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Condé Nast Traveler picks
 Best of Florida Keys
A T-shirt hanging in the No Name Pub on Big Pine Key reads: "Save the Keys . . . BLOW the bridges." A bit over the top, but one of many reminders of local reverence for this fragile chain of reef-endowed islands. Highway 1 is the sole access road, and it's a challenge, especially in peak season. Options for food, fun, and accommodations on the Keys run the gamut from funky to sublime. A word of advice: Restaurants are generally big on local color and small on creativity, so keep food expectations low and the pleasant surprises will delight. Most hotels are bayside, but don't make the assumption that oceanside is preferable: Long white-sand beaches are few and far between, and bayside landscapes are wonderfully seductive. Most hotels have launches and rent boat slips.
Individual keys are discussed in geographic order from northeast to southwest.
THE UPPER KEYS Key Largo Though sometimes considered the least interesting of the islands, this mixed bag of Key culture is actually a good appetizer for the meal to come. It doesn't have the party vibe of Key West or the upscale pampering of Islamorada, but enough choices will satisfy a range of preferences. Attractions & Activities Most restaurants throughout the Keys will have entertainment, but for nightclub atmosphere and live bands, try Club Coconuts, on Marina del Mar (Mile Marker 100; 305-453-9794). Want a relaxing evening? Contact Steve Harris at Bay Breeze Cruises for a private two-hour sunset sail in Blackwater Bay at an extremely reasonable price (305-942-3431; $235 for up to five). Browse around the inviting Pink Junktique for antiques and collectibles (Mile Marker 98.2; 305-853-2620). Book a snorkeling, diving, or (if you prefer not to get wet) glass-bottom boat tour in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The reef is spectacular, the guides are interesting and informative, and it's a good orientation if you're planning to include more water sports on your trip (Mile Marker 102.5; 305-451-6300; pennekamppark.com). Dolphins Plus offers dolphin experiences and insists on class instruction to ensure humane treatment of the animals (Mile Marker 99.5; 305-451-1993; dolphinsplus.com; 30-minute dolphin swim, $125–$240). Lodging The Key Largo Bay Resort is a small full-service hotel with a nice bar overlooking the bay (Mile Marker 103.8). The vast Sheraton Beach Resort Key Largo has a jungle of hammocks with trails leading to a small strip of beach (Mile Marker 97). The artsy, no-kids-allowed Kona Kai Resort & Gallery is a delicious hideaway (Mile Marker 97.8), while next door the Bay Harbor Lodge and Coconut Bay Resort is a cozy alternative for half the price. Dining The Fish House Restaurant & Seafood Market is the local favorite for lunch (Mile Marker 102.4; 305-451-4665; entrées, $17–$25), and Encore, next door and with a more diverse menu, is great for dinner (305-451-0650; entrées, $17–$25). Calypso's Seafood Grille, in a pretty little marina, has island atmosphere in spades. The food gets only passing marks, but they make a mean Philly cheesesteak and the Mississippi Blues make a diverting contrast (Mile Marker 99.5; 305-451-0600; entrées, $13–$20). Harriette's has terrific local atmosphere, friendly staff, and a great breakfast (Mile Marker 95.7; entrées, $3–$10). At Alabama Jack's, the first stop by the toll bridge to Key Largo, bikers are a protected species: "No parking except for hawgs." Skip the food, have a cold beer, and enjoy the show (58000 Card Sound Rd.; 305-248-8741; entrées, $10–$20). Islamorada The "purple isles" (including Plantation, Windley, and Upper and Lower Matecumbe) claim the crème de la crème of everything from sunsets to blue marlin and tarpon sport-fishing—and they may be right. They are also famous for luxury accommodations and quiet nights, mostly at premium prices. Attractions & Activities Rainbow Reef Dive Center will certify you and help you find dive-centric hotels that offer reduced rates for its clients (Mile Marker 84; 