Ben Daughtry’s passion for creating educational experiences in marine conservation led him to open Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters — where visitors can enjoy immersive experiences with reef fish, invertebrates, stingrays and even sharks without entering the ocean.
Family vacations in the Florida Keys mean moms, dads and kids can enjoy adrenaline-fueled fun in the 125-mile island chain that parallels the continental United States’ only living coral reef.
Slip away to the southernmost outpost in the continental U.S. this spring to soak up the salt air, sweet breezes and irresistibly laid-back vibe.
Captain Lain Goodwin, owner of Dirty Waters Charters, knows that muddy waters — where fresh water spills from Florida Bay’s backcountry and Everglades National Park into the Gulf of Mexico’s salty waters — are rich with the world’s best fishing.
For thousands of scuba divers and snorkelers who visit the Florida Keys annually, and want to log amazing dives along the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef, there’s no better place to do it than Islamorada.
Most people know the Florida Keys are famous for their fabulous underwater beauty, which includes the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef. But far fewer people are aware that the Keys are among the top destinations in the entire world for year-round bird watching.
In November 2015, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary marks 25 years of protecting the world’s third-largest barrier reef.