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.
Seafood
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.
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.
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.
Apalachicola is a charming, walkable small town full of history, good food & shops. It’s 20 minutes from the nation’s No. 4 beach on St. George Island.
The St. Augustine Lions Club Spring Festival has reimagined its seafood festival past.
Visitors Guide with things to do in Key Largo includes dive and snorkel tours, kayak trails and rental locations, parks and beaches on Key Largo, restaurants and bars, places to stay, places to camp, RV services and where to find groceries.
This tiny fishing village wedged between Bradenton and Anna Marie Island celebrates its rich heritage as a commercial fishing hub.
The Everglades Seafood Festival in Everglades City brings fresh local seafood, country music, carnival rides and arts and crafts to this historic outpost on the edge of the Everglades.
Nothing says Florida like a seafood festival. Our comprehensive calendar is updated frequently.
Everyone wants to discover that funky inexpensive spot where locals go. In Key West, that would be Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island, which wins raves for fresh off-the-boat seafood.
Stone crab season starts Oct. 15 and Everglades City, a small, isolated fishing village south of Naples, is a place to feast on this Florida favorite in an authenic Old Florida atmosphere. Two of our favorite stone crab restaurants are reopening Oct. 16 for the season after severe flooding from Hurricane Ian.
Due to Hurricane Ian, the annual Naples Stone Crab Festival has been postponed. A new date has not been announced.
My idea of a great choice for a place to eat on vacation is a restaurant with a story behind it. Here are eight historic restaurants that fit that criteria — from Prohibition rum-runners to 1980s drug-runners; from authentic 1920s grand hotel to an authentic 1950s diner.
Florida Seafood Festival celebrates Apalachicola’s vibrant fishing industry, which produces 90% of the state’s oysters. This guide features camping, lodging and things to do near Apalachicola. The 2023 festival is scheduled for Nov. 3-4.