Marathon may be the midpoint of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway, but it’s certainly not “middle of the road” when it comes to special events. Upcoming celebrations blend sun, smiles and a heaping helping of creativity in the Keys’ balmy “winter” climate. Among the best are the Florida Keys Celtic Festival and the Pigeon Key Art Festival.
The new year is a great time to embrace activities that have a positive impact on the planet. For example, add meaning to a Florida Keys visit by giving back to the island chain. Connect with the earth, ocean and the living things that call the Keys home by dedicating a part of your vacation to a voluntourism activity.
Rachel Bowman, a dedicated pole spear huntress, is the Florida Keys’ only female commercial lionfish fisherman. She spears several thousand lionfish each year, removing as many of the invasive species from Keys waters as she can. Visitors can help the cause by ordering lionfish in local restaurants, where their delicate and delicious light white meat makes them a popular culinary choice.
Divers in the Lower Keys can explore wonders such as Looe Key Reef, one of the most beautiful shallow reefs to be found, and the 210-foot Adolphus Busch Sr. Intentionally sunk as an artificial reef in December 1998, today the Busch is populated by marine life including huge southern stingrays, reef sharks and massive schools of tarpon.
The tropical weather, nearby Gulf Stream and 125-mile-long arc of islands that makes up the Florida Keys create a fishing environment that’s completely unique in the world. Get to know this diverse fishery with seven quick essentials.
Every day is an adventure in the Florida Keys, where the subtropical climate and scenic natural setting create the perfect backdrop for high-energy activities. Visitors can experience "only in the Keys" watersports and eco-adventures, unparalleled offshore diving, and organized sporting challenges to test skill and endurance — some with a little wackiness thrown in for added enjoyment.
The Florida Keys are known around the globe for their array of underwater adventures that can be enjoyed only in the island chain. For example, you can snorkel or dive on the continental United States’ only contiguous living coral barrier reef — which, naturally, makes the Keys a paradise for ocean enthusiasts.
Dragons will invade Marathon in June -- but they're far from the fire-breathing type feared in fairy tales. Marathon’s “Battle in the Bay” race features a fleet of sleek, graceful dragon-headed boats whose teams power them through the water in a breathtaking example of strength and teamwork.
There’s a woman living in Islamorada who’s likely the envy of sportsmen of all ages. Her name is Dianne Harbaugh — and as well as organizing several respected Florida Keys fishing tournaments each year, she's also a pilot, an expert angler, and the first woman in the world to land a blue marlin on fly.
Rock lovers can savor the beat from morning till nearly midnight Feb. 17-18, while raising money for several good causes, during the Middle Keys’ second annual Coral Head Music Fest — an open-air concert weekend in the Florida Keys’ typically balmy winter climate.