You’ll Transform Into a Conch Republic Resident After a Florida Keys Vacation

We have our own tiny taste of the Caribbean here in Florida known as the Florida Keys. The Keys stretch over 110 miles from Key Largo, considered the first ‘Key’, down to Key West. The gateway to the Keys is Key Largo, it is only an hours drive from the two major airports in South Florida and is considered by the locals to be the “diving capital of the World”. While that might be a tiny biased, Key Largo is known as both an excellent place to dive and also to go Sport Fishing.

Islamorada is actually made up of six different islands and is also a great place to dive and go sportfishing. While you’re there be sure to check out the newly opened History of Diving Museum or the Theater of the Sea Aquarium where you can swim with dolphins and other sea creatures.

Next is Marathon, the midpoint of the Keys, it is a ten mile long city and called ” the heart of the Keys” by the locals, it’s also where you’ll find one of the only two airports in the Keys, the other is in Key West. Just a few miles offshore here is North America’s only living coral reef, so again fill up those diving tanks and have some fun.

Big Pine Key is the begin of the “Lower Keys” and home of the endangered and lovable Key Deer. The Lower Keys are known for their many RV Parks, campgrounds, licensed pass homes and smaller quaint resorts. Bahia Honda Say Park and Recreation Area is here too, stop in and enjoy the wildlife or rest on their white sand beach.

A mere 90 miles from Cuba lies Key West, the Southern most point in the U.S. Lummas Beach is one of the ideal beaches in Florida much less the Keys. You can snorkel, sail, and fish here, and that’s only a beginning. Land lovers can shop until they drop, then watch the sunset at Mallory Square and celebration all night on Duval Street in Key West.

With no shortage of cafes and restaurants, Key West offers plentiful options for indoor or outdoor dining. The bars on Duval Street are as famous as Bourbon street in New Orleans there is even a term they use when you’ve partied a tiny to much and are stumbling into a equipage it’s called the ‘Duval Crawl’. If you end up doing it you’re in good company Ernest Hemingway was a regular at Sloppy Joe’s and his picture is up on the surround there. You can also go to Captain Tony’s, yes the one referred to in Jimmy Buffet’s song. Other favourite watering holes include the Hog’s Breath Saloon, Crabby Dick’s and a host of other places to wet your whistle. Key West is definitely the perfect place to play all day and celebration all night.

So, can you feel it? You get to Key Largo and you begin to relax, Islamorada comes along and you freely trade your blackberry and briefcase for some sunglasses and flip flops. You find yourself in Marathon yearning for a leafy tropical shirt and a fruity frozen drink. Huge Pine Key makes you want to pitch a tent to stay forever and by the time you cross seven mile bridge to Key West the transformation is complete. With so many places in the Florida Keys having worked their illusion once again and like one of the many game fish caught offshore, now you’re hooked.

You’ll Transform Into a Conch Republic Resident After a Florida Keys Vacation

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