Tag Archives: Florida Keys

Panama City Florida New Years Eve
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Miami, Miami Beach, South Walton

Florida’s Best New Year’s Eve Parties

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Leave the cold behind and head south to ring in the New Year with these unique Florida New Year Eve celebrations. Let beaches and ocean breezes set the tone for a great year ahead. From family-friendly spots to all-night ragers, here are 3 of our favorites.

Funky Key West Traditions

Forget the lighted ball and check out Key West’s unique New Year’s Eve Drops. Watch the famous giant conch shell drop from the roof of Sloppy Joe’s Bar, or count down as famous drag queen “Sushi” descends onto Duval Street in a huge red high heel shoe. A third drop takes place at the harbor where a costumed pirate wench is lowered from a ship’s mast at Schooner’s Wharf. Wherever you start the countdown, there is never a dull moment in Key West on New Year’s Eve, where the party lasts all night long.

Florida Keys New Years Key West

A crowd of thousands gathers on Key West’s Duval Street to watch a giant shoe drop from the balcony of the New Orleans House on December 31st. Photo: Flickr

Party on the Bay

Miami’s Bayfront Park will once again host its famous and free New Year’s Eve Happening, which includes live music from top musicians. This year, the star attraction will be Mr. 305 himself, Pitbull. The hometown rapper’s New Year’s Eve Revolution will even be televised live on Fox. Expect a star- studded lineup of live music; enjoy an array of food, amazing fireworks with the beautiful bay as a backdrop and nonstop Latin dancing. It’s no wonder USA Today names South Florida one of the best places in the world to ring in the New Year.

Miami Bayfront Park New Years Eve Fireworks

Midnight fireworks light up the Miami skyline and the waters of Biscayne Bay during the city’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Photo: Lonny Paul/Flickr

Dropping the Beach Ball

Say goodbye to 2016 with the family friendly event on Panama City Beach, where a giant beach ball drops at midnight. The streets of Pier Park are closed off for the evening, and revelers can enjoy free live music and entertainment. For the young crowd, there’s an 8 p.m. countdown when more than 10,000 beach balls are dropped from nets, followed by fireworks. For the midnight countdown, there is live music during the much anticipated lowering of the 800-pound beach ball, which is lit by thousands of glowing LED lights. The drop is followed by a second round of fireworks. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate the New Year with your toes in the sand?

New Years Eve Fireworks Panama City Florida

Panama City Beach doubles up on the fireworks, with an early show for youngsters and families with an early bedtime. Photo: Chris MacLeod/Flickr

 

Florida Keys Holiday Walk
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan, Trip Ideas

Key West’s Favorite Holiday Traditions

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If sleigh bells and snow shovels aren’t your thing, travel south for the holidays. Head all the way south to the nation’s southernmost city, Key West. Here, holiday traditions take on a tropical flair, but lights, music and seasonal cheer are still very much in evidence. Here are some of the ways you can celebrate the season, southernmost style.

Holly Jolly Trolley

A fun way to take in holiday lights all across Key West is aboard the Old Town Trolley. The seasonal Holly Jolly Holiday Tour operates through the month of December, with cookies, cider and a special 60-minute route through the southernmost city that showcases seasonal decorations and displays.

Hospitality and Noshes

On the evenings of December 7 and 14, the small inns and guesthouses of Key West hang the decorations, turn on the lights and open their doors for the Holiday Historic Inn Tour. Participants who purchase a ticket can sample savory cuisines from Key West restaurants, sip vintage wines and enjoy other holiday refreshments while touring some of the town’s most historic and architecturally significant properties.

Avalon Inn Key West Holiday

The Avalon Inn is showcased on the Holiday Historic Inn Tour. For convenience, organizers provide free transportation between properties. Photo: Florida Keys News Bureau

The Southernmost Tree

On December 16th, everyone is invited to enjoy a free bowl of conch chowder and board the iconic Conch Train for a ride to the southernmost point in the continental United States. There, a Christmas tree overlooking the Atlantic Ocean is waiting to be illuminated as the sun sinks below the horizon.

