The Florida Keys

We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Florida Keys - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Bahia Honda State Park

    Most first-time visitors to the region are dismayed by the lack of beaches—but then they discover Bahia Honda Key. The 524-acre park sprawls across both sides of the highway, giving it 2½ miles of fabulous sandy coastline. Beaches include Sandspur and Loggerhead Beaches on the Atlantic side and Calusa Beach, which faces the Gulf of Mexico. The snorkeling isn't bad, either; there's underwater life (soft coral, queen conchs, random little fish) just a few hundred feet offshore. Seasonal ranger-led nature programs take place at or depart from the Sand and Sea Nature Center. There are rental cabins and a campground, snack bar, gift shop, and 19-slip marina, as well as facilities for renting kayaks and arranging snorkeling tours. Get a panoramic view of the island from what's left of the railroad—the Bahia Honda Rail Bridge.

    36850 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33043, USA
    305-872–2353

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: From $5
  • 2. Curry Hammock State Park

    On the ocean and bay sides of the Overseas Highway are 260 acres of upland hammock, wetlands, and mangroves. On the bay side, there's a trail through thick hardwoods to a rocky shoreline. The ocean side is more developed, with a sandy beach, a clean bathhouse, picnic tables, a playground, grills, and a 28-site campground with electric and water hookups. Locals consider the paddling trails under canopies of arching mangroves among the best kayaking spots in the Keys. Manatees frequent the area, and it's a great place for watching herons, egrets, ibises, plovers, and sanderlings. Raptors are often seen in the park, too, especially during migration periods.

    56200 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33050, USA
    305-289–2690

    Sight Details

    Campsites are $36 per night. Rate Includes: $5 for up to 2 people, $1 per additional person
  • 3. Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder

    This nonprofit focuses on marine mammal conservation, and you can help it by participating in one of the educational offerings. One popular option is the Connect to Protect, an immersive water program that begins with an educational briefing, after which you enter the deep-water lagoon to interact with the dolphins. Prefer to stay mostly dry? Opt for the tour of the facility or the general admission, which provides unlimited viewing of the dolphin lagoons, trainer talks, and educational exhibits.

    31 Corrine Pl., Florida, 33037, USA
    305-453–4321

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Programs from $59
  • 4. Dry Tortugas National Park

    This park, 70 miles off the shores of Key West, consists of seven small islands. Most people spend their time on Garden Key, touring the 19th-century Fort Jefferson, the largest brick building in the Western Hemisphere, then heading out to snorkel on the protected reef. The brick fort acts like a gigantic, almost 16-acre reef. Around its moat walls, coral grows and schools of snapper, grouper, and wrasse hang out. Serious snorkelers and divers head out farther offshore to epic formations, including Palmata Patch, one of the few surviving concentrations of elkhorn coral in the Keys. Day-trippers congregate on the sandy beach to relax in the sun and enjoy picnics. Overnight tent campers have use of restroom facilities and achieve a total getaway from noise, lights, and civilization in general. The park has signposted a self-guided tour that takes about 45 minutes. You should budget more time if you're into photography because the scenic shots are hard to pass up. Ranger-guided tours are also available at certain times. Check in at the visitor center for a schedule.

    Florida, USA
    305-242–7700

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $15
    View Tours and Activities
  • 5. Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters

    This isn't your typical large-city aquarium. It’s more hands-on and personal, and it's all outdoors with several tiki huts to house the encounters and provide shade as you explore, rain or shine. Plan to spend at least two to three hours here. You’ll find a 200,000-gallon aquarium and plenty of marine encounters (extra cost), as well as guided tours, viewing areas, and a predator tank. The Coral Reef encounter ($95 snorkel, $130 regulator) lets you dive without hearing the theme from Jaws in your head (although you can see several sharks on the other side of the glass). Touch tanks have unique critters like slipper lobsters. Hungry? The on-site Eagle Ray Café serves up wings, fish tacos, salads, burgers, and more. Note that general admission is required, even if you've signed up for a marine encounter.

    11710 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33050, USA
    305-407–3262

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $27.50
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  • 6. Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center

    While visiting Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, stop in at this colorful, 6,400-square-foot, interactive attraction, where you can experience a variety of Florida Keys habitats from pinelands, beach dunes, and mangroves to the deep sea. Walk through a model of the Aquarius—a unique, underwater, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laboratory 9 miles off Key Largo—to virtually discover what lurks in the ocean's depths. Touch-screen computer displays, a dramatic movie, a 2,500-gallon aquarium, and live underwater web cameras show off North America's only contiguous barrier coral reef. You'll leave with a new understanding of the native animals and unique plants of the Florida Keys.

