"Margaritaville" a Florida Keys Travel Page by goingsolo

Most water enthusiasts find the laid back atmosphere and plethora of activities a paradise. One of the Keys' greatest attributes is its proximity to the mainland. Key Largo, the first key, is located about 50 miles away from Miami and only 20 miles south of the bustling metropolis. In about an hour, you can leave the congested highways and fast paced city life behind and lay on a hammock, frozen drink in hand, watching one of the most spectacular sunsets.

The Florida Keys are a series of tiny islands, a series of tiny communities comprised of friendly locals who love the ocean and all the treasures that come from living near it. Visiting the Florida Keys is a must see activity for anyone who makes a trip to South Florida. Here you will find limitless opportunities for fishing, boating, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, or simply soaking in the sun. And don't forget about those frozen drinks.

Much like the Carribean, the Keys is a relaxed and slow paced atmosphere. The year-round warm weather and almost constant sunshine (and don't forget about those frozen drinks) lull locals and tourists into a state of lethargy. It is the perfect relaxing getaway.

As a lifelong (so far) Florida resident, I've spend many a perfect weekend day traveling the Overseas Highway to the Keys and many an afternoon boating, snorkelling, scuba diving or jet skiing in the ocean waters. And I've had my share of those frozen drinks as well.

Most visitors to the Florida Keys head for Key Largo, Islamorada and Key West. These are the most commercial areas of the keys, where you will find a plethora ot hotels, restaurants and brightly colored shops selling everything from seashells to key lime juice. A trip to the keys would not be complete without visiting some of these on the beaten path places and doing some of the things that make the keys famous, such as snorkeling in the coral reefs in John Pennykamp State Park, drinking rum runners at the tiki bar at the Holiday Isle Resort or riding a scooter along Duval Street.

But its important to remember that these isolated islands contain many hidden treasures in their less developed areas. The keys also contain some lesser known white sand beaches, interesting historical sites and wildlife and marine refugres and sanctuaries.

On this page, , I'll try to provide an overview of the Florida Keys in general, and some information which applies to the area in totality. Information on specific destinations within the Keys will be found on the individual pages. Keep in mind that there is more to the Florida Keys than fishing and drinking and that some of the lesser explored portions of these tiny islands make for the greatest discoveries.