Open Houses

For more than 50 years, the Key West House & Garden Tour has provided visitors with a peek at some of Key West’s most historic homes and luxuriant gardens. The annual self-guided tours showcase festively dressed homes and gardens, with proceeds benefiting the Old Island Restoration Foundation’s museums and education programs.

Water Colors

Rowboats, tall ships and everything in between will show their holiday colors as they cruise the waters of Key West Bight on the evening of December 10. The floating light show can be viewed from points all along the Historic Seaport and harbor areas. The evening is also marked by steel band music and live singing performances.

Harbor Lights

Through the holiday season, the Historic Seaport at the Key West Bight is lit from rooftop to waterline with thousands of festive lights and unique seasonal displays that incorporate nautical themes. The displays stretch from Greene Street to Grinnell Street, giving pedestrians a chance to enjoy the show as they browse unique island shops and galleries, or relax at waterfront restaurants and watering holes.

Crab Trap Harbor Walk Key West

At Key West Bight, lighted crab traps are transformed into holiday decorations as part of the annual Harbor Lights display. Photo: Rob O’Neal/Florida Keys News Bureau

A Conch Classic

The Southernmost City puts a fresh spin on a holiday classic with performances of Nutcracker Key West. This island flavored version of the holiday classic features costumes and sets depicting Key West’s history and coral reef environment. Evening and matinee performances are scheduled for December 19 to 22 at the Tennessee Williams Theatre.

Key West Sunset
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan, Trip Ideas

Florida Snapshots: Key West Sunset

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One of the best shows on Florida’s Key West is free, and it takes place each night. One of the best places to catch this spectacular display of light is on the Mallory Square docks, which sit just north of the cruise ship docks, and near the terminus of Front Street.

For decades, locals and tourists alike have gathered at this concrete wharf to watch the sky come alive in vibrant hues of orange and red. Many keep their eyes peeled for the fabled green flash, which is said to occur the moment the last rays of the sun sink below the water.

In addition to providing a front row to this magnificent display of nature, the docks are an evening gathering point for street performers and vendors, who assemble for a nightly sunset celebration that sets the tone for revelries to come.

Key West Fort Zachary Beach
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan, Trip Ideas

Florida’s Hidden Beaches

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Key West’s best beach comes with a helping of history. The red brick ramparts of historic Fort Zachary occupy the southwestern tip of Key West, but this Civil War-era fortress isn’t the only reason locals and savvy visitors come to the namesake state park. Just outside the fort’s walls, a trail through the trees leads to the park’s main attraction: slender swaths of sandy, crescent-shaped shoreline.

Key West Cannons

Fort Zachary Taylor played a strategic role in the defense of Key West during the Civil War. The fort’s ten-inch guns had a range of ten miles. Photo: iStock

With Naval Air Station Key West next door, the 54-acre grounds of the park are insulated from Key West’s downtown scene, and never draws the crowds found at more easily accessed sites such as Smathers Beach. History buffs will note that the beach was once reserved for President Harry S. Truman when he used the commander’s quarters of the adjacent Naval air station as his “winter White House” in the 1940s. Locals now congregate on this same coast during sunny days, along with the few visitors who are intrepid enough to find this hidden treasure.

Fort Zachary Key West

Located on the southwest tip of Key West, Fort Zachary Taylor provides stunning views of the clear, turquoise water of the Gulf of Mexico—especially from the second level. Photo: iStock

Anglers cast their lines from the jetty along the western edge of the park while swimmers enjoy the warm water and snorkelers peek at coral and schools of tropical fish. Grills and tables set up under Australian pines make for a great place to picnic while cooling off in the breeze and watching sailboats pass by — or grab a Cuban sandwich and ice cream treat from the Cayo Hueso Café steps from the sand. Stick around until dusk for a sweeping, unobstructed view of the sun disappearing into the waters of the Gulf.

