18 Underrated Things to Do in The Florida Keys, According to a Local | Crowd-Free Guides | Afar - video Dailymotion

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Think you know The Florida Keys? Think again. 🌴 We’re diving into 18 local-approved things to do across The Keys—including Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, The Lower Keys, and Key West. Join Florida-based writer Terry Ward as she shares her guide to the best places to scuba dive, spot manatees, butterflies, and tiny Key deer, and take a scenic detour along U.S. Highway 1.  CHAPTERS 0:00 – Intro 0:26 – Key Largo 1:17 – Islamorada 1:40 – Marathon 2:36 – The Lower Keys 3:21 – Key West  Locations mentioned: 📍USS Spiegel Grove 📍Sharkey’s Sharkbite Grill 📍Caribbean Club 📍Robbie's of Islamorada 📍Bud N’ Mary’s Marina 📍Crane Point Museum and Nature Center 📍Sombrero Beach 📍Marathon Kayak 📍Castaway Waterfront Restaurant & Sushi 📍Deer Run on the Atlantic 📍National Key Deer Refuge 📍No Name Pub 📍Kiki’s Sandbar and Grill 📍Whistle Bar 📍Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park 📍Faust’s Food Palace  📍Bahama Village 📍Hogfish Bar & Grill  #florida #floridakeys #thefloridakeys  ---- CONNECT WITH AFAR Afar.com is a digital and print magazine that publishes travel tips, guides, news, and stories: https://www.afar.com  Get updates on the latest articles, travel news, and more from AFAR by signing up for the AFAR newsletter: https://afar.com/newsletters  Follow AFAR on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/afarmedia Follow AFAR on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AfarMedia Follow AFAR on TikTok: https://twitter.com/afarmedia Follow AFAR on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/afarmedia  ---- CREDITS Terry Ward - Host Jonathan Kramer - Video Editor Tiana Attride - AFAR Senior Editor, Social and Video Elizabeth See - Senior Designer Sarika Bansal - Editorial Director Michelle Heimerman - Photo Director  MUSIC "Mozambique feat. Raashan Ahmad - Instrumental" by Ghostnaut "Island of Dreams" by Gene Rick   FOOTAGE / PHOTOGRAPHY iStock, Shutterstock, Videvo, The Florida Keys & Key West (fla-keys.com), Terry Ward

Transcript

00:00Hi Afar, this is Terri Ward, a travel writer based in Florida.

00:04Since my college days here in the Sunshine State, I've been hitting the road south for

00:07the escapism, great diving and snorkeling, and guaranteed good times of the Florida Keys.

00:12While avoiding crowds in this favorite part of the state may feel like a challenge, I've

00:16had 30 years to hunt down the spots across the Keys that still feel underrated and full

00:21of surprises.

00:22Here are 18 lesser known places to go across the Florida Keys on your next trip.

00:27Let's dive right in, quite literally, in Key Largo, at the start of the 125-mile-long

00:31island chain.

00:32The USS Spiegel Grove is a world-class shipwreck surrounded with tropical fish and where you

00:38might see a shark or eagle ray, too.

00:40A local divemaster here pointed me to a sweet little hideaway, Sharky's Shark Bite Grill,

00:44with ridiculously good conch fritters and fish tacos.

00:47Come sense it, you'll want to post up on the Waterfront Deck at Caribbean Club, a taste

00:52of old Key Largo right on Florida Bay.

00:54Listen to live music, sip the signature Key Lime Run Punch, and ask yourself how life

00:59could possibly get better.

01:00As you make your way from Key Largo to Key West, detouring off US Highway 1 into the back

01:05roads of the Florida Keys is the best way to peel back the layers in this tropical playground.

01:09Make sure to roll down the windows and take the time to turn down sandy lanes to explore

01:13and get out on those turquoise blue waters at every chance.

01:17In Island Marotta, Robbie's is a classic stop where you can hand-feed tarpon bigger

01:21than some teenagers.

01:22And at nearby Bud and Mary's Marina, you can head out on a deep-sea fishing charter.

01:27When the fishing boats clean their fresh catch in the afternoons, the waters below the docks

01:32swirl with giant tarpon and nurse sharks.

01:34Grab some scraps to feed them for free.

01:36Just mind the cheeky pelicans, as they're also out for a free meal here.

01:40Next up is Marathon, another favorite with anglers, divers, and snorkelers where you can

01:45enjoy some cool highlights on land.

01:47At Crane Point Hammock Museum and Nature Center, home to a rehabilitation center for wild Florida

01:53birds like Osprey and Roseate Spoonbills, there are gorgeous butterfly gardens.

01:57I like to stop for a natural pedicure in the tidal pools, where tiny minnows get to work

02:01in the most ticklish way.

02:03The Keys aren't known for bountiful beaches, but Sombrero Beach is worth seeking out for

02:07one of the softest, fine sand ones in all of the chain.

02:10It's also been made totally accessible, with convenient parking and beach wheelchairs.

02:15Marathon's winding backwaters have tidal channels lined with red mangroves to explore during

02:20kayak eco-tours with Marathon Kayak.

02:23Do your eco-friendly dining here, too, at Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar.

02:28The sushi is made from invasive lionfish caught in these waters, and I almost always spot

02:33manatees chilling in the canal while I'm digging in.

02:36The Lower Keys come into view with more of those signature Keys colors, bright green mangroves

02:41and palms and neon blue seas.

02:44Deer Run on the Atlantic sits beachfront on Big Pine Key, and it's a hideaway boutique

02:48property in the heart of Key Deer Country.

02:51The adorable species is protected at the National Key Deer Refuge here, but the animals roam freely

02:56all around, so keep an eye out.

02:59Locals swear by Big Pine's legendary no-name pub, where thousands of dollar bills cover

03:03the walls and you can try some of the best pizza in all of the Keys.

03:07I'll vouch for the Key Lime Pie here, too.

03:10Just ten minutes away, at Mile Marker 28 in Little Torch Key, plop down at a picnic table

03:15in the sand at Kiki's Sand Bar & Grill, a beachside tiki bar with killer ahi tuna nachos and cold beers.

03:22By the time you arrive in Key West, the southernmost island in the chain and the end of the road,

03:26it might be time to get the party started at the busy bars and restaurants lining to Ball Street.

03:31You can get an overhead view removed from the revelry with a perch at Hyperlocal Whistle Bar,

03:36right above the bill.

03:37If you'd like to bask in the island's quieter side, go snorkeling in the refreshingly deep waters

03:42of Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park before picnicking under the Norfolk Pines

03:46with Cuban sandwiches and gourmet snacks from Fasto's Food Wine Palace, a Key West Mainstay since 1926.

03:53Take time to pedal a bike through Key West's colorful residential back lanes in Bahama Village

03:58and detour to neighboring Stock Island, too, for a fresh hogfish sandwich at Hogfish Bar & Grill,

04:04right along the shrimping docks.

04:05Step off the Torres Trail in the Florida Keys and you'll encounter all these surprises and more.

04:10Even after all these years, I find something new and fabulous every time I'm back.

04:14In the comments, let us know your favorite spots in the Florida Keys,

04:17those places that remind you why you love to travel.

04:20And if we helped you find something new, don't forget to like this video and subscribe.

04:24Thanks for tuning in and happy trails!

18 Underrated Things to Do in The Florida Keys, According to a Local | Crowd-Free Guides | Afar

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