Beach
City Breaks
Spas
Holidays for One
Winter Sports
Health & Fitness
Hobbies
Camping & Caravaning
GAP/Working holidays
Destination: Florida Keys
Explore the islands that make up the Keys and discover a world populated by colourful characters and exotic wildlife
The Florida Keys is a string of islands stretching into the Gulf of Mexico. The long, thin fingers of land are home to an array of bird life while corals, fish, manatees and dolphins fill the sea.
There's also an eclectic mix of people that are attracted by the laid-back atmosphere typical of island life. Expect to meet your fair share of eccentrics and colourful characters and you won't be disappointed.
There's something very attractive about the Keys. The laid-back attitude of the locals is infectious and it's easy to see why the myth of 'Keys Disease' originated.
The symptoms of this 'disease' are a strong desire to abandon your 'normal life' and start over on the islands. Many succumb to this strong infection and the only 'cure' is reported to be plenty of rum and plenty of return visits.
Hit the road
A great way to see the Keys is to drive down the Overseas Highway, stopping at the various islands to sample their varied charms. You can easily drive the length of the Keys in one day (it's under 130 miles from Miami to Key West and you can drive there in about three and a half hours), but it's much nicer to take your time and make stops along the way.
Directions are given by mile markers, green signs along the side of the road starting just south of Miami with MM127 and finishing at MM0 in Key West. Addresses are given to the nearest marker and the side of the road is defined as being Oceanside if it faces the Atlantic Ocean or Bayside if it overlooks the Florida Bay.
It's tempting to drive straight through Key Largo, the closest to the US mainland and largest of the islands. But head to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (at MM 102.5-Oceanside), where you can snorkel, dive or ride in a glass-bottomed boat over the Florida Reef.
Make time to visit the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center at Tavernier, and meet local character Laura Quinn. When she retired from teaching, Laura set up the centre to rescue injured birds, and release them back into the wild once recovered.
Those that can't fend for themselves are kept there. There's a daily bird-feeding where resident and visiting wildfowl gather for a fish dinner. Pelicans are surprising large birds up close, and hand-feeding them is not for the faint-hearted, but is a delight to watch.
Delicious
Digg
reddit
Facebook
StumbleUpon
