Key Largo Florida Sets The Stage
For Your Florida Keys Vacation
Key Largo Florida is at the north end of the beautiful chain of islands that form this tropical paradise.
Exotic names like Angelfish Key, Plantation Key, Upper and Lower Matecumbe Key conjure up a variety of images.
Others like Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and the African Queen also come to mind.
This is the first and largest of some 1,700 islands forming the beautiful chain that comprises the Keys.
Some of these islands are connected by US 1, the Overseas Highway while others such as Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key are accessible only by boat.
If you're a history buff, both these small Keys have historic State Parks worthy of exploration. However, make sure you've brought mosquito repellant along. This is a definite must-have when touring many of these water surrounded islands.
When you're leaving Homestead and Florida City you're traveling south on Highway 1 or as this stretch of road is called - The South Dixie Highway. At this point there aren't many wide open expanses.
The road is often lined with vegetation and to your right, murky Everglade water channels that lead out to some terrific Key Largo back country fishing.
But be prepared for a real thrill! As you ascend the Jewfish Creek Bridge that leads to the first of the islands, you'll have your first breathtaking glimpse of what lies ahead. You'll be treated to an all encompassing view of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the first pearl in this beautiful necklace of islands.
The view is almost as spectacular as if you were seeing it from the air.
Aerial View of Key Largo
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
But first, before you start heading further south on your Florida Keys vacation - take time to explore the region. There's so many things to do Key Largo is worth every moment you can spare.
This Florida Keys calendar of events gives you a breakdown month by month of the many different fun things you'll be able to do as you vacation in the Florida Keys.
Florida Keys Discounts and Cheap Deals
You'll want to save as much money as you can on the things you're going to want to see and do. Vacations are a blast but they also cost money - sometimes more than we expected.
Florida Keys lodging is obviously one of the biggest expenses and you'll want to check for the best deals you can. If you have the flexibility and can play around with your Florida Keys vacation dates, you can often get better rates on airfare and accommodations.
You can also take advantage of Florida Keys discounts offered through the Days Inn. They have a "Stay 3 Nights at the Days Inn and save 20% special"
Southwest Airlines is now flying to Key West but they also service the rest of Florida. If you're flying in and then driving down to Key Largo and Marathon, you'll land in Fort Lauderdale. This City is about half an hour north of Miami.
Known for their affordability, Southwest Airlines is a good choice you'll want to investigate. With them now servicing Key West, your options are much better in terms of how you can plan your Florida Keys vacation.
You can land north in Fort Lauderdale, explore that region and then travel south in your Florida car rental, discovering the islands as you go.
You can now also land south in Key West Florida, spend time there, then drive your Florida car rental north and explore the Keys up to Key Largo.
You will now also have the option of not having to retrace your steps unless you choose to do so. You can select a different departure point and make better use out of your vacation time by exploring ALL the great things the FLorida Keys have to offer without having to backtrack.
The following company has cheap deals on airfare, hotels, car rentals and vacation packages. They can often save you up to 65% on all flights
If you decide to head south to Key West, a large national company I'm very excited about has big savings on all the popular tours, charters, and museums. They even bundle Key West tours into packages.
Just some of the fun things you can save money on with this company include dolphin watch and snorkel trips, the ferry ride to the Dry Tortugas, fishing and diving charters, discounts to Ernest Hemingway's House, the Truman Little White House, trolley tours,
Exploring Tavernier Florida
As you drive the Upper Keys, you'll come to small towns bearing unusual names such as Tavernier and Islamorada. To really enjoy your vacation in Florida Keys, stop - take a deep breath - and adopt the laid back attitude Conch Republic natives instinctively have.
Take time to explore these great communities. There's no need to rush since the distances are relatively small. In fact, Tavernier Florida is often the preferred destination for those visiting the Upper Keys.
Tavernier blends into Key Largo and Islamorada. As such, it's near the major amenities of the two much larger centers, but slightly set apart to offer more quiet.
It's proximity to the other two communities means that anyone staying in Tavenier can easily enjoy fishing Key Largo, or the spectacular sport fishing Islamorada is famous for.
You'll find that there are quaint inns and tempting restaurants, plus fishing and scuba diving charters to service your many Florida Keys vacation needs.
When you get to Tavernier one of the places that is often sought out, is pet friendly Harry Harris Park. This is an especially nice park that has a man made beach.
If you're traveling with Fido or Fidette, it's nice to know they can come with you, as long as they stay on leash. What makes Harry Harris Park stand out however, are the really good public boat ramps.Tavernier is also home to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center. The Center's phone number is 305-852-4486, and they're located at mile marker (MM) 93.6.
Self guided tours along with great photography opportunities of roseate spoonbill, pelican, osprey and other native birds are possible. This non-profit center is dedicated to helping wounded birds found in the wild. If you like birds, and nature, this is definitely a worthwhile stop to make, even if just for a few hours.
Fishing Key Largo
Just as Key Largo Florida is the Diving Capital of the World, Islamorada is the Sportfishing Capital. Whether you're a serious angler or just enjoy occasionally casting out a line, you'll find on your vacation Islamorada has a lot to offer.
