Tag: Key Largo

5 Things to Do In…The Florida Keys

Sunshine Key Tiny House Village in Big Pine Key, FL

We could easily say visit a different island every day and you’ll find five things to do in the Florida Keys. But if we’re being serious, The Florida Keys have a million different ways to spend any time in this tropical paradise. We’ve got the short list below:

  1. Screen Connections: The island known as Key Largo has many connections to Hollywood. First off, it’s the name of the iconic Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall film as well as the setting for the film. It is also home to the African Queen, the steamboat featured in another Bogart film (you can guess the name) and is now a tourist attraction that runs dinner cruises. The island’s Caribbean Club bar was also featured in the film, Key Largo, and has the distinction of being the oldest bar in the Upper Keys. If the Fast and the Furious movie franchise is your favorite, then the Seven Mile Bridge should look familiar. Also, Bloodline (Netflix series) was filmed in and around The Keys, with plenty of filming done on Islamorada so a visit might turn up a few familiar sights. Check out these locations for a little brush with fame.
Florida Keys Aerial View
  1. The Dry Tortugas: The name is derived from the Spanish word for “turtle” which is what Ponce De Leon found in plenty when he discovered the area in 1513, thus naming it Las Tortugas. However, because of something that wasn’t found in abundance originally – fresh water – the island’s name was changed to Dry Tortugas. Comprised of seven islands, the Dry Tortugas have a lot to offer visitors from history to wildlife to wonderful beaches. It is the only regular U.S. nesting site for the sooty tern – look for them on Bush Key from March through September. It is home to Fort Jefferson, one of the largest 19th century forts in the US, which visitors can tour, and it is home to five different types of turtles – you can glimpse them floating in the sea. Plus, it’s also a snorkeler’s paradise with large coral heads as the underwater show!
Dry Tortugas National Park, FL
  1. Theater of the Sea: Consider it the vaudeville of the seas – a place where you can enjoy variety and be in awe of the show unfolding before you. The Theater of the Sea, located on Islamorada, is a marine mammal park with lagoons hosting sea lions, turtles, stingrays, alligators, and sea birds. This is the place to swim with dolphins, sea lions and even sharks and get up close and personal with the turtles, alligators, and parrots. Looking for a unique souvenir from your visit? Consider having a dolphin create some art just for you – check out the Paint with the Dolphins package offered here. Your friends will be jealous!
  1. Shipwreck Museum: What’s a group of islands in the sea without a nod to shipwrecks? Of course, the Keys has a shipwreck museum, and it can be found on Key West. The Key West Shipwreck Museum tells the history of 400 years of shipwrecks in the area, which on average, happened once a week! Through the use of actors, artifacts, and film, you can experience this interesting maritime heritage of the area.
  1. Nurture Nature: There are all kinds of nature-type experiences you can enjoy when visiting the Keys, including the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, the National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key, the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary on Tavernier Key, and the Dolphin Research Center and the Turtle Hospital, both on Marathon Key. FYI, the Key Deer can only be found in the Lower Keys and Marathon’s Turtle Hospital has successfully treated and released over 1500 sea turtles since it was founded in 1986.
Colorful Cottage at Fiesta Key in Long Key, FL

For the ultimate in Keys accommodations, consider booking a colorful cottage at Fiesta Key or a perfectly appointed tiny home at Sunshine Key. Either option is right on the water and feels like your own private slice of paradise. Both resorts are the perfect location for all things Keys as well as a great place to call “home” while you enjoy America’s answer to a tropical vacation.   

Read More:

The Keys in Three: Itinerary ideas for a three-day adventure in the Florida Keys

Sunshine Key

A quick trip to the Florida Keys can be relaxing or adventurous, or a bit of both depending on what floats your boat! Toss in a tiny house accommodation and you’ve got a memorable trip in the making.

