A fly-drive holiday in the Florida Keys – here’s what not to miss
It was a Monday morning. In fact, it was a Monday morning in February, and I had to pinch myself – I was in the ocean, snorkelling above a coral reef, with a sea turtle! I’m not sure I have ever had a better Monday morning. There were so many memorable moments like this during my Floridian adventure, and I can’t wait to share them with you.
Life in the Florida Keys - get wet, go wild!
Life in the Florida Keys revolves around the water, it IS the water – the Keys themselves are developed on top of ancient coral beds, long fossilised into limestone, and the ocean is in the roots of these gorgeous islands found at the most southern tip of Florida, dividing the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico.
When you are on holiday in the Keys on a Florida Keys road trip, you’ll find that lots of the activities involve taking to the water, but there’s also plenty to do on land, and you're spoiled for choice.
Holiday in the Florida Keys - Islamorada
Sundance Watersports
When you book an excursion with Sundance Watersports in Islamorada, you join the captain and crew of Blue, a 65 foot catamaran for a magical half day tour to snorkel, scuba and snuba*, or to simply admire the view.
(*Snuba? I know, me neither! Turns out it’s an ingenious cross between snorkelling and scuba diving. The breathing tubes remain attached to an air cylinder that floats on the surface above you as you dive.)
We sailed out for about half an hour or so on the east (Atlantic) side of the Keys and came to a stop near a large, doughnut-shaped coral reef nestled in the sea grass, an ideal spot for snorkelling. The crew had told us that it was often a good place to see sea turtles so, when I put my mask and snorkel on, I was hopeful.
The water was warm, as daft as it seems I wasn’t expecting that, and the sea was very clear. I swam about above the coral for a while soaking in this idyllic location, although I did feel like I was being stalked at times by a two-foot-long barracuda with beady black staring eyes. Every time I turned around, he was there, giving me the stink eye! The crew reassured me that it wasn’t the same one every time and in fairness there were lots of them around, and they are pretty curious, but it looked like the same one to me.
I decided to swim out a bit further away from my stalker and it was a couple of minutes before I put my head back under the water and there it was, right underneath me, a sea turtle! I honestly thought I was going to cry. I kept pace swimming above my new best friend for a few minutes, then with a couple of quick flipper flips he was off, out into the sea grass and I couldn’t keep up. Those turtles are fast! I was elated, my turtle encounter had made my day, and this was literally the first activity on the first day of my holiday in the Florida Keys.
To join Sundance Watersports on a snorkelling adventure you can find them at Robbie’s, 77522 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Trips depart twice daily at 10am and 1.30pm, and cost from $55 adult, $45 child, including equipment hire.
Keyz Charters
Captain Sam of Keyz Charters is an Islamorada local and we joined her for a private tour around the mangrove channels to experience the Keys’ natural wildlife.
We sailed out into Florida Bay, on the west (Gulf of Mexico) side of the Keys and to a small group of mangrove islands, where Captain Sam pointed out the birds and animals on our route and explained the unique habitat that the mangroves provide. The mangrove islands are purely mangrove trees, and the ‘ground’ is made of their roots so there is no actual island to speak of. The root systems of the mangrove trees act as fish nurseries where all the little fish hang out until they are big enough to brave the open water.
Mangroves are also home to one of Florida’s large water mammals, the manatee. Manatees are known to be shy and can be disturbed by noise, and the channels that we were out in were quite busy with fishing and leisure boats, so we weren’t very hopeful that we would actually see one.
Suddenly Captain Sam cut the engine and pointed to the right side of the boat. We could make out a small shape in the water, it was a young manatee! Within seconds, the mother manatee swam alongside us, putting herself between the boat and her baby – it was so moving to see these endangered animals in their little family unit out in the water, this time I did actually cry! The manatees didn’t rush off though, they just swam across the front of the boat to the shady waters at the other side. They seemed to be just as curious of us as we were of them. These beautiful gentle creatures are protected by Florida law and it is illegal to feed them or bother them in any way, so we stayed still in the water and let them do their thing until we could safely head off without disturbing them.
