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PCCA Journal|4

th

Quarter 2010

27

D

epending on which way you travel, Key

Largo is the first or the last of the Florida

Keys. Ocean Reef Club is located at the

northern tip of the northernmost chain of

islands that sweeps southwestward into the

Caribbean. Traveling in that direction, Key West would

be your last stop. Each of these small islands has its own

personality, and vacationers visit them for remoteness,

access to ocean fishing, and to unwind.

Key Largo.

Just an hour’s drive south of Miami lies

Key Largo, home to two state parks, a national park, a

national marine sanctuary and some of Florida’s most

fascinating botanical scenery.

Key Largo is sandwiched between the watery

wilderness of the Everglades National Park to the west

and the fish-covered coral formations of North America’s

only living coral barrier reef to the east. Locals consider

Key Largo the Diving Capital of the World, but the island

is nearly as famous as a sport-fishing destination.

Key Largo’s proximity to the Everglades makes it a

premier destination for kayakers, birders, and other eco-

tourists. All this beauty, not to mention the island’s rich

history, has inspired a vibrant community of artists who

show their work at several local galleries.

Islamorada.

Islamorada is comprised of six islands:

Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key,

Lower Matecumbe Key, and the offshore islands of

Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. This might be the only

place on Earth where you can catch a sailfish in the

morning and then venture into the backcountry to pursue

bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, and redfish in just

inches of water.

Divers and snorkelers are fascinated by the History

of Diving Museum that opened in 2006 to rave reviews.

Music lovers enjoy warm tropical evenings on the lawn

of the TIB Amphitheater at Founder’s Park. Theater

lovers routinely take in first-class productions at the Coral

Shores Performing Arts Center.

Marathon.

Located mainly on Vaca, Fat Deer, and

Grassy Key, Marathon is a 10-mile-long, family-oriented

island community rooted in a heritage of fishing, and

it reflects the old-Keys lifestyle. Marathon is ideal for

sailing, fishing, diving, snorkeling, and scuba. Visitors

enjoy the impeccably maintained Sombrero Beach and a

host of eco-attractions and marine-based environmental

programs.

Visitors to Pigeon Key venture back in time to a tiny

island that played a tremendous role in the Florida Keys

of today. Sombrero Reef, a federally protected section of

the United States’ only living coral barrier reef, lies just a

few miles offshore.

The Lower Keys.

If you’ve had enough of an

overcrowded and weary world, the islands of the Lower

Keys are the place for you. You can snorkel or dive over

the Looe Key coral reef, ride a bicycle through Key Deer

country, or take a fishing adventure in the back country

or troll the deep blue waters beyond the reef.

The Lower Keys begin where the Florida Keys island

chain takes a graceful westerly turn toward the sunset,

shortly after the famous Seven Mile Bridge. It is a

quiet region of small resorts, down-home restaurants,

untrammeled wildernesses, and rich history.

Key West.

In Key West, you can discover a city where

real estate titles date back to the Kings of Spain. Stroll the

palm-lined streets and discover gingerbread mansions,

tin-roofed conch houses, and Ernest Hemingway’s home.

Walk in the footsteps of Thomas Edison, Lou Gehrig, and

Tennessee Williams.

With its balmy weather and crystal blue skies, the

island is famous among the outdoors set for its diving,

fishing, water sports, and golf.

But in Key West the sun shines the brightest when

it sets. Everyone gathers for the never planned, always

varied Sunset Celebration on the Mallory Dock. Once the

sun is safely tucked away by jugglers, mimes, musicians,

and street artists, the city moves to a different beat. A

night beat. The streets, filled with sidewalk cafes, open-

air bars, legendary pubs, and world-class restaurants,

come alive.

The Florida Keys