 

 

Florida Manatee
Clearwater Beach, Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Orlando, Play, St. Pete Beach, Trip Ideas

Florida’s Best Manatee Encounters

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The first time you see a manatee, it’s amazing. And even after hundreds of encounters, I still get excited when I come across one of these huge “sea cows.” They can be 10 feet long and weigh more than a ton, but they are harmless to humans. In fact, it’s humans who pose a threat to the manatee when we don’t treat them with respect. Fortunately, there are responsible ways to interact with wild manatees, and plenty of sites all across Florida where they can be found. Here are a few of my favorite places to watch them, get up close and even swim with them.

Blue Springs Manatee

Central Florida’s Blue Springs State Park provides a refuge for manatees escaping the colder waters of the St. Johns River. In winter, the spring run may host hundreds of these animals. Photo: Stephen Meese/iStock

From Shore

When wintertime water temperatures drop below 70, manatees look for a place to warm up. They find it in the constant 72-degree water that flows from Florida’s underground springs. A great place for manatee watching is Blue Spring State Park, which is about an hour’s drive north of Orlando’s theme parks. I make at least one trip a year to Blue Springs, and never get tired of seeing as many as 100 of the big sea cows gathered in the clear waters of the preserve. In addition to natural springs, manatees have learned to take advantage of the warm water discharge from coastal power plants. Several utility companies have created viewing stations next to these discharge lagoons, and two of the best are Tampa Electric’s viewing station at Apollo Beach, and the brand new $5-million Manatee Lagoon visitor’s center in Riviera Beach. At these sites, winter months are best, but a few manatees always seem to hang around throughout the year.

On The Water

When they aren’t bunching up to escape winter cold, manatee spread out into rivers, bays and lagoons all around Florida. The areas where they are most often seen become designated manatee zones, with posted speed limits to prevent powerboats from running over these slow moving mammals. I always watch out for manatees when driving a powerboat, and keep my distance. For an up-close encounter, I use a kayak. By loosing the engine noise and moving slower, paddlers stand a greater chance of meeting up with a manatee. One of the best places to do this is the Jupiter Inlet Aquatic Preserve, which is just a few miles north of the Palm Beach area. Other good manatee paddles include the Weeki Wachee spring run, Crystal River and the mangrove islands of the Florida Keys—especially the wooded shores of Key Largo’s Tarpon Bay and the backcountry shallows near Key West. Kayaks are available for rent in all these areas, and most offer guided tours.

In The Water

Back in the day, when there were more manatees and fewer Floridians, there were a number of places where you could get in the water with manatees. To prevent hordes of swimmers from driving the sea cows from their favorite habitats, many of these sites are now designated preserves, with no swimming allowed. Two exceptions to this are the coastal springs at Crystal River and Homosassa, which are about an hour north of Tampa. A number of tour companies run sanctioned manatee encounter programs that allow snorkelers to get a first-hand look at the animals in their natural habitat. Winter months are the best, and because things can get chilly—at least by Florida standards—tour companies will usually supply wetsuits along with snorkel gear. Aside from these sites, there’s always a chance of a manatee swim-by when you are swimming or snorkeling. I’ve been treated to a number of these visits over the years, and always keep an eye out for the swirl of a manatee’s tail, or their car-size underwater profiles.

Florida Keys Sunset
Florida, Florida Keys, Plan, Trip Ideas

Florida Snapshots: Key Largo Sunset

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The Florida Keys sit between the Atlantic Ocean and the expansive shallows of Florida Bay. While the ocean side offers blue waters and colorful coral reefs, the bay side opens to wild mangrove islands and shallow sandbars that are a playground for bird watchers and back country fishermen.

