Insider's Guide

While the Florida Keys remain temporarily closed to visitors, it’s possible to stay connected by sharing Keys memories and stories of extraordinary people. People like “Shine” Forbes — a sparring partner of legendary author and 1930s Key West resident Ernest Hemingway — who was one of the island’s most unique links to the colorful author.

The Lower Keys’ miniature Key deer have been protected for more than 60 years in the National Key Deer Refuge — thanks partly to an unorthodox lawman who helped save the species from extinction.

Clinton Curry is a seventh-generation Key West resident or “Conch” whose ancestors arrived some 180 years ago from the Bahamas’ Green Turtle Cay. The fifth generation of his family to be born in Key West, he’s passionate about preserving the history and culture of his hometown — through means including masterful conch shell musicianship.

Eager to escape? The Florida Keys have some breathtaking ultra-luxury oceanfront resorts that are ready to pamper visitors with subtropical sun and serenity.

Patrick Garvey owns and operates Big Pine Key’s 2-acre fruit farm Grimal Grove, billed as the first breadfruit grove in the continental U.S. His passion is to grow food sustainably and educate others.

Key West's historic homes, many dating from the late 1800s, range from elegant mansions with wraparound verandahs and wooden “gingerbread” trim to tiny, flower-decked cottages.

Matt Sexton, a former professional kiteboarder, owns and operates the Middle Keys' sustainable Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club. He also worked with co-owners Mike and Shana Walsh to build the Keys Cable Park at the Lagoon at Grassy Key, and he's focused on making a difference through positive ethical, moral and environmental actions.

Marine ecologist Alli Candelmo of Key Largo's Reef Environmental Education Foundation has forged a career that positively impacts the environment of the Florida Keys in big ways. Passionate about protecting the natural world since she was a child, she regards enjoying and protecting marine ecosystems as her primary personal and professional goal.

On custom charter kayak trips to Content and Mud keys in the Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, Captain Andrea Paulson has educated thousands of kayaking clients about the importance of keeping backcountry waters pristine. Deeply passionate about the Florida Keys environment, she strives to give her clients a renewed respect for nature.

With its funky charm, quirky characters, end-of-the-road mindset and reputation as a bastion of the bizarre, Key West might seem more like a fictional setting than a real locale. But while the continental United States’ southernmost city is real enough, it definitely proves the old proverb that reality can be stranger than fiction.