Further out into the bay, we made a stop at Alligator Reef lighthouse, an iconic landmark for Islamorada. It's 150 years old and rises more than 40 metres out of the ocean. No alligators in sight though, the lighthouse is named after the USS Alligator, a ship that ran aground on that spot in the 1820s. The lighthouse and the reef it towers above are now a first class spot for snorkellers and scuba divers who enjoy the crystal clear waters and huge schools of fish that swim around the metal structure.
Keyz Charters is a Blue Star Operator. The Blue Star programme recognises tour operators who are committed to promoting responsible and sustainable practises in order to protect the natural environment. If you are on holiday in the Florida Keys and looking for a private boat tour with a responsible Blue Star Operator, I would recommend booking with Keyz Charters.
Keys Charters operate out of Robbie’s, 77522 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Prices vary depending on group size and the type/duration of your trip.
Holiday in the Florida Keys - Key West
Key Lime Bike Tours
If you enjoy nightlife, restaurants, clubs, and bars then Key West is a fabulous place to be. There is also so much history on the island – as you’d expect from a place that's been a haven for pirates and merchant traders through the centuries.
To make the best of our Key West visit we took a Key Lime Bike Tour around the island. This turned out to be a fantastic idea. With the assistance of our guide James, we toured from Mallory Square (the island's sunset party central) around the old town, to Ernest Hemingway’s house, with the six-toed cats, to the inland lighthouse (it’s a long story) and down to the southernmost point of continental USA, although the legitimacy of that was up for debate in the group!
James kept the pace easy and helped us out with the traffic, although there wasn’t much at all. The Key Lime Bike Tour is a great way to get to know the island. Best of all is the stop at the end, when you return your bike and head next door for some Key Lime Pie, all included in your ticket price.
Key Lime Bike Tours are situated just off Duval Street, at 122 Ann Street, Key West.
Tours are $50 and take approximately 2.5 hours.
Honest Eco
This is the company to book if you’d like a responsible and sustainable dolphin watching experience where you can also snorkel. This family-run business operates a custom-made, lithium-ion, plug-in hybrid boat called SQUID, designed to minimise noise pollution in the ocean.
We were only about 15 minutes out of the marina before our eagle-eyed captain spotted a pod of dolphins who soon headed in to take a look at us. We enjoyed watching them jump up out of the water and chase each other alongside the boat. They joined us for a while, as did a black-tip shark! This was very exciting so early in the trip, but then, as suddenly as they appeared, they were off on their way and we continued out to our snorkelling location, a beautiful sponge garden.
I only needed to put my head in the water to see conch directly underneath me, and a pair of lobsters hiding in a rocky coral. The sponge garden was teeming with life, I saw box fish, sea slugs, all sorts of fish and even a moray eel. It was such a relaxing experience in the warm, clear waters with no noise from the boat.
Honest Eco are based at 231 Margaret Street, Key West, tours set sail at 9am and 2pm and cost $79 for a four-hour tour. Included in the ticket price is snorkel equipment and refreshments, including fresh fruit and veggies with dips
Wind and Wine Sunset Sail
The sunsets in Key West are AMAZING – the colours are sublime, almost too incredible to be true. Land lubbers can celebrate sundown looking out across the water from Mallory Square in a carnival type atmosphere and sailors can sail out towards the horizon for a better view, BUT the select few can sail out to that same horizon while sampling a range of fine wines from around the globe.
That is what’s on offer with the Wind and Wine sunset sail from Danger Charters. Guests can enjoy a selection of eight wines and/or upscale beers and soft drinks, all served up with tasty hors d’oeuvres. There is something quite magical about being aboard an historic Key West schooner with billowing white sails as the sky turns to fire that will make this a trip to not forget in a hurry.
Danger Charters offer daily sunset sails at 4.30pm for $109 per person and each excursion is limited to 26 guests. They are based at 255 Front St, Key West.
