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Ordinary Traveler / Blog / North America / Florida / Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know

By Christy Woodrow, Last Modified: September 9, 2019

Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Our Florida Keys travel guide covers everything you need to know when planning a trip to the Keys — things to do, where to stay, and more!

Can you believe I’ve lived in the United States my entire life and I had never been to Florida except during a layover? I’ve always thought I needed to leave the United States in order to find the white-sand beaches and warm water that I crave on a regular basis. Florida never really crossed my mind until I was invited by the Florida Keys Tourism Development Council a few weeks ago for an eco-adventure trip.

Oddly enough, I happened to visit during some of the coldest weather that The Florida Keys has seen in a long time, but I did get to enjoy a couple of days of sunshine (so I do have a pretty good idea of what it’s like the other 362 days of the year in The Keys).

I wasn’t just excited to see the beaches and swim in balmy ocean water in January, but The Florida Keys is home to some of the most adventurous water sports — including flying over the water with a Jetpack. After I saw this on my trip to Aruba, I couldn’t wait to try it.

Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know

Most of my trip to the southernmost part of the United States was spent in Marathon and Islamorada — both of which have plenty of things to do for an entire vacation. As much as I would have loved to see all of The Keys, I was surprised at how much there is to occupy your time on just these two islands. If you are planning a trip this way, I highly recommend setting up camp in either place and exploring from there.
 

Table of Contents

  • Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know
    • Best Things to Do in Marathon, Florida Keys
    • Where to Stay in Marathon, Florida Keys
    • Best Things to Do in Islamorada
    • Where to Stay in Islamorada
    • What to Pack for a Trip to the Florida Keys
      • Plan Your Trip to The Florida Keys

Florida Keys Travel Guide: Everything You Need To Know

 

By viewing the map below, you can get an idea of where Marathon and Islamorada are located. (The Lower Keys are not included in this map.)

Middle & Upper Florida Keys Map
 

Best Things to Do in Marathon, Florida Keys

Marathon is situated in the Middle Keys and stretches about ten miles long. It’s composed of Knight’s Key, Boot Key, Key Vaca, Fat Deer Key, Long Point Key, Crawl Key and Grassy Key.

 

Snorkel Tour to Sombrero Reef

We took a boat tour to Sombrero Reef with Hall’s Diving Center and spent the day snorkeling with friendly fish. The captain and first mate were a fun crew who were obviously passionate about the ocean and its creatures.

Snorkeling at Sombrero Reef
Snorkel Tour Florida Keys

 

Wakeboarding at Keys Cable

This was truly a unique experience. Imagine getting pulled across a lake on a wakeboard by an overhead cable. I’ve tried wakeboarding behind a boat once or twice, but you always have to trust the person who’s driving the boat to stay at a steady speed.

Wakeboarding at Keys Cable made it so much easier because you have an expert who is pulling you along with a remote, who knows exactly what speed to go and can even teach you to go over jumps. You can take your practice here and apply it to other water sports (or snow sports) back at home. It’s the perfect time to take your practice to the next level. If you are wondering whether it’s a good workout, I was sore for over a week!

Read more: 25 Best Honeymoon Destinations In The World (And Where To Stay)

 

Turtle Hospital

I’m so happy I was able to spend some time at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. It’s heartwarming to see an organization who cares so much about these sea creatures. We watched a turtle surgery where they removed tumors and met dozens of turtles who were in rehab from boating mishaps and water pollution. Once the turtles have completely recovered, they make sure to release them in the same spot where they were found.

Read more: The Best Travel Cameras (And How To Choose One)

Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida

 

Where to Stay in Marathon, Florida Keys

Tranquility Bay is a recently-renovated resort that offers beach house rentals as well as sixteen new luxury guestrooms. It’s very tastefully decorated, has a swimming pool, beach volleyball court, tiki bar and award-winning restaurant right on the property. On my first night here, I went to watch the sunset at the beach and found a playful dolphin jumping around right near the shore. I’m told it’s a common occurrence here.

Hawks Cay Resort is another great option on Duck Key in Marathon. Their customer reviews are excellent — especially from couples looking for a quiet getaway.

Read more: The Best Carry-On Luggage (For Every Budget!)

Tranquility Bay - Marathon, Florida
Beach House at Tranquility Bay

Tranquility Bay - Marathon, Florida
 

Best Things to Do in Islamorada

Islamorada is known as the “Village of Islands” and it consists of Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key.

 

Tiki Jet Jetpack Adventure

Trying Jetpack for the first time was beyond hilarious. The owner of Tiki Jet in Islamorada is highly entertaining and makes you feel safe every step of the way. I really thought it would be an easier sport, but I found myself trying too hard and that’s exactly what you don’t want to do.

