Florida Keys Getaways

Mile-by-mile guide to the scenic Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys with points of interest, restaurants, campgrounds and lodging, kayak launches and beaches. Updated for 2024.

With the addition of a new brewery on Stock Island, the Florida Keys are up to 5 craft breweries. They’re great places to experience Keys style and ambiance. The beer’s good, too!

For more than 60 years, a non-profit devoted to historic preservation has convinced the owners of some of the most interesting homes in Key West to open them to visitors for a good cause. For four winter weekends, you can tour historic homes and support historic preservation in Key West.

Key West has a lot of off-beat charms, but one of my favorites has always been the chickens that you hear crowing and see strutting everywhere. But don’t feed them! It’s now against the law. Learn about the fascinating feral fowl that are part of Key West’s funky charm.

There are excellent reasons to stop in Islamorada on your Florida Keys trip. Kayak to Indian Key, feed the tarpon at Robbie’s Marina, visit two craft breweries, plus there’s a cluster of cultural attractions and a top-notch museum.

Stock Island is a workaday island next to Key West with marinas, fishing and shrimp boats. It’s off the beaten path, a place where you can find great restaurants, luxe resorts and some funky charm.

Right in the center of the historic district action, the Key West Aquarium is tiny but its historic building and informative tours make it a fun and appealing stop.

I visited Key West many times before I got around to the aquarium, but I recommend it if you set your expectations correctly.

Every fall, the skies over the Florida Keys fill with thousands of birds from hundreds of species heading south for the winter. A remarkable citizen science project, Hawkwatch, based in Curry Hammock State Park, keeps a tally.

Florida Keys state parks are some of the most intriguing & beautiful places in the Keys. Some are little-known & off the beaten path. Get our insider tips.

Robbie’s Marina is a don’t-miss stop as you drive through the Florida Keys. Dozens of tarpon, some more than 6 feet long, gather at the dock and lunge for fish from visitors. The restaurant there, the Hungry Tarpon, is highly recommended , too.

The cemetery in Key West is a lot like the city itself: quirky, crowded, colorful and full of history. The site has a forlorn almost spooky air. Take a walking tour and discover fascinating stories of Key West and its people.

Four of my favorite stops in the Keys are a little hard to find, and that’s part of their charm. They’re off the Overseas Highway in neighborhoods — and they’re worth discovering.

The regular season for harvesting Florida spiny lobster begins August 6 and continues through March 31. Here’s what you need to know, how to catch Florida’s spiny lobster and how to cook it.

Soft and steady breezes in the Florida Keys can take the edge off the hot sun, making these islands a great destination no matter the time of year.

If you want to savor the flavor of the Florida Keys, spend a little time at a tiki bar. Our favorites profiled here are unpretentious waterfront spots where you’ll get good fresh fish, fried everything and a big serving of Keys atmosphere.

The Key West Butterfly Conservatory is the most peaceful place in crazy, clamorous Key West. When you’re ready for a Zen moment, go here. But read these tips first.