    35 E. Quay Rd., Florida, 33040, USA
    305-809–4750

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free (donations accepted), Closed Sun. and Mon.
  • 7. Fort Zachary Taylor Beach

    Old Town

    This beach in the historic state park with the same name is the best and safest place to swim in Key West. There's an adjoining picnic area with barbecue grills and shade trees, a snack bar, and rental equipment, including snorkeling gear. A café serves sandwiches and other munchies. Water shoes are recommended since the bottom is rocky here. Amenities: food and drink; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

    Florida, 33040, USA
    305-292–6713

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: From $5
  • 8. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

    Old Town

    Construction of the redbrick fort began in 1845 but was halted during the Civil War. Even though Florida seceded from the Union, Yankee forces used the fort as a base to block Confederate shipping. More than 1,500 Confederate vessels were detained in Key West's harbor. The fort, completed in 1866, was also used in the Spanish-American War. Take a 30-minute guided walking tour of this National Historic Landmark at noon and 2 or do a self-guided tour anytime between 8 and 5. One of the park's most popular features is its man-made beach, a rest stop for migrating birds in the spring and fall; there are also picnic areas, hiking and biking trails, and a kayak launch.

    Florida, 33040, USA
    305-292–6713

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: From $5
  • 9. Founders Park

    Amenities at this gem of a public park include a palm-shaded beach, pool, marina, skate park, tennis, and places to rent a boat or learn to sail. If you're staying in Islamorada, admission is free; otherwise, it costs $8 (cash only) to enter.

    87000 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33036, USA
    305-853–1685
  • 10. Higgs Beach and Astro City Playground

    This Monroe County park, with its groomed pebbly sand, is a popular sunbathing spot. A nearby grove of Australian pines provides shade, and the West Martello Tower provides shelter should a storm suddenly sweep in. Kayak and beach-chair rentals are available, as is a volleyball net. The beach also has the largest AIDS memorial in the country and a cultural exhibit commemorating the gravesite of 295 enslaved Africans who died after being rescued from three South America–bound slave ships in 1860. An athletic trail with 10 fitness stations is also available. Hungry? Grab a bite to eat at Salute!, the on-site restaurant. Across the street, Astro City Playground is popular with young children. Amenities: parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

    Atlantic Blvd. between White and Reynolds Sts., Florida, 33040, USA

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 11. History of Diving Museum

    This museum plunges into the history of man's thirst for undersea exploration. Amid its 13 galleries of interactive and other interesting displays are a submarine and helmet re-created from the film 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Vintage U.S. Navy equipment, diving helmets from around the world, and early scuba gear explore 4,000 years of diving history. Nifty scavenger hunt printouts make this fun for little ones. 

    82990 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33036, USA
    305-664–9737

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $15
  • 12. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

    This state park is on everyone's list for easy access to the best diving and snorkeling in Florida. The underwater treasure encompasses 78 nautical square miles of coral reefs and sea-grass beds. It lies adjacent to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which contains 40 of the 52 species of coral in the Atlantic Reef System and nearly 600 varieties of fish, from the colorful parrotfish to the demure cocoa damselfish. Whatever you do, get in the water. Snorkeling and diving trips ($39 and $90, respectively; equipment extra) and glass-bottom-boat rides to the reef ($32) are available, weather permitting. One of the most popular snorkel trips is to see Christ of the Deep, the 2-ton underwater statue of Jesus. The park also has nature trails, two man-made beaches, picnic shelters, a snack bar, and a campground. Amenities: food and drink; parking (fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

    102601 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33037, USA
    305-451–1202-for park

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $4 for 1 person in vehicle, $8 for 2–8 people, $2 for pedestrians and cyclists or extra people (plus a 50¢ per-person county surcharge)
  • 13. Key West Museum of Art & History

    When Key West was designated a U.S. port of entry in the early 1820s, a customhouse was established. Salvaged cargoes from ships wrecked on the reefs were brought here, setting the stage for Key West to become—for a time—the richest city in Florida. The imposing redbrick-and-terra-cotta Richardsonian Romanesque–style building became a museum and art gallery in 1999. Smaller galleries have long-term and changing exhibits about the history of Key West, including a Hemingway room and a permanent Henry Flagler exhibit that commemorates the arrival of Flagler's railroad in Key West in 1912.

