Florida Keys Beaches - Key Largo FL Beach Vacation

Preview: The Florida Keys are not where people generally go with beaches in mind, though they do boast at least one of the finer strands in the state. It’s the water that surrounds the threadbare outcroppings that’s the attraction. On the Atlantic side you have more than 100 miles of beautiful coral reefs just offshore, and in the shallows of Florida Bay you have some of the best flats fishing in the United States. Cannon beach at John Pennekamp State Park is an artificial one tucked up in the mangrove lagoons, but seems perfectly natural and offers nice snorkeling. Bahia Honda State Park has been rated the best in the nation, with hundreds of acres of shallow, clear waters and loads of room to wander. Down in Key West there is County Beach and Fort Zachary Taylor, though the main tourist hangout is Mallory Square and the ritual watching of the sunset. There are a number of interesting cultural attractions in Key West, including Audubon House and the old home of Ernest Hemingway. Sixty miles across the Gulf of Mexico from Key West is Dry Tortugas National Park, a remote, tiny group of islands that have great waters for diving. Between Key Largo and Key West there are many state parks, gardens, and historic sites, every one of them worth a visit. Lignumvitae Key and its old Matheson House is one of these, with hardwood forest that you won’t find anywhere else in the Keys. Looe Key is an offshore reef down near Big Pine Key that is probably the most colorful dive in the Keys, and is shallow enough to snorkel. Key lime pie is a dessert no Keys visit is complete without, though quality varies widely for something that’s so simple to prepare: Mix 1/2 cup key lime juice, 4 egg yolks, and 8 ounces sweetened condensed milk, pour into a graham cracker crust, and refrigerate. This chapter includes detailed descriptions of these beaches: Cannon Beach/John Pennekamp State Park, Bahia Honda State Park, Fort Zachary Taylor, County Beach/Key West, and Dry Tortugas National Park.
© Copyright George Hurchalla published by Falcon Publishing all rights reserved.


Best Time to Go: Year-round
This travel guide comes from:
Exploring Florida's Atlantic Coast Beaches Guide Book