What’s New for Winter 2024-25 in the Florida Keys & Key West

FLORIDA KEYS — Winter in the Florida Keys is sunny and breezy, typically offering the warmest winter weather in the continental United States. The 125-mile-long island chain is particularly popular with visitors for its wide variety of resort accommodations and experiential outdoor and on-the-water activities, framed by picturesque swaying palms and warm turquoise waters.

The year 2025 brings a long-awaited expansion at Key West international Airport with an all-new Concourse A and extended TSA lanes. Passengers are soon to experience a contemporary sleek new concourse A at the southernmost airport in the continental United States.

New culinary experiences and dining options at hotels throughout the island chain, from Key Largo to Key West, also are unveiled.

Enhanced attractions include Key West's Oldest House Museum, showcasing a pioneering life in Key West from the 1820s with added artifacts. And the restored Elizabeth Bishop House, where the celebrated poet lived and wrote in Key West during the 1930s and ‘40s, is to offer visitor tours slated to begin in mid-March.

Here’s what’s new in the Keys:

Keys Airlift

At Key West International Airport (EYW), a 49,000-square-foot Concourse A expansion is targeted for completion in April 2025, and its extended TSA lanes are to be completed in September 2025. Overall airport improvements are slated for final completion in summer 2026 — with eight passenger boarding jet bridges, a 446-panel electrochromic glass curtain wall, state-of-the-art baggage carousels and additional restrooms. Dining offerings are to include a First Call Beach Bar at baggage claim, a Southern Point Bar, Chili's restaurant and Farm 2 Air Market. Six carriers — Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — currently serve EYW with more than 20 nonstop domestic flights and destinations. This year, more than 1.3 million passengers have traveled through the airport, with a passenger increase of 10 percent compared to calendar year 2023. Visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodations

Islamorada's 15-acre, 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, Marriott Bonvoy's collection of independent hotels, has opened the brand's first in the Keys. Located at 84001 Overseas Highway, the resort features The Cove, an adult-centric resort-within-a-resort with island-inspired rooms and king suites, a private beach lagoon, and restaurants Kindler and The Hideaway, both slated to open in January. The resort’s Wave Motion Studio is a beachfront fitness center. A rum library offers daily afternoon rum tastings. With 80,000 square feet of indoor and alfresco event spaces, the property also offers additional multiple dining outlets: a fully renovated Tiki Bar; Little Limon, Mercado Morada, Lucky Twist, Islamorada Pizza Co. and Kokomo. Also featured are two retail shops, a water taxi and full-service marina. Activities include fly-casting, kayaking, offshore and backcountry fishing, and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports with a 26-mile personal backcountry watercraft tour. Nearby are the sister Islamorada Resort Collection properties: the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730. 

A fully renovated Islander Resort Islamorada, at 82100 Overseas Highway, is unveiling new dining options that include Drift, a beachside dining pavilion serving breakfast classics and flame-grilled fresh catches; and the renovated casual Tides Beachside Bar & Grill, with coastal-inspired fare and tropical cocktails for lunch and dinner. In addition, Coccoloba offers fresh dishes and beverages during the day at the resort’s lively pool area; Sandy's features chilled libations under a thatched roof; and Seaside Sports provides convenient grab-and-go snacks. On-site activities include Beach Movie Night on Fridays, Moonrise Bonfires on Saturdays, live music Fridays and Saturdays, beachfront yoga, snorkeling and paddle-boarding, complimentary loungers, seaside putting golf and rentable beach cabanas. Refreshed units also are at the Bayside Villas by Islander Resort, located at 81450 Overseas Highway. Visit islanderfloridakeys.com or call 305-664-2031.