However it's not just Islamorada that has great fishing. Even though Key Largo is synonymous with scuba diving Florida Keys, the fishing here is quite spectacular. Whether you're Key Largo back country fishing or out on the Key Largo Hump, you'll have your share of Florida Keys fish to catch and plenty of fun doing it.
Colorful Roseate Spoonbill With Chick in Nest
www.en.wikipedia.org, Photo Credit ladydragonflycc
Swimming With Dolphins
Swimming with dolphins is an overwhelming favorite among tourists. The ability to interact and get up close with these amazing and incredibly smart creatures is well worth the money it costs.
However, you will want to qualify what you will get for the money you spend, to make sure your expectations match what is actually allowed on your dolphin encounters.
Obviously protecting these mammals is of utmost importance. Even though this may be your first time to swim with dolphins, it's not their first time to swim with humans. As such, they need to be given respect and appropriate space.
In Key Largo FL there are two different facilities that focus on working with, studying and training dolphin. They are:
Dolphin Cove
101900 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037
305-451-4060
and
Dolphins Plus
31 Corinne Pl
Key Largo, FL 33037
305-451-1993
For a fee, children and adults are able to interact with dolphins on a variety of levels. You can choose to be an instructor for the day, or you can opt to swim with dolphins.
Swimming With Dolphins if Fun But So is Having Them Swim in Your Wake
www.en.wikipedia.org, Photo mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov
If you choose to swim with dolphins, you are provided with several choices for dolphin encounters. A very popular option is to select the structured dolphin encounter. This is where under the supervision of an instructor, you're allowed to touch the dolphins, even hold their dorsal fin and swim with them.
Another interesting dolphin encounter option is the non-structured interaction. This is strictly "hands off", but it allows you to snorkel freely with the dolphins in their more natural habitat. This recreates a very good simulation of what swimming with dolphins in the wild would be like.
Scuba Diving Key Largo
Key Largo FL is the first stop in your all inclusive, tropical Florida Keys vacation. The air is fresh. It's full of adventure. The big question is, "What do you want to do first?"
Borrowing one of Hank Azaria's famous lines
Even though Mr. Azaria wasn't talking about diving in Key Largo, this is still an appropriate question to ask yourself. After all, this is the Diving Capital of the World!
You're perfectly positioned at the top of this beautiful chain of islands, where some of the best coral reefs and popular wreck diving sites are located.
Of course, like the rest of the Florida Keys, Key Largo is all about being laid back, and casual. Pretty much anything goes, so don't be afraid to let loose and try something new while you're here.
If you've never been scuba diving Florida Keys or snorkeling - now's the time to test the waters for real. You can take lessons and go out with your scuba diving instructor on an exploratory dive. If you've got some experience, there are scores of Florida Keys scuba charters who'll take you diving the moment you're ready to jump in.
Queen Angelfish are One of the More Beautiful Tropical Fish
www.noaa.gov
Another Florida Keys scuba charters company you may want to contact is Captain Slate's Atlantis Dive Center. A full service instruction facility operational for 32 years, they're close-in to the major dive spots. Captain Slate's is located at 51 Garden Cove Drive, and their phone number is 1-800-331-3483.
You'll find that a good underwater camera is indispensable as an endless stream of underwater photographic opportunities present themselves. The many caves, ledges and crannies of the offshore reefs are filled with hundreds of species of tropical and game fish. You'll also find that the numerous species of brightly colored living coral, and other marine life are hard to resist capturing.
Once you've dried off, you can also take a topside look at these underwater jewels from a ride in a glass bottom boat. Captain Slate's is one of the companies operating glass bottom boat tours in the Florida Keys.
You'll also find that your underwater camera will be even handier when scuba diving Key Largo wrecks. Having your hands free to move aside entanglements and other obstructions can be critical. After all, you're in Key Largo, can you really pass up the opportunity to poke around an underwater shipwreck? Perhaps you'll find some great treasure. It can happen.
However, if you do discover an artifact - don't disturb it. It's illegal to remove or disturb any discovered artifact or treasure. Permits are required to do so, and they're only granted in rare instances when a special recovery has been planned.
If you do find something while scuba diving Key Largo, make a note of it's location. Mark the longitude and latitude, then notify the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary authorities. In Key Largo they can be reached at 305-853-0877, and in Key West at 305-809-4700.
When you're wreck diving, you'll certainly encounter a wide array of fish - both large and small. Watch for them as they dart around and through the cavities and broken hulls of these massive ship graves.
The exciting news is that the Florida Keys has the most accessible, wreck dive sites in the world. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has identified 9 wrecks to be of special interest. On the Shipwreck Trail Florida Keys wreck dives are often due to natural disasters. The 1733 Spanish treasure ship,
San Pedro grounded during a hurricane carrying a wealth of gold and silver.
However, there are a number of other wrecks, like the USCG Duane, and the USCG Bibb that were sunk as part of the artificial reef project. These artificial reefs not only provide great diving opportunity on the Shipwreck Trail Florida Keys, they add to, and promote a healthy underwater ecosystem.
