Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Image courtesy of NASA. Did You Know? After the Seven Mile Bridge, one of the longest segmental bridges in the world, the vast sweep of the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico can easily be seen from Bahia Honda Bridge.
Stop at the state park here and to experience a beach frequently listed as one of the most beautiful in the United States. Photo by Bill Keogh. For several decades, leaders and citizens of Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys — located from the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge to just outside Key West — have advocated the responsible use and preservation of the region's abundant terrestrial and marine wildlife. That commitment to conservation has earned the region the title of the Natural Keys.
Get away from it all and immerse yourself in one of the Lower Keys' popular nature tours, many by kayak, that offer unforgettable opportunities to view migratory and wading birds and the unique flora and fauna of this tranquil natural area of the Keys. Big Pine is the jumping off point for Looe Key, a shallow coral formation that is considered one of the most spectacular shallow water dive sites. Big Pine is also home to the diminutive Key deer, a subspecies of the white tail deer, and the National Key Deer Refuge was established in to protect and preserve habitats for wildlife.
A growing number of visitors also prefers to become one with nature and have an authentic experience by camping when coming to the Keys, and campsites abound in the Lower Keys. Stroll amid tiny, colorfully-restored homes where thousands of cigar workers lived in the 19th century.
Huge, architecturally rich mansions were built by business tycoons and city leaders. Welcome to our islands! A dream vacation, yes, and getting here is most important. Perhaps accommodations , exciting events , or a Florida Keys sunset wedding is what you desire? The Keys' many dive-snorkel charters will take you to the United States' only living coral barrier reef and offer Florida Keys scuba diving vacation memories that will last a lifetime.
And an assortment of webcams , videos , downloadable brochures , LGBTQ info , and seasonal weather information are at your fingertips! What makes the Seven Mile Bridge so fascinating?
It's one of the longest segmental bridges in the world and the centerpiece of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway that winds throughout the entire island chain. The Seven Mile Bridge isn't seven miles long. Part of the compound, the Beach Cafe is waterfront dining by torchlight.
Address: Ocean View Ave. This sprawling, classic seafood dive has a progressive streak, as owner John Mirabella has joined in the movement to catch the invasive lionfish species that has made an assault on the Keys' underwater ecosystem. The result is lionfish on the menu in the aptly named "King of the Jungle" sushi roll check out the videos on the screens above the bar showing Mirabella diving for the wild-looking fish.
Address: Gulfview Ave. There's nothing better than a seafood dive next door to one of the coast's largest fish exporters, and this salty classic is pure Keys fun get the stone crabs when they're in season. The Lobster Reuben and Key lime pie are famous and rightly so , so bring your appetite. Feel like an insider? Now it's time to celebrate with big picture window views of the water and the Mediterranean inspired menu in this recent redo inside the landmark Sugarloaf Lodge.
Before hitting the hurly burly of Key West, this Lower Keys standout is the perfect post-up with its great cocktails and smart seafood dishes like flash-fried conch with wasabi drizzle. Don't miss the seafood stew. Address: Southard St.
Line up with the locals at this historic corner grocer to grab a superb Cuban sandwich or another local classic, the Cuban mix ham, pork, salami, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Did we mention they also sell cigars? Address: Thomas St.
Yes, the rooms upstairs were once a bordello, and yes, Hemingway refereed boxing matches here, and yes, the Key lime pie is the tallest and most delicious you've ever seen. Address: Greene St. At the original location of Hemingway's main bar, Sloppy Joe's, check out decades of dollar bills and stuff tacked to the ceiling.
And tell your friends that you drank where Hemingway went to drink his scotch-and-sodas. The bags of coffee make great souvenirs. Aptly named, this beautiful, fashion-forward restaurant with its sweeping marine blue banquettes is a true find in Key West.
The chef's tasting menu puts local catch and thoughtful, tropical-inspired preparation at the center. Reservations required.
Address: Caroline St. A Key West must, a historic treasure, and worth waiting in line for because you will. Opened by a Cuban fisherman in , Pepe's serves up tasty fare all day, but it's those ample breakfasts with eye-opening mimosas and greyhound cocktails made with fresh juice that define a perfect Key West morning. Address: Whitehead St. Key West is a bar town, and even if doing a crawl down Duval Street isn't your thing, you'll want to pay homage to this famed live music joint with its broad porches and stay for a round and a set or two.