305-664-4662; rainbowreef.us; certification, $420). The Chesapeake Resort has a swath of white-sand beach and is Rainbow Reef Dive Center's hub (Mile Marker 83.5). World Wide Sportsman sells water sports equipment and displays Hemingway's original wooden boat, the Pilar. Enjoy a cool drink and a lovely view of the Everglades on the breezy veranda of the Zane Grey Long Key Lounge upstairs (Mile Marker 81.5). Across the bridge on Lower Matecumbe, at Robbie's famous marina, you can feed the tarpon ($2 per bucket of chum) before chartering a boat to catch your own. If you're not a serious fisherman but want a true Keys experience, try a fishing party boat (Mile Marker 77.5; 305-664-8070; charters, $70–$225; half-day party boat, $35 per person). The gawdy Theater of the Sea shouts at you from Mile Marker 84.5 but has structured dolphin swims (305-664-2431; theaterofthesea.com; 30-minute dolphin swim, $155). Lodging The Cheeca Lodge & Spa, famous for hosting the first President Bush, has it all, including a lovely spa and a free-form pool area for adults wishing to escape the otherwise kid-friendly environment (Mile Marker 82). Farther down the road, the Moorings Village, a former coconut plantation, has private one- to three-bedroom cottages, one of the nicest beaches in the Keys, and an unpretentious vibe (Mile Marker 81.5). Casa Morada is a tastefully Zen, no-kids retreat on a lovely bayfront property (Mile Marker 82.2). Dining Everyone in the know goes to Morada Bay Beach Café for sunset meals on a torch-lit beach. The food is surprisingly good—seared scallops with mango butter—if pricey (Mile Marker 81.6; 305-664-0604; entrées, $24–$32). The Ocean Terrace Grill, at the Cheeca Lodge, serves up delicious, beautifully displayed buffet breakfasts (Mile Marker 82; $20). The more formal Atlantic's Edge gets high ratings for seafood (Mile Marker 82; 305-664-4651; entrées, $19–$32). Just east of the bridge to Lower Matecumbe, the Tikki Bar at Papa Joe's is a funky spot for a late lunch of blackened mahimahi. Watch the fishermen come in with their catch amid a cacophony of pelicans (Mile Marker 79.8; 305-664-8109; entrées, $16–$25). Grassy Key Dining Grassy Key might be a place to pass by but for the Hideaway Café's inventive French cuisine above the uninspired Rainbow Bend Resort. Reservations necessary—they will turn you away (Mile Marker 58; 305-289-1554; entrées, $18–$38). Visit the Dolphin Research Center if you want to frolic with friendly mammals and maybe even adopt one (Mile Marker 59; 305-289-1121; dolphins.org; 20-minute dolphin swim, $165). The Wreck & Galley Grill next door has great grouper sandwiches ($9). Note: Only the Nassau and Goliath grouper are protected species, and since you won't find these on Key menus, you can eat without guilt. Marathon Also called Vaca Key, this informal, kitschy beach settlement is probably the most riotous of the Keys—the continuous flow of merging traffic can make you loopy. Unlike Islamorada, there's nothing laid-back about this strip of bars, restaurants, and water sport charters. Many hotels are typical and no-frills as your chief activity will be crashing after a day on the water. Attractions & Activities The Marathon Lady does half-day party boat fishing trips and guarantees a catch (Mile Marker 53; 305-743-5580; half-day party boat trips, $33 per person). FYI: Herbie's will cook it up for $7. Don't miss the unusual and informative kayak tour of the mangroves with the very personable David Kaplan of Marathon Kayak (Mile Marker 50; 305-743-0561; tours, $40–$80). Lodging At the quiet, colorful Seascape Ocean Resort, rooms with kitchens have the benefit of an herb garden (Mile Marker 51). Down the road, the unassuming Crystal Bay Resort is a find—especially for boaters—with simple little cabins and a great-for-sunsets waterfront (Mile Marker 49). Dining Although you shouldn't expect much in the way of fine dining in the Upper Keys, local color and good fresh fish are abundant. Herbie's has a full menu and a kick-back-with-a-beer atmosphere (Mile Marker 50.6; 305-743-6373; entrées, $10–$20). The Cracked Conch Café, favored by locals, touts