So You Think You’ve Seen The Florida Keys? Discover hidden gems in the subtropical island chain

A drive down the Florida Keys’ Overseas Highway is one of the USA’s most iconic road trips and is well-known for its spectacular views across the surrounding azure waters. But holidaymakers will also reap rich rewards by pausing to search out hidden gems located along or near the fabled highway.

For the road less travelled, arrive in the Upper Keys via Card Sound Road. Stop at popular local watering hole Alabama Jack's, Card Sound's only restaurant, which is said to have the Keys’ best conch fritters and a Key lime pie to marvel over. alabamajacks.com

Art and nature enthusiasts alike can enjoy the grounds of Kona Kai Resort, MM 98 bayside in Key Largo. This boutique property includes not only a beautiful inn but also a fine art gallery featuring the work of intriguing contemporary artists. The property’s lush garden captivates the senses and engulfs visitors in a tropical paradise. konakairesort.com

Near the southern end of the Upper Keys district of Islamorada lies Long Key State Park. Here visitors can paddle through connected lagoons and hike The Golden Orb Trail which winds through five natural communities to an observation tower that offers panoramic views of Long Key’s Atlantic Ocean-lapped shores. floridastateparks.org/longkey

In Marathon, Crane Point is one of the Keys’ most sensitive environmental and archaeological sites and offers a one-of-a-kind living record of local history. Visitors can explore the Museum of Natural History of the Florida Keys, the Marathon Wild Bird Center and the historic Adderley House. The unique property contains evidence of prehistoric Indian artefacts and was once the site of a Bahamian village. Along the rustic interpretive natural trails, it is also possible to see endangered native foliage, unusual geologic features, exotic vegetation and ancient ocean fossils. cranepoint.net

To discover the Keys' marine environment, visitors to the Lower Keys can take an island-hopping excursion aboard Strike Zone Charters' glass-bottom catamaran. Departing from Strike Zone's headquarters on Big Pine Key, the tour includes snorkelling, light-tackle fishing, bird watching, the occasional dolphin spotting and a private island beachfront fish cookout. strikezonecharter.com

Unexpected discoveries await in Key West, too, including the historic, never-used Civil War-era fort called West Martello Tower, which is now the headquarters for the Key West Garden Club. Here beautiful indigenous plants and rare palm trees bloom against the weathered brick fort. Wonders include a huge tree grown over a narrow tunnel-like archway that you can actually walk through. keywestgardenclub.com