The Florida Keys: Key Largo

There must be a reason that so many books and movies are set in Key Largo – in fact, there is even a song about the island! Once you have been to Key Largo, the reason is obvious.

Key Largo is the most northern town of the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are a series of over 1700 islands that form an archipelago arching south and then west from the tip of Florida. This series of islands, of which Key Largo is the first, begins the only natural coral reef that exists off of the United States coast.

Key Largo calls itself the “Dive Capital of the World”. And by that, they mean scuba diving. People began preserving the coral reefs that exist around Key Largo almost 50 years ago. In fact, Key Largo was one of the first places in the world to recognize the fragility of coral reefs and how important they were to the ecosystem. Because of this, the reefs around Key Largo are some of the most beautiful ever experienced. It has been documented that over 600 varieties of fish live among the coral reef and are even said to be very friendly with divers.

It isn’t solely the coral reef that entices scuba divers to Key Largo. It is also the abundance of shipwrecks that are in the area and available to explore. In fact, one ship, the USS Spiegel Grove was sunk purposely in 2002 in order to become an artificial reef and increase the marine population. When the ship was sunk she landed on her side, but the constant tide and with the help of some hurricanes, she has righted herself on the bottom of the cove. This is a very popular spot for divers to see the beginnings of a new coral reef, the abundance of marine life and also the added thrill of exploring a “shipwreck”.

Diving is not the only activity that can be done in Key Largo. The town offers many other wonderful sports that can be enjoyed around the water. There is parasailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, kayaking and jet skiing. And don’t think you have to spend all of your time in the water. There are many places to see in town.

Because it is a town where the ocean can be viewed from any vantage point, most of the tours, museums and activities revolve around the ocean and aquatic animals. There are several places where you can swim with dolphins, two of which are Dolphin Cove Research and Education Center and Swim with Dolphins Tours. Theater of the Sea is a magical place that also offers dolphin encounters and so much more. There are animal shows, and in addition to dolphin encounters, they also have encounters available for you to “frolic” with sea lions and pet stingrays. General admission to this park is less than $25 for adults. Although, swimming with the dolphins is an additional $155 per person.

Key Largo also hosts many yearly festivals and fishing tournaments. Some of the more unique are underwater Easter egg hunts before Easter and underwater pumpkin carving in October. There are so many fishing tournaments that are open to the public that many have become very categorized. For instance, January is when the “Capt. Al Flutie Over the Hill Rip-Off “ fishing tournament is held and is open only to people over the age of 50.


If you are driving down Highway 1 through the Florida Keys, it is well worth your time to stop and enjoy some of the fun that Key Largo has to offer.