Florida Keys for First-Timers
Day Note:
Being in the Keys means being in nature, exploring the outdoors and finding an appreciation of wildlife again. Florida Keys islands are a destination yes, but they are also a series of working communities where locals strive to maintain a less-frenetic pace of life, strong communities and relaxed atmosphere. There is as much history as there is enjoyment in these natural outdoors-y things to do, so you don't want to skip them!
As of March 2010, the Key West...
-
1 hide detail
Pigeon Key
Contact:
- +1 305 289 0025
- visit website
Location:
- Pigeon Key Foundation
- P.O Box 500130
- Marathon,FL33050
-
Map
Description:
Pigeon Key is a timeless, tiny island that played a tremendous role in the Florida Keys of today. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this five-acre property served as a home base for railroad workers erecting and later operating the final installment of Henry M. Flagler's Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast (FEC) Railway: the Old Seven-Mile Bridge.
Pigeon Key is reached either by foot or ferry service. Vehicles are now prohibited from driving over the old Seven Mile Bridge, so walkers revel in the 2.1-mile scenic walk to the island. TRAVEL TIP: You can get the best sunset and sunrise shots at this bridge!
The Pigeon Key Visitor Center and Gift Shop is located on Knight's Key, mile marker 47 oceanside. Admission to the island is only a donation of $11 per adult and proceeds benefit the Pigeon Key Foundation and its preservation and restoration efforts. It is absolutely worth the boat ride over, and is ideal for outstanding photos of the Keys.
TRAVE TIP: A celebration to honor the historic railroad, lauded as the most unique railway in the world upon its completion, has begun in the Keys and is to culminate in January 2012, marking the 100th anniversary of Henry Flagler arriving into Key West for the first time on his namesake railroad, and in a railcar called the Rambler. Planned elements include history tours showcasing Flagler sites, bicycling expeditions, educational presentations and explorations of Pigeon Key. -
2 hide detail
Curry Hammock State Park
Contact:
- +1 305 289 2690
- visit website
Location:
- 56200 Overseas Highway
- Marathon,FL33050
-
Map
Description:
At MM 56 Oceanside in Marathon is the unspoiled, uncrowded Curry Hammock State Park, with beach and picnic facilities. It is an uncrowded oceanfront preserve, with outstanding beach and recreational facilities, kayak launch site, and just an idyllic spot. Curry Hammock is fast becoming a site for launching kiteboards, a sport that is gaining momentum in the Keys, especially in Marathon and Islamorada. A small RV park has been built at Curry Hammock, with approx. two dozen sites, but the RV area's private beach is unrivaled. Quiet, quiet, quiet. And close to any and all day trips throughout the islands. Curry Hammock is still an unspoiled gem in the Middle Keys.
-
3 hide detail
Theater of the Sea
Contact:
- +1 305 664 2431
- visit website
Location:
- 84721 Overseas Highway
- Islamorada,FL33036
-
Map
Description:
Theater of the Sea, located at 84721 Overseas Highway (MM 84.5) in Islamorada, offers a sit-down parrot show that is surprisingly entertaining and hilarious to watch parrots playing with shapes, ringing bells, playing poker and taking part in guessing games.
This is an educational and entertaining marine-animal park and shows are up-close and personal, and is the second oldest park of its kind in the world; the animals live there in natural saltwater lagoons, such as Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, California sea lions, sea turtles, tropical and game fish, sharks, stingrays, crocodiles, alligators, marine invertebrates and birds of prey.
While some of the animals were collected and others were born at Theater of the Sea, many cannot be released because of prolonged contact with humans and/or injuries sustained in the wild. This is hugely important during hurricane season when the animals need to be moved or secured. The care and maintenance of the animals is supported by patrons' donations.
Featuring the debonair dolphins that double as ring bearers, Islamorada's Theater of the Sea also offers marine mammal fans a variety of customized wedding packages that include dolphin and sea lion shows and even pictures with the park's tropical parrots. Couples in love can reserve the park for an evening, and Theater of Sea's trained staff will help choreograph dolphin behavior shows to their choice of wedding music. In fact, the bride can arrive at the ceremony in a floating chariot accompanied by dolphins. Customized packages are available for up to 200 people.