the best conch chowder (Mile Marker 49.5; 305-743-2233; entrées, $15–$20). Have breakfast at the legendary Seven-mile Grill, just east of the famous bridge (Mile Marker 47.5; 305-743-4481; entrées, $7–$11), then pop over to Leigh Ann's Coffee House and pick up some terrific sandwiches, cheese, and wine (Mile Marker 51; 305-743-2001; sandwiches, $6–$10). You can enjoy your provisions in a picnic at Bahia Honda State Park. THE LOWER KEYS Attractions & Activities The landscape changes almost immediately after crossing the seven-mile bridge to the overlooked, mostly government-protected Lower Keys. Bahia Honda State Park has the best public beaches in the Keys, the nicest being Sandspur Beach (bear left after entering). Don't whine about the band of seaweed along the shore. Remember: It belongs there, you don't. There are plenty of private spots to picnic and bird-watch, both on the oceanside and on the palm tree–dotted bayside. Walk the trails and check out the view from the Old Bahia Honda Bridge. Kayak trips ($10 per hour) and snorkel excursions ($29 for 90 minutes) can be arranged at the park concession (Mile Marker 37; 305-872-2353; bahiahondapark.com). The National Key Deer Refuge, encompassing the entire island as well as neighboring No Name Key, is worth a visit. Ride a bike and encounter the animals without fear of running them over. If you have yet to see an alligator in the wild, check out the Blue Hole quarry in the refuge. It's one of the few freshwater holes in the area (Mile Marker 30; 305-872-2239; nationalkeydeer.fws.gov). Rent a bike at Big Pine Bike Shop, convenient to both Bahia Honda and the Key Deer Refuge, and pop over the bridge to No Name Key, where the 200 or so residents live without electricity and where deer-spotting is best at night (Mile Marker 30.1; 305-872-0130; half-day, $7). Looe Key is the top snorkel and dive destination in the Keys, and Looe Key Reef Resort & Dive Center will take you to three sites in five hours. The captain even grills hot dogs if you forget your lunch (Mile Marker 27.5; 305-942-5397; diveflakeys.com; divers, $70 per day; snorkelers, $30). Lodging Parmer's Resort (turnoff at Mile Marker 28.5), on Little Torch Key, is a terrific base for visiting the Lower Keys and is only 30 minutes from Key West. This lovely, quiet property on the bay has an ambience-enhancing aviary with a parrot that will flatter you as you enter the pool. Dining Breakfast at the little yolk-colored Cracked Egg Cafe is outstanding if a bit chaotic (Mile Marker 31; 305-872-7030; entrées, $4–$9). Big Pine Coffee Shop is a good alternative (Mile Marker 30; 305-872-2790; entrées, $9–$15). The Square Grouper Bar & Grill, on Cudjoe Key, is likely the area's most inventive and high-end restaurant. Try the seared tuna in spicy pineapple sauce (Mile Marker 22.5; 305-745-8880; entrées, $16–$31). Mangrove Mama's, on Sugarloaf, is a cheaper, less frilly option (Mile Marker 20; 305-745-3030; entrées, $16–$18). Baby's Coffee has the best brews and tea in the Keys, and an online shopping service to boot (Mile Marker 15; 800-523-2326; babyscoffee.com). A stop at the famous No Name Pub, near the bridge of the same name, is a must. Reward yourself with a beer just for finding the place (N. Watson Blvd.; 305-872-9115; entrées, $6–$15). Key West In 1937's To Have and Have Not, Hemingway addressed the contrast between the impoverished local fishermen and the big shots who hired them to man their yachts. "I hear they're buying up lots, and then after the poor people are starved out and gone somewhere else to starve some more, they're going to come in and make it into a beauty spot for tourists." Although Key West wasn't exactly paradise before the paving began, they have done exactly that. The island has had several makeovers since 1937, and as more and more families flock there, it struggles to distinguish itself as a rebellious, largely gay community (note that many of the town's lovely B&Bs do not allow children under 12). Therefore, during dinner at a family-style restaurant, you might meet a handsome carpenter who transforms into Gina