The Middle Keys' Faro Blanco Resort, known for its iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse that dates from the 1950s, recently completed $14 million in renovations. Enhancements include updates to both the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, a Curio Collection by Hilton, and sister property, the Courtyard by Marriott Faro Blanco Resort, located at 1996 Overseas Highway in Marathon. Dining options at Faro Blanco include the Lighthouse Kitchen + Bar, Blue Waters Bar & Grill by the Courtyard's infinity pool, El Farito Coffee and Market, and The Bistro for grab-and-go items. The two resorts offer a total of 250 guest rooms, four pools, four dining options, a white sand beach and various watersports. The site also features the historic Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow that is one of Marathon's oldest buildings. Additional renovations slated for completion by late December include a pool deck with new cabanas, a full-service spa and wellness center and a state-of-the-art fitness studio. The Faro Blanco Marina offers slips for vessels ranging from 35 to 140 feet as well as boat rentals. Visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.

In Marathon, Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa has become 95% plastic-free, installing drinking water stations throughout the property and replacing plastic bottles with reusable aluminum bottles and single-use takeout service ware with reusable utensils and service ware made from sustainable materials. The hotel also has implemented a 1% impact fee, paid by guests on checkout, to create on-site programming and allocate funds to Florida Keys nonprofit organizations. Isla Bella has partnered with the Conch Republic Marine Army, a Florida Keys volunteer group dedicated to cleanup and restoration of mangrove habitats in the Keys, donating $85,000 for acquisition of a new 33-foot boat offering cleanup trips. This spring, an on-site beekeeping program is to return to provide fresh honey for the resort's dining outlets, support the environment through pollination, and serve as an educational resource for guests. Featuring 199 oceanfront rooms and suites, the resort is located at 1 Knights Key Blvd. at mile marker 47. Visit islabellabeachresort.com or call 800-405-1948.

In Key West, the historic six-room Kona Kai Oasis, located at 630 South St., has been acquired by HP Hospitality, a full-service boutique management and investment group, making the “micro-boutique” guest house its first  property in Key West and its 11th in the Keys. Kona Kai Oasis is branded as an extension of the boutique cottage-style Kona Kai Resort in Key Largo. The Old Town Key West property’s amenities include complimentary bikes, pool, stocked in-room refrigerator and coffee maker, a grill and outdoor sundeck, and beach chairs, an umbrella and a cooler for beach outings. It’s located 0.2 miles from Duval Street and a short walk from major attractions such as the Southernmost Point, Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters and Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. In addition to Kona Kai Oasis and Kona Kai Resort, HP Hospitality owns nine other Keys boutique resorts: Amoray Dive Resort, Azul Del Mar, Dolphin Point Villas and Rock Reef Resort in Key Largo; Drift Hotel in Tavernier; La Jolla Resort and Lodge and Pines and Palms Resort in Islamorada; and Gulf View Waterfront Resort and Conch Key Fishing Lodge & Marina in Marathon. Visit konakaioasis.com or hphospitality.com or call 305-852-6914.

In Key West, the downtown 160-room La Concha Key West, an Autograph Collection Hotel at 430 Duval St., has completed full restorations to its public spaces, including the lobby and exterior façade. On-site dining venues include the Tropicado mojito bar, with crafted mojitos, daiquiris, and tapas inspired by tropical Spanish cuisine; Perla, with contemporary Cuban cuisine, serving signature breakfasts and upscale dinners; and El Dom Café, a Cuban-inspired coffee café with café con leches and sandwiches in a bright, domino-themed space. The property’s new seventh-floor Grand Dame Villas at the Rooftop offer seven rooftop villas with a dedicated concierge, floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies overlooking Duval Street. Villas feature textured furniture, diagonal square wooden tile patterns, gold and rattan details, Bose sound systems, and amenities such as fresh flowers, stocked fridge, welcome gift, Panama hats, seasonal fruit and assorted beverages. La Concha originally opened in 1926 with marble floors, private baths and ocean views. Visit marriott.com/en-us/hotels/eywaw-la-concha-key-west/overview/ or call 305-296-2991.

Key West's downtown 178-unit Opal Key Resort & Marina, located at 245 Front St., is undergoing renovations: upgrading its lobby for a sleek new arrival experience; expanding its pool area and deck; and unveiling a new signature restaurant, Lolitas, with a new dining concept. Completions are slated for early 2025. Guests currently can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner from a tented waterfront pop-up location by the marina. Visit opalcollection.com/opal-key/ or call 305-294-4000.