    281 Front St., Florida, 33040, USA
    305-295–6616

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $13
  • 14. Long Key State Park

    Come here for solitude, hiking, and fishing. On the ocean side, the 1.1-mile Golden Orb Trail leads to a boardwalk that cuts through the mangroves (may require some wading) and alongside a lagoon where waterfowl congregate. A 1¼-mile canoe trail leads through a tidal lagoon, and the grass flats are perfect for bonefishing. Bring a mask and snorkel to observe the marine life in the shallow water.

    67400 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33001, USA
    305-664–4815

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $4.50 for 1 person, $5.50 for 2 people, and 50¢ for each additional person in the group
  • 15. Long Key State Park Beach

    Camping, snorkeling, and bonefishing are popular activities along this narrow strip of natural, rocky shoreline. The day area offers a nice respite, and the campground is edged by shallow, sea-grass-bottom waters. Amenities: showers; toilets. Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

    67400 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33001, USA
    305-664–4815

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $4.50 for 1 person, $5.50 for 2 people, and 50¢ for each additional person in the group
  • 16. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

    In 1622, a flotilla of Spanish galleons laden with riches left Havana en route to Spain, but it foundered in a hurricane 40 miles west of the Keys. In 1985, diver Mel Fisher recovered items from two of the lost ships, including the Nuestra Señora de Atocha, said to carry the mother lode of the treasure, and the Santa Margarita. Fisher's adventures tracking these fabled hoards and battling the state of Florida for rights are as amazing as the loot you'll see, touch, and learn about in this museum. Artifacts include a 77.76-carat natural emerald worth almost $250,000. Changing second-floor exhibits cover other aspects of Florida maritime history.

    200 Greene St., Florida, 33040, USA
    305-294–2633

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: $17.50
  • 17. Sandspur Beach

    Of Bahia Honda State Park's three beaches, which also include Calusa and Loggerhead, Sandspur is the largest. It's also regularly declared the best beach in the Florida Keys, and you'll be hard pressed to argue. The sand is baby-powder soft, and the aqua water is warm, clear, and shallow. Mild currents here and at the other beaches make them great for swimming, even with small fry. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee); showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: snorkeling; swimming.

    36850 Overseas Hwy., Florida, 33043, USA
    305-872–2353

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: From $5
  • 18. Seven Mile Bridge and Old Seven Mile Bridge

    This is one of the most photographed images in the Keys. Actually measuring slightly less than 7 miles, it connects the Middle and Lower Keys and is believed to be the world's longest segmental bridge, with 39 expansion joints separating its various concrete sections. Each April, runners gather in Marathon for the annual Seven Mile Bridge Run. The expanse running parallel to the Seven Mile Bridge is what remains of the Old Seven Mile Bridge, an engineering and architectural marvel in its day that's now on the National Register of Historic Places. Once proclaimed the Eighth Wonder of the World, it rested on a record 546 concrete piers. A $44 million renovation, begun in 2017, is part of a 30-year, $77-million restoration and maintenance agreement between the Keys' Monroe County, Marathon municipal officials, and the Florida Department of Transportation. No cars are allowed on the old bridge, but the oft-photographed, 2.2-mile span is open to pedestrians and serves as the gateway to historic Pigeon Key, an islet nestled beneath the “Old Seven” that was once home to about 400 workers constructing the railroad. 

    Florida, USA
  • 19. Smathers Beach

    This wide beach has nearly 1 mile of nice white sand, plus beautiful coconut palms, picnic areas, and volleyball courts, all of which make it popular with the spring-break crowd. Trucks along the road rent rafts, windsurfers, and other beach "toys." Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers.

    S. Roosevelt Blvd., Florida, 33040, USA

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 20. Sombrero Beach

    One of the best beaches in the Keys has shaded picnic areas overlooking a coconut palm–lined grassy stretch and the Atlantic. Roped-off areas allow swimmers, boaters, and windsurfers to share the narrow cove. Facilities include grills, a large playground, a pier, a volleyball court, and a paved, lighted bike path off the Overseas Highway. Sunday afternoons draw lots of local families toting coolers. The park is accessible for those with disabilities and allows leashed pets. Turn east at the traffic light in Marathon and follow signs to the end; parking is payable at a kiosk with credit card only. Amenities: showers; toilets; parking (paid). Best for: swimming; windsurfing.

    Sombrero Beach Rd., Florida, 33050, USA
    305-743–0033

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Parking $5 each hour for 2 hours (then $2 per hour)

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