Sarah Fangman, superintendent of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, is a Minnesota native whose impressive career as a marine scientist has spanned the country. Not only has she conducted more than 600 dives in sanctuary waters, she also holds a Coast Guard 100-ton master captain’s license and is a certified submersible pilot.
To highlight the best points of interest along the Florida Keys Overseas Highway, “special correspondent” Matty Meltzer — who happens to be both an intrepid traveler and a wisecracking puppet — was commissioned to chronicle memorable sights and activities on a road trip through the Keys. Follow along with Matty on his fun-filled video journey.
Captain Coleen Fitzsimmons recently launched Island Vibe Charters to introduce small groups and families to the Florida Keys waters and fascinating ecosystem during reef snorkeling and sandbar excursions. Coleen, who has two children with her wife, is passionate about sharing the Keys world, unique way of life and environmental wonders with charter passengers.
Are there any activities people can enjoy with their children in the Florida Keys? The answer is a resounding yes. For families with kids, there are SO many things to do in the Keys that will intrigue the “young ones” as well as the adults. Check out some favorite spots for family fun.
The Florida Keys island chain offers scores of opportunities to reconnect through shared experiences and memory-making adventures like kayaking or exploring the coral reef. One of the Keys’ most popular action-packed adventures, and one that typically inspires good storytelling, is fishing — whether in deep blue water, along the reef or in the backcountry.
To reconnect with the natural world of the Florida Keys, immerse yourself in the island chain’s many open-air areas where seclusion is intrinsic. Wander along sandy beaches, discover nature trails through hammocks and rainforest areas, or explore the clear blue waters surrounding the Keys. Or find natural gems during a hike or bicycle ride.
In the Florida Keys, the 125-mile-long island chain at the southern tip of Florida, family members can find seemingly endless ways to reconnect. A family road trip through the Keys features five destinations in one vacation: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower Keys, and the southernmost island of Key West.
One of nature’s greatest wonders is a living coral reef — and the only one in the continental United States parallels the Florida Keys. That means the island chain is an unbelievable place to learn to scuba dive. Professional dive instructors actively teach all year, and aspiring divers can find instruction throughout the Keys.
The Florida Keys Overseas Highway, which connects the entire island chain, recently won top honors in GayCities.com’s Best of 2020 awards for “Iconic Road Trips.” While experiencing the “bucket list” drive, travelers can marvel at the ever-changing land- and seascapes to be viewed from the road called the Highway That Goes to Sea.
Florida Keys holiday traditions center around the one and only Santa Keys — a jolly bearded fellow who brings cheer to those who aren’t lucky enough to live in the Keys, and to the underwater creatures in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. What happens on the night before Christmas? Santa Keys makes his rounds!