Now that 2017 has arrived and the excitement of the festive season is over, don’t just sink into the traditional post-holiday rut. Instead, start planning a Florida Keys escape from winter’s hard-to-bear weather and monotonous routine. Because in the subtropical island chain, ice — greeted with dread in wintry locales — can only be found in tall cool drinks (ideally sipped beachside).
Don't leave behind the Florida Keys' easygoing attitude or laid-back approach to living when your vacation ends. Instead, with a little thought and imagination, you can savor it throughout the new year (and beyond!).
In the Florida Keys & Key West, the holiday season is welcomed with great fanfare, festivities, and unique island flair. But for those who aren't lucky enough to be celebrating in the island chain, "Santa Keys" has dreamed up a special surprise. Discover his "gift" -- and have a joyful and meaningful holiday.
The lighthearted I Love Stock Island Festival celebrates the cheerfully rustic island's culture, heritage and working waterfront — with yummy culinary offerings featuring fresh-off-the-boat seafood, wine and beer tastings, history and art studio tours, watersports, live music, and much more.
On a single breath of air, Mehgan Heaney-Grier set a U.S. record for constant-weight freediving in 1996, diving 155 feet deep off the Florida Keys in an amazing display of athleticism and grace.
"Only in the Keys!" has become a common response from people hearing about everything from a Key West parade for dachshunds to mermaids attending a Lower Keys music festival (FYI, these are both actual things).
While the Florida Keys are better known for their living coral reef and other offshore wonders, the island chain also features inviting beaches from Key Largo to Key West. These sandy spots are perfect for chilling out, sunning, swimming or just dipping your toes into warm, clear turquoise waters.
Billy Kearins is the founder of COAST — a rustic, funky space made up of a retail store showroom, studio workshops, an event venue and more — all located on Stock Island’s Front Street where a hand-painted sign indicates “Mellow Folk Welcome.”
Artists and artisans from across the globe flock to the Florida Keys and stay, making the island chain their home while helping shape its reputation as a cultural mecca. Whether textiles, jewelry, housewares, reclaimed wood furniture or other temptations, their quality handcrafted items are quintessentially “Keys.”
Scientists and enthusiastic volunteers planted 200 live coral fragments June 13 in the waters off Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park — launching an effort to restore coral reef tracts and establish a public snorkel park that’s easily accessible.