I know how it goes; you’re planning your Florida Keys vacation and as you’re doing your research you discover how much there is to do in the Keys. You can’t possibly fit it all in on your allotted number of vacation days. Let us present to you a Florida Keys Checklist.
These are the places, excursions, and things to do in the Florida Keys that really need to go on your must-do list. These are attractions that you will absolutely love and will leave you with great memories of your Florida Keys vacation. That being said, you don’t have to hit all on the list or that this is the “only” list. I could probably do 100 lists like this about the Florida Keys and not be wrong. Just pick what fits your vacation profile and go have fun.
1. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
John Pennekamp, the first U.S. underwater state park, should be your first stop in the Florida Keys. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has something for everyone, kayaking through ancient mangroves, beautiful beaches to relax on, plus you can snorkel out to 18th century canons right from the shore (always fun) and take a glass bottom boat tours so that you can view the reefs without ever getting wet.
If you want to get wet, they also have snorkel tours, scuba tours, and boat rentals. If you packed lightly, don’t worry, they rent kayaks, snorkel, and scuba gear. If you like all that and you want to spend more than one day there, you’re in luck, they also have campgrounds with room for 42 RVs/tents for those that like to wake up outdoors in a tropical setting.
Pro tip: Book your snorkel and scuba tours well in advance. Peak season (December – April) activities fill up fast, especially the glass bottom boat tours.
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2. Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Key Largo
Key Largo is the “Dive Capital” of the world once you slip under water, you’ll know why! Vibrant coral reefs, colorful fish wherever you look, plus two attractions that’ll keep you talking about your dive vacation for years.
First, there’s the Christ of the Abyss statue, an imposing 8.5 feet tall bronze statue under 25 feet of water in the National Marine Sanctuary of the Florida Keys. Follow that with the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail. A collection of 9 historic shipwrecks that gives divers a glimpse into maritime history. If you’re a beginner diver or want to learn how to dive, Key Largo is a fantastic place to learn. Warm, clear and calm waters do nothing but enhance your experience. There are multiple tour operators that offer both scuba and snorkel tours to Christ of the Abyss statue as well as other spots on the reef. If you’ve never been scuba diving before, need a refresher, or are an old pro, there are operators who offer every level of diving, including refresher courses and new to scuba courses. Look for certified Blue Star Operators, who are committed to reef safe practices.
For people who want to spend more time floating on top of the water with an occasional dive closer to the reef, Pirates Cove Watersports, Sundiver Snorkel Tours, and Silent World Dive Center all offer a variety of snorkel tours to suit your needs.
Learn to Dive: Many tour operators offer Discover Scuba courses. You don’t need to be certified; they’ll supply you with gear and instructions and take you shallow water diving.
3. The Islamorada Sandbar
The Islamorada sandbar is about a mile offshore at MM 84 and it’s just what it sounds like, a sandbar in the middle of the ocean. It’s pretty much a party in the ocean with people hanging out in beach chairs, with coolers, and even grills on the shallow part of the sandbar, all while being surrounded by turquoise water.
I’m telling you the Florida Keys has a vibe and once you’re there on your Florida Keys vacation, you’ll feel it. Boats abound; music is playing in the background while drink carrying people chat and mill about. You can’t walk there, but you can kayak, paddleboard, or boat there. And if you don’t have access to one of those, there are private charters that will take you there. This will easily be one of your favorite times on your vacation.
Don’t forget to get there early, the sandbar fills up fast. Dry bags for your phone and wallet are recommended, as well as a full cooler. I know you want to maximize beer storage, just make sure that you pack enough water to keep you hydrated.
4. Marathon Turtle Hospital
The Marathon Turtle Hospital is a great non-profit organization that has been helping injured sea turtles since 1984. Take a couple of hours to tour this hospital and find out how they rescue and rehabilitate their patients. The Marathon Turtle Hospital has a colorful Keys-esque backstory that you learn during the first part of your tour.
Included is an educational lecture on al the dangers that sea turtles have to deal with. From boat strikes to viruses, the hospital has helped hundreds of sea turtles. The ones who make full recoveries get released back into the wild, the permanently injured ones are offered a home at the hospital. After the education session, you’ll tour the hospital, starting with the operating room, then out back to the various tanks and pools where the resident sea turtle live.
Pro Tip: You can make your reservations online; there are multiple tours throughout the day. Tours are about 90 minutes.
