famous for its sunset views and is home to the City Marina, which administers a 226-ball mooring field and a large anchoring area.
Food aficionados can enjoy fresh local fish prepared simply or gourmet style, and many of these restaurants are located right on the water.
The Lower Keys begin where the Florida Keys island chain takes a graceful westerly turn toward the sunset, shortly after the famous Seven Mile Bridge. It is a quiet region of small resorts, down-home restaurants, single-family homes, untrammeled wildernesses and rich history.
Tiny Little Duck Key, at mile marker 40 in the upper end of the Lower Keys, boasts Veterans Memorial Park. Its sandy beaches, picnic areas, and pet-friendliness make it a perfect family stop along the famed Overseas Highway.
Just a mile down the road, at mile marker 39, is Ohio Key. It is home to Sunshine Key Camping Resort, which offers a pool, family restaurant and other amenities.
Nearby, you will find Bahia Honda State Park and Recreation Area at mile marker 37. With its white sandy beaches and abundant wildlife, Bahia Honda Key frequently makes the list of most beautiful beaches in America.
Big Pine Key, at mile marker 33, is the main shopping hub of the Lower Keys. Yet, if you prefer solitude, you need only turn onto one of its lovely side roads.
Explore the National Key Deer Refuge, a large expanse of mostly undeveloped pine lands where the diminutive Key Deer live, or venture out to No Name Key. If you're looking for an off-shore adventure, Big Pine is also the jumping off point for numerous snorkeling and dive charters to Looe Key reef.
Don't forget about the other islands of the Lower Keys. They are famous for their homey resorts, family-oriented neighborhoods and easy access to the water. Look for intriguing names such as Summerland Key, Big Torch and Little Torch Keys, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key or Big Coppitt Key. All are an easy drive to Key West. In fact, the uninhabited Saddlebunch Keys are a network of sandy lagoons and mangrove islands that make the jaunt a memorable one, especially at sunset.
And finally, Key West. Discover a city where real estate titles date back to the Kings of Spain. Stroll the palm-lined streets and discover gingerbread mansions, tin-roofed conch houses, the John Audubon House and Ernest Hemingway's home. Walk in the footsteps of Thomas Edison, Lou Gehrig, Harry Truman, and Tennessee Williams.
Gaze at the fabled treasure of the galleon Atocha. Discover tomorrow's fine art treasures by Key West's well-known and unknown artists.
In Key West, you can visit these and a host of other attractions by taking advantage of convenient public transportation, taxis, pedi-cabs, tour trains, trolleys, bicycles or even your own two feet.
With its balmy weather and crystal blue skies, the island is famous among the outdoors set for its diving, fishing, watersports and golfing at the nearby Key West Golf Club, a course designed by Rees Jones.
Where else but in Key West would the sun shine the brightest when it sets? Everyone gathers for the never planned, always varied Sunset Celebration on the Mallory Dock.
Once the sun is safely tucked away by jugglers, mimes, musicians and street artists, the city moves to a different beat. A night beat. The streets, filled with sidewalk cafes, open-air bars, legendary pubs and world-class restaurants come alive. Gourmets and gourmands alike treat their palates to island specialties. Drama, musicals and comedy flourish on our stages.
As you enjoy these sights, you'll discover that modern Key West is a warm-hearted place where all are welcome. The city's vibrant Gay and Lesbian Community helped spearhead the island's economic and social revival in the 1980's.
'ONE HUMAN FAMILY' is the official philosophy of the island community of Key West and Monroe County; a simple motto which serves not only as a shining example of daily life here, but as one that is openly shared with global neighbors throughout the world.
However you choose to see the town, you'll discover that old town Key West is one of America's true architectural and botanical treasures. On even the tiniest lanes, the locals have faithfully restored old wooden homes and adorned them with lush tropical trees and flowers.
Key West's African cultural heritage is represented by the vibrant Bahama Village neighborhood, founded in the early 1800s by Africans migrating from the Bahamas, and in historic churches, indigenous food and annual festivals.
Among Key West's most significant African cultural sites is the 1860 African Burial Ground, located on the island's Atlantic Ocean shore beside a Civil War-era fort. It is believed by experts to be America's only African refugee cemetery.
New restaurants and stores are popping up in the historic Bahama Village neighborhood, which was settled in the 19th Century by Bahamian immigrants. Hemingway loved coming here to mix with the hard-working locals at boxing matches and arm-wrestling contests.
The island's seafaring tradition lives on at the renovated Historic Seaport district, known locally as the Key West Bight. Dozens of shrimp boats once called this harbor home.
These days, "the Bight" is a popular place to arrange a day on the water, whether you are a diver, snorkeler, fisherman or eco-tourist. Others come just to stroll along the harbor walk or dine at one of the many restaurants.
As you look at the tropical hardwoods, the winding creeks, and the stunning coral formations, it is no wonder Hollywood chose to film scenes from the movies "PT 109" and "Key Largo" here.
