A Tourists View of The Florida Keys

Many tourists return back to the Florida Keys year after year never tiring of its mix of tranquillity and beauty. It covers an area of over 155 miles, stretching from south west from Miami all the way down to Key West on its most southern tip.

People never tire of driving from the top to the bottom marvelling at the magnificent views along its route. One of the most amazing things about this drive is that you are able to see the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic on the other during nearly the entire trip.

The Keys are made up of a series of islands joined together by 42 road bridges. Some islands are little more than tiny mangrove swamps, but the thing that they all have in common is the wildlife. The Keys are home to many rare breeds of animals, birds and fish. Many have designated wildlife areas where the local habitat is preserved and the animals protected.

The true beauty of the Keys lies below the water. The local conditions have created an ideal environment for coral reefs. There is an abundance of marine life making the reefs a favourite spot for divers.

The longest bridge spans almost seven miles long, but all forty two bridges somehow manage to intertwine with the islands so effortlessly that you some times forget that the islands are actually separated by the sea.

The Keys are split into three parts, Upper, Middle and Lower. Each Key seems to enjoy its own individual identity while at the same time helping to create a feeling of unity. The one thing that they all have in common is that they are a paradise for people who love sailing, fishing and snorkelling.

Most people know Key Largo from the song. It is situated in the Upper Keys and also included in them are Tavernier (which takes its name from a pirate) and Islamorada (named after the violet coloured sea snails).

Key Largo is just about an hour away from Miami and many tourists make their way there after visiting the Everglades. It is home to the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Many tourists visit there in glass bottom boats to see the 55 varieties of coral and over 500 species of sea life.

The Middle Keys is made up of Marathon (the largest of the group), Conch, Duck, Grassy and Pigeon Keys. It is connected to the Lower Keys by its world famous Severn-Mile Bridge.

Marathon is home to a nine hole golf course. Grassy Keys is home to the Dolphin Research Centre which draws in many tourist volunteer helpers each year. It is also home to a 63 acre wildlife sanctuary.

The Lower Keys is made up of Key West, Bahia Honda, Loose Key and Big Pine. Key West is by far the most popular Key with tourists and sits at the bottom of the Keys.

The sandy beach at Bahia Honda Key is regarded as the best beach in the whole of the Keys. Big Pine Key is home to the tiny Key deer which is now a protected species.

Holiday home rentals has become a very popular form of accommodation in the Keys. Tourists often prefer to stay in holiday villas as they find them far more relaxing and economical, while at the same time giving them a true feeling of the local way of life.