Just like most vacation spots in the world, the Florida Keys has some specific things that it’s well known for because people really, really love to do them. It’s a relaxed Caribbean vibe here and most everything is focused on the beauty and adventure of the outdoors. The weather is amazing most of the year round, which makes it possible to do these things pretty much any time of the year. Here is what we would consider the Top 10 Things to Do in the Florida Keys.
Flats fishing off of Grassy Key in front of Casa Feliz
1. Go fishing. What can we say about fishing other than it’s the most popular activity on the islands. You can fish from the shore, from bridges, go flats fishing, deep sea fishing, night fishing…you name it. Obviously, there are rules and regulations that must be followed and permits that must be obtained so make sure you do the right thing so you don’t ruin your trip with a fine. If you go out on a hired charter, they will help you with all the details. They will even clean your fish catch so you can take it home and cook it up. A popular thing to do in the Florida Keys is to bring your catch to a local restaurant where they will cook it up for you, and it’s simply called “cook your catch”. It’s a fun way to do something different with what you have caught.
Sunset by the 7-Mile Bridge from Sunset Grill in Marathon
2. Watch the Sunset. We’re not kidding when we say this…sunsets are a VERY big deal in the Florida Keys. Most places on the water on the Bay side of the islands advertise their place as a great place to view the spectacular Florida Keys Sunset. And bonus points if it is a restaurant where you can cheers to the sunset with a beachy cocktail! The second floor bar at Keys Fisheries in Marathon even gives a free shot if you happen to be there at sunset. Key West actually has a daily Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square complete with performers, food, and trinkets for sale. A spectacular way to see a Florida Keys sunset is by boat. There are many sunset sail charters out there including pirate ships and floating tikis. You can even see the sunset up on a parasail or by jet ski. Take your pick on what would be most enjoyable for you.
Deep fried Key Lime Pie from Burdine's in Marathon
3. Eat Key Lime pie. Again…trust us when we say this is a very big deal. Key Limes are actually native to South Asia, but were introduced to the Florida Keys in 1838 and then became naturalized here. Most restaurants have Key Lime pie to try. It’s such a big deal the people of the city of Marathon vote annually on who has the best Key Lime Pie. If you are a fan of this sweet and tart confection, you might want to have a slice wherever you go to determine for yourself which one you think is best. The recipes can vary all the way down to the crust. You can even get it dipped in chocolate or deep fried. Let us know which one you have tried that you think is best.
One of the famous 5-toed cats at the Ernest Hemmingway House in Key West
4. Visit Key West. Some people think the Florida Keys are simply called Key West. This is because it is a fairly famous and popular destination within the Florida Keys. The most famous of residents have lived here including Jimmy Buffet, Ernest Hemmingway, Harry Truman, and even Mel Fisher who has ties to Key West after finding a large Spanish galleon shipwreck loaded with gold. Key West is widely known for Mile Marker Zero, which is basically the start of the Overseas Highway that travels 107 miles all the way up to Key Largo. Another famous attraction here is the Southern Most Point. This is a monument that people wait in line to get a picture with. It’s famous for being closer to Cuba than mainland Florida and is, thus, the southern-most point of the continental U.S.. Duval Street is a popular place to shop, eat, browse art galleries, and people watch. If you stay into the evening, you might even participate in the Duval Crawl – an unofficial and unscheduled activity where you basically bar hop on Duval Street until you drop. There’s a lot to see and do here and we recommend at least a day trip to this fun and unique spot.
Kayaking from Casa Feliz
5. Get Out on the Water. Make a point to do this one in way or another. The water is the main focus of basically everything that happens in the Florida Keys. There are so many ways to do this. You can keep it simple by going to the beach or taking a kayak or paddleboard trip. Or get out on a boat by renting one or joining up with a charter company who does this. Food and drinks and, sometimes, even musical entertainment are often included in these trips. Another way to get out on the water is by snorkeling or S.C.U.B.A. diving. Both are very popular in the Florida Keys due to the ocean reef that runs parallel to the islands. It is the 3rd largest in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the reef in Belize. Water sports also abound in the Florida Keys. Some exciting things to do include parasailing, jet skiing, kite boarding, and hydro foiling.
