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Old Wooden Bridge got whacked by Hurricane Irma in 2017, but has bounced back. With most cabins destroyed, the owner added 13 houseboats. This waterfront outpost feels like a place from a bygone era.

No Name Pub has been around since the 1930s, and it looks like it. It offers tasty food in a historic building, but what makes this the king of Funky Florida is the decor: $90,000 (some say) stapled to the walls and ceiling.

A different view of Marathon from the moorings of Boot Key Harbor, the heart and soul of the Keys’ vibrant maritime community.

This is Old Florida as it should be, rustic and ready for curious visitors, so pack the tent or stock the RV for some camping at what seems like the end of the world. Endless vistas, great kayaking, quaint village, and don’t forget those sweet, delicious little Cedar Key clams.

A Virginia Key kayak outing offers an amazing combo – views of the Miami skyline rising out of Biscayne Bay in one direction, mangrove lagoons with shore birds in the other. An extra treat: It’s the best way to see the old Miami Marine Stadium.

A scenic kayak outing on Turkey Creek takes you to Palm Bay’s Turkey Creek Sanctuary, where you can explore 3.5 miles of trails. Along the way, see dolphins, manatees and other wildlife.

I asked our friend, Key West guidebook writer Karuna Eberl, if she’d like to write about what it’s like being in the Florida Keys during this quarantine. She and her husband live on Cudjoe Key and I wondered how empty the Keys must feel without tourists. I didn’t expect this moving reply.

Once the site of a luxury resort for the rich and famous, Long Key State Park is a terrific place to spend a few hours hiking, beachcombing, swimming, snorkeling and kayaking in the Florida Keys. While most of its highly prized beachfront campsites are closed, a few tent sites are open.

Florida winters were meant for this: Discovering wild and scenic places by kayak. To help you plan fun Florida kayak trips, I’ve selected three of my favorite kayak destinations in Southwest Florida. These aren’t well-known but deserve to be.

West Lake provides a little bit of wildness in the middle of urban sprawl. It is of the most accessible natural places to kayak for 2 million people who live within 45 minutes of it. It is also a great place for a beginner to try out kayaking.

Your drive down the Overseas Highway can be your own personal Florida Keys Road Trip for Animal Lovers. From endangered Key deer to colorful Key West chickens, here are eight places to delight in the animals and wildlife of the Florida Keys.

For a quick trip to the Keys, consider Gilbert’s Resort. The upgraded 1950s-era motel and tiki bar is the first lodging you reach on the road to Key Largo. Then, kayak nearby Garden Cove and discover its picturesque sunken barge, a good place to snorkel.

In the summer months, many campgrounds in the Florida Keys reduce their rates. We’ve picked out a few for you to consider on your next trip to paradise.

Tent camping in the Keys took a big hit from hurricanes Irma and Ian, but there are still a few places where you can drive a tent stake in the ground.

Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge and Campground offers a quiet lower Keys alternative to the hustle and bustle of Islamorada and Marathon.

EVERGLADES CITY — Whitewater paddling in the Everglades? Well, almost. The tides move in and out of the Ten Thousand Islands so quickly, the water rushes and ripples through the passes, so you need to catch the current going in the right direction if you want to make headway.

If pitching a tent on a tropical island is your thing, then add Anclote Key to your bucket list. Anclote Key Preserve State Park is in the Gulf of Mexico, three miles west of Tarpon Springs over open water, and it is accessible only by boat.

Howley’s Diner has been there for 60 years. It’s not just retro, this West Palm Beach diner is the real deal — from its terrazzo floors to its tin ceiling.

This out-of-the-way destination reminds us of artsy waterfront towns like Key West and Cedar Key. West of Fort Myers, Matlacha is a colorful collection of little wooden houses surrounded by good saltwater-kayak trails. Artists love this funky little village.

Every year, we pull together our list of holiday gift ideas for outdoors recreation, and this year’s list covers five categories: kayaking, camping, hiking, snorkeling and loungin’ Key West style.