- The Florida Keys have so many attractions and things to do and see. Just traveling down the Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys is an attraction in itself. Florida Keys attractions vary by region from fishing and diving to snorkeling and boating. On the islands, you can watch the wildlife or lounge by the water under the palm trees or enjoy famous landmarks, bars and restaurants.Florida Keys Picture Gallery Copyright © 2024 Gabriela BranisteanuThe Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. The Florida Keys are comprised of five unique destinations: Key West, the Lower Keys, Marathon, Islamorada and Key Largo.
The Florida Keys are the southernmost tropical islands in Florida that you can actually drive, fly or take a short ferry ride to from mainland Florida. The Keys extend south and west of the Homestead area of Florida, close to Miami, FL. If you make the 130 mile drive across the Overseas Highway to the end, you will find Key West. Along the way are many great experiences and picture perfect blue water and islands.
Popular activities include stand-up paddleboarding or kayaking through gorgeous mangrove caves or strolling through art galleries and boutiques of locally-made creations. By night, visitors are savoring fresh, local seafood and sipping tropical concoctions before watching the sun dip into the water and painting the night sky.
Key Largo is known as the Dive Capital of the World and is home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater preserve in the U.S.
Islamorada is known as the Sport Fishing Capital of the world and is famous for its backcountry sport fishing and saltwater fly fishing.
The Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon is one of the longest segmented bridges in the world.
In the Lower Keys, Big Pine Key is home to a national refuge that protects the miniature endangered Key deer, which has made an astonishing comeback from near extinction.
Key West, famed as the beloved home of writers Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, is closer to Cuba (90 miles) than it is to Miami (159 miles). The island — just two by four miles in size — is home to a vibrant historic district, an international airport, and the southernmost point in the continental United States.
The waters surrounding the chain, which include shallow flats, mangrove islets, and coral reefs, are protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail links nine historic underwater wreck and artificial reefs from Key Largo to Key West.
The Florida Keys have distinctive plant and animals species, some found nowhere else in the United States, as the Keys define the northern extent of their ranges. The climate also allows many imported plants to thrive. Some exotic species which arrived as landscape plants now invade and threaten natural areas. The Keys are also home to unique animal species, including the American crocodile, Key deer (protected by the National Key Deer Refuge), and the Key Largo woodrat.
Consistent temperatures make the chain of islands a popular vacation spot year-round, and many visitors return to the tropical islands again and again. Don't miss unique attractions such as Dry Tortugas National Park, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, or quirky Duval Street, and be sure to stop for a picture by the marker designating the southernmost point in the continental United States
Copyright © 2024 Gabriela Branisteanu
Pompano Beach, Florida
E-mail us at: gabriela@mysunnyflorida.com
TERMS OF USE ACCESSIBILITY
Pompano Beach, Florida
E-mail us at: gabriela@mysunnyflorida.com
TERMS OF USE ACCESSIBILITY