Each evening, the setting sun creates memorable light shows across the bay as it illuminates the turquoise shallows. A favorite pastime of locals and visitors alike is to stake out a waterfront viewpoint and watch for the fabled green flash, which is said to occur at the moment the sun drops below the horizon.

Florida Keys Coral Reef Fish
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Plan, Play

Into the Blue: Best Snorkel Sites in The Florida Keys

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Extending to the southwest from Miami like a giant comma, the emerald island chain of the Florida Keys faces the blue Atlantic Ocean. Between land and sea lies a submerged wall of coral, North America’s longest barrier reef. This vast network of submerged grottoes, coral gardens and patch reefs provides a 100-mile-long aquatic playground for scuba divers and snorkelers. Most reefs lie too far from shore to be reached by swimming, but you don’t need to own a boat to enjoy them, as charter services scattered throughout the Keys provide easy access to the best sites. Here are three of our favorites.

John Pennekamp

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was America’s first underwater park, and still its most popular. Famous sites such as Molasses Reef and the Christ of the Deep statue draw steady streams of both divers and snorkelers, but with more than 70 square miles of underwater terrain to explore, there’s much more to discover. Snorkelers can hover over the remains of shallow shipwrecks such as the Benwood and City of Washington, swim among swarms of yellowtail snapper at sites such as the Dry Rocks, or explore coral grottoes at Sea Garden Reef. In addition to boat charters departing from the state park, there are a number of operators based at marinas scattered across Key Largo. Summer is the most popular season for snorkeling, as waters are typically calmest and clearest at this time. Operators run year round, though the north winds and larger waves that come with winter cold fronts may limit access to some sites. Trips are typically three to four hours in duration, with a 20 to 30 minute boat ride to the reefs.

John Pennekamp, Florida Keys, Christ Statue, Best snorkel sites in the florida keys

One of the most popular and best-known underwater attractions at John Pennekamp Park is the Christ of the Abyss statue, which rises from 25 feet of water on Dry Rocks Reef. Photo: Microgen/iStock

 Looe Key

For a chance to see some really big fish, follow Florida’s Overseas Highway as it leapfrogs across a series of long bridges and small islands, with highway mileposts counting down towards Key West. Slow down as you approach Mile Marker 27 and look for one of the charter operators offering trips to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. It’s an easy five-mile ride out to the sanctuary, which is home to some of the largest groves of elkhorn coral in the Keys. The reefs at Looe Key are also home to some impressive fish life. You are almost guaranteed to be shadowed by a sleek barracuda. Relax, despite their fearsome-looking teeth, these high-speed hunters are not a danger to snorkelers. Ditto for the nurse sharks which frequent the undercut crevices of the reef, and the typically shy reef sharks that may be seen passing out on the edge of visibility. Stingrays, ranging in size from bathmat to beach towel patrol the sand, while silver-hued tarpon of up to six feet in length cruise between coral heads. In recent years, the park has seen the return of the world’s largest species of grouper: the goliath. Several of these big fish, which can grow to weights of more than 400 pounds, have taken up residence among the corals. Located due south from the protective shores of the islands, Looe Key is less affected by the northerly winds of winter, but snorkelers may encounter a swell when stronger winds or seas come in from south or east.

Barracuda, Florida Keys

Sleek, silver barracuda are often sighted patrolling the shallow reefs of the Florida Keys. Somewhat territorial in nature, they may follow snorkelers, but pose no real threat. Photo: Joe Quinn/iStock

Dry Tortugas

Key West is the nation’s southernmost city, but snorkelers will need to go a bit further to discover some of North America’s best snorkeling. There are boats departing daily for nearby Sand Key, but the finest shallows in the region are reserved for those willing to take on a somewhat longer boat ride out to the Dry Tortugas National Park. This 150-square-mile marine reserve lies mostly underwater, with just a handful of low-lying islands scattered among a tapestry of shallow reefs and coral grottoes. Single-day trips to the Tortugas depart from Key West for a two-plus hour voyage to the Park’s signature site: Fort Jefferson. After touring the historic remains of this imposing brick fortress, passengers have plenty of time to don mask and snorkel to explore the nearby shallows, or glide through the pilings of an old coal dock, where schools of baitfish flit away from patrolling tarpon or barracuda. Tours return to Key West in time to shower and catch the sunset before embarking on an evening of revelry along Duvall Street.

