In the Florida Keys, the holidays are celebrated with festivities that range from traditional to eccentric — with a unique island twist. Despite the lack of typical “winter” weather, people throw themselves gleefully into extended merrymaking. Discover some of the Upper and Middle Keys’ creative, colorful and heartwarming events sure to spark seasonal cheer.
Spencer Slate, who owns Captain Slate’s SCUBA Adventures in the Upper Florida Keys, grew up watching television’s iconic “Sea Hunt” and today believes every diver is an ecologist. Inducted into the International SCUBA Diving Hall of Fame in 2004, he encourages people to be watch-keepers who help preserve and protect the world’s oceans.
For Florida Keys foodies, Oct. 15 rivals a national holiday in importance. Why? Because that marks the opening of the annual stone crab season. The orange-red, pale yellow and black stone crab claws contain a sweet, tender meat that’s among the Keys’ most popular delicacies — and they're served at restaurants around the island chain.
In difficult times, it’s calming to recall places that engender a sense of peace — such as the majestic "Christ of the Deep" statue, installed in the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in 1965. The 9-foot bronze has become an iconic symbol of Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
One of Florida Keys’ greatest “natural resources” is the friendly, easygoing people who make the region their home — charterboat captains, artists, restaurateurs, animal rescuers, attractions operators, musicians and more. By seeking local residents’ insights and recommendations for unique new adventures, visitors can begin to sample the authentic lifestyle of the colorful, magical islands.
The Florida Keys are a truly friendly place. The island chain is one of those rare locales where you might be a stranger when you arrive on vacation, but you won’t be one when you depart. So make plans for a Keys getaway and discover some warmhearted, quirky “friends you haven’t met yet.”
Florida Keys lobster lovers, unite — and embrace the hobby that takes precedence over all others each August in the island chain: eating lobster. That’s because early August marks the start of the annual commercial lobster season, and savvy foodies know that fresh-caught Keys lobster eclipses all other seafood selections in mouthwatering goodness.
Visitors who “look before they book” can help sustain the continental United States’ only barrier coral reef — and all elements of the Florida Keys’ marine environment. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary urges travelers to look carefully when booking Keys fishing, diving and snorkeling trips, and choose a sanctuary-designated Blue Star operator.
Key Largo, the northernmost island in the Florida Keys, offers a friendly, welcoming vibe and vast natural beauty both on land and underwater. Known as the Diving Capital of the World, the area includes many extraordinary sites where divers and snorkelers can immerse themselves in the profound, quiet wonders of the marine ecosystem.
For those who can’t travel to the Florida Keys this spring for the amazing diving, the island chain’s enthralling subsea world can be explored through the free streaming channel and app, FloridaKeysTV. It features hours of quality underwater programming — including the Keys-focused “Destination Dive” series — to inspire ideas for an upcoming visit.