Key Largo is the first island you hit driving down from Miami, and it sets the tone for the whole Florida Keys: this stretch of the US is about what's under the water, not sunbathing on sand. There are few proper beaches here, so plan around boat trips, kayaking and reefs rather than expecting Miami-style shoreline.
The headline act is snorkelling. Three-hour tours run out into the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, stopping at two different coral reefs roughly 20-25 minutes offshore. Expect tropical fish, sea turtles, stingrays, eels and the occasional nurse shark — and, in calm conditions, the chance to float above the Christ of the Abyss, a bronze statue submerged near the Dry Rocks reef that's one of the most famous dive sites in the country. Tours typically throw in equipment, reef-safe sunscreen and snacks, but note you need to be a confident swimmer: these are open-water sites, not sheltered lagoons.
Prefer to stay dry? Kayak tours through the mangrove passages around Tavernier Creek offer a shot at manatees, which live here year-round, plus dolphins, stingrays and turtles. Beginners are fine — tours start with a lesson and offer single or tandem kayaks. Alternatively, a 90-minute small-group eco cruise around Florida Bay covers similar wildlife (dolphins, manatees, even crocodiles) with zero effort, and guides explain how the mangrove ecosystem works. Families tend to love this one.
On dry land, Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park protects one of the largest remaining tracts of West Indian tropical hardwood forest in the US. Entry is just $2.50, there's an easy half-mile paved trail plus longer gravel routes, and it's a quiet spot for birdwatching — think white-crowned pigeons and mangrove cuckoos. Bring your own water; there's none sold inside.
For the evening, Key Largo has embraced a brilliantly simple idea: a floating tiki bar. The two-hour sunset cruise is BYOB, with a cooler, ice and cups provided, and you pick the music. It departs from behind Snook's Bayside Restaurant, which doubles as a convenient dinner stop afterwards. There's also the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary, a waterfront home for dozens of rescued birds, and Harry Harris Park if you do want somewhere to spread a towel by the water.
A few practical things to know before you go. Rent a car — Key Largo is about an hour from Miami International Airport and everything is strung along the Overseas Highway. Book water activities for the start of your trip, since wind and rough seas can cancel snorkelling and diving, and you'll want slack to reschedule. Winter and spring bring the most pleasant weather, though the ocean runs cooler; summer is hot and humid but the sea is warm. Hurricane season runs June to November, so keep an eye on forecasts if travelling then.
One last thing: the reefs here are among Florida's most important marine ecosystems, so don't touch or stand on coral, and pack reef-safe sunscreen — many tours supply it anyway.
Story via Destinationless Travel.
