Iconic
Key Largo
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
The first undersea park in the United States, the gateway to the reef, with daily snorkel and dive boats out to Molasses Reef and the Christ of the Abyss statue.
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For the active traveler
On the water by day, slow restore by dark.
The Keys reward a rhythm of saltwater adrenaline and slow recovery in the same day.
Design This TripThe Keys reward a big-water, slow-restore rhythm: a morning dive on the reef at John Pennekamp or Looe Key, or a kayak run into the mangrove backcountry with Danger Charters, then an afternoon in a seaside spa cabana. For one big day, a seaplane out to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas pairs adventure with the clearest water in the chain.
Adrenaline and recovery, same day
Build in a paddle on the Overseas Heritage Trail and a quiet morning at the Blue Hole in the Key deer refuge, and the day carries you from the heart-rate spike to the wind-down. Calm summer seas are best for the reef; spring is the most reliable all-around window.
We sequence the weather windows, book the guides who know where to be when the wind turns, and keep a spa table waiting for the evening you push hardest.
What’s inside
- A reef dive at Pennekamp or Looe Key
- A backcountry mangrove paddle
- A seaplane to the Dry Tortugas
- Quiet trails in the Key deer refuge
- A seaside spa cabana to land the big days
A sample rhythm
- 01
On the water
A reef dive or a backcountry paddle in the calm morning.
- 02
Big day out
A seaplane to Fort Jefferson when the weather is right.
- 03
Land time
A trail or heritage-trail ride matched to the day's energy.
- 04
Restore
A seaside spa cabana and an unhurried island evening.
The The Florida Keyswe’d build in
The pieces that fit this trip.
Reef & dive
The only living coral barrier reef in the continental US.
The reef tract runs the length of the Keys a few miles offshore. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is the gateway, and dive boats reach the wrecks and shallow gardens beyond.
Reef conditions are best in calm summer seas; winter fronts can blow out visibility for a day or two.
Top rated
Big Pine Key
Looe Key Reef
A spur-and-groove reef in the Lower Keys sanctuary, considered some of the finest shallow snorkeling and diving in the chain.
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Marathon
Sombrero Reef
A protected sanctuary preservation area off Marathon marked by a historic lighthouse, with vibrant coral heads in easy snorkeling depth.
Boutique
Key Largo
Rainbow Reef Dive Center
A long-running Key Largo dive operation running the reef and the famous Spiegel Grove and Duane shipwrecks for certified divers.
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Marathon
Captain Hook's
Marathon-based snorkel and dive trips to Sombrero Reef and the wrecks, well suited to first-timers and families.
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Sandbars, sunset sails, and a backcountry only reachable by boat.
The Keys reveal themselves from the water: sunset sails out of Key West, sandbar afternoons, and skinny-water runs into the backcountry. Private full-boat charters are the luxury way to do it.
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Key West
Danger Charters
Key West's signature sail-snorkel-kayak day and the wind-and-wine sunset sail aboard classic shallow-draft schooners that slip into the backcountry.
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Key West
Honest Eco
Small-group dolphin and snorkel trips aboard SQUID, an all-electric custom catamaran, the quietest and most sustainable way onto the water.
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Islamorada
Robbie's of Islamorada
The Islamorada institution for tarpon feeding off the docks, boat rentals, and backcountry eco tours into the flats and islands of the bay.
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Key West
Sunset Watersports Key West
Full-boat private charters, the popular sandbar excursions, and champagne sunset sails along the Key West waterfront.
Visit official siteSignature days
Seaplanes, paddle trails, and a wildlife refuge.
The one-of-a-kind days: a seaplane out to Fort Jefferson, kayaking the mangrove tunnels, and a turtle hospital and tiny-deer refuge found only in the Keys.
Bucket-list
Key West
Key West Seaplane Adventures
A low, scenic flight to Dry Tortugas National Park, landing beside Fort Jefferson with the reef and shipwrecks visible the whole way out.
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Marathon
The Turtle Hospital
A working sea-turtle rescue and rehabilitation center in Marathon offering guided behind-the-scenes tours of its patients and hospital.
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Big Pine Key
National Key Deer Refuge
A Lower Keys refuge protecting the endangered, miniature Key deer, with quiet trails and the spring-fed Blue Hole overlook.
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Islandwide
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail
A paved cycling and walking path running much of the island chain, including the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge segment.
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The Overseas Highway and the islands at its ends.
Between the dives and the dinners, the Keys are a drive worth slowing for: a former railroad bridge over open ocean, a state-park beach, and the historic streets at the end of the road.
Iconic
Marathon to Bahia Honda
Seven Mile Bridge
The signature span of the Overseas Highway, soaring nearly seven miles over open water, with the old Flagler railroad bridge running alongside for walkers and cyclists.
Best beach
Big Pine Key
Bahia Honda State Park
Routinely named one of America's best beaches, a Lower Keys state park of pale sand and clear water with the old bridge as its backdrop.
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Key West
Key West Old Town
The walkable heart of the island: Duval Street, the Hemingway Home, Mallory Square's sunset celebration, and the southernmost point of the continental US.
Bucket-list
Off Key West
Dry Tortugas National Park
Reached by ferry or seaplane from Key West, a remote cluster of islands built around 19th-century Fort Jefferson, ringed by some of the clearest water in the Keys.
Visit official siteLocal culture
Islamorada
Islamorada art and history
Galleries, the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center, and the Hurricane Monument trace the Upper Keys' artists, wreckers, and railroad past.
Local favorite
Islamorada
Anne's Beach
A quiet Islamorada beach and boardwalk over the shallows, a low-key stop to wade the flats between the bigger destinations.
Restore
Waterfront spas and island calm.
The Keys are built for the slow restore after a day on the water: oceanfront treatment rooms, marina-side pools, and the unhurried pace of island time.
Iconic
Islamorada
Spa Terre at Cheeca Lodge
Indonesian-inspired rituals in a serene spa within the 27-acre Islamorada resort, the Upper Keys' established wellness retreat.
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Little Torch Key
The Spa at Little Palm Island
Open-air, seaside treatment cabanas on the private island, where the only soundtrack is the water, the most secluded spa in the Keys.
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Key Largo
The Tranquility Spa at Bungalows Key Largo
A waterfront spa within the all-inclusive adults-only resort, with treatments included and a calm dedicated to couples.
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More ways to experience The Florida Keys.
Adventure & wellness
Let’s design it around you.
Share what you can already picture. A concierge fills in everything still open and sends back a plan, not a quote.