Let’s start with accommodations. Sunshine Key, on Ohio Key, recently welcomed five tiny homes, each with its own unique personality and each perfectly appointed with everything you need for a great vacation accommodation. The tiny homes at the Tiny House Village at Sunshine Key are Pearl, Isla, Hemingway, Lucy, and Kai.

Pearl, Isla, Hemingway, Lucy, and Kai

Pearl is pretty in pink and features a sleeper sofa on the first floor and a queen bed in the lofted sleeping area (accessible by stairs), as well as a full bathroom with standing shower, and a kitchen complete with refrigerator, stovetop, coffeemaker, toaster, and dinnerware and cookware.

Isla shines in her tropical green exterior with a fully appointed interior that includes a first-floor sleeper sofa and a lofted sleeping area with a two queen sized beds, and a twin bed. The full bathroom has a tub and shower and the kitchen is complete with stovetop, refrigerator, coffeemaker, toaster and dinnerware and cookware.

Lucy is friendly with a sunny personality and an exterior color to match! Life with Lucy includes a first-floor sleeper sofa and two lofted queen beds as well as a lofted twin bed! The kitchen matches those of her counterparts and the full bathroom features both a shower and tub.

Sunshine Key
Sunshine Key

Kai gives off a water loving vibe thanks to the aqua exterior that mimics the waters of the Keys. Inside, Kai is just as easy-going with a first-floor sleeper sofa and a lofted queen bed. Kai’s kitchen has all the amenities including a refrigerator, stovetop, coffeemaker, toaster and cookware and dinnerware.

Hemingway and the Keys are pretty much synonymous, so to have an authentic Keys trip, consider a stay in Hemingway, the tiny home! The first level/basement features a full bed and the loft area, accessible by ladder, has a queen bed. The kitchen has the same features as the other tiny homes and the full bath features a standing shower.

All the tiny homes have AC/heat, TV with basic cable, linens and an outdoor picnic table.

The resort itself offers on-site fishing opportunities, a marina and dock, is near the beach and has wonderful amenities including a swimming pool, fitness center, tennis and pickleball courts, and laundry facilities. The resort is also pet friendly.

As for the Keys, you can snorkel, fish, explore Hemingway’s Key West, see wildlife, take fabulous photos and enjoy life in the tropics without leaving the US! Thanks to the 113-mile Overseas Highway, all the Keys are accessible by car, from Key Largo in the north on south to Key West, at the southernmost tip of Florida.

Sunshine Key
Sunshine Key

If you’re looking to do the Keys in three days, here are a few must-sees:

Dolphin Cove on Key Largo provides the opportunity to make some dreams come true if your dreams involve swimming with dolphins.  Visit www.floridakeysswimwithdolphins.com to learn how to swim with these gentle creatures in a natural salt lagoon. Another Key Largo highlight is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park where you can snorkel, explore the reef on a glass bottom boat tour, or explore the mangrove swamps.

On Islamorada, visitors can learn all about the history of diving at the History of Diving Museum, which offers exhibits, lectures, special events, and contains one of the world’s largest collections of diving paraphernalia including diving helmets, suits, books, films and other memorabilia.

Marathon Key is home to the famous Seven Mile Bridge and Big Pine Key is home to Bahia State Park and the National Key Deer Refuge Center, which was established to protect the Key deer as well as other wildlife in the Keys. The Seven Mile Bridge was once one of the longest bridges in the world and can be explored by bicycle. Visitors can learn some interesting history of why the bridge was built. Sunset views from the bridge are spectacular!

Key West is, of course, known for the being the place where Hemingway lived for several years in the 1930s and wrote some of his best-known works, including For Whom the Bell Tolls. Visitors can tour the Hemingway House and also take a trolley tour which visits all the major attractions in the town. Snap a selfie at the Southernmost Point Buoy which marks the southernmost point in the continental United States. Stroll along Duval Street, the town’s main street, and enjoy the historic homes, restaurants, and shops.

Plan your Florida Keys getaway and reserve the tiny home that suits you best!