Theater of the Sea is open 365 days a year, with tickets available from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This is the place that pleases everyone in the family! -
4 hide detail
Robbie's Marina
Contact:
- +1 305 664 9814
- visit website
Location:
- 77-5 Overseas Highway
- Islamorada,FL33036
-
Map
Description:
Okay, this is where you need to drop all pretense and just have FUN. Not only is Robbie's a marina, but the business has one party boat, one offshore boat and a recently acquired snorkel boat in addition to backcountry captains and fishing guides. The owners strive to make it more of a tourist attraction/destination within Islamorada, by adding eco-tours and a cultural environment - they bring in artists on the weekends. Robbie's is a place where you come in and you feel you've stepped back in time to the Florida Keys of the past. As for the fishy residents, the beloved tarpon they have been hand feeding for over 30 years, they're part of the family just like a dog or cat might be. For a couple bucks you can get a bucket of bait fish and drop it into a 100-pound tarpon's mouth - watch your fingers! Robbie's Marina is located at mile marker 77.5 bayside in Islamorada.
-
5 hide detail
National Key Deer Refuge
Contact:
- +1 305 872 2239
- visit website
Location:
- 28950 Watson Boulevard
- Big Pine Key Plaza
- Big Pine Key,FL33043
-
Map
Description:
The National Key Deer Refuge consists of approximately 9,200 acres of land that includes mangrove forests, freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, pine rockland forests and tropical hardwood hammocks, as well as more than 75,000 acres of state waters co-managed to support refuge objectives. Shallow nearshore waters are included as well.
These native habitats sustain the tiny Key deer, a subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer, and 21 other threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Since the refuge was established, the Key deer, once nearing extinction because of over-hunting and habitat loss, has rebounded to a healthy population of between 600 and 700 animals.
The refuge, which is more than 50 years old, is also a stopping point for thousands of migratory birds each year, and a winter home to many North American bird species including the roseate tern and peregrine falcon. Birdwatching is one of the world's largest participatory sports, and the Keys are an ideal location for it, year-round.
Enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels are welcome to walk along the nature trails in the Refuge, and maps are provided at the visitor center. As well as wearing comfortable walking shoes and weather–appropriate clothing, visitors are encouraged to bring sunscreen, a hat, bug spray, water, binoculars and field guides for bird watching. -
6 hide detail
Bahia Honda State Park
Contact:
- +1 305 872 2353
- visit website
Location:
- Mile Marker 37.5
- Big Pine Key
- Key West,FL33043
-
Map
Description:
In 2008, the New York Times listed this as one of the top '31 Places To Go This Summer' and it will not disappoint. In 1992, the beach there was named among America's Top 10 Beaches, by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach. Bahia Honda is a days-off dream. With 492 acres, Bahia Honda boasts three sandy beaches -- some of the best in the Florida Keys, which are rare. This one is rivaled only by Marathon's Sombrero Beach. Shallow-water snorkeling and fishing from the beach, plus an abundance of wading and shore birds, kayaking and great views of the Old Bahia Honda Bridge complement the Sand and Sea Nature Center.
-
7 hide detail
Nancy Forrester's Secret Garden
Contact:
- +1 305 294 0015
- visit website
Location:
- 1 Free School Lane
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Located right in the middle of crowded Old Town Key West, this place is an "island in the stream." Owner Nancy Forrester has somehow managed to face down the pressure of development and the tree-tearing fury of hurricanes in order to keep this 30-year-old garden pristine and magnificent. Here you will see the tropics in all its foliage glory with exotics such as orchids nestling in branches, huge ferns, bromeliads, red ginger, pink heliconias and a "sunburn" gumbo-limbo tree. Some plants are rare and endangered; others are extinct in their original habitats. A group of exotic birds resides among the lush foliage.
Bring a picnic lunch and tour the onsite art gallery, as well. Admission fee.
The entrance is on Free School Lane, off the 500 block of Simonton Street between Fleming and Southard streets. -
8 hide detail
Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Museum
Contact:
- +1 305 294 2633
- visit website
Location:
- 200 Greene Street
- Take U.S. 1 to Whitehead St. and turn left on Greene
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Mel Fisher and his crew uncovered the "main pile" of the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha, her treasure and artifacts, hailed by world press as the shipwreck find of the century, on July 20, 1985, after an exhaustive 16-year search. The galleon was wrecked during a 1622 hurricane in approximately 55 feet of water 35 miles southwest of Key West. Since then, almost four million people have come to Key West to see the artifacts and treasures - including gold and silver bars and coins, a 77.7-carat emerald and thousands of smaller stones, religious objects, rare navigational instruments and weapons - that were excavated and conserved under the auspices of the Mel Fisher Maritime Heritage Society. Fisher died in 1998, but his family continues his legacy. Museum is open 365 days a year: Mon – Fri 8:30am – 5pm, Sat, Sun & holidays, 9:30am – 5pm.
