27 Best Things to Do in the Florida Keys, From Wildlife Encounters to Key Lime Pie Tastings

Adventure awaits in this tropical island paradise.

There are few vacation destinations in the United States more tropical and laid-back than the Florida Keys. This sunny, palm tree-dotted paradise extends 120 miles off the southeast coast of Florida and is a treasured spot for snorkeling, diving, boating, fishing, and experiencing the Sunshine State’s most barefoot and breezy vibes. It’s also the site of some of my most treasured childhood memories — and my destination of choice as an adult in need of regular breaks from reality.

Keep in mind that when people talk about going to the Keys, they can mean any number of places: Key Largo, which is the northernmost key, or Key West, which is more than two hours away, or Tavernier, Islamorada, Marathon, or any other key in between. Key West is perhaps the most popular among tourists, with its own airport and plenty of attractions, whereas Key Largo is closest for those driving from Miami.

Ready to explore one of Florida's top destinations? Here are 27 of the best things to do in the Florida Keys.

Related: How to Take the Ultimate Florida Keys Road Trip

Eat at The Fish House.

You can’t go to the Florida Keys without eating your fill of fresh fish. Even if you're not a seafood lover, you will get a new lease on life after one bite of the mahi Matecumbe at The Fish House, one of the last spots that still buys from local commercial fishermen and filets all fish right on the premises.

Feed the tarpon at Robbie’s of Islamorada.

If you’ve ever wanted to come face to face with a fish twice your size, pay $2.50 to hand feed the tarpon at Robbie’s of Islamorada. It’s one of those thrilling, only-in-Florida activities sure to liven up your scrapbook. If you just want to eat lunch at the restaurant here, that's fine, too — you'll get a heaping side of entertainment.

Eat Key lime pie.

What apple pie is to America, Key lime pie is to the Florida Keys, so don’t leave without treating yourself to a slice. My favorite is the ice-cold, graham-cracker-crusted, whipped-cream-topped rendition at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen, which has two locations in Key Largo. Belgian chocolate-coated, frozen Key lime pie on a stick is also delectable, and you can find it at Kermit’s and Mattheessen’s in Key West.

Eat a sloppy joe at Sloppy Joe’s.

Since 1933 — when it conveniently opened on the exact day Prohibition was repealed — Sloppy Joe’s has been a Key West institution. Chow down on the combo of ground beef, onions, peppers, and spices known as The Original Sloppy Joe Sandwich while you enjoy live music, dancing, and people-watching.

Learn about local history.

The Keys played an important role in American history, and you can get a glimpse of that history at places like Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, a National Historic Landmark where you can take a narrated tour and see Civil War cannons, and the Truman Little White House, Florida’s only presidential museum, where you can tour what served as the winter White House of Harry Truman from 1946 to 1952. The VIP White Glove Tour at the latter museum even includes a ride in one of President Truman’s classic limousines.

Attend a festival or two.

Floridians like to party, as evidenced by the state’s abundance of festivals all year long (among other things). Head to Key West for Key Lime Festival, Mango Fest, or its most famous event, Fantasy Fest, an annual 10-day street party with every flavor of revelry.

Go deep-sea fishing.

Ever wanted to reel in a massive tuna or hook a feisty sailfish? Or maybe you dream of catching your own snapper, grouper, or wahoo? The Keys is a great place to live out your deep-sea fishing dreams, as the ocean’s full of fish and there are many charters available for both half-day and full-day fishing excursions.

Go snorkeling.

If you leave the Keys without sinking below the surface of its aqua-blue waters, you haven’t really been to the Keys. There are tons of great snorkeling spots around the islands, whether you swim offshore from a beach or book a chartered trip to take you out to any of the hundreds of gorgeous, fish-filled coral reefs or shipwrecks.

Go scuba diving.

If there’s anything better than snorkeling in the Keys, it’s scuba diving in the Keys. In fact, Key Largo considers itself the “Dive Capital of the World” thanks to its plethora of easily accessible dive sites, including colorful coral reefs and historic shipwrecks. You will also find the third-largest living barrier reef in the world here. Book a half- or full-day dive charter to see what all the fuss is about. Not certified? You can book a one-day introductory course or even get open-water certified in three days at Rainbow Reef Dive Center in Key Largo.

Take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park.

You’ve never been to a national park like Dry Tortugas National Park, 70 miles from the mainland and 99 percent underwater. Its isolated and hard-to-reach location (you can only get here by seaplane or boat) is part of the appeal, as are its incredible blue waters and historic fort.

Go camping.

Camping is a good way to save money in the Keys, and it’s a fun way to experience another side of this breezy paradise. Bahia Honda State Park is one of the best places to camp in Florida and has both primitive campsites and RV sites with water and electrical hookups.

Find No Name Pub.

No Name Pub, with its offbeat nature and unexpected location, is indeed “a nice place if you can find it,” as its motto promises. With nearly 100 years of history to its name, this Big Pine Key staple remains little-known and tricky to find. As you search, keep your eyes peeled for the super-cute, super-small endemic Key deer.

