Mel Fisher's 1985 discovery of the $450 million treasure of the shipwrecked Spanish galleon Atocha is being remembered July 11-13 during Key West’s Mel Fisher Days. Highlights include a dock party with the salvage crew, behind-the-scenes tours of the Fishers' private artifact conservation lab, and the chance to hear adventurous tales recalling Mel’s exuberant spirit.
The Florida Keys are among the country’s top wedding destinations. A visit to the Keys can be a lighthearted vacation opportunity for the entire wedding group — so the experience becomes a unique, eagerly anticipated occasion for everyone involved. Plus the attitude is easygoing and casual, and many ceremonies are delightfully informal.
As the Florida Keys ease into summer, the “Connect & Protect” program continues to encourage awareness of sustainable opportunities and memorable activities for visitors. Mindful travelers can boost their eco-awareness and take positive action through everything from a plastic-free challenge or a boater education course to connecting with the Coral Restoration Foundation.
The Florida Keys' shallow-water backcountry is home to one of the most diverse assortments of marine life in the world, and the tranquil region is an ideal place to explore nature by kayak. Eco-conscious visitors and nature lovers can immerse themselves in the honest, unspoiled Keys on a backcountry kayak adventure.
A group of unusual suspects is reportedly converging on Key West — a gang of “perps” known for penning today’s top thrillers and mystery fiction. Mystery Fest Key West, set for June 28-30, gives avid readers and aspiring writers the chance to meet and learn from superstar authors including Jeffery Deaver and Heather Graham.
Creative recycling, offbeat artistry and lively “people power” combine into a spectacle that entertains spectators in Key West each May, during the lighthearted Papio Kinetic Sculpture Parade. Designed to fascinate fans of earth-friendly repurposing and “outsider” art, the annual human-powered parade of colorful mobile sculptures will meander through Key West’s downtown area on Saturday, May 4.
With its funky charm, quirky characters, end-of-the-road mindset and reputation as a bastion of the bizarre, Key West might seem more like a fictional setting than a real locale. But while the continental United States’ southernmost city is real enough, it definitely proves the old proverb that reality can be stranger than fiction.
“Athletes” in the weird and wonderful Cow Key Channel Bridge Run, the planet's only “zero-k race,” follow a 300-foot course across one of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway’s shortest bridges. Most wear wacky cow- or bull-themed costumes (some paired with tutus!) and the 2019 race is themed Pirates of the “Cowibbean.”
Key West's Full Moon Experience gatherings on Higgs Beach, beside the Atlantic Ocean, are alive with music, dancing, local performers, artistry, games and enjoyment. Discover their exuberant energy, good-spirited vibe and the chance to share an evening with some of the most creative people in the Florida Keys.
In 1982, the Florida Keys & Key West seceded from the United States (for a very good reason) and formed the independent Conch Republic. Come to find out, the irreverent and gutsy spirit that inspired the Keys' secession also sparked the founding of a "country" on the other side of the world: the colorful “Republic of Whangamomona.”