The Florida Keys Guarantee an Offbeat Adventure

Though technically a part of the Sunshine State, the Florida Keys have cultivated an offbeat and colorful identity of their very own that lends itself well to vacation freedom.

Stretching in a lazy arc that begins fifteen miles from the tip of the peninsula, these 1700 or so islands - many of which are wild and uninhabited - will provide a Caribbean experience without demanding that you show your passport. The Florida Keys don’t demand much of anything, in fact; only that you abandon your inhibitions and responsibilities on the mainland.

Hotspots within this archipelago include Marathon, Key Largo and of course, quirky Key West. The tropical climate means that the Keys have never been touched by frost, so no matter what time of year you decide to visit you’ll never need more than a light jacket for the occasional cool evening.

Landmarks in the “Conch Republic” include Seven Mile Bridge, the Ernest Hemingway House, Dry Tortugas National Park and the National Key Deer Refuge. As for keeping busy, Key Largo calls itself the “Diving Capital of the World,” Islamorada claims to be the “Sport Fishing Capital of the World” and there are an abundance of seafood restaurants, festivals, eco-tours and hiking paths to take advantage of.

This free-spirited chain of isles also welcomes you to simply kick off your shoes and stay awhile, so pick a key, any key and settle into a beach house or condo for a vacation that will cast your cares - and pre-conceived notions about Florida - away.