Things to Do in the Florida Keys

The best things to do in the Florida Keys are spread across 113 miles of islands, from world-class reef diving in Key Largo to sunset cruises in Key West. This guide covers the top experiences, the best spot for each activity, and how to plan a trip that hits the highlights without spending the week in your car.

Whether you have three days or two weeks, the Keys reward travelers who pick a base, plan their day trips, and lean into the water. Below is the quickest path through the must-do experiences.

Pair this guide with our Florida Keys vacation rentals overview, our ” Where to Stay in the Florida Keys guide, and the full Florida Keys travel guide for trip-planning logistics.

Top 10 Things to Do in the Florida Keys

If you have limited time, prioritize this list. These are the experiences that consistently rank highest with travelers and define the Florida Keys experience.

Snorkel or dive at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — Key Largo’s flagship reef park and the first underwater preserve in the United States.
Watch sunset at Mallory Square — Key West’s nightly street performers, vendors, and sunset celebration.
Spend a day at Bahia Honda State Park — widely considered the best swimming beach in the Keys.
Charter a fishing trip in Islamorada — the Sportfishing Capital of the World, with backcountry, reef, and offshore options.
Visit the Turtle Hospital in Marathon — a rehabilitation center for endangered sea turtles, with kid-friendly tours.
Drive across the Seven Mile Bridge — one of the most scenic drives in the country.
Take a sunset sailing or eco-tour — available from every region, easy to combine with snorkeling.
Tour the Hemingway Home in Key West — six-toed cats, period rooms, and one of the best small-museum experiences in Florida.
Snorkel Looe Key Reef — protected reef in the Lower Keys with high fish diversity and clearer water than Pennekamp.
Take a day trip to Dry Tortugas National Park — ferry from Key West to a 19th-century fort and isolated reef snorkeling.

Most travelers cover 4–6 of these on a 7-night trip.

Things to Do in the Florida Keys by Region

Each region has its own signature activities. Use this section to narrow down what to prioritize based on where you are staying.

Things to Do in Key Largo

Key Largo is the diving and snorkeling capital of the Keys. The reef here is more accessible than anywhere else, and the dive operator base is the largest in the chain.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — glass-bottom boat tours, snorkeling, scuba
Christ of the Abyss — an underwater bronze statue, a popular snorkel site
African Queen Canal Cruise — ride the actual boat from the Bogart film
Florida Keys Wild Bird Center — rehabilitation sanctuary, free admission
Dolphins Plus Bayside — structured dolphin encounters, educational

Things to Do in Islamorada

Islamorada is dominated by sportfishing but offers strong dining and a quieter resort feel between charters.

Charter fishing — tarpon, bonefish, permit, sailfish, mahi
Theater of the Sea — marine animal park, swim-with-dolphins program
Robbie’s of Islamorada — tarpon-feeding dock, casual seafood
Anne’s Beach — shallow, calm, family-friendly
Indian Key Historic State Park — kayak-only access to a 19th-century settlement ruin

Things to Do in Marathon

Marathon punches above its weight on family activities and is the natural home base for the central Keys experiences.

Sombrero Beach — one of the best public beaches in the Keys
The Turtle Hospital — rehabilitation tours, education-first
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters — touch tanks, snorkel-in tanks, kid magnet
Crane Point Hammock — 63-acre nature preserve, museum, walking trails
Drive Seven Mile Bridge — iconic bridge connecting Marathon to the Lower Keys
Pigeon Key — historic railroad workers’ village under the old Seven Mile Bridge

For a deeper look at Marathon attractions, see our existing guide on things to do in Marathon, FL, and the top 10 kid-friendly adventures in Marathon.

Things to Do in the Lower Keys (Big Pine and Looe Key)

The Lower Keys are quiet and nature-driven. Most travelers stop here on the way to Key West rather than basing themselves for a full week.

Bahia Honda State Park consistently ranks as the best swimming beach in the Keys
Looe Key Reef — protected reef with high fish diversity
National Key Deer Refuge — spot the miniature Key deer in the wild
No Name Key kayaking — quiet backcountry paddling
Old Bahia Honda Bridge walk — restored historic bridge with elevated views

Things to Do in Key West

Key West is the only true walkable destination in the Keys. Most attractions cluster in Old Town and connect on foot.

