How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys are a collection of hundreds of islands south of Florida's southern tip, with the main islands connected by bridges and traversed by the Overseas Highway. The islands divide the Atlantic Ocean from the Gulf of Mexico and have a fun and laid-back flavor with a heavy Cuban influence-as Cuba lies less than 100 miles from Key West, the southern-most of the main keys.
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Instructions
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Consider lodging in Marathon Key or Islamorada, and you will be more-or-less centralized in the approximately 120-mile-long stretch of islands. (Avid campers might want to try the state park at Long Key, between Marathon and Islamorada). This will give you easy access to all the keys, from Key Largo to the northeast to Key West.
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Set aside an evening for Key West-where you can see a spectacular sunset in a festive atmosphere at Mallory Square. This "Sunset Celebration" is a veritable mini-Mardi Gras every day of the year.
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Don't miss the Hemingway House on your Key West visit. Even non-Hemingway fans will be captivated by this Spanish-style mansion and its handsome grounds, swarming with dozens of housecats of all shapes and colors.
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Swim with the dolphins! There are several marine life facilities offering this incredible experience, including an excellent one on Marathon Key. The dolphins imitate you, push you backwards through the water as you lie down and jet you through lagoons as you hang on to their dorsal fins.
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Scuba diving enthusiasts should look no further than Key Largo, the self-proclaimed "Diving Capital of the World."
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Take a boating excursion, available all over the keys. From sunrise fishing trips to sunset schooner adventures, this is really an essential part of any journey to the Keys.
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Experience the Cuban flavor of the islands. Whether trying a Cuban eatery or finding a nightclub with Cuban music, you haven't truly savored the local heritage without this "key" ingredient.
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Tips & Warnings
The Keys, like most of Florida, severely heat up in the summertime, so consider a trip during the other nine months if you're coming from outside the state.
Many of the bars on the Keys serve until 4am, so if you're waiting for "last call" to call it a night, you may be in for a long evening!
