Florida Keys Travel Resources

A coral archipelago off the southeastern tip of Florida, the Florida Keys are a mix of inhabited and uninhabited islands that form a popular destination for travelers. Many of the nearly 2000 keys offer outdoor activities, like sunning beautiful white beaches, hiking through parks, exploring the coral reefs, diving and snorkeling and even swimming with dolphins.

Key Largo is the largest of the keys, connected to the mainland by the Overseas Highway. Key Largo is known as the Diving Capital of the World: a perfect locale for scuba divers, who come to explore the living coral reef just a few miles offshore. The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, to the east of the island, is the site of the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US. Scuba and snorkeling activities are very popular with tourists visiting Key Largo, as are kayaking activities and ecotourism, given Key Largo’s proximity to the Everglades.

Elliot Key is the largest island in Biscayne National Park and is considered the first of the true Florida Keys, formed by Key Largo limestone. The Key is uninhabited but is accessible by boat, which permits tourists to visit the part of the National Park that is located on the island.

Key West is home to the southernmost point in the continental US, and became famous thanks to writers like Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, who were fond of the island. Today, a major draw of Key West is the Old Town and historic district, much of which dates to the late 19th century and early 20th century.