Are you dreading the cold winter days coming our way? Are you looking to make like a snowbird and head south?
If you do head south, then head all the way south to the Florida Keys!
Honestly, this stretch of land, surrounded by the aquamarine-colored ocean is really the only thing I miss about living in Florida other than my family still living in the state. I’m due for another visit. I loved going there each weekend with my parents and later by myself as an adult. I miss hitting all the food places offering the best seafood and I miss living on island time.
Here are a few places I miss about the Florida Keys.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Key Largo is where I learned how to snorkel and swim around the Christ under the sea statue at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. This is the country’s first undersea state park. You can take a glass bottom boat tour of the statute. Activities include boating, kayaking, canoeing, nature trails and fishing in designated areas. The park also has two small beach areas for swimming and snorkeling. RV and primitive camping spots are available in the park.
Book or plan your visit here: https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park
The Tiki Bar at the Three Waters Resort & Marina
Back in the day everyone knew this place as the Holiday Isle Tiki Bar. Most Floridians still call it that despite the new ownership and renovations. This is where the Rum Runner cocktail was invented in 1969. This tiki bar is still a great place to sit out by the ocean, grab some great food and cocktails, listen to live music and enjoy time with your friends. This is also where you can find world-class fishing charters and spend the day catching your own food.
Rain Barrel Village and MoradaWay Arts and Cultural District
Islamorada is the hub of several artist villages, great restaurants and museums. You must stop and get your photo taken with Betsy the Giant Lobster situated at the entrance of Rain Barrel Village. The Rain Barrel’s open-air complex is a collection of specialty shops, galleries and boutiques offering a variety of local art, handmade crafts, custom jewelry, fashionable resort wear, and unique souvenirs. The MoradaWay Arts and Cultural District is an area of local artists creating masterful pieces of art for the community and for sale.
Read more about the Rain Barrel here: https://rainbarrelvillage.com/
Learn about the Arts District here: https://www.moradaway.org/
Green Turtle Inn / Robbie’s / Whale Harbor / No Name Pub
It was here in Islamorada where I had my first taste of turtle soup at Sid & Roxie’s Green Turtle Inn, an iconic eatery that’s been serving great food and vibes since 1947. They still offer their famous turtle chowder. In 2004, the olde building and cannery were demolished but a new building, with the same footprint, was built and continues to serve up the best seafood, steaks and more. The restaurant was featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Because of this, I recommend you make reservations.
Learn more here: https://www.greenturtleinn.com/
My favorite place to dine in Islamorada was at the Whale Harbor Seafood Buffet restaurant. For $20 I was able to shovel as many oysters, shrimp, fish, crabs and seafood soup in my mouth until I was in a food induced coma. The restaurant is still there although the buffet is $40 per person. This place has been around for a century, rebuilt after many hurricanes. It looks much different now than when I used to frequent it years ago. But the seafood is as fresh as you can get.
Learn more here: https://www.whaleharborrestaurant.com/
Another must stop place is Robbie’s Marina. Feed the tarpons by hand, just be careful! This marina offers several charter boats, jet ski adventures, water paddling activities, retail shopping, and an award-winning restaurant. Robbie’s has been around since 1976 for a reason. Stop in and check this place out.
Visit: https://www.robbies.com/
Further down the road, in Big Pine Key, is another iconic bar and diner - No Name Pub. Cold beer, great food and pizzas. This place is the epitome of a dive bar! Dollar Bills hang from the walls and ceiling. It is classic Key West without being all the way down in Key West.
Learn more here: https://nonamepub.com/
Theater of the sea
Swim with the dolphins! Catch a cute show! I love this place.
Established in 1946 by the P.F. McKenney family, Theater of the Sea is one of the oldest marine mammal facilities in the world. Originally a rock quarry excavated for Henry Flagler’s railroad in the early 1900’s, the lagoons and lush, tropical gardens at the facility are home to dolphins, sea lions, sea turtles, tropical and game fish, sharks, stingrays, crocodiles, alligators, and birds. Bring the kids!
Visit: https://theaterofthesea.com/
Hogfish Bar and Grill
Of all the places in the Keys to eat, and there are several, the one I constantly crave is a bite from the Hogfish Bar and Grill. This place is located on Stock Island which serves as an entryway to Key West and hosts some of the last commercial fishing fleets on Safe Harbor. The seafood at the Hogfish is literally hook-to-cooked, and outside patio dining allows you to take in the breathtaking scenery and sunshine.
The hogfish is a funky looking sea creature with a long “pig-like” snout. Because of its funky snout it is rare to hook a hogfish on a regular fishing line. Most hogfish are caught by spearfishing.While the hogfish is not the prettiest thing on the outside, it is the inside that matters when it comes to taste and texture. Hogfish fillets are white like scallops because of their clean diet. The meat is mild and perfectly flaky once fried. Hogfish is often called the fillet mignon of fish. Even folks who shy away from fish are likely to enjoy it.At the Hogfish Bar and Grill you can have your sandwich served fried, grilled or blackened. The sandwich is served on Cuban bread and the fish is smothered with Swiss cheese, onions and mushrooms.The fried hogfish tacos are great, but the blackened tuna tacos are out of this world fabulous. They serve the best smoked fish spread in all the Florida Keys (they have the best smoked fish spread I’ve ever tasted anywhere) and delicious soups and chowders.If you manage to catch a few yellowtails or other fish during your trip, they will even cook your fresh catch of the day!This place is where the locals go to eat, free of all the kitschy tourist stuff you find in most Key West eateries.
Visit: https://www.hogfishbar.com/
Once in Key West the list of places to eat and things to see is worthy of a separate write-up.
What’s your favorite stop in the Florida Keys? Email me at: PattyL@brewermediagroup.com