-
9 hide detail
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Contact:
- +1 305 294 1136
- visit website
Location:
- 907 Whitehead Street
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Key West was to have been just a stopping-off point for Hemingway when he arrived on the ferry from Havana in 1928. But the Ford automobile that should have been waiting at the docks was delayed, so the embarrassed car merchant offered the author accommodations at the Trevor and Morris Apartments located above the dealership. During his stay there, Hemingway worked on "A Farewell to Arms" and became captivated by the island's easygoing ambiance.What he discovered fed his exuberance for living, heralded the beginning of the most prolific period of his career and inspired him to use Depression-era Key West as the locale for "To Have and Have Not" - his only novel set in the United States.In a short time, Hemingway moved into a Spanish colonial villa at 907 Whitehead St., which was his home through December 1939. Now a registered National Historic Landmark, the home is open to the public as a museum honoring the island's most famous literary resident.Ernest Hemingway wrote many of his best-known works in the second-story writing studio that adjoins the house. Among them were "Death in the Afternoon," "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "The Green Hills of Africa," "The Fifth Column," "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber." Following his death in 1961, the unpublished manuscript that was to become "Islands in the Stream" was found in a vault in the property's garage. His zest for life, literary accomplishments and enduring affection for the island he called home throughout the 1930s are commemorated during the annual Hemingway Days celebration each July. The schedule includes a popular look-alike contest, authors' readings and presentations, an exhibition of rare Hemingway memorabilia, a three-day marlin tournament, an offbeat "Running of the Bulls" and the culmination of a short story contest directed by author and Hemingway granddaughter Lorian Hemingway. Hemingway Home & Museum open 365 days a year, 9am-5pm daily.
-
10 hide detail
Dry Tortugas National Park
Contact:
- +1 305 242 7700
- visit website
Location:
- Garden Key
- Key West,FL33041
-
Map
Description:
Visit the Dry Tortugas by charter boat, catamaran or (my favorite) high-speed ferry. The trip is a well-spent day and the crew of Yankee Freedom II knows how to show you a good time. Once at the fort, you can camp overnight on its small beach, or snorkel for a while among the nearby corals. The Yankee Freedom II is state-of-the-art comfort, lunch is included, you cannot go wrong! Even among residents of the Keys, this is one of the favorite things to do with family and friends that visit, or to just a wile away a day exploring, away from phones and work. Book before 3p.m. the day before you want to go!
Author note:
Fort Jefferson, the 19th-century coastal fort that rises out of the sea in the remote Dry Tortugas National Park, is the apex of masonry art. A six-year restoration is under way, and a ferry ride over to the Park is without a doubt worth the time.
Day Note:
Santiago's is one of those local secrets that is hard to reveal, because we selfishly like to keep it to ourselves. You'll be hooked after the first visit, and undeniably A-plus wine list, and super prices for every budget.All the restaurants listed here are some of the island chain's standouts - ones known for a specific kind of food and level of skill involved to continue putting out the best dishes.
-
11 hide detail
Santiago's Bodega
Contact:
- 305 296 7691
- visit website
Location:
- 207 Petronia Street
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
With its chic, jazzy and very contemporary look, Santiago's Bodega lies in Bahama Village, a historic neighborhood. You will find hot and cold tapas. This tapas bar offers traditional Spanish food, Greek meza and a mélange of dishes. Choose between Chicken Skewers and Spanikopita (spinach, feta and onion baked in a pastry), or just sip your glass of sangria and watch little kids race on bikes outside the restaurant.
-
12 hide detail
No Name Pub
Contact:
- 305 872 9115
- visit website
Location:
- North Watson Boulevard
- 1 1/2 mile north of U.S 1
- Big Pine Key,FL33043
-
Map
Description:
No Name Pub dates as far back as 1931 when they were a general store and a bait and tackle shop. Early customers included people from all walks of life, world travelers that arrived from the mainland via ferry to the local fisherman. A brothel upstairs in the late 1930s -1940s, then during the 1950s the general store and bait and tackle shop closed. The Pub became 100% bar and restaurant.
A honky tonk atmosphere of beer drinking, pool shooting and great food eating became known from Miami To Key West. Dice, crap and card games would eventually start as patrons spilled outdoors when the inside became too crowded. It was during this era their famous pizza was born. Two great cooks from Italy brought their recipe with them when they worked there, a recipe which has lasted over 40 years.
People from all walks of life enjoy great food, cold beer and good conversation. A juke box is still there, the walls are covered with a few more dollar bills and it is one of the last great places with that old Florida Keys atmosphere.
"A nice place if you can find it."Author note:
One of my favorite places to go on a day off when there is a free afternoon to take a sunny motorcycle ride and enjoy good conversation and YUMMY pizza.
