Savoring the taste of fresh-baked Cuban bread, watching pooches play at Dog Beach, strolling along palm-lined streets past Victorian gems in historic Old Town, sipping late-afternoon cocktails on the waterfront deck at Louie’s Backyard ... all these are pleasures Key Westers can enjoy every day, but that aren’t easily experienced in other places.
The seafaring spirit, vibrant marinas, renegade arts emporiums and inviting waterfront bars and restaurants of Stock Island will be showcased Dec. 13-15 during the I Love Stock Island Festival. The festival celebrates Stock Island’s culture and heritage with yummy culinary offerings, art studio tours, a holiday boat parade, live music and much more.
Great news — Key West has been nominated in GayCities.com’s Best of 2019 travel awards’ “Chill Getaway” category, and Aqua Nightclub is a contender in the “Drag Bar Extraordinaire” category. Both nominations are well deserved, since Key West’s laid-back vibe is legendary among visitors and Aqua is home to the talented Aquanettes drag troupe.
Incredible as it may seem, the 2019 holidays are sneaking up fast. And in the Florida Keys, they’re celebrated with festivities that range from traditional to eccentric — with, of course, a unique island twist. Throughout November and December, visitors can find events designed to jingle their bells all around the holiday-loving Keys communities.
Marine ecologist Alli Candelmo of Key Largo's Reef Environmental Education Foundation has forged a career that positively impacts the environment of the Florida Keys in big ways. Passionate about protecting the natural world since she was a child, she regards enjoying and protecting marine ecosystems as her primary personal and professional goal.
Instead of dreading winter’s upcoming descent, consider making plans to take a break in balmy Key West. Sun, sand and clear blue waters await visitors eager to immerse themselves in warmth and relaxation at a Key West or Florida Keys beach. Local favorites even include a beach nicknamed for iconic film star Liz Taylor.
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.
Fantasy Fest, Key West’s internationally renowned masking and costuming festival, offers both outrageous revelry and a unique showcase for artists — illustrators who create vivid poster and T-shirt designs, body painters who use the human form as their canvas and a local talent exhibiting immersive graffiti-inspired images. There’s even a self-guided art and bar stroll.
Get ready for a great open-hearted event that spans the entire Florida Keys. Bicyclists navigate along scenic Overseas Highway and Heritage Trail routes during the 160-mile-plus Miami to Key West charity ride known as The SMART Ride. Held Nov. 15-16, it draws participants who pedal their way south, raising money for Florida AIDS service organizations.
The eerie yet lighthearted Zombie Bike Ride will bring thousands of “the bicycling dead” to prowl Key West's Atlantic Ocean shoreline and streets Sunday, Oct. 20. Since it began in 2010, the pre-Halloween ride has become a tradition for visiting and local adults, kids and even some bewildered pets — all in spooky zombie garb.