Tag: Duval Street

5 Things to Do in The Florida Keys

Does island hopping appeal to your travel senses? Or, is a great glamping trip that encompasses culture, history, outdoor activity, and a bit of the off-beat what you’re seeking in your next adventure? Whichever way you choose to travel, consider a glamping trip to the Florida Keys complete with a colorful cottage accommodation at Encore Fiesta Key, located on Long Key. Fiesta Key also offers Elite Suites as an option for your stay. The resort itself has plenty of activities and amenities, including a pool, marina and boat dock, horseshoes, fishing opportunities, and a super fun Tiki Bar and Cantina where you can relax and discuss your plans for your Florida Keys experience.

We serve up five ideas here on what to do in the Keys.

1. Visit Molasses Reef: The Molasses Reef Preservation Sanctuary Area is the most visited coral reef in the Upper Keys. It has clear water, plenty of fish to see and plenty of boulder corals. Book a charter through seadwellers.com and be ready to experience an other-worldly adventure which some have equated to swimming in a crystal clear aquarium! You might see nurse sharks, lobsters, shrimp, moray eels, angelfish, and sea turtles to name a few.

2. Spirited Adventures: There are all kinds of places to partake safely in the spirits here. Try some mead at Keys’ Meads on Key Largo. This Florida farm meadery offers hand-crafted mead and other spirits made from honey. At Papa Pilar’s Rum in Key West it’s all about the rum. From distillery tours to cocktail classes, this is a must-do. While there are no tours offered, plenty of fun can be found at Islamorada Brewery & Distillery. A pet-friendly beer garden, a swag shop full of island gear, food and, of course, drinks, plus special events and plenty of live music and games are what you can expect here.

Slice of Key Lime Pie


3. Key Lime Fun: There’s a whole history behind why it’s called a Florida Key Lime, but all we care about is how good the Key Lime Pie (KLP) pie tastes. Get in on the experience and try this tasty treat all around the islands. On Marathon, Keys’ Fisheries has some of the best KLP in the area, plus other yummy seafood. The colorful Key Lime Pie Bakery just off the famous Duval Street in Key West is another option. Also, try Midway Cafe on Islamorada for KLP or a Key Lime Tart. They also have gourmet coffees on the menu.

4. Unique Shopping: From shells to cigars, there are plenty of trinkets to pick up during a visit to The Keys. Shell World on Key Largo is good for well, you know, shells, but there’s plenty more island-related regalia here. The Big Pine Key Flea Market is open every weekend (Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and has everything from homemade soaps to fishing gear, jewelry, and local art. Rain Barrel Village on Islamorada is an outdoor market plaza with several specialty shops and eateries and lots of Florida souvenirs. Plus, there’s a giant lobster out front that makes for a perfect selfie backdrop! For cigars, check out Rodriguez Cigar Factory in Key West, where you can also see them being rolled.

Kayaking in Sunshine Key
Kayaking in Sunshine Key

5. Only in the Keys Experience: There are some things that you just can’t do anywhere else and if you’re in the Florida Keys, here are those experiences:

  • Feed the Tarpon at Robbie’s in Islamorada
  • Snap a selfie at the Southernmost Point in the Continental U.S. (Key West)
  • See the underwater statue, St. John of the Abyss, while snorkeling at John Pennekamp State Park. (Key Largo)
  • Visit The Little White House – Florida’s only Presidential museum which was President Harry Truman’s winter home. (Key West)
  • Take a ride on the African Queen (Key Largo)

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!