Feeding the sharks at Aquarium Encounters in Marathon
6. Interact with the wildlife. There is some wildlife here in the Florida Keys that might be a little different than where you are from. Take a visit to the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key and you can not only learn all about these intelligent creatures, but you can take a swim with them! The Turtle Hospital in Marathon is a medical center for sea turtles that have been injured or are sick. They take in the turtles that people out in the water find that are not doing well and then bring them back to health. When they are ready, they are released back into the wild in a public release ceremony. It’s quite an event and well worth attending if you happen to be in town when one happens. Travel to Big Pine Key and you will be in the area of the Key Deer, small deer that are not found anywhere else in the world. You can visit the National Key Deer Refuge there to learn more about them or to see if you can find any deer to view. The area of Overseas Highway running through these areas has a strict lower speed limit to help protect them. You can also visit the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters in Marathon. You will see and interact with a lot of marine wildlife there, but the coolest thing about it is that you can feed the sharks! It sounds scarier than it actually is. You S.C.U.B.A. dive in an enclosed tank that is separated from the shark tank by all but a small hole, which is where you feed the sharks from. It’s quite a thrill! If you are a bird lover, stop by the Marathon Wild Bird Center. They are a bird rescue organization that is located within Crane Point Museum and Nature Center, a lovely nature park in Marathon. There is an admission fee to enter the park, but it is well worth it for the nature walk that you will experience there.
One of the numerous light houses on the Florida Keys reef
7. Visit the reef. Florida is the only state in the continental U.S. that has an extensive coral reef near it’s coast. It extends about five miles out from shore down the entire length of the chain of islands that make up the Florida Keys. The entirety of the Florida Keys reside in a national marine sanctuary. It is 2,900 square miles of nautical waters. The protective measures that exist in the sanctuary include no oil exploration, mining, or any type of activity that alters the sea floor. You can visit the reef by boat or even jet ski, but to truly enjoy the reef, you should get wet and do a little snorkeling or S.C.U.B.A. diving so you can see some pretty exciting wildlife and coral formations.
The 7-Mile Bridge and Pigeon Key
8. Drive over the 7-Mile Bridge. Just south of Marathon, this expansive feat of engineering connects the middle Keys to the lower Keys. The bridge is believed to be the longest segmental bridge in the world. And, fun fact…it’s not actually 7 miles long! It spans only 6.79 miles and locals have named it as such for simplicity reasons. There is an annual bridge run that takes place if you happen to be in town during that time. There is also a walking bridge that connects to Pigeon Key, which is an island off the coast that used to house Overseas Highway workers. It is now a historical site that you can visit and take a tour of. Another fun fact…there is a tree that has grown quite large on a parallel bridge no longer used that is called “Old Seven” (the old Overseas Highway/railroad) and it has been named Fred. Fred has become quite famous. He gets decorated every Christmas, has souvenir t-shirts with his likeness on them, and even has a children’s book about him! His little “friend” next to him has been named Barney.
Conch fritters at Lighthouse Grill in Marathon
9. Try the conch. The Queen Conch (pronounced “conk”) is a shelled animal that is what you think of when you picture someone listening to a large shell to hear the ocean. The flesh from the Conch is used to make up some pretty fantastic food dishes and was a staple food to early settlers of the Florida Keys. Conch dishes actually originate from the Bahamas, but with the Florida Keys only a 3 ½ hour boat ride from the Bahamian islands, it makes sense that that these foods made it to the Keys. Conch Fritters are a popular dish that are deep fried sections of conch served with your choice of dipping sauce. Or you can try the conch chowder served at many Florida Keys restaurants that is similar to clam chowder.
Activity on a Florida Keys sandbar
10. Take a sandbar trip. Visiting the sandbars in the Florida Keys is a very popular activity. On beautiful sunny days, you can see a large conglomeration of boats visiting these close-to-shore spots. One of the most popular sandbars is off of Islamorada and you can see it from land when driving by on a suitable day. Another fun sandbar is the Grassy Key sandbar. It is just slightly northeast of Curry Hammock State Park. There are many others that you can find by doing a quick Google search. You can take one of many boat charters to the sandbar and that will usually include some options like lunch, drinks, and musical entertainment. Since they are close to shore, you can also get yourself there by jet ski, kayaks, or paddleboards. Just pack a lunch, your sunscreen, a cooler of drinks and you are good to go for the day.
We love the Florida Keys and are happy to share with you this list of things that you should not miss while visiting these beautiful islands. You just might even get the “bug” like we did, which prompted us to buy a house in this beautiful year-round weather location with to-die-for views and the endless stretch of ocean everywhere you turn. Come on down for a visit.
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