The landmark 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 1500 Reynolds St., has unveiled its newest restaurant. Dorada Key West serves “Baja-Med” fare infused with Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian flavors; shareable bites and cocktails. Diners can enjoy a “Toes in the Sand” six-course, chef-curated tasting menu at the ocean’s edge. Additional food and beverage venues include the signature Flagler’s restaurant with outdoor patio, the Canary Room lobby bar and lounge, and Morrison's Market with takeaway provisions, goods and gifts. Casa Marina Key West’s recent renovations include a new 5,000-square-foot oceanfront event lawn, added to an existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space — including the newly enhanced 3,100-square-foot Flagler's Ballroom, 2,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom and versatile 5,000-square-foot Keys Ballroom. Visit casamarinaresort.com or call 305-296-3535.

Keys Attractions

In Key Largo, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is constructing its new $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation, to be unveiled June 7-8, 2025, to coincide with World Ocean Day. The 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility is to feature an ocean exploration gallery, science discovery classroom, ocean outreach gallery, program planning areas and a second-floor balcony, as well as exhibits celebrating scientific innovation, history, humanities and arts. REEF programs include educational experiences about fish identification, invasive lionfish and citizen science. The center is to be a launchpad for inspiring future ocean stewards, pioneering research, fostering collaboration and transforming marine conservation. REEF's headquarters, home to its campus administration, is a classic conch-style house. Known as the Upper Keys' oldest building that’s still in its original location, it stands at 98300 Overseas Highway. Visit REEF.org/OEC or call 305-852-0030.

In Islamorada, The Protect Center’s interactive museum Exploratorium has opened with nearly a dozen aquariums and educational exhibits about marine mammal rescue, veterinary medicine, conservation research and Keys ecology. In addition, The Protect Center’s boutique gift shop Sustain, offering mostly sustainable items, features a new “re-fillery” enabling visitors and residents to refill eco-friendly home and personal care supplies of cleaners, soaps, shampoos, body wash and other necessities to reduce single-use plastics. The Protect Center, located at 82748 Overseas Highway, is to be the Keys’ only whale and dolphin hospital with a 56,000-gallon intensive care unit. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025. Visit connecttoprotect.org/hospital or call 305-453-4321.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Animal Farm, a sanctuary where more than 150 animals are cared for with the help of selected county inmates guided by Farmer Jeanne Selander, has a new pair of two-toed sloths. Sid, age 10, and 9-year-old Sylvia were gifted by the Shell Factory Nature Park in Fort Myers, Florida, which closed its doors in September. The Animal Farm, located just off College Road on Stock Island, is open to the public on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from1-3 p.m. with free admission. Community and school groups can schedule tours. Visit facebook.com/KeysAnimalFarm/ or call 305-293-7300.

Key West's Elizabeth Bishop House, where the celebrated United States poet lived and wrote during the 1930s and 1940s, is to open March 6, 2025, after a structural restoration; visitor tours are scheduled to begin the week of March 11. The Elizabeth Bishop's Postcards exhibit, on loan from Vassar College Libraries and showcasing Bishop's postcard correspondence from early life to her final years, is to run March 10 through May 5, with closing events including a conversation with the curators scheduled April 24-27. Bishop was the United States poet laureate in 1949-50 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1956. She purchased the 19th-century eyebrow house in 1938 for $2,000 in financial support from her partner Louise Crane. The on-site Elizabeth Bishop Garden — to include plants from a list drawn from botanical and garden references in Bishop’s letters, poems, paintings and sketches — is to feature an accessible garden pathway leading through exhibits illuminating the poet’s life and work, and to a small seating area for reflection and reading. A rear yard presentation area is to seat about 50. The property, a registered Literary Landmark and home of the Key West Literary Seminar, is located at 624 White St. Visit kwls.org or call 305-293-9291.