If you are with a group of friends or on a family vacation in The Keys, you absolutely have to try Jetpack. You will be laughing the entire time and it will undoubtedly get your adrenaline pumping.

Jetpack Ride Florida Keys

 

Where to Stay in Islamorada

I was stunned from the first moment I walked into Cheeca Lodge and Spa. This hotel sits on a long, perfectly-groomed beach and is home to the longest pier in The Keys. They offer seventeen different room types, a snorkeling lagoon, kayaks and several restaurants on the property.

I have never seen a more luxurious soaking tub than the one I found sitting on my huge, private balcony. They also offer adult-only bungalows for happy couples looking for a little peace and quiet.

 

What to Pack for a Trip to the Florida Keys

For packing tips, visit our guide on How to Pack for Carry-On Only,  Packing Guide for World Travelers and our Carry-On Packing List.

Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada, Florida Keys
Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada, Florida Keys

Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada, Florida Keys
Cheeca Lodge - Islamorada, Florida Keys
 

 

Plan Your Trip to The Florida Keys

After traveling consistently for over 10 years, we’ve come to trust and rely on a few websites to help us find the best deals on flights and accommodation.

Flights: Momondo is the first place we check when searching for cheap flights. It searches hundreds of sites for the best fare and includes both standard and budget airlines. The calendar (or “map”) feature shows the cheapest days to fly in your preferred month of travel.

Accommodation: Booking.com offers savings on hotels, apartments, and villas in 80,000 destinations worldwide. You can browse hotel reviews and find the guaranteed best price on hotels for all budgets.

Travel Insurance: We never travel without a travel insurance policy because it’s not worth the risk! We use and trust World Nomads, which we’ve used for the past 8 years.

 

About Christy Woodrow

Christy Woodrow is a travel photographer and professional blogger based in San Diego. She has been traveling around the world with her partner, Scott, since 2006. Join them in their quest to find off-the-beaten-path destinations by signing up for weekly emails. You can read more about her on our about page.

Filed Under: Florida

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bill Dekoning says

    Shhhhh….. I love the Keys, especially Key West!!! please from now on, tell everyone that Michigan beaches are the place to be!! Let’s keep this a secret !!!

    Reply
  2. Keri @flipflopweekend says

    The Keys are amazing! Such a great way to experience some Caribbean/island lifestyle without dealing with customs. We like to stay on Islamorada. Amazing sunsets and just a relaxed, low-key vacation experience! Great post!

    Reply
  3. Katie Baird says

    Thanks for the post! I’m heading to the Florida Keys with my family for spring break next month. 🙂

    Reply
  4. hikebiketravel says

    I’ve thought that the Florida Keys would be a great destination and that Jetpack looks like something out of a sci-fi movie.

    Reply
    • Ordinary Traveler says

      The things we come up with for a thrill, huh? 🙂

      Reply
  5. Dave and Deb says

    I so want to do that jet pack! My parents spend their winters in Florida, me thinks I will have to visit them this winter and take a road trip to the keys!

    Reply
  6. hikebiketravel says

    Looks like an amazing trip – especially propelling yourself out of the water. I would like to try that. I haven’t been to the Keys and it’s the one part of Florida that has big appeal.

    Reply
  7. Ernie Atkins says

    We’ve been to Florida but never the Keys which, I’m guessing, is the area we would most enjoy. Thanks for the thought and, as usual, wonderful photo.

    Ernie & Rebecca
    http://www.2heartsphoto.com

    Reply
  8. Traveling Ted says

    Last time I was in Key West I got sick and had to return to Miami. Really sucked, but I did enjoy the ride and plan to return. I would love to explore the Keys by kayak. The jetpack looks fun. I was just down in northern Florida over New Year’s and there were some really cold days. Even Florida has been cold this year.

    Reply
  9. Derek4Real says

    It’s been years since I’ve been to the Keys and this post really reminded me of why I used to love it there so much! Pretty sure those jetpacks didn’t exist last time I was there though but ever since I saw those things on TV I’ve been wanting to try one out. Looks like a blast!

    Reply
  10. Jennifer Dombrowski says

    Okay, that Jetpack looks incredibly fun! Adding it to my list of must-do activities! I’ve been hearing loads of great things about the Florida Keys lately. I’ve never properly been to Florida either. I’ve only been there on layovers and once to a conference at the Walt Disney World Resort. I never even saw Disney!

    Reply
  11. Rachel Campbell says

    Glad to see you enjoyed the keys! We lived there for 2 and 1/2 years before we took off on our long term travel. BTW- Isn’t the turtle hospital amazing? 🙂

    Reply

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Welcome to our adventure travel blog! We are Christy and Scott and we've been traveling the world together since 2006. Our goal is to inspire others to live an adventurous life, as well as provide trip ideas and helpful travel tips for people with limited vacation time.
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