Dry Tortugas, Garden Key

Perched on tiny Garden Key, Fort Jefferson overlooks the coral reefs of the Dry Tortugas. Located 90 miles from Key West, the site is accessible only by boat or seaplane. Photo: Scott Cramer/iStock

Florida-Keys-Bahia-Honda- (1)
Florida, Florida Keys, Plan, Trip Ideas

10 Things to Do in the Florida Keys

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Breathe in the tropical island air with a visit to the Florida Keys. This 100-mile chain of islands is connected by bridges, and divided into five regions: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine and the Lower Keys. No matter which of them you choose to explore, here are some of the best ways to get the most out of your trip and meet some really cool locals along the way.

1  Party Under a Full Moon

If you ever wanted to go to a full-blown beach party, bonfires and all, the Full Moon Party on the sands fronting Pierre’s Lounge & Restaurant and the Beach Café at Morada Bay will fulfill your expectations. Every full moon, tables and chairs are sprawled across the sands facing the Florida Bay and moon gazers congregate to drink island cocktails and rock out to reggae bands. Surprise entertainment from a Bahamian Junkanoo parade to Brazilian capoeira dancers and an explosive display of fireworks make this Islamorada party one you don’t want to miss.

2  Snorkel the Reef

Florida Keys Reef

Photo: iStock

Tour boats ferry snorkelers from the docks at Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park to protected offshore reefs that are part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The most popular sites are in novice-friendly depths of five to 15 feet, shallow enough for ambient sunlight to bring out the colors of the underwater formations, which include patches of brain coral and intricate staghorn and elkhorn coral gardens. French angelfish, Spanish hogfish and hawksbill turtles are often sighted. To avoid crowds make the trip on a weekday, as weekend departures often fill to capacity.

3  Breakfast with the Locals

Funky breakfast spots from hole-in-the-wall eateries to congregate-at-the-counter spots abound on the Overseas Highway and there’s no better place to immerse yourself in the Keys laid-back lifestyle than over a stack of blueberry hotcakes at Mangrove Mike’s in Islamorada. The walls are home to watery murals with fishing vessels and colorful catches. Eavesdropping on a conversation among the locals who eat here regularly will give you an earful of just how cool it is to live in this paradise.

4  Spend a Day on the Beach

Florida-Keys-Bahia-Honda- (1)

Photo: Ferran Traité Soler/iStock

Head to Bahia Honda State Park where you’ll have your choice of three beaches: the smaller Calusa Beach, the shallow Loggerhead Beach and the larger Sandspur Beach. Besides being great spots to sun and swim, the beaches are popular with birders, who can count on finding a variety of shorebirds, including willets, ruddy turnstones and plovers, and wading birds, like herons, ibis and great egrets, in the shallow sand flats. The old Bahia Honda Bridge sits on the channel at the island’s western shore, provides an interesting accent detail for that memorable photo op.

5  Take Flight

Be a daredevil and soar above the sea with a jetpack on your back. Sound like something from a James Bond movie or a Jonny Quest adventure? At the Tiki Jet on Islamorada, you can experience the thrill. After a boat ride to the flight zone, you’ll strap on the jetpack, which has an engine that pumps water up a 33-foot hose, generating 420 point of thrust. Once up in the air, you control your flight using hand controls. Instructors teach the basics before your 30-minute session.