Maserati at night and performs for charity. Attractions & Activities Two tourist attractions worth the $11 admission price are the naval base's Little White House, which has hosted everyone from Thomas Edison during his World War I naval service to Colin Powell, and the Hemingway Home, which welcomed a bevy of equally powerful if perhaps more colorful celebrity guests. From the historic Key West Seaport, take a daylong ferry trip to the Dry Tortugas on Yankee Freedom II (305-294-7009; $139, including breakfast and lunch) or—if you're into kitsch—a sunset sail on the Western Union, which also offers guest-participation reenactments of a naval battle complete with stale bread and rotten tomatoes (305-292-1776; $59). Fort Zachary Taylor has the best beach and a nice picnic area (305-292-6713). Pack delicious sandwiches from Fausto's market (522 Fleming St.; 305-296-5663; sandwiches, $6–$8). The best way to get around is by bicycle or moped. The Moped Hospital has decent rates and a good attitude (305-296-3344; bicycle rentals, $1 per hour; mopeds, $35 per day). For people-watching, which is the great Conch pastime, Mangoes, at the corner of Angela, is a good vantage point, as is La Te Da, toward the south end. All bars are open to the street, so it's a matter of choosing your musical accompaniment—from Elvis impersonators to Connie Francis records. Although few shops sell little more than T-shirts, there's a vibrant arts scene and galleries aplenty, particularly along Duval and in Bahama Village. Don't feel cheated if you skip the daily sunset celebration in favor of a quiet dinner. Lodging The deluxe Paradise Inn has monogrammed robes and a fountain-fed pool. The Marquesa Hotel, more manse than inn, has the rare distinction of its own highly rated restaurant. The Merlinn Inn, with large colorful rooms, the Key Lime Inn, and the Lighthouse Court, with small rooms but a lovely poolside café, are well-situated. If immersing yourself in the local culture is more your style, the Angelina Guest House, in Bahama Village, has crowing, free-roaming roosters. Dining Blue Heaven oozes local charm and serves outrageous breakfasts, an incredible yellowtail snapper, and the best Key lime pie (729 Thomas St.; 305-296-8666; entrées, $13–$36). If you're hankering for meat, have a steak with roasted garlic on Michael's quiet patio (532 Margaret St.; 305-295-1300; entrées, $17–$40). Andrew Berman meets Andy Warhol and foie gras meets caramelized apples at Pisces (107 Simonton St.; 305-294-1700; entrées, $27–$44). Louie's Backyard has more than just perfect island ambience. Try the grilled honey-chipotle tuna with zucchini noodles (700 Waddell Ave.; 305-294-1061; entrées, $20–$40). Overall, Camille's is a bit overrated, but breakfasts are still sensuous affairs—French toast with Godiva white chocolate sauce (1202 Simonton St.; 305-296-4811; entrées, $10–$18). Small and simply good, Seven Fish has everything from meat loaf to Thai curries. Try the banana chicken with walnuts (632 Olivia St.; 305-296-2777; entrées, $12–$21). Eclectic and popular, Alice's is great any time (1114 Duval St.; 305-292-5733; entrées, $21–$30). Funky, off-the-beaten-track BO's Fish Wagon, near the old seaport, has sloppy, local-style fish sandwiches with Key lime sauce (801 Caroline St.; 305-294-9272; entrées, $8–$18). Coco Palms offers authentic Jamaican atmosphere for a decent price (300 Front St.; 305-296-0046; entrées, $10–$29). Antonia's, an upscale northern Italian local favorite, serves homemade pastas (615 Duval St.; 305-294-6565; entrées, $15–$26). Truth in Travel is the guiding principle for all content published in Condé Nast Traveler. Other travel publications often accept free travel and accommodations. Condé Nast Traveler does not. It is independent of the travel industry. The magazine always pays its way, and, as far as possible, its correspondents travel anonymously. By doing so, they experience the world—both the good and the bad—as other travelers do, and their reports and recommendations are fair, impartial, and authoritative.
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