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.
Florida Keys fun fact: Years ago, during an action-packed confrontation between Arnold Schwarzenegger and a pack of dastardly villains, missile strikes blew up the Keys’ Old Seven Mile Bridge. Okay, that isn’t STRICTLY factual, but it’s based on fact — one of many offbeat facts that give the island chain an engagingly colorful vibe.
Dan Dawson, co-owner with wife Mollie of Key Largo’s Horizon Divers, certified by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary as an environmentally responsible Blue Star operator, discovered his passion for diving at an early age. Today, he’s energized by seeing kids and young adults learn about the Keys’ environment and its protection.
Roughly 18 years ago, the March Merkin permit tournament was born in the Florida Keys. One of the longest-running permit challenges in the world, the fly-fishing tournament is hard to fish and hard to win. Guest blogger Allison Delashmit provides a look at the angling event, and ways people can support it.
From special animal encounters to meeting sea turtles in their own hospital, the Florida Keys & Key West offer family-friendly activities to captivate visitors of all ages. Families can explore unique aquariums; lush botanical gardens; nurturing facilities for dolphins and wild birds; or a wildlife refuge that protects tiny indigenous Key deer.
There’s a new way to explore the Florida Keys — a way that’s fun, fascinating and focused on nature. Visitors can now discover the island chain’s eco-attractions and environmental offerings by using the free Florida Keys Eco-Experience Trail pass, featuring nearly 50 geo-tagged, bookable activities that encourage connecting with the Keys’ natural world.