Active Pursuits in Lower Keys
Biking in the Lower Florida Keys
The Lower Keys are a great place to get off busy U.S. 1 to explore the beautiful back roads. On Big Pine Key, cruise along Key Deer Boulevard (at MM 30). Those with fat tires can ride into the National Key Deer Refuge. Many lodgings offer bike rentals.
Bird Watching in the Lower Florida Keys
A stopping point for migratory birds on the Eastern Flyway, the Lower Keys are populated with many West Indian bird species, especially in spring and fall. The small, vegetated islands of the Keys are the only nesting sites in the U.S. for the white-crowned pigeon. They're also some of the few breeding places for the reddish egret, roseate spoonbill, mangrove cuckoo, and black-whiskered vireo. Look for them on Bahia Honda Key and the many uninhabited islands nearby.
Boating in the Lower Florida Keys
Dozens of shops rent powerboats for fishing and reef exploring. Most also rent tackle, sell bait, and have charter captains available. Florida Keys Boat Rental (tel. 305/664-2003) in Summerland Key offers an impressive selection of boats from $175 to $450 for a half-day and $105 to $575 for a full day. They also offer kayaks and paddleboats for eco-tours.
Canoeing & Kayaking in the Lower Florida Keys
The Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) touches on only a few dozen of the many hundreds of islands that make up the Keys. To really see the Lower Keys, rent a kayak or canoe—perfect for these shallow waters. Big Pine Kayak Adventures, 1791 Bogie Dr., MM 30, Big Pine Key (tel. 305/872-2241), which has been operating out of the Old Wooden Bridge Fishing Camp for more than 30 years, offers kayak and charter boat ecotours of the lower Keys’ wildest, most remote National Wildlife Refuge backcountry on your own or with an expert. The expert, U.S.C.G.-licensed Captain Bill Keogh, wrote the book on the subject. The Florida Keys Paddling Guide (Countryman Press) covers all the unique ecosystems and inhabitants, as well as launches and favorite routes from Key Biscayne to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Self-guided, single kayak and paddleboard rentals start at $40 for the half day and tandems are $50. An expertly guided mangrove creek kayak adventure is offered daily at $75 per person. There are also custom, private charters, with mothership motor vessel and paddlecraft aboard to reach the remote wilderness, run by Cap’n Bill himself a few times a week.
Fishing in the Lower Florida Keys
A day spent fishing, either in the shallow backcountry or in the deep sea, is a great way to ensure a fresh-fish dinner, or you can release your catch and just appreciate the challenge. Whichever you choose, Captain Hook’s Looe Key Reef Adventures & Strike Zone Charters, 29675 Overseas Hwy., Big Pine Key (tel. 305/872-9863), is the charter service to call. Prices for fishing boats start at $650 for a half-day and $1,000 for a full day. If you have enough anglers to share a boat (they take up to six people), you can amortize the price. The outfitter may also be able to match you with other interested visitors. There are also daily trips to Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary for snorkeling at $49 per person, sightseeing only at $39 per person, or diving from $99 per person.
Hiking in the Lower Florida Keys
You can hike throughout the flat, marshy Keys on both marked trails and meandering coastlines. The best places to trek through nature are Bahia Honda State Park, at MM 29.5, and National Key Deer Refuge, at MM 30. Bahia Honda Park has a free brochure describing an excellent self-guided tour along the Silver Palm Nature Trail. You'll traverse hammocks, mangroves, and sand dunes, and cross a lagoon. The walk (less than a mile) explores a great cross section of the natural habitat in the Lower Keys and can be done in less than half an hour.
Snorkeling & Scuba Diving in the Lower Florida Keys
Snorkelers and divers should not miss the Keys’ most dramatic reefs at the Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. Here you’ll see more than 150 varieties of hard and soft coral—some centuries old—as well as every type of tropical fish, including gold and blue parrotfish, moray eels, barracudas, French angels, and tarpon. Looe Key Dive Center, 27340 Overseas Hwy., Ramrod Key (diveflakeys.com; 📞 305/872-2215), offers a 4-hour tour aboard a 45-foot catamaran with two shallow 1-hour dives for snorkelers and scuba divers. Snorkelers pay $49.99; divers pay $94.99, and those who just want to come along for the ride pay $34.99. Friday night trips start at $59.99 and give you an hour and a half under water in the dark. You can do a fascinating dive to the Adolphus Busch, Sr., a shipwreck off Looe Key in 100 feet of water, for $109.99 per person.
