The Florida Keys Overview

Key Largo  |  Islamorada  |  Middle Keys  
  Lower Keys  |  Key West

Welcome to our Guide to the Florida Keys.

The Florida Keys make an absolutely wonderful vacation destination at any time of year, one that many visitors find themselves returning to again and again. 

Whether you’re into fishing, diving & snorkeling, boating, cuisine with a “Floribbean” accent, the fine arts, live music, or you’re just in search of some world-class relaxing amidst tropical breezes – after all, The New York Times headlined a Keys article “Just Possibly the Best Place for Doing Nothing” - you can indulge yourself in The Florida Keys.

The Florida Keys comprise most of Monroe County which borders Miami-Dade County on the Florida mainland and extends to Key West and surrounding islands.  The mainland portion includes part of The Everglades and Big Cypress Nature Preserve.  The entrance to The Keys begins on US-1 in Florida City.  Key Largo is located roughly 18 miles from there following either the “18-mile Stretch” or Card Sound (toll) Road.

The Keys has five principal areas: Key Largo, Islamorada, the Middle Keys (including Marathon), the Lower Keys, and Key West.  Florida Keys Vacation Rentals has an office in each location for your convenience.  US-1, also known locally as The Overseas Highway, connects the major islands.  It is roughly 108 miles from Key Largo to Key West.  There is an airport served by commercial carriers in Key West.  Another airport in Marathon offers private and charter service.  Direct flights to Key West are available from many Florida points of origin as well as from Atlanta and the Bahamas.

We specialize in providing vacation rental homes and condos in the Florida Keys including Key West, Islamorada, Key Largo, Lower Keys and Middle Keys.

We hope you'll find our Keys Guide to be helpful both in planning your visit and for making the most of your stay while you're here. We've linked to a number of Keys-centric web sites and we've organized them by geography and by topic.

The links accessed from this main page are oriented toward The Keys as a whole.

The links from the pages for Key Largo, Islamorada, Middle Keys, Lower Keys and Key West are specific to each area.  So, if you’re interested in, say, things to do and see in Islamorada, please visit the Islamorada page and browse the links on the right-side menu.  Be sure to view our own virtual tours for an up-close look.

Area Overview Sites are general guides to The Keys intended to assist visitors in planning and enjoying their stay, and provide information on a number of topics:  what to do, where to eat, transportation, calendars of events, where to find marine-related resources, and more.

Our Attractions links will point you to the most popular attractions and to some interesting ones a little off the beaten path.  You’ll find the links to most Keys attractions on the pages for the individual Keys areas.  For example, Bahia Honda State Park is listed in the Lower Keys section, the Seven Mile Bridge is in the Middle Keys section, the Mallory Square Sunset Celebration link is in the Key West section, and so on.

Diving & Snorkeling links include recommended dive and snorkel sites as well as charters and outfitters.

Fishinglinks include events calendars, charters & party boats, outfitters, bait & tackle stores, lobstering info, licensing, as well as news, advice and fishing reports for flats/backcountry fishing, offshore fishing, and light tackle fishing.  For marine forecasts, see our "boating" links.

Boating links include information and resources for paddling, power boats and sailing such as marinas, eco-tours, rental places, and marine weather forecasts.

Our Historical links will help satisfy your curiosity about everything from the earliest settlements in The Keys to how various Keys destinations got their names.

Find exactly the restaurant you want and plan your evenings using our Dining & Entertainment links.  We feature restaurant directories, actual menus, reviews, and restaurant web sites.  You’ll also find night life links to help locate live music, theater, clubs, movies, festivals, and more.

Favorite Coffee Spots lists the names and carries map links to our favorite places up and down The Keys for fresh coffee, tea and other specialty beverages. Many of these establishments also offer light fare.

Our shopping links will point you to some of the unique, locally-originated  places to buy gifts, souvenirs, art, specialty foods, and other mementos of your visit.

Our Business & Service links are here to help you locate whatever you need during your stay.  Grocery stores, veterinarians, houses of worship, outdoor sports outfitters, Internet cafés… it’s all there.

The Government & Organizations links include the local government and law enforcement authorities as well as Chambers of Commerce.

**Florida Keys Vacation Rentals Inc. provides links to a variety of Internet-based resources for the convenience of its guests.  Florida Keys Vacation Rentals Inc. is not responsible for the accuracy or currency of the information presented on any of the sites to which it has linked.