Key Largo is sandwiched between the watery wilderness of the Everglades National Park to the west and the fish-covered coral formations of North America's only living coral barrier reef to the east. It's not just Hollywood producers who are drawn to the wildlife here. Even Fantasy Fest revelers have been known to relax in Key Largo before, during or after enjoying Key West's famously outlandish costume festival.
Six miles offshore in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary you will find the wreck of the Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot Navy ship intentionally scuttled in June 2002 as the backbone for a new coral reef.
Locals consider their home the Diving Capital of the World but the island is nearly as famous as a sport-fishing destination. Some of the best charter captains and fishing guides in the world work out of Key Largo. You can go after sailfish offshore, bonefish along the Atlantic shallows, or redfish and tarpon in Florida Bay.
Key Largo's proximity to the Everglades makes it a premier destination for kayakers, birders and other eco-tourists. All this beauty, not to mention the island's rich history, has inspired a vibrant community of artists who show their work at several local galleries.
When the day is done, you can trade stories at any of a full-range of restaurants, bars, hotels, motels and resorts. Each is as unique as Key Largo itself.
Islamorada is comprised of six islands including Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and the offshore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key.
This might be the only place on Earth where it is possible to catch a sailfish in the morning, and then venture into the backcountry in pursuit of bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook and redfish in just inches of water.
With a fleet of highly-skilled recreational fishing captains, Islamorada's reputation as The Sport Fishing Capital of the World is well earned. Yet there is a secret that is just starting to get out. Not everyone comes here to fish.
Divers and snorkelers are fascinated by the History of Diving Museum that opened in 2006 to rave reviews. Music lovers enjoy warm, tropical evenings on the lawn of the TIB Amphitheater at Founder's Park. Theater lovers routinely take in first-class productions at the Coral Shores Performing Arts Center.
Robbie's Marina sells buckets of bait for feeding swarms of tarpon that linger around the docks. The Theater of the Sea Marine Mammal Park offers opportunities to swim with dolphin and other creatures in controlled settings.
At Long Key State Park, visitors kick back or meander along lush, tropical nature trails. At Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park, they view an old quarry dug by the late Henry Flagler's railroad workers. Indian Key Historic State Park and Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park offer visitors a glimpse into Florida's unique island history dating back to the early 1800's.
A trip to Islamorada would not be complete without sampling some of the local island cuisine headlined by succulent fresh seafood served everywhere from island tiki bars and dockside fish houses to gourmet beachfront cafes and secluded island bistros. Shoppers will enjoy many area boutiques and galleries filled with one-of-a-kind gifts, apparel and art.
Located mainly on Vaca, Fat Deer, and Grassy Key, Marathon is a 10- mile-long family-oriented island community rooted in a heritage of fishing, and reflects the old-Keys lifestyle that residents, snowbirds and visitors enjoy so much.
It is maintaining this simple, seafaring tradition that has made Marathon so special.
Marathon airport busily accommodates general and commercial aviation, to easily reach what locals call "The heart of the Keys" for geographic reasons, but also to proudly call home.
Undeniably, Marathon’s natural environment has activities for everyone, of any age, interest or nationality. Spectacular sailing, fishing, diving, snorkeling and SNUBA appeal to families, as do the island’s impeccably maintained Sombrero Beach, and a host of eco-attractions and marine-based environmental programs such as dolphin and turtle encounters.
At Marathon's Crane Point, visitors can hike through a wondrously preserved tropical hardwood grove and visit the home of an early 20th Century settler family. Visitors to Pigeon Key venture back in time to a tiny island that played a tremendous role in the Florida Keys of today.
Sombrero Reef, a federally protected section of the United States' only living coral barrier reef, lies just a few miles offshore. Beyond it are the deep blue waters of the Florida Straits, which host world-class wreck diving on artificial reefs.
To an angler's delight, the waters offshore teem with billfish and tuna in the winter and dolphin fish in the summer. On the north side of the island lie the calm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, Florida Bay and the Keys backcountry.
Many of the island's marine activities are situated nearby Boot Key Harbor, a peaceful tropical cove in the center of the island. The harbor is famous for its sunset views and is home to the City Marina, which administers a 226-ball mooring field and a large anchoring area.
Food aficionados can enjoy fresh local fish prepared simply or gourmet style, and many of these restaurants are located right on the water.
The Lower Keys begin where the Florida Keys island chain takes a graceful westerly turn toward the sunset, shortly after the famous Seven Mile Bridge. It is a quiet region of small resorts, down-home restaurants, single-family homes, untrammeled wildernesses and rich history.
Tiny Little Duck Key, at mile marker 40 in the upper end of the Lower Keys, boasts Veterans Memorial Park. Its sandy beaches, picnic areas, and pet-friendliness make it a perfect family stop along the famed Overseas Highway.
Just a mile down the road, at mile marker 39, is Ohio Key. It is home to Sunshine Key Camping Resort, which offers a pool, family restaurant and other amenities.
