Quick Trip to Keys Next week, Any tips?

Cant stand the cold anymore here in NC, Need water and warmth to live much longer. Going to marathon and diving with abyss a couple days.

First, What sites around Marathon should i request to dive at. Wife needs easy, i need lots of beautiful coral. Dont need shipwrecks cause i have that here at home aplenty, Unless its covered in coral!

2nd, Also looking for a cool kayak route through the mangroves with a little snorkel mixed in. any fav spots?

Also, is there any shore snorkeling at all in the keys anywhere. Not sandy bottom, I have plenty of that here at home too. I was looking at bahia honda and i cant tell if its good for snorkeling or not.

Also, anything i should not miss in the keys. I dont like tourist trap crap. more low key good burger/fish joints and unique places to see. I live in a tourist area so I dont need to see a putt putt or outlet mall again.

Gonna go do the key west sunset festival one evening.

I was at John Pennecamp for the first time early in February and regretted that I have never gone there before. I did a little snorkeling and diving at the end of it. After looking at the ariel maps I regret that I didn't spend more time outside the ropes diving. Maybe it is a local secret since I have not read about it, but there is a dredged out area maybe 200x1000' that looks like a neat place to explore for critters just out past the snorkel area shipwreck. It's worth checking out I think.

There are many places to snorkel around the Keys. Even Key West itself has 3 beaches right in town if you aren't picky and just want to play in the water. Bring a couple pounds of weight though for the salty water.

Jaycen2001:

.......What sites around Marathon should i request to dive at.......

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Looe Key would be nice: I've been blown out by bad weather twice so I've not dove it but many friends and my daughter recommend it

Jaycen2001:

.......Also, is there any shore snorkeling at all in the keys anywhere. Not sandy bottom,,,,I was looking at bahia honda and i cant tell if its good for snorkeling or not........

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I don't think there is much interesting to see at Bahia Honda. Last time I camped there, the ranger indicated that it is mostly grasses and sand, but I did not actually snorkel it: maybe someone who has can comment

Jaycen2001:

.......Also, anything i should not miss in the keys. I dont like tourist trap crap. more low key good burger/fish joints and unique places to see. I live in a tourist area so I dont need to see a putt putt or outlet mall again........

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The dive museum is pretty cool The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum

If you like fishing, this is an interesting place in Islamorada Islamorada Florida Sporting Goods - Islamorada Fishing & Hunting Gear - Bass Pro Shops

There are many great places to eat: just find something that is not a chain and you won't be disappointed. In the upper Keys, I like to find places on the bay side so I can watch the sun set while I enjoy dinner

Here's a second vote for Looe Key if your looking for lots of coral.

If you have the time to kill Bahia Honda is definately worth the stop. The ocean side is fun to snorkel. It seems like you can walk out half way to Cuba. It's that shallow. But once you get out past the grasses [maybe 200'] you get into 10 -12' depth. The bottom is sandy but there are a lot of "objects" to explore - small chunks of brain coral, sea urchins/dollars???, other corals, turtles, etc. No current. It's a fun place to spend a couple hours exploring. I did the "inland?"' side one day from a boat along shore. Again a lot to see and explore but a very strong current heading toward the bridge. Lot of lobsters hiding in ghost traps where we were. I would not hesitate to go back there again some day just for the fun of it. It would probably be fun to snorkel off the beach on the "inland" side though I didn't get time to do it. If you are looking for reefs and mucho scenery go elsewhere.

How about Key Largo? Great diving and Rainbow Reef does an excellent job. Great folks right at marina...
several hotels on the marina. You can look up Rainbow Reef and they have packages with hotels.

Jaycen2001:

2nd, Also looking for a cool kayak route through the mangroves with a little snorkel mixed in. any fav spots?

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The Tarpon Belly Keys was the site of an old shrimp farm and is located just north of the Cudjoe Key. There are two dredged, dead end canals and some artifacts from Sea Farms on the key.

Jaycen2001:

Also, anything i should not miss in the keys. I dont like tourist trap crap. more low key good burger/fish joints and unique places to see. I live in a tourist area so I dont need to see a putt putt or outlet mall again.

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We don't have any putt-putts and the closest outlet mall is more than 100 miles from Key West.

Jaycen2001:

Gonna go do the key west sunset festival one evening.

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After Sunset the Schooner Wharf Bar, located along the Harbor Walk at Key West Bight is a good place to have beer and a burger and watch the boats come in from sunset sails. The harbor used to be a real working waterfront, but the tourists have taken over. There are still a few working boats left though.

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Bud