5. Fishing in Marathon on Your Florida Keys Vacation
The waters around Marathon are teeming with fish, really big fish too. Sail fish, marlin, giant grouper, not to mention many species of shark. It’s really easy to fish in Marathon, if you have the gear and a license you can fish off a bridge or right off the shore. Don’t think that you’re settling by not going out on a boat, the fish under the bridges and right off the shore get really big.
If you have a boat, the Florida Keys offers the best fishing in world. To really maximize your fishing experience, you can go deep sea fishing on any of the numerous charter boats that available for rent. If you’ve never been deep sea fishing before, Marathon is the place to start.
Locals Tip: Get your fishing license at the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website before you start your vacation. It only takes about 5 minutes and it beats standing in line when your charter is scheduled to leave in 30 minutes. Everybody over the age of 16 will need a saltwater fishing license.
6. Pigeon Key and the Old Seven Mile Bridge
Just down the road from the Turtle Hospital is where the modern Seven Mile Bridge splits from the old one. You can now walk, bike, or take a trolley across the old bridge to Pigeon Key.
Pigeon Key was important to the construction of the Overseas Railway, the original railway that connected the Keys, and later the Overseas Highway. The island housed the men who worked on both projects and was tapped for various other uses through the years. Today you can walk or bike the refurbished two miles of the old Seven-Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key. Today it’s a museum, a research center, and a summer youth camp with beautiful views.
Once you get to the 5-acre island by trolley, bike, or walking. Your entrance admission gives you a guided tour of the buildings where you’ll learn the history of the island and the men who lived on it. After your tour, you can spend time exploring the grounds. There’s a dock that offers fantastic snorkeling (bring your own gear), or you can fish in designated areas (bring your own gear and license), or have a picnic at one of their tables (bring your own food).
Pro Tip: If you bike or walk to the island, you’ll be able to spend more time exploring while you’re there, but there is a closing time where they lock the gates, so don’t get locked in because you were chasing that sting ray while you were snorkeling.
7. Don’t Miss Bahia Honda State Park on Your Florida Keys Vacation
Bahia Honda has three(!) sandy beaches, that’s a veritable treasure trove in the Keys. They all have beautiful views of turquoise water and two are shadowed by an iconic historic bridge. They make Bahia Honda a perfect stop on your Florida Keys vacation where you can stay for a couple of hours or a couple of days. The beaches are some of the best that you can find in the Florida Keys. The walk up to the old railway bridge is always worth it for spectacular views of the park and the surrounding waters.
If you’d rather do more than just hang on the beach, they have kayak rentals, and snorkel gear is available at the concession stand if you didn’t bring your own. There is also a snorkel excursion to Looe Key that you can sign up for at the concession stand, they do provide snorkel gear if you book the excursion.
If you want to stay more than a day, they have cabin rentals and RV/Tent campgrounds. If you choose to camp at Bahia Honda, you’ll be treated to a rare sight. The park is a designated dark sky location, so the stargazing is incredible when the sun goes down
Good to Know: Book your camping reservations early. Bahia Honda is one of the most popular parks in the Florida Parks system and their camp sites sell out early.
8. Hit a Tiki Bar at Sunset (or Any Other Time) in the Florida Keys
Nothing says island time like relaxing under a tiki bar and enjoying a cold drink at sunset while you listen to the waves offshore. Luckily for you the Florida Keys is literally dotted with tiki bars where you can gaze out over clear waters with a cool drink in your hand.
Before you even get to Key Largo you can see the massive tiki hut of Gilberts Resort from the Jewfish Creek Bridge (do yourself a favor, stop there). Then you can then move on to Snappers, The Island Fish Company, Kiki’s, the next thing that you know, you’re watching the sunset in Key West at The Sunset Tiki Bar.
Locals Tip: Be sure to get there about an hour before sunset, you’ll be amazed at how fast the good seats at the popular tiki bars fill up.
9. Hang Out on Duval Street in Key West on Your Florida Keys Vacation
Duval Street is home to art galleries, souvenir shops, restaurants, and of course bars. The restaurants range from fast food to fine dining, and the bars range from mild to wild to really wild (looking at you The Garden of Eden). If you’re in Key West for one day, or three days, you should spend a few hours wandering this colorful street.
There are historic restaurants and bars with colorful backstories and patrons. You can hang out at two of famous author Ernest Hemingway’s old haunts, Sloppy Joe’s and Capt. Tony’s Saloon. Just sitting at the bar means that you’re sitting in a part of Keys history. You don’t even have to go into a bar, you can have a great time just sitting and people watching at one of the many patios up and down Duval Street, second floor of The Whistle is perfect for this.