Nearby, you will find Bahia Honda State Park and Recreation Area at mile marker 37. With its white sandy beaches and abundant wildlife, Bahia Honda Key frequently makes the list of most beautiful beaches in America.
Big Pine Key, at mile marker 33, is the main shopping hub of the Lower Keys. Yet, if you prefer solitude, you need only turn onto one of its lovely side roads.
Explore the National Key Deer Refuge, a large expanse of mostly undeveloped pine lands where the diminutive Key Deer live, or venture out to No Name Key. If you're looking for an off-shore adventure, Big Pine is also the jumping off point for numerous snorkeling and dive charters to Looe Key reef.
Don't forget about the other islands of the Lower Keys. They are famous for their homey resorts, family-oriented neighborhoods and easy access to the water. Look for intriguing names such as Summerland Key, Big Torch and Little Torch Keys, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key or Big Coppitt Key. All are an easy drive to Key West. In fact, the uninhabited Saddlebunch Keys are a network of sandy lagoons and mangrove islands that make the jaunt a memorable one, especially at sunset.
And finally, Key West. Discover a city where real estate titles date back to the Kings of Spain. Stroll the palm-lined streets and discover gingerbread mansions, tin-roofed conch houses, the John Audubon House and Ernest Hemingway's home. Walk in the footsteps of Thomas Edison, Lou Gehrig, Harry Truman, and Tennessee Williams.
Gaze at the fabled treasure of the galleon Atocha. Discover tomorrow's fine art treasures by Key West's well-known and unknown artists.
In Key West, you can visit these and a host of other attractions by taking advantage of convenient public transportation, taxis, pedi-cabs, tour trains, trolleys, bicycles or even your own two feet.
With its balmy weather and crystal blue skies, the island is famous among the outdoors set for its diving, fishing, watersports and golfing at the nearby Key West Golf Club, a course designed by Rees Jones.
Where else but in Key West would the sun shine the brightest when it sets? Everyone gathers for the never planned, always varied Sunset Celebration on the Mallory Dock.
Once the sun is safely tucked away by jugglers, mimes, musicians and street artists, the city moves to a different beat. A night beat. The streets, filled with sidewalk cafes, open-air bars, legendary pubs and world-class restaurants come alive. Gourmets and gourmands alike treat their palates to island specialties. Drama, musicals and comedy flourish on our stages.
As you enjoy these sights, you'll discover that modern Key West is a warm-hearted place where all are welcome. The city's vibrant Gay and Lesbian Community helped spearhead the island's economic and social revival in the 1980's.
'ONE HUMAN FAMILY' is the official philosophy of the island community of Key West and Monroe County; a simple motto which serves not only as a shining example of daily life here, but as one that is openly shared with global neighbors throughout the world.
However you choose to see the town, you'll discover that old town Key West is one of America's true architectural and botanical treasures. On even the tiniest lanes, the locals have faithfully restored old wooden homes and adorned them with lush tropical trees and flowers.
Key West's African cultural heritage is represented by the vibrant Bahama Village neighborhood, founded in the early 1800s by Africans migrating from the Bahamas, and in historic churches, indigenous food and annual festivals.
Among Key West's most significant African cultural sites is the 1860 African Burial Ground, located on the island's Atlantic Ocean shore beside a Civil War-era fort. It is believed by experts to be America's only African refugee cemetery.
New restaurants and stores are popping up in the historic Bahama Village neighborhood, which was settled in the 19th Century by Bahamian immigrants. Hemingway loved coming here to mix with the hard-working locals at boxing matches and arm-wrestling contests.
The island's seafaring tradition lives on at the renovated Historic Seaport district, known locally as the Key West Bight. Dozens of shrimp boats once called this harbor home.
These days, "the Bight" is a popular place to arrange a day on the water, whether you are a diver, snorkeler, fisherman or eco-tourist. Others come just to stroll along the harbor walk or dine at one of the many restaurants.
Mbandy
Staff Captain
Key Largo also gained notoriety when the 1947 movie classic "Key Largo," featuring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, hit the silver screen. A local bar, the Caribbean Club, provided the locale for a number of the movie's scenes and the bar is still in operation today. Bogie's presence still can be seen today in Key Largo, the vessel of another American movie epic - "The African Queen" - is on view at the Holiday Inn Key Largo Marina.
MisterD21
If you take me serious, it's your problem
LOL... i don't think i would want to drive the keys with a vehicle full of kids...
But seriously though, Calgon1 nailed it...
Key divers..In key largo is a great snorkel tour,3stops really great guys for the tour.It was 35 bucks a piece,One place you Have to Visit is Anne's beach,Its amazing little spot I belive right after the 7mile bridge,It super small but the view is amazing,The beach at the beginning of 7 mile bridge is awesome for snokeling go on the other side of the bridge,And key west is a whole new world,There is a state park beach that is pretty good.The keys do not have many beaches..thats weird i know but it true.Oh and stop at duck key,The resort there is amazing,just walk in the view they have is out of this world the pool to ocean is awesome,Take a look at the dolphins swimming there.