-
13 hide detail
La Trattoria Italian Restaurant
Contact:
- 305 296 1075
- visit website
Location:
- 524 Duval Street
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Have a true Italian feast in a relaxed atmosphere. Each dish here is prepared and presented according to old Italian tradition. Try the delicious bread-crumb-stuffed mushroom caps; they're firm yet tender. The stuffed eggplant with ricotta and roasted peppers is light and flavorful. Or have the seafood salad of shrimp, calamari, and mussels, fish-market fresh and tasty. The pasta dishes are also great -- go for the penne Venezia, with mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, and crabmeat. For dessert, don't skip the homemade tiramisu; it's light yet full-flavored. The dining room is spacious but still intimate, and the waiters are friendly. Before you leave, visit Virgilio's, a cocktail lounge with live jazz until 2am.
-
14 hide detail
Pierre's
Contact:
- 305 664 3225
- visit website
Location:
- 81600 Overseas Highway
- Islamorada,FL33037
-
Map
Description:
Dark mahogany wood décor, with creamy color schemes make you feel as if you are Morocco. Food is DYNAMITE and the ine list is the envy of oenophiles everywhere. A fresh herb garden outside the restaurant ensures hand-picked, fresh variety and flavor in the dishes.
-
15 hide detail
Island Grill
Contact:
- 305 664 8400
- visit website
Location:
- 85501 Overseas Highway
- Islamorada,FL33036
-
Map
Description:
Island Grill is a huge participant with local fishing tournaments and a tireless contributor to the Keys' lifestyle - relaxed, fun and an outdoor eatery worth telling any of your closest friends and family about.
Day Note:
Nightlife in the Keys is a bit subdued, perhaps with Key West as the exception. Whether it's live music you are looking for, jazz, salsa or a the house band that has been together for decades, the Keys has it all. Throw in a little community theater for quirks, and you have a flavorful cultural stew.
-
hide detail
Looe Key Tiki Bar
Contact:
- 305 872-2215
- visit website
Location:
- 27340 Overseas Highway , Ramrod Key
- Little Torch Key,FL33042
-
Map
Description:
After a great day on the water, relax in the friendly tropical atmosphere of the world famous Tiki Bar. Mingle with the locals, swap stories with fellow divers, and enjoy nightly live entertainment. The bar tenders are even known to dazzle guests with firey tricks!
-
hide detail
Virgilio's
Contact:
- 305 296 8118
- visit website
Location:
- 524 Duval Street
- Applerouth Lane
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Cocktails and chilled martinis are not the only drinks served here. Vergilio's posseses a penchant for letting you drink lovely wines and scotches. Lounge music rules. The jazz and blues are not left behind though. But don't anticipate a quiet night out as it can get hot down here as the dark hours roll by. Vergilio's is known as trendy spot with live music and late night DJs.
-
hide detail
Red Barn Theater
Contact:
- 305 296 9911
- visit website
Location:
- 319 Duval Street
- Rear
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Operating here for more than 20 years, the Red Barn Theater showcases works by new playwrights. This professional small theater focuses on dramas, comedies and musicals, a wide range of options for a small local company. In recent years, offerings have included Three Little Comedies by Chekhov, Honey Drown and always...Patsy Cline. The theater seats 88 people. Individual tickets are available through the box office. The theater is located at the rear of Duval Street in Key West.
-
hide detail
Dockside Lounge
Contact:
- 305 743 0000
- visit website
Location:
- 35 Sombrero Boulevard
- Bayside
- Marathon,FL33037
-
Map
Description:
A popular spot for gatherings of local folks, the lounge offers live entertainment and has an outdoor dance floor that's often pulsating on weekends when this spot is very lively indeed. A popular spot for sunset-watching, one of the Keys' most popular daily activities.
-
hide detail
Snappers Waterfront Saloon & Raw Bar
Contact:
- 305 852 5956
- visit website
Location:
- Mile Marker 94.5
- Oceanside
- Key Largo,FL33037
-
Map
Description:
Tucked in alongside the ocean, Snappers is both bar and restaurant but the live entertainment on weekends is the primary draw for nightlife fans who crowd The Turtle Bar, one of three watering holes here. If you are hungry, try fresh seafood, which changes depending on the day's catch. The Key Largo Crab Cakes are the house specialty, or try Coconut Crusted Shrimp or a Smoked Fish Salad. The Sunday Champagne Jazz Brunch is very popular.
Day Note:
Pennekamp Park, America's first undersea park, turns 50 this year! From December 1-11, 2010 there are special celebrations throughout Key Largo planned. Be a part of history!