6  Talk to the Turtles

Florida Keys Turtle

Photo: Ron Masessa/iStock

Learn about the turtles that inhabit the waters of the Keys. In Marathon the Turtle Hospital is part medical facility, part attraction. Stop in and meet Bubble Butt, a green turtle; Bender, a Kemp’s Ridley; and Rebel, a loggerhead. All three were saved after being hit by boats. On the tour you’ll learn about the different turtles, their natural habitat, what they eat, and you can ask all the questions you want as you meander from pool to pool. The only state-certified veterinary hospital in the world for sea turtles, the facility’s mission is rescue, rehab and release.

7  Treasure Hunt at the Flea Market

Hit the Lower Keys on a Saturday or Sunday and you’ll want to join the locals at the Big Pine Key Flea Market at MM 30.2. From October through July, the crowds show up in throngs for this 25-year tradition. Find everything from nautical gear to tropical items like sponges, seashells and coconut figurines, along with starfish jewelry, fish-centric T-shirts and floral sundresses. Spend the day treasure hunting and getting to know the friendly islanders.

8  Get Nostalgic on the African Queen

FL-Key-Largo-African-Queen

Photo: Andy Newman/Florida Keys News Bureau

Key Largo is the home port of the African Queen. And if the names Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn pop to mind when you see this historic vessel, you’re on the right track. This is the actual boat used to make the movie in the Belgian Congo in 1951. Capt. Lance Holmquist and his wife Suzanne restored the boat’s original mahogany body and now take visitors on cruises down the Port Largo canals to the Atlantic Ocean. While on board peruse the photo album documenting the filming, and brace yourself when the captain blows the whistle.

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9  Shop at the Rain Barrel Artisan Village

It’s hard to miss this artist colony of shops and working studios in Islamorada. Sitting out front is a giant lobster sculpture named Betsy, which lures curious motorists into the parking lot. When they get a glimpse of the funky artwork and crafts that fills every nook and cranny of this complex, a purchase always takes place. Look for varnished woodcarvings of Florida birds, wind chimes made of ceramic fish and lots of fun souvenirs. Plan time to watch the artists at work and enjoy some Cuban coffee sold at the tiny cafe.

10  Learn about the Coral Reef

Thousands come to snorkel Florida’s coral reef. But if you’re among the curious, a visit to the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) in Key Largo will enlighten you about the reef and the offshore coral nurseries program. A visual presentation explains how corals grown in CRF’s nurseries are out planted to a degraded reef. Volunteers readily answer any questions and demonstrate how they use epoxy to plant pieces of live coral on rocks under the sea to help preserve and grow the reefs.

 

South Walton Paddleboarding, Best Places to Paddleboard in Florida
Florida, Florida Keys, Key West, Miami Beach, South Beach, South Walton

Best Places to Paddleboard in Florida

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With 1,197 miles of coastal waters, plus numerous rivers, lakes and an Intracoastal Waterway, Florida is a mecca for stand-up paddleboarding (SUP) enthusiasts who want to hone their skills in various types of water. But even with so many options, outfitters are coming up with new ways to enjoy the sport. How about gliding the seas on a clear- bottom paddleboard, doing yoga moves on a board, yes, on the board, or engaging in a full workout while balancing? You can even join a group for Nightboarding—and don’t tell me you never heard of Nightboarding.

Key West

Day or night the waters around Key West are nature’s playground for both man and fish. Backcountry guided tours on a stand-up paddleboard offer a different perspective—and viewing—from that of a traditional kayak. Quietly glide along the edges of mangrove islands and spy into the prop roots of the red mangrove trees, which serve as rookeries to ibis, herons, pelican and their fledglings. For underwater viewing, rent one of the clear-bottom boards and observe fish in the sea grass below. The mangroves happen to be the perfect setting for a yoga session because the area is protected from wind and tides. Using breathing techniques and an om or two, you can work at improving your balance, gaining core strength and connecting with nature during a yoga SUP session offered by several area outfitters. Those up for an after-dark adventure can go Nightboarding with Ibis Bay Paddle Sports. The group sets out for the open ocean 20 minutes after sunset on paddleboards equipped with the NOCQUA 2000, a white LED light system that attaches to the board. The powerful LED lights shine into the crystal-clear water below, illuminating the ocean floor where at night you’ll see nocturnal creatures and activity you normally don’t see in the daytime. Lobsters, crabs, colorful sponges and tropical fish are among the sea life to keep an eye out for.

