When you arrive in Key West, why not familiarize yourself with the town and its history by riding the Conch Tour Train? Not only do kids love riding on trains, but you’ll want to see local points of interest without having to navigate the streets of Key West on your own. A must: walking out to a sandbar beyond the shore (don’t worry, the waters are typically shallow and calm).Embark on the Conch Tour Train Photo Courtesy: Conch Tour Train Tucked on Key West’s southern coast, there is plenty of space for lounging or adventure.Īmong its attractions are volleyball courts, food trucks and watersport companies offering parasailing, jet ski rentals, kayak excursions and more. When you envision a South Florida beach, it’s flat with white sand that stretches along the coast for as far as the eye can see.

Back on land, check out the park’s visitor center, which has a 30,000-gallon aquarium. Go for the glass-bottom boat which departs three times daily, every single day of the year. For a memorable view of it all, the park offers numerous boat tours throughout the day. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, John Pennekamp State Park features nearly 200 nautical square miles of coral reefs and marine life, regularly including great barracudas, parrotfish and more. Beyond the animals and along its white sand shores, Higgs Beach also has six picnic tiki huts and a historic military lookout – West Martello Tower – with Insta-worthy gardens adjacent to it. The center is open to the public for tours six days a week (except Wednesdays). Adjacent to the park is the Key West Wildlife Center, where local birds, sea turtles and other creatures are rehabilitated. If Fido has tagged along for your Key West adventure (or if you want to watch puppies play on the beach), Higgs Beach has one of the best dog parks around. But, once you’re there, vivid coral reefs, a massive Civil War-era fortress ( Fort Jefferson) and secluded beaches like no other await. Getting there will require a two-plus hour ferry ride via the Yankee Freedom III, a private boat charter or seaplane ride, all of which should be booked well in advance. It is comprised of seven islands and is perhaps the most isolated destination within the entire US National Park System. Situated in the heart of the Gulf of Mexico, that honor goes to Dry Tortugas National Park. Key West may have “west” in its name, but it’s actually not the most western attraction in the Keys. Overview of Fort Jefferson and moat in Garden Key ©Matt Munro/Lonely Planet Dry Tortugas National Parkīest beach for a totally isolated retreat There are two beloved kayak paths here, with the most popular being a 1.5-mile loop around Little Crawl Key that takes you through a mangrove tunnel, deep water lagoon and sandbars.

In addition to campsites, a 1.5-mile nature trail and four pavilions for picnicking, this is the park for a day of paddling. Located between Duck Key and Marathon, this park has 1000 lush acres that are primed for outdoor adventures. If the lively hustle and bustle of Key West isn’t striking the right chord, the untouched beauty of Curry Hammock State Park will. Curry Hammock State Parkīest beach for kayaking and paddle boarding In addition to the iconic bridge, the park offers a snorkeling tour, camping and kayak rentals for different vantage points, too. No longer in commission with part of it still accessible to the public, the bridge eerily juts into the water from the park’s most southwestern shore and provides panoramic views of the winged critters within the park’s confines. For the best vantage point, take a stroll on the Old Bahia Honda Railroad Bridge. On a given day, dozens of species of wood warblers, great white herons, sandpipers and more are visible from its confines situated between Big Pine Key and Marathon. Bahia Honda State Park and its old railroad bridge © fotomak / Shutterstock Bahia Honda State ParkĪ prized stop on the Florida Birding Trail, Bahia Honda State Park is loaded with wildlife and vantage points for taking it all in.

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