Year round beautiful weather, surrounded by azure seas, with a wide range and price spectrum of accommodations, makes the Conch Republic a terrific place to visit, particularly in these unsure economic times. The Keys is an archipelago of literally hundreds of islands, but are roughly divided into three vacation areas: The Upper Keys, The Middle Keys and The Lower Keys with the county seat of the Keys located at Key West. Each has its own charm, but the overarching unifying theme is the funky island atmosphere that one typically finds in the Bahamas. The Florida Keys offers that and much more.
Florida Keys Accommodations
With all manner and scale of accommodations available from trailer rentals, condo rentals, home and estate rentals to some of the finest Florida hotels in the state, a vacation in the Keys can accommodate almost any budget. One can stay on the “ocean side” , but the best sunsets are on the “bay side”. One other side benefit on the bay side is that numerous sail boats, hotels, homes and restaurants make for interesting viewing after the sun goes down.
Typically, if a vacationer is renting a home, the likelihood of it being equipped with a pool is fairly low. Therefore, most hotels and vacation condominium complexes almost all have pools. So after a day sailing on the water or diving under the water, nothing beats a dip in the pool, followed by a cool drink on the balcony.
Tropical Water Sports on the Keys
The Keys offers a huge variety of water sports: snorkeling on the reef, wreck SCUBA diving, water skiing, sailing, kayaking, Jet Skiing, parasailing and just plain tooling around in a boat taking in the sights. Virtually every type of water craft can be rented to suit almost anyone’s individual tastes. Most of the boating will typically occur on the bay side, however if one wishes to snorkel or SCUBA dive, the reefs off shore are an incredible natural wonder.
Fishing is also better in the Keys with a large variety of fish and fishing styles to challenge the skill of almost any angler. There is deep sea fishing off the north shore of the Keys as well as fishing within the Gulf of Mexico towards the Dry Tortugas. There’s also reef fishing and flats fishing. And if that doesn’t challenge someone, there’s also fishing within the Ten Thousand Island chain between the Keys and the southern most tip of the mainland. One must be careful and employ the services of an experienced fishing guide as every tropical mangrove looks the same and its very easy to get lost.
Sightseeing and Restaurants
With three separate areas of the keys to explore, there’s more than enough sight seeing to be done. Certainly, Key West with its history and architecture is worth spending a day. But Key Largo, Islamorada and the city of Marathon are also great places to visit. Each has a unique charm with beautiful sights and things to do. There’s a great deal of history and romance in the Florida Keys.
Certainly, dining is one of the enjoyable features of the Keys. From Conch Fritters to all manner of seafood, one will be able to enjoy some of the finest and freshest seafood in the country. It’s also possible to find five star eateries at some of the hotels as well as within some of the towns up and down the island chain. Certainly after a sumptuous meal, a diner is almost obligated to enjoy real key lime pie.
The Florida Keys is a destination that is both economical, relaxing and interesting. There’s a wide range of activities, sights, sounds and people to see and things to do. With the natural beauty of the waters and the tropical atmosphere that pervades the whole area, the Keys is a great place to relax in the sun.
