Insider's Guide

Not sure where to start fishing in The Florida Keys? This guide breaks down the difference between backcountry, reef, offshore and deepwater fishing, the types of boats you may encounter and what species are typically best to target throughout the year. From tarpon and bonefish on the flats to mahi-mahi, sailfish and swordfish offshore, use our fishing calendars to get a better idea of what may be biting when, then leave the final game plan to your local captain.

Turkey with a side of turquoise water? Yes, please. This Thanksgiving, trade the cold weather, crowded kitchen and mountain of dishes for waterfront tables, island-inspired flavors and a few distinctly Florida Keys twists on the traditional feast.

There’s no shortage of great places to grab a bite while road-tripping through The Florida Keys, and pizza has earned its own spot on the itinerary. Barstool Sports founder and pizza reviewer Dave Portnoy has made several stops throughout the island chain, sampling local pies and sharing his scores and reactions with viewers online. From neighborhood favorites to laid-back Keys stops, his reviews have taken him from Key West through the Middle and Upper Keys. Whether you follow his scoring system closely or simply love trying a new pizza spot, his Florida Keys reviews offer a fun starting point for your own taste test. Here’s a look at the Florida Keys restaurants Portnoy has reviewed and the scores he gave each one.

Trade chilly weather and a day on the couch for sunshine, saltwater and a little family adventure. Thanksgiving week is a great time to bring everyone together in The Florida Keys, with outdoor experiences, relaxed places to gather around the table and accommodations that give the whole family room to spread out.

When fall arrives in The Florida Keys, something delicious starts showing up on local tables, fresh stone crab claws. Stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 through May 1, giving visitors several months to enjoy one of the Keys’ best-known seafood treats. Sweet, tender and satisfyingly large, stone crab claws have been commercially harvested in Keys waters since the 1930s. The Florida Keys are an especially important home for stone crab. About 40 percent of Florida’s stone crab harvest comes from Keys waters.

Follow along with The Travel Mom, Emily Kaufman and lifestyle journalist Tommy DiDario as they journey through The Florida Keys & Key West, discovering memorable ways to relax, explore, dine and connect with the island chain’s colorful culture and natural world. From wellness escapes and fascinating history to only-in-the-Keys wildlife encounters, fresh seafood and luxurious hideaways, their travels offer plenty of inspiration for creating your own Florida Keys itinerary.

A trip to the Florida Keys can mean sunshine, turquoise water, some beach time, a romp in the park for kids or dogs, a museum stop, or an up-close look at incredible marine life. For visitors, those experiences are often what make a Keys getaway so memorable. But there is another side of the tourism story that is much less visible. Behind many of the places, experiences and natural resources that make the Florida Keys special, tourism is having an impact that continues long after a visitor heads home. It is a part of the story that travelers may never realize—and one that residents may be surprised to learn more about. Because in the Keys, a vacation can do more than create great memories. It can also help support the very place where those memories are made.

In the Florida Keys, sunset is more than the end of the day. It is a reason to order one more drink, take the long way back to the hotel, find a seat along the water and watch the horizon turn from gold to tangerine, pink, lavender and, on particularly memorable evenings, a fiery shade of red.

A rainy day does not have to wash out a Florida Keys vacation. The island chain has museums, aquariums, movie theaters, art spaces and other attractions where visitors can stay busy while the weather passes. From an indoor wave in Marathon to centuries-old shipwreck treasure in Key West, these stops offer a different way to discover what makes the Keys special.

A family vacation in The Florida Keys can be big on memories without being big on spending. Discover value-minded places to stay, free and low-cost activities, and casual restaurants with kid-friendly menus from Key Largo to Key West.