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.
Tag: seafood
Everglades Seafood Festival, February 19-21, 2027
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.
Yankeetown Seafood Festival: Nov. 21-22, 2026
The weather is perfect for getting outdoors, and there’s no better way to enjoy Florida in the Fall than a good, old-fashioned seafood festival. Free parking; Free admission. Camping, fishing, kayaking nearby.
‘Florida Seafood Festival’ is the state’s oldest, November 6-7 in Apalachicola
The Florida Seafood Festival celebrates Apalachicola’s vibrant fishing industry. Held at the mouth of the Apalachicola River under the shady oaks of Battery Park, this festival features fresh seafood, arts and crafts exhibits & live music.
Stock Island: Key West’s fishy, funky, promising neighbor
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.
Cortez Florida: Charming fishing village, perfect place for classic seafood shack
This authentic Florida fishing village near Bradenton is the perfect place to find classic seafood shacks — open air, casual with the freshest fish.
Apalachicola & St. George Island: Delightful town; spectacular beach
Theare are so many things to do in Apalachicola, a charming, walkable small town full of history, good food & shops. It’s 20 minutes from the splendid beach on St. George Island.
Cortez Fishing Festival: Feb. 13-14, 2027
This tiny fishing village wedged between Bradenton and Anna Marie Island celebrates its rich heritage as a commercial fishing hub.
A Florida delicacy: Invasive lionfish, fresh from the Keys
Lionfish are gobbling up native species on Florida Keys reefs. Now you can gobble them up instead.
Alabama Jack’s: Classic way to start a trip to Florida Keys
Stopping at Alabama Jack’s, a fish shack and dive bar on a remote road between Homestead and Key Largo, has been the classic way to start a Keys trip for decades. It’s shabby, atmospheric and authentic.
Hogfish Grill: Where Key West locals go for fresh fish
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.
Peace River Seafood: Cracker cabin is a real crab shack
Peace River Seafood in Punta Gorda is a true Florida crab shack; they don’t come more authentic than this. From its 1927 Cracker cabin to the buckets of fresh blue crabs, it’s a little piece of old Florida.