Outdoor Recreation in Florida Keys

Heralded as one of the world's premier saltwater sportfishing destinations, the Florida Keys and Key West offers sensational year-round fishing opportunities. Ideal geographical location, beautiful weather, spectacular scenery and flourishing fisheries combine for exceptional fishing.

The close proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay provide anglers with the opportunity to fish more than one body of water within the same day of fishing to capitalize on the wide variety of fisheries. It is not uncommon for captains out of Key West to fish the Gulf of Mexico in the morning and the Atlantic Ocean in the afternoon.

Not an angler? Perhaps snorkeling or diving is your bag of tricks. The Florida Keys Shipwreck Heritage Trail is a water-based line of notable wreck sites - suitable for both snorkeling and diving - that stretches from Key Largo to Key West. Established by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the trail was created to encourage an appreciation and understanding of the Keys' maritime heritage.

The Florida Keys are known for their beautiful scenery, gala events and unparalleled watersports activities. Away from the mainstream, however, is a quiet world ruled by the natural ebb and flow of the sea known as the backcountry. Naturalists and outdoor enthusiasts have combined environmental tourism with the sport of sea kayaking to take advantage of this unique environment, which is home to one of the most diverse assortments of marine life in the world.

This shallow backwater region of flats and mangrove islands lies along the north side of U.S. Highway 1. Not easily accessible to boat traffic, this area is largely untraveled, unspoiled and teeming with fascinating plant and animal life.
The quiet, shallow-draft kayaks - exceptionally stable and requiring no special skills, strength or experience to paddle - are ideal for excursions into backcountry waters.

If you're not into the water (strange, for visiting islands!) there are plenty of outdoor nature trails and historic sites to explore and fill your days.

Blue Planet Kayak - Eco Tours & Rentals

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Share a background in botany, marine science, oceanography and bird research...
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Big Pine Kayak Adventures

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Old Wooden Bridge Fishing Camp
MM 30, US1

Nature tours among the mangroves and backcountry...
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Florida Bay Outfitters

104050 Overseas Highway

Year-round sea kayak and canoeing tours and rentals in Key Largo and Everglades National Park...
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Reel Therapy Fishing Charters

29124 Mango Lane

Inshore and offshore Florida Keys fishing charters in Big Pine Key...
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Hall's Diving Center & Career Institute

5050 Overseas Highway

Career training to become a dive professional, and full-service dive shop...
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Florida Keys Dive Center

90451 Old Highway

PADI 5-star IDC Facility. Dive and snorkel the upper Keys' best reefs, wrecks, walls and Pennekamp Park on two 46-foot charter boats...
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Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center

51 Garden Cove Drive

Join Captain Slate and his creature feature dives...
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Lignumvitae Key Wildlife Observation Site

P.O. Box 1052

See what the keys were like before humans; private boat tours...
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Long Key State Park

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P.O. Box 776

The Spanish used to refer to Long Key as "Cayo Vivora," which means Rattlesnake Key—a reference to the shape of the island...
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