If you’re a cigar aficionado or just want to sit in some really comfy chairs while you have a smoke, there are multiple cigar bars on Duval Street with recliners that you just sink into.
Pro Tip: Sloppy Joe’s has live music all during the day, so if you want to enjoy your meal, go for lunch when it’s not as crowded.
10. Take a Sunset Cruise
You don’t have to make it all the way to Key West for a sunset cruise, I’ll let you in on a secret, every stop in the Florida Keys has a sunset cruise available. Sunset cruises are about one of the most Florida Keys thing that you can do. Sunset cruises are available the whole length of the Keys. Whenever it fits in your schedule, be sure to take it, because wherever it is, it’ll be gorgeous and you won’t regret it!
There are a variety of cruises to help you get your sunset fix in. Jump on one with bands playing, a schooner cruise, a romantic cruise, a dinner cruise, or booze cruise (these are fun!). Pretty much anyway you can get out on the water and watch the sunset, you can find it in the Florida Keys.
Pro Tip: As always, during peak season, don’t wait until the last minute to make reservations, you don’t want your only option to be the S.S. Minnow.
11. Partake in the Shenanigans at Mallory Square in Key West at Sunset
The sunset party has been made into an artform at Mallory Square in Key West. Live music, stunt performers, comedians, and local artisans displaying their wares all during the sunset hours and then some. Sounds good you say, which night does this happen? Oh, that would be every night my friend. Just make your way to Mallory Square, the party starts about two hours before sunset.
You’ll be treated with comedians roaming the crowd, magicians plying their tricks, acrobats and stunt performers stunning crowds with their precision, and strolling musicians. Once the sun touches the horizon, the crowd erupts in cheers. This is the kind of thing that will bring you back to Key West.
Locals Advice: There is no entrance fee to get into Mallory Square. The performers don’t charge or get paid, so be sure to tip them to show your appreciation. If you see something that catches your eye, support that local artisan.
There is a lot to do in the Keys, and you don’t have to do it all in one trip. Bookmark this page for when you’re planning your next Florida Keys vacation. To help you plan your current trip, take a look at Where to Stay in the Florida Keys for information on what amenities each Key offers. Don’t miss our Overseas Highway post about the roadway that spans the distance of the Keys. It is a beautiful and great road trip that everyone should take, but it has a storied history, and you’ll want to read all about it.
FAQs
For a full Florida Keys road trip — starting in Key Largo and ending in Key West — plan for at least 5 to 7 days. That gives you enough time to explore each island group without feeling rushed and still have downtime to soak up the island pace. If you’re focused specifically on Key West, 3 days is a solid amount of time to hit the highlights. Check out our 3 Days in Key West itinerary for a complete day-by-day breakdown of how to make the most of a shorter trip.
The ideal time to visit the Florida Keys is November through April, which falls in the dry season. During these months, you’ll enjoy lower humidity, less rain, and comfortable temperatures in the 70s and low 80s — near-perfect conditions for outdoor adventures. Summer brings its own perks: fewer crowds, lower accommodation rates, and a more laid-back island vibe. Just be aware that summer also overlaps with hurricane season (June through November), so keep an eye on the forecast if you’re traveling during those months and consider travel insurance.
Key Largo wins for snorkeling — it’s no coincidence the area is known as the Dive Capital of the World. Key Largo sits closest to the living coral reef system of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which means the reef is more accessible, the water is clearer, and marine life is more abundant. Key West does offer snorkel trips, and they’re enjoyable — but the reef quality and overall underwater experience is generally superior in the Upper Keys, particularly around John Pennekamp and the surrounding sanctuary waters.
Yes — a car is strongly recommended for any Florida Keys trip. The Keys are strung along a single road, US-1 (the Overseas Highway), spanning more than 125 miles from Florida City to Key West, and the vast majority of attractions, restaurants, and state parks are spread out across that entire length. There is no train service and public transportation options are very limited. The one exception: Key West itself is extremely walkable — once you arrive, you can easily explore Old Town on foot, by bicycle, or by scooter without needing a car at all.
Ready to start checking things off? Before your next trip, grab one of our Florida Keys Travel Journals — perfect for keeping your Keys checklist, notes, and memories all in one place. Each page features the iconic cover image subtly printed in black and white, giving every entry a little extra Keys atmosphere. Available in hardcover and paperback.
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