Miami Beach

If you enjoy the sport but want a more urban experience, paddleboarding Miami’s Intracoastal Waterway and Biscayne Bay is a great way to sightsee. From a stand-up paddleboard, you can admire downtown Miami’s skyline of swooping steel and glass towers and the million-dollar manses that sprout up on the Intracoastal islands nestled between Miami Beach and the Miami mainland. You can even take in the slow-moving boat traffic, which usually includes sleek yachts and powerboats. At dusk, Miami Beach Paddleboard offers Neon Tours that depart from South Beach on boards outfitted with those dazzling purple, green and orange neon lights that not only scream SoBe, but actually allow you to see 5 feet underwater and 15 feet around the board. If you want to venture into Biscayne Bay, you can join TKS Miami on a tour and glide past the waterfront of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, where industrialist James Deering’s historic 1922 mansion and boat dock are in clear view.

South Walton

Paddleboarders hit the jackpot when they visit South Walton in Northwest Florida. Here you can choose from the Gulf of Mexico’s flat waters and a chance to see dolphins, the protected Choctawhatchee Bay, crystal-clear springs, flowing rivers and placid 6,000-year-old dune lakes that blend fresh water and saltwater. Does it get any better? In fact of all the Florida destinations, the beach communities skirting the panhandle and the Gulf may be among the best spots in the state for a SUP adventure. Several outfitters rent boards for the day and deliver them free of charge. A great spot for beginners to get out on a board is at the Watercolor Inn & Resort’s Boathouse, where the YOLO Board company rents the equipment. Here you can launch into protected waters to practice and then venture into the Western Lake. Yoga SUP and Run SUP, which involves a mile run followed by a paddle, are regularly scheduled events at the Boathouse.

Florida Keys Seven Mile Bridge
Florida, Florida Keys, Play, Trip Ideas

Pedaling Florida Keys’ Seven-Mile Historic Bridge

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One of the main attractions on the Overseas Highway, the main road linking the Florida Keys from Miami to Key West, is the Seven-Mile Bridge. Besides being a favorite with sunset gazers, bridge enthusiasts and marathon runners, it separates the Middle Keys from the Lower Keys. Standing parallel to the paved bridge are the remnants of what was considered an engineering feat back in 1908: the Seven-Mile Historic Bridge, affectionately known as “Old 7.” Exploring this relic of steel and concrete by bicycle is a fun way to learn some Florida Keys history. Constructed more than a century ago by Henry Flagler as part of his efforts to extend his Florida East Coast Railway to Key West, this 2.2 mile section of the original span is closed to car traffic and has been preserved for fishing, walking, jogging and bicycling. Blocks from the bridge, the Overseas Outfitters rents single-speed, gear and road bicycles perfect for traveling the old bridge.

From the shop pedal southwest on sidewalks alongside the highway to the bridge; its first section connects the tip of Knight’s Key with Pigeon Key, a spit of land a mile off shore used by Flagler as a workers camp and staging area for the next link. Stop and peer over the rusty I-beam rail into the glistening green waters below and you’ll spy the silhouette of a manta ray or the silver flash of a fish swimming by. Poles along the bridge serve as perches for osprey that surprisingly sit still long enough for you to sneak up and snap a picture. And, of course, the water view of the Florida Bay is breathtaking. At the end of the line nestled under the bridge is Pigeon Key. Its five acres are home to a railroad museum filled with artifacts and historic photographs that tell the story of the bridge’s construction.