There’s always something happening in the Florida Keys & Key West, from festivals focusing on the area’s colorful history, artistic culture and quirky ambiance to events that celebrate the Keys’ underwater paradise

Key largo

See vistas of blue sea and sky, edged with tall palm trees and olive green mangroves. Sharing this eco-paradise are aquatic birds and countless underwater creatures! Key Largo’s star attraction is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, a protected areas feature more than 50 varieties of delicate corals and more than 600 species of fish.

offers a variety of water-related activities including scuba, snorkeling and glass-bottom boat excursions to the coral reef. Key Largo also boasts a number of off-park dive charter companies that conduct dive trips. A few even feature underwater weddings, where the entire wedding party gets wet as the happy couple ties the knot.

Key Largo also is home to the Spiegel Grove, a retired U.S. Navy ship that is one of the world’s largest vessels ever purposely scuttled to create an artificial reef.

Islamorada 

is the centerpiece of a group of islands called the “purple isles.” Legend says Spanish explorers named the area from “morado,” the Spanish word for purple — either for the janthina janthina, a violet sea snail found in the subtropical waters, or for the purple bougainvillea flowers in the area.

Known as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World, Islamorada is heralded for its angling diversity and features the Keys’ largest fleet of offshore charter and shallow-water “backcountry” boats.

Marathon

Home to the Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon is a renowned boating and family destination and is centrally located at the heart of the Florida Keys between Key Largo and Key West.

Marathon also is home to Crane Point, a 63-acre land tract that is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the Keys. This ecological and cultural treasure contains evidence of pre-Columbian and prehistoric Bahamian artifacts, and was once the site of an entire Native American village.

In addition, Marathon features Dolphin Research Center, one of several Keys facilities that provides visitors an opportunity to swim and interact with the intelligent mammals. Marathon also features The Turtle Hospital, a veterinary center dedicated solely to treating sea turtles that is open to the public for tours.

Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys

The sheer sweep of the Straits of Florida and the Gulf of Mexico is readily seen from the Bahia Honda Bridge. Bahia Honda State Park is a prime example of the Lower Keys’ natural beauty.

The Lower Keys are noted for Looe Key Reef, rated by many as among the most spectacular shallow-water dive sites. To the west of Looe Key, the 210-foot island freighter Adolphus Busch Sr. rests on the ocean floor as an artificial reef, providing additional habitat for marine species and an intriguing site for divers.

Big Pine Key also features a national refuge for miniature Key deer, tropical forest and even a few alligators. Popular nature tours, many by kayak, offer unforgettable opportunities to view migratory and wading birds and the unique flora and fauna of this tranquil natural area of the Keys.

Key West

Key West is the final stop on the Overseas Highway, where the land ends and meets the sea amid 19th-century charm and contemporary attractions. Continental America’s southernmost city, situated closer to Cuba than to Miami, is characterized by quaint palm-studded streets, century-old mansions and a relaxed citizenry of self-styled “conchs” (pronounced “konks”).

At day’s end in Key West, crowds gather at Mallory Square to experience the nightly “sunset celebration,” a tradition that locals share with visitors. While musicians, jugglers, acrobats and other performers provide entertainment, the sun sinks slowly below the horizon as sunset cruise boats sail by in Key West Harbor.

Dining opportunities in the island city are as enticing as the sunset. Key West’s culinary influences and offerings are diverse, but most restaurants feature fresh local seafood such as shrimp, Florida spiny lobster, fish and stone crab claws, considered a renewable resource because of the crabs’ ability to re-grow harvested claws. Some species, such as stone crab claws and lobster, are subject to seasonal harvest restrictions. A slice of Key lime pie, the Keys’ signature dessert, is an ideal end to a meal.

The nightlife in Key West can be lively and exciting. The “Duval Crawl” is a popular phrase used to describe fun-seekers’ evening jaunts up and down the island’s main street to sample numerous taverns and entertainment offerings including live music and popular drag shows.

For more culturally oriented visitors, theater is available at several playhouses and diverse musical organizations offer a wide variety of concerts.

Plan a perfect Florida Keys wedding with information on venues and more. You’ll find the Keys are far richer in cultural opportunities than most tropical getaways. If the outdoors are your thing, you can explore our wild side through guided eco-tours, walking trails and environmental centers. Numerous dive-snorkel charter captains are ready to show you North America’s only living, coral barrier reef. Anglers have a full-range of world-famous fishing opportunities.