Holiday in the Florida Keys - Marathon, Big Pine and Pigeon Key
The Turtle Hospital
If you are on holiday in the Florida Keys and you get the chance, you must visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon.
These beautiful sea creatures are native to the Florida Keys and they love the clear, warm waters, feasting on the abundant vegetation that grows here. Sadly their interactions with humans and the waste that we humans leave behind often means that they wind up in need of rescue, which is where the hospital comes in. This non-profit organisation offers behind the scenes tours several times a day, where visitors can take a look at the operating theatre, meet the long-term residents and even feed some of the turtles who are recuperating in the hospital's largest tank.
Our tour was led by Karl, who told us the turtle tales of some of the patients, explaining their injuries and what interventions, surgeries and treatments had been carried out in order to rehabilitate them, ready for release back into the wild.
Depending on the timing of your visit, the releasing of turtles back into the wild is a public event, so you can get involved at seeing them on their way back into the wild.
Any tour profits or funds raised from the gift shop go back into the hospital funds, so you’re doing your bit for the turtles just by being there. I even met a huge turtle called Sally!
The Turtle Hospital is at 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon. Tours take place at half hour intervals from 9am to 4pm. $30 adults, $15 children, under 3s go free.
Big Pine Kayak Adventures
Big Pine Key is between Key West and Marathon and is home to Big Pine Key kayak adventures. The proprietor, Bill, takes visitors out in kayaks across the Bogie Channel into the red mangrove forest. The wildlife we saw in these mangrove forests is different from those fifty miles or so away in Islamorada. Here we found mangrove crabs, hermit crabs and we even spotted the endangered Key Deer.
In some places the channels were so small that we had to pull ourselves along on the mangrove branches and roots! We came out from the narrow channel between the forest roots into a lagoon, with water so clear we could see the upside down jellyfish pulsating on the seabed like something from Avatar.
As the sunset began, it suddenly became clear how the red mangrove gets its name – the mangrove roots picked up the light and shone bright red. It almost looked like they were burning, and it was a beautiful end to the day.
Kayaking with Big Pine Kayak Adventures is $73pp for a three-hour experience. You can find them at 1791 Bogie Dr, Big Pine Key.
Pigeon Key
It’s hard to overestimate the importance of the historical island of Pigeon Key to all human life in the Florida Keys.
The island was home to the 400 workers who built the railway that linked the islands of the Keys and subsequently brought fresh water in a pipeline. The non-profit organisation at Pigeon Key offers a fully guided tour of the island with plenty of opportunities to bird watch, swim and snorkel.
This picturesque little island surrounded by blue waters and its little wooden jetty can be accessed on foot or cycle via the ‘Old 7’, a section of the old rail bridge, or by a short ferry ride. Visitors can see the original huts where the workers lived, eating and sleeping in dormitory-style cabins or tents and all crammed in together.
Tickets are $25pp, $20 for children. Ticket prices include ferry transfer, museum access and a tour of the island. Pigeon Key can be found at 1090 Overseas Highway, Marathon.
THE DETAILS
Sundance Watersports
To join Sundance Watersports on a snorkelling adventure you can find them at Robbie’s, 77522 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Departs twice daily at 10am and 1.30pm, from $55 adult, $45 child includes equipment hire.
Keyz Charters
Keys Charters operate out of Robbie’s, 77522 Overseas Highway, Islamorada.
Prices vary depending on group size and the type/duration of your trip.
The Turtle Hospital
The Turtle Hospital is at 2396 Overseas Highway, Marathon. Tours take place at half hour intervals from 9am to 4pm. $30 adults, $15 children, under 3s go free.
Key Lime Bike Tours
Key Lime Bike Tours are situated just off Duval Street, at 122 Ann Street, Key West.
Tours are $50 and take approximately 2.5 hours.
Honest Eco
Honest Eco are based at 231 Margaret Street, Key West, tours set sail at 9am and 2pm and cost $79 for a 4 hour tour. Included in the ticket price is snorkel equipment and refreshments, including fresh fruit and veggies with dips
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