Despite COVID-19 travel restrictions, a “virtual Florida Keys experience” can still be enjoyed while staying safely sequestered at home. With a little bit of imagination and the delivery of some fabulous Keys goodies, it’s not difficult to get a temporary "Keys fix" until officials determine that the destination can begin welcoming travelers again.
Emmy Award–winning travel host Samantha Brown is showcasing the Florida Keys in a 30-minute episode of her program “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love,” scheduled to air on public television stations nationwide beginning in January 2020. Guided by local residents, Samantha explores the Keys’ signature foods, literary culture, history, environment and sustainability initiatives.
Patrick Garvey owns and operates Big Pine Key’s 2-acre fruit farm Grimal Grove, billed as the first breadfruit grove in the continental U.S. His passion is to grow food sustainably and educate others — and he plans to reopen Grimal Grove Jan. 11 as a Florida Keys breadfruit research site, agritourism attraction and educational park.
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.
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.
Today’s Key Largo includes upscale new resorts, funky attractions, established dive charter operations and affordable-stay options that are longtime comfy favorites. And savvy “foodies” can’t forget Key Largo’s delicious dining spots. Discover casual eateries, waterfront emporiums with island flair and classic examples of "Old Keys" appeal, many with menus starring incomparable local seafood.
Where can you chow down on a luscious lobster Reuben? Or melt-in-your-mouth fried Key lime pie? Or a unique and gorgeous sushi dish made from lionfish? The restaurants in Marathon and the Middle Florida Keys offer all these and more — so embark on a tasting excursion to sample, savor and smile.
With its funky charm, quirky characters, end-of-the-road mindset and reputation as a bastion of the bizarre, Key West might seem more like a fictional setting than a real locale. But while the continental United States’ southernmost city is real enough, it definitely proves the old proverb that reality can be stranger than fiction.
Chefs from over 50 local restaurants and catering companies will join forces at the wonderful Taste of Key West, donating their time and talents to create mouthwatering small plates of gourmet delights, casual tidbits and fabulous desserts. Savor the flavors, plus enticing beers and wines, on April 15 against the gorgeous waterfront backdrop of Mallory Square.