The small islands along this state’s coastline are numerous and this one has a certain attraction. Learn about shipwrecks and treasures and appreciate its art.
South of Florida’s popular Key Largo is Plantation Key with its compact size allowing it to be explored on foot. Conveniently you don’t need to go far to find its attractions.
Discover McKee Castle that was built by treasure diver Art McKee in the 1950s. It was initially known as Treasure Fortress and was where he displayed items he had found from sunken vessels.
Today the castle is a school, but nearby is the History of Diving Museum where McKee’s treasures are displayed. One find in particular he made off Plantation Key was the Capitana, a flagship in the 1733 Spanish treasure fleet that was laden with silver coins. Learn about his career that gave him the title of the father of modern treasure diving.
If finding accommodation on Plantation Key isn’t possible due to its size, the village of Islamorada is 7 miles away (11 kilometers). You won’t miss Rain Barrel Village with its 30-foot (9-meter) spiny lobster at the entrance. Take a picture with Betsy the Lobster which has become a landmark during its 40-year existence and one of the most photographed attractions in the Florida Keys.
Walk past the lobster and you’ll enter a tropical paradise where you’ll find artisan shops, studios and souvenirs. Islamorada comprises six islands, including Plantation Key, where sport fishing is a major pastime. In the area you’ll find the Theater of the Sea with shows featuring marine life and parrots.
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park is located on a nearby island where you can see cross sections of the ancient coral that was used to construct the Overseas Railroad that connected Key West. The railroad was destroyed by a hurricane in the 1960s. Follow short trails that wind through the island’s beauty.
Travel from Miami to Plantation Key by car in about an hour and half. The closest airports are Miami International Airport and Key West International Airport.