One of the Popular Florida Keys Dive Sites
www.byways.org
When you're scuba diving Florida Keys, you'll also want to visit several other notable dive sites.
The famous Christ of the Abyss, also called Christ of the Deep, is the third casting of the statue and is located underwater at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Placed in 1965, the bronze statue stands 8.5 feet tall, and is submerged in 25 feet of water.
If you're a real scuba diving aficionado and are planning a Florida Keys wedding, you may want a wedding Florida Keys style. Underwater of course! You may have to queue up however. This famous statue and Florida Keys diving site is also a very popular wedding location.
Another popular Key Largo diving site is the USS Speigel Grove. This massive, 510 foot, artificial reef is the newest diving attraction in the area.
Named for the estate home of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th U.S. President, the decommissioned and sunk navy boat is also one of the largest artificial reefs created. As such, it has become a home for a huge array of fish, ranging from large goliath grouper to delicate, tropical fish.
The Spiegel Grove also changed it's underwater position after Hurricane Dennis blew through in 2005. It moved from it's starboard side to a totally upright position. As amazing as this dive site is, it also harbors danger. 6 people have died trying to explore it's watery depths.
Scuba diving the Spiegel Grove requires a higher level of diving skill. Diving credentials must be provided for examination. For safety reasons, it is recommended that dives in any opening below 90 feet not be allowed.
John Pennekamp Beach
State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory
Other water related activities can be found during a visit to popular John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Boat rentals, glass bottom boat tours, and of course Florida Keys snorkeling and diving charters are available at the Park.
You can enjoy a picnic, or fish from any of the designated areas. Swimming in the warm ocean water is also a favorite pastime. Check out Cannon Beach, where just a short 100 feet offshore, you'll spot remnants of an old Spanish shipwreck.
You also don't want to pass up a chance to see more of the Key Largo area from a different perspective. Take a cruise on the beautiful refurbished movie icon The African Queen. A number of trips are provided daily, and on Friday and Saturday evenings, dinner cruises are also available.
Eat and Sleep in Key Largo Florida
Food is a big part of anyone's Florida Keys vacation, and no one can pass up a chance to try a piece of world famous key lime pie.
One of our favorite places is Key Lime Products at 95200 Overseas Hwy, MM 95.231, 305-853-0378. They have the best key lime everything - including pie. They also have a good selection of some awesome sweet-tart candy that's hard to avoid.
You'll also find that there are some great Key Largo restaurants where you can get a true taste of the region. One place in particular, Calypso's Seafood Grill is a bit off the beaten path, but is well worth the trip.
They provide great meals, in a fun, relaxed atmosphere right on the ocean. You can dine on the patio or inside, and the prices are moderate for a good meal. They don't take credit cards however, so make sure you're carrying some cash.
If you want tasty authentic food, with a different, flavorful twist - this is a pretty good place to go. Just so you know and aren't disappointed, they're closed Tuesdays, so plan accordingly. They're located at the Ocean Bay Marina, MM 99.5, 1 Seagate Blvd. 305-451-0600.
If you're staying in the area for a few nights before heading south to Marathon, and then Key West, you have a broad selection of accommodations to get the best Key Largo deals on lodging.
They also have a marina and a boat ramp capable of handling up to a 28' boat. The Ocean Pointe Suites overlook either the mangroves, or the Atlantic Ocean. The suites on the Atlantic side also have private balconies.
Another extremely popular choice is the Hampton Inn at MM 102, 102400 Overseas Highway.
They feature a boat dock, private beach, fitness room, and heated pool. All the rooms are equipped with refrigerators, microwaves and mini-bars so you're also somewhat contained.
You also receive a free hot breakfast every morning of your stay at the Hampton Inn Key Largo. The hotel does not have an in-house restaurant but there's a wide array of restaurants in the immediate area you can check out.
The Hampton Inn also allows smaller pets under 30 pounds. If you're traveling with your 'best friend' you don't have to worry about shopping around for another hotel.
Most important is that the rooms are clean, and the staff is friendly. Reports run rampant about other locations where vacations are spoiled by grumpy staff or dirty rooms.
Plus if you're an RV'er or a camper, you'll find that there are several good Florida Keys campgrounds you'll want to consider while in the Key Largo area.
No matter where you go or where you'll stay in Key Largo Florida, you'll find that you're surrounded by a natural and peaceful beauty that's hard to find elsewhere.
Courtesy of Geza Paul Frey Jr.
Each evening you'll be treated to a spectacular farewell. The molten sun dips it's head to kiss the mesmerizing shades of the water goodnight, bathing all in a glorious, fiery light.
On your Florida Keys vacation, you'll quickly discover that Key Largo Florida will give you a chance to experience island life at it's best. With so much to see and do - above and below water - it's hard to imagine being any place else. When planning a vacation Key Largo is a true tropical, American Caribbean paradise worth the visit.
Key Largo - 33037
Marathon - 33050
Key West - 33040
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