Celebrating its 195th year, the Oldest House Museum, located at 322 Duval St., showcases life in Key West during the 1820s and '30s. The Wreckers' Room — where Captain Francis Watlington, a Florida state representative from 1858 to 1861, lived during his final days — is refurbished with newly conserved pieces including a blacklist for illegal wrecking practices, an insurance policy for "pirate-infested waters," and navigational charts from the 1600s to the 1800s. The Oldest House now features an original 1825 Dubois & Stodart box piano — one of only three in the U.S. on exhibit — a Cuban mahogany ice box, elegant whale oil lamps, and newly restored original pieces that arrived on a ship with 16-year-old Emeline Johnson, married nearly 200 years ago. The museum's restored Cistern Room is to feature an exhibit, "Water at the Watlington’s,” focusing on limited water on a frontier island, beginning Jan. 10 thru March. Visit OIRF.org or call 305-294-9501.

Key West’s retired U.S. Coast Guard Cutter INGHAM, docked at Truman Waterfront Park at the end of Southard Street as the INGHAM Maritime Museum and National Historic Landmark, is now open for sunset celebrations on Fridays, depending on weather. INGHAM was in service for 52 years, from 1936 to 1988, and is the only Coast Guard cutter afloat to receive two Presidential Unit Citations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. Events take place from one hour before sunset to one hour after sunset. Visit uscgcingham.org or call 305-292-5072.

The Key West Wildlife Center is unveiling a new elevated tropical green wildlife clinic and renovated wildlife recovery aviary, both targeted for completion in early 2025, within the 7-acre Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St. near Atlantic Boulevard. The new $2.4 million facility is to feature a large aviary with expansive room for flight conditioning and a clinic with a dedicated treatment area and additional interior space for patient care. The new facility also provides more exterior space for rehabilitation and protected space for education and outreach. The wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility, with a 24-hour wildlife rescue line, provides rehabilitation for native wildlife including birds, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008.

Keys Environment

On Big Pine Key, Save Our Key Deer Inc., led by founder-president Valerie Preziosi, is opening a new state-authorized Key deer rehabilitation facility in late December. The center is to provide care for orphaned fawns and medical assistance to Key deer injured by vehicles or needing attention because of entanglements, objects embedded in their hoofs or legs, illness, infections or wounds. While not open to visitors, the new facility is to provide webcam viewing and educational information on social media platforms. Save Our Key Deer conducts scientific research, including a study on the availability of natural drinking water sources for Key deer. Many of the endangered deer today depend on human sources for fresh water. Visit saveourkeydeer.org or call 760-807-9064.

The Monroe County Artificial Reefs Department has deployed 10 of 45 concrete power poles at a new artificial reef area about 16 nautical miles northeast of Key West in federal waters off the Gulf of Mexico. Additional poles and structures are to be added to the site to increase habitat complexity and space for marine life. “This deployment is the first in a long line of projects being developed to provide several ecosystem and economic-related services,” said Hanna Koch, Monroe County’s artificial reefs director. Monroe County has been awarded $15 million from the state of Florida to create a Florida Keys artificial reefs program. The most recent artificial reef placed in Keys waters was the 524-foot decommissioned Air Force ship General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, sunk off Key West in 2009. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/reefs.

Marking its fifth anniversary, Mission: Iconic Reefs has launched a new website about the NOAA-led, partner-driven $35 million program to restore seven reef sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The seven include Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Newfound Harbor, Eastern Dry Rocks, Sombrero Reef and Looe Key Reef. “When Mission: Iconic Reefs launched it was only an idea — nothing more than words on paper,” said Jennifer Moore, the program’s senior manager. "Practitioners are outplanting corals on the reef, research is underway alongside restoration, and terabytes of data are being collected and analyzed. Our five-year pace has been nothing short of astonishing.” Mission Iconic Reefs was launched Dec. 9, 2019. A trailer for a soon-to-be-released mini-documentary on the program, produced by the office of National Marine Sanctuaries, is also on the detailed site. Visit MissionIconicReefs.org.