As the sign says, it's a sunny place for shady people. Address: Duvall St. With its double French Caribbean porches and street level bar, this tucked away gem on upper Duval is a lovely perch for an evening watching the world swirl by while tucking into house-made pastas with seafood. Reservations recommended. Address: 5 Seagate Blvd. Whether you just drop in for an eye-opening explanation of the peril faced by Florida's coral reefs or you book ahead and join the volunteer coral planting program, this is truly a great way to connect to the reef ecosystem that's so crucial in Florida and elsewhere.
It's also a great way to tap into Key Largo's diving scene. This is a must-see for snorkelers and divers alike and if you don't swim, there's always the glass-bottom boat tours. These 70 nautical square miles form the first undersea park in the U.
Join a snorkeling or scuba tour or rent kayaks, paddle boards, or canoes. Well off the beaten path, this acre castaway island is home to the Lignum vitae, a small and spectacular tree that grows in the tropics and blooms in glorious blossoms its wood is among the densest and heaviest on earth.
You'll need a boat or kayak to get here; check out rentals and outfitters here. Leave the old-school petting aquariums behind and fall in love with the residents in rehabilitation here at the first state-licensed veterinary hospital devoted solely to the treatment of endangered sea turtles in the world.
The tours are excellent and well worth booking in advance. Meanwhile, the entire park is a magnet for beachgoing, swimming, and snorkeling: a perfect day-trip visit. They're tiny, adorable, and unique to the Florida Keys. And now these miniature Key deer are protected, having been saved from the brink of extinction. Start at the Visitor and Nature Center for more on the Key deer, including where to see it and how to explore the refuge's 9, acres of preserved forest, tropical hardwood hammocks, freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, and mangrove forests.
No, Audubon didn't sleep here or live here. But this grand s house museum with its lush courtyards is named for the famed naturalist whose paintings of Florida birds are truly iconic.
Join daily tours to get a glimpse into historic Key West life as well as Audubon's famed birds — or just enjoy a few quiet and cooling moments in the shady courtyard. Insider intel: Audubon did spend crucial time in scouting birds in Key West in but lived aboard a sailboat. There is no better pilgrimage in the Keys than to the home of its most famous literary citizen. Enjoy the lounging cats that are offspring of Papa's original gang, get the story behind the swimming pool, and walk the tiny catwalk to his writing studio.
Address: Front St. Harry Truman gave 'em hell, and then he donned a tropical shirt and had buddies over to fish and play cards at this circa naval site, which, as Truman set up shop there for days of his presidency from through , became known as the Little White House. Join a tour at Florida's only presidential site to get a personal feel for the man behind the office and make time to stroll the leafy lanes of its neighborhood.
Address: Simonton St. Located right in the bustling docks area of Old Town, this new distillery is the perfect jump into the cool shade for a tour, tasting, and a bit of shopping. The star of the show here is Papa's Pilar, a premium rum in a captivating bottle produced with the Hemingway family's blessing. Address: Margaret St. Key West is full of cruise charters, but this progressive tour company is head and shoulders above the rest for its commitment to sustainability and environmental education.
Come for the 50 to 60 types of butterflies, stay for the pair of flamingos who stroll the glass conservatory and enchant every visitor. The Learning Center — which focuses on the Monarch butterfly — is terrific for naturalists of all ages.
Ready to live that sportfishing dream? The guides here can help even a fishing novice get the Hemingway experience on the water, and they're ready to help experts land that trophy fish. Yes, it's touristy. And yes, you can't not go for at least one sunset to join the throngs of revelers who ogle the buskers, sip daiquiris, and do their best to spot Key West's famed Green Flash right at sunset.
Do not miss the cat acrobatics seriously. This minute guided walk offers an inside look at the landmarks and sites that mark the city's literary legacy, including the houses and favorite haunts of Tennessee Williams, Shel Silverstein, Elizabeth Bishop, and Robert Frost, among other luminaries.
Address: Whitehead and South sts.
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