Florida Keys Summer Means Saltwater Fun
A trip to the Florida Keys during the warm summer months means a terrific choice of sea-based activities for nature lovers, adventurers, and those seeking serenity and calm. Whether enjoying paddleboarding, kayaking or snorkeling, enthusiasts need just one basic ingredient to have a memorable outdoor experience in the Keys this summer: saltwater!
Captain Samantha Zeher Embraces Free-Spirited Island Living
Captain Samantha Zeher, owner of Islamorada's KeyZ Charters, earned her license at just 18 while still a college freshman. Today she offers sightseeing charters that include snorkeling and sunset cruises, paddleboard, eco-tours and Everglades excursions. She’s also happy to treat passengers to island trips exploring Indian Key, Lignumvitae Key and Alligator Lighthouse -- each with a history dating back to the 1800s.
Key West Regatta Gives Minimalist Movement a Seafaring Spin
Each year on Memorial Day Weekend, fans of the fast-growing minimalist trend cheer teams powering boats made of bare-bones materials in the annual Schooner Wharf Minimal Regatta. Now in its 26th year, the quirky regatta is an undisputed tradition in the Florida Keys -- featuring minimally constructed vessels, plucky mariners displaying a “sink or swim” spirit, and maximum fun for spectators.
Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic Raises the ‘Bar’ For Mixologists
The finale of the Stoli Key West Cocktail Classic, called North America’s largest annual LGBT bartender competition, features 17 regional bartending champions from the U.S. and Canada plus a rocking lineup of celebrity judges — and it all takes place June 7-11 in Key West.
Divers Mark 15th Anniversary of Spiegel Grove Artificial Reef
In the waters off Key Largo, divers have installed a bronze plaque that names and honors the final 250 of 1,000 contributors to a project that sank a former U.S. Naval ship — exactly 15 years ago — to become an artificial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The panel was attached to the side of the Spiegel Grove, the third-largest ship ever scuttled to create a new reef for divers, as another milestone in a story that proves sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction.
Lionfish: An Incredible Edible Fish
Diners can benefit the ocean environment by ordering lionfish at Keys restaurants, helping to decrease the invasive species' population and minimize its negative impacts. Delicate and delicious, the light white meat of the lionfish tastes much like snapper.
Pride Key West 2017: Celebrate Diversity Island-Style
Key West Pride events, set for June 7-11, are not just about parties and parades, although there is certainly no lack of them. The celebration also offers visitors a chance to experience Key West’s “One Human Family” atmosphere of enthusiastic inclusion and recognition that all people are created equal.