-
21 hide detail
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Contact:
- +1 305 451 6300
- visit website
Location:
- Mile Marker 102.5
- Overseas Highway
- Key Largo,FL33037
-
Map
Description:
Kudos to the late "Miami Herald" editor John Pennekamp for helping to create the first undersea park in the United States.
Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, established by the state legislature in 1961 to protect the miracle of America's only living coral reef, allows access to abundant underwater wildlife, large brain, staghorn and elkhorn coral formations and a four-foot barracuda who likes to be photographed.
Only a 90-minute drive from Miami, Pennekamp is incorporated in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a 2,800 square nautical mile span of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamp on both sides of the Keys island chain, Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
One of the park's most popular dive sites is the nine-foot bronze statue that rests in 20 feet of water. The statue is a replica of the "Christ of the Abyss" statue in the Mediterranean Sea and was donated to the Underwater Society of America in 1961 by industrialist Egidi Cressi. It is also referred to as "Christ of the Deep."
Underwater enthusiasts can take a reef adventure on a glass bottom boat, snorkeling or scuba diving. If you're not into the underwater scene, John Pennekamp offers two manmade beaches, canoe, kayak and boat rentals and nature trails, a 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, interactive exhibits at the visitor center as well as 47 campsites, all with electrical hookups and water.
In 2010, the Park celebrated its 50th anniversary as America's first undersea park. -
22 hide detail
Indian Key State Historic Site
Contact:
- +1 305 664 2540
- visit website
Location:
- Mile Marker 78.5
- 1 mile west of the tip if Islamorada
- Islamorada,FL33036
-
Map
Description:
This key on the ocean side of the Matecumbe Islands was once home to Native Americans and ship-wreckers. Today it lies slumbering in the sun, awaiting visitors with an interest in the heritage of the Keys. Recent hurricanes have taken a toll on the island's ruins so there are no longer guided tours, but you can go on your own to walk marked trails and sites. To reach the island, go by ferry or for additional adventure, rent a kayak. In October, a festival called Indian Key Festival salutes the history of the key.
-
23 hide detail
Old Seven Mile Bridge
Contact:
- +1 800 352 5397
Location:
- Mile Marker 47, U.S 1
- U.S. 1
- Pigeon Key,FL33050
-
Map
Description:
When the new Seven Mile Bridge was constructed, the old bridge was left in place. It's become a favorite spot for fishing, jogging, rollerblading, cycling, sunset viewing and just general absorption of atmosphere.
It's even been used as a location for many action films, and most recently was featured as the final destination in the CBS smash hit, 'Amazing Race.' You can get to the bridge at MM 47, by Knight's Key and walk out (2.1 miles) to Pigeon Key, which is, in itself, a fascinating place to get a look at Keys history. There is no admission fee on the bridge, but if you walk over to Pigeon Key, a minimal yet well-worth-it donation is accepted for the Pigeon Key Foundation.
TRAVEL TIP: A celebration to honor the historic railroad, lauded as the most unique railway in the world upon its completion, has begun in the Keys, and is to culminate in January, 2012 when Henry Flagler first arrived in Key West on his own train, a railcar called The Rambler. Planned elements for this once-in-a-lifetime 100th anniversary celebration include history tours showcasing Flagler sites, bicycling expeditions, educational presentations and explorations of Pigeon Key. -
hide detail
Turtle Hospital
Contact:
- 305-743-2552
- visit website
Location:
- 2396 Overseas Highway
- Marathon,FL
Description:
Educational tours of the facility are offered to introduce visitors to the resident sea turtles and to the hospital's curative programs for loggerhead, green, hawksbill and Kemp's ridley turtles. Moretti credits Dr. Doug Mader, the hospital's current staff veterinarian, for bringing the facility to its present level. In addition to turtle rehabilitation and public education, the Turtle Hospital's goals include conducting and assisting with research that aids sea turtles in conjunction with state universities, and working toward environmental legislation that makes beaches and water safer and cleaner for sea turtles.
-
24 hide detail
Southernmost Point in the Nation
Contact:
Location:
- Corner of Whitehead & South Streets
- Key West,FL33040
-
Map
Description:
Before you head back home, be sure to make your way to the corner of Whitehead and South streets. Why? Because geographically it is the southernmost point of the United States. You'll know you're in the right spot by the posted sign proclaiming the site's fame, and by the street vendors selling souvenirs and conch shells. Believe it or not, standing here you are closer to Cuba than Miami; from here, it is 150 miles north to Miami and only 90 miles south to Cuba. If you are so inclined, hang out until the evening, as this is also a great place to watch the sun set.