Drink Cuban coffee.

With only 90 miles separating Key West from Cuba, it’s no wonder the Keys have some of the best Cuban coffee. Check out Morita’s Cuban Cafe in Cudjoe Key or the famous Cuban Coffee Queen in Key West. Pro tip: Cuban Coffee Queen’s tiny Margaret Street outpost is adorned with the famous “Greetings from Key West” mural, if you're looking for iconic photo opportunities.

Take a photo at the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A.

Cuban coffee in hand, hop on down to the Southernmost Point of the Continental U.S.A., an anchored concrete buoy that marks the lowest latitude of the contiguous North American states. There’s always a line, but no one will believe you went to Key West without a photo in front of this landmark (and Mile Marker Zero on Whitehead Street).

Pet cats at The Hemingway Home and Museum.

The Florida Keys has some of the zaniest history in America, and it’s on full display at The Hemingway Home and Museum, the residence of the great American writer Ernest Hemingway in the 1930s. While the studio, garden, and home itself are interesting, the colony of six-toed cats who live in and around the house — mostly descendants of Snow White, a cat gifted to Hemingway by a ship captain — is the main attraction.

Try local brews at Islamorada Beer Company.

If you’re a fan of cold beer, kick back at Islamorada Beer Company, the only brewery and distillery in the Keys. You’ll find more than 60 brews, plus swag, cocktail tastings, and a pet-friendly beer garden at this craft beer haven. The Key lime coconut ale is especially refreshing.

Watch the sunset.

With a narrow strip of land separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Florida Bay down the entire length of the Keys, you can expect killer sunsets from just about anywhere, but Sunset Grille & Raw Bar in Marathon, which overlooks the iconic Seven Mile Bridge, has made a name for itself as one of the best sunset-watching spots in the Keys.

Order conch fritters.

Floribbean fare is exemplified in the humble conch fritter, a Bahamian specialty of fried sea snail that most folks agree is downright delicious. Outside the Bahamas, there’s no better place to eat conch fritters than the Conch Republic, which is the name that the “micronation” of Key West gave itself when it jokingly seceded in 1982.

Live the high life at Little Palm Island.

Luxury island living is epitomized on Little Palm Island, the only private island resort in America — otherwise known as heaven on earth. With a restaurant, spa, pool, and plenty of activities to keep you busy (or not), it is four acres of island bliss with fifteen thatched-roof bungalows. They each have a copper soaking tub and ocean views, of course.

Run, bike, or roller blade the Old Seven Mile Bridge.

After a multi-year restoration, a pedestrian-only stretch of bridge parallel to the modern-day Seven Mile Bridge and the Florida Keys Overseas Highway reopened for people to walk, bike, or roll 65 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.

Snorkel to see Jesus.

No snorkel spot in the Keys is better than John Pennekamp State Park, home not only to some of the best reefs in the Keys but also the underwater Christ of the Abyss, a statue of Jesus by Italian sculptor Guido Galletti that’s submerged 25 feet beneath the sea.

Swim with dolphins.

While I’m usually not a proponent of captive animal interactions, the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key is one of the places doing it right. This “dolphinarium” is a nonprofit research and education facility with 90,000 square feet of saltwater lagoons housing bottlenose dolphins and a few California sea lions. The center has been rescuing, rehabilitating, and studying whales, dolphins, and manatees since 1984.

Stay at the only underwater hotel in the United States.

The Keys is full of unique places to stay, but Jules Undersea Lodge at Key Largo Undersea Park is in a class of its own. Located 30 feet underwater on the ocean floor, this one-of-a-kind overnight stay requires a scuba dive to reach and includes a dinnertime pizza delivery.

Adopt a reptilian friend at the Turtle Hospital.

The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, a fully functioning veterinary hospital for sick and injured sea turtles, is the largest of its kind in the country. The public can take guided tours, browse the gift shop, and even “adopt” a patient to support its rehabilitation and (hopeful) eventual release.

Climb a lighthouse.

With six historic lighthouses in the Florida Keys, including Key West Lighthouse, sinking below the surface of the sea isn’t the only change in perspective worth experiencing in the Keys. Don't get actual lighthouses confused with Alligator Reef Lighthouse, though — that's actually a favorite snorkeling spot.

Experience old Florida at the Caribbean Club.

Dating back to 1938, the Caribbean Club is the oldest bar in the Upper Keys. While its live music, sunsets, and Key lime pie rum punch are memorable, it was the 1947 filming of Humphrey Bogart movie "Key Largo" that cemented this spot's legendary status. It was a set piece again recently, too, for the Netflix original series Bloodline.

Wander among butterflies at the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory.

At the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory, visitors experience tropical magic as they walk among hundreds of flying butterflies and exotic birds — there's even a couple flamingos. Around 50 to 60 different species of butterflies from around the world call this glass-domed habitat home.

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