Throughout the Florida Keys, visitors can revel in nature’s richness, immerse themselves in eco-experiences, enjoy opportunities for volunteer and learning vacations, and discover why local residents are so passionate about protecting their environment and lifestyle. As 2020 unfolds, visitors can connect with the Keys’ fascinating natural world and embrace practices that preserve it.
Florida Keys holiday traditions center around the one and only Santa Keys — a jolly bearded fellow who brings cheer to those not 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!
New Year’s Eve in the Florida Keys traditionally features balmy temperatures and a warm welcome for revelers fleeing colder spots. From beachside fireworks where overcoats and gloves aren’t allowed to wacky takeoffs on the traditional ball drop in New York’s Times Square, the island chain offers a wealth of ways to welcome 2020.
Matt Sexton, a former professional kiteboarder, owns and operates the Middle Keys' sustainable Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club that opened last spring. He also worked with co-owners Mike and Shana Walsh to build oTHErside Adventure Park & Keys Cable -- and he's focused on making a difference through positive ethical, moral and environmental actions.
Discover five fascinating sites in the Florida Keys' "Become a Reef Explorer" dive and snorkel program. The program spotlights Keys reefs with a specially created souvenir journal, designed for first-timers, families and fun-loving outdoor enthusiasts of all experience levels who want to log dives or snorkels while exploring the region’s remarkable reefs.
Relieved and grateful that the Florida Keys were spared impacts from Hurricane Dorian, Keys groups and businesses are organizing efforts to assist people in the northwest Bahamas who felt the brunt of the hurricane’s devastating winds and water — including citizens of tiny Green Turtle Cay, whose village of New Plymouth is Key West’s sister city.
Vacation volunteerism, often called “voluntourism,” contributes to the self-sufficiency and sustainability of destinations like the Florida Keys. In the Keys, advocacy groups and learning-based attractions offer hands-on experiences that visitors can discover and enjoy — helping them find out more about impacts on Florida's reefs and environment and how the average person can help as a citizen scientist.
Calm summer seas in the Florida Keys mean easygoing and easy-on-the-environment watersports powered by people or the rays of the sun. Low-impact on-the-water activities include cruising warm, clear waters on a hydrobike, standup paddleboarding through the backcountry flats, or taking a dolphin watch and snorkel tour on the Keys’ first electric-powered charter boat.
There are some people who simply belong in the Florida Keys — visitors who become mesmerized by an indefinable magic about the island chain that makes them unwilling or unable to leave. If the "symptoms" here apply to you, there’s a good chance you’re already under the spell of the laid-back subtropical destination.
The Florida Keys are among the country’s top wedding destinations. A visit to the Keys can be a lighthearted vacation opportunity for the entire wedding group — so the experience becomes a unique, eagerly anticipated occasion for everyone involved. Plus the attitude is easygoing and casual, and many ceremonies are delightfully informal.