Mallory Square sunset celebration — nightly street fair
Hemingway Home and Museum — period-furnished home of Ernest Hemingway
Duval Street — bars, restaurants, shops, history
Southernmost Point Buoy — iconic photo spot
Dry Tortugas National Park — full-day ferry trip to Fort Jefferson and reef snorkeling
Conch Train or Old Town Trolley — narrated city tours, hop-on/hop-off
Truman Little White House — presidential vacation residence, guided tours

Best Things to Do in the Florida Keys for Families

Families do best in Marathon and Key Largo. The activities below combine education, animals, and water in ways kids actually enjoy.

Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters (Marathon)
The Turtle Hospital (Marathon)
Theater of the Sea (Islamorada)
John Pennekamp glass-bottom boat tour (Key Largo)
Sombrero Beach (Marathon)
Crane Point Hammock (Marathon)
Robbie’s tarpon feeding (Islamorada)

Best Snorkeling and Diving in the Florida Keys

The Florida Reef is the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Quality varies by location and season; these are the consensus best sites.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — biggest dive operator base, easiest access (Key Largo)
Molasses Reef — Pennekamp’s flagship outer reef, deeper and more diverse
Looe Key Reef — clearer water, less crowded, high fish counts (Lower Keys)
Sombrero Reef — Marathon’s primary snorkel site, with easy boat access
Alligator Reef Lighthouse — Islamorada’s top snorkel site, named for an old shipwreck

Best Beaches in the Florida Keys

Beaches in the Keys are different from the Gulf Coast or Atlantic mainland — smaller, calmer, often man-made. The standouts:

Bahia Honda State Park — best overall swimming, three separate beaches
Sombrero Beach (Marathon) — family-friendly, lifeguarded, palm-lined
Smathers Beach (Key West) — the longest beach in Key West, popular with locals
Anne’s Beach (Islamorada) — shallow, calm, walkable boardwalks
Higgs Beach (Key West) — pier, dog beach, AIDS Memorial

How to Plan Your Days

Most activities in the Florida Keys take a full half-day. Build itineraries around regions, not single attractions, to avoid backtracking on the Overseas Highway.

Day 1 in Key Largo: Morning snorkel at Pennekamp + afternoon at the Wild Bird Center
Day 2 in Islamorada: Half-day fishing charter + lunch at Robbie’s
Day 3 in Marathon: Turtle Hospital morning + Sombrero Beach afternoon + sunset on Seven Mile Bridge
Day 4 in the Lower Keys: Bahia Honda for the day
Day 5 in Key West: Old Town walking + sunset at Mallory Square

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the number one thing to do in the Florida Keys?

Snorkeling or diving at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo. It is the most-visited single attraction in the Keys, the most accessible reef in the chain, and the experience most travelers cite as their trip highlight. Pair it with a sunset at Mallory Square in Key West for the two unmissable Keys experiences.

What are the best things to do in the Florida Keys with kids?

Marathon delivers the most kid-friendly things to do in the Florida Keys: the Turtle Hospital, Aquarium Encounters, Crane Point Hammock, and Sombrero Beach all sit within a 10-minute drive. Add Theater of the Sea in Islamorada and a glass-bottom boat at Pennekamp in Key Largo for variety across a 5- to 7-night trip.

What are the best free things to do in the Florida Keys?

Bahia Honda State Park beach, the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center in Key Largo, watching sunset at Mallory Square, walking the Old Bahia Honda Bridge, driving the Seven Mile Bridge, and visiting the Southernmost Point Buoy are all free or near-free. State park entry fees are minimal compared to charter or attraction tickets.

How many days do you need to see the Florida Keys?

A minimum of 4 nights for one region; 7 to 10 nights to cover multiple regions properly. Three-day trips force constant driving on the single-lane Overseas Highway and miss the laid-back pace that defines the Keys.

What is unique to do in the Florida Keys?

The Dry Tortugas day trip is the most unique thing to do in the Florida Keys — a full-day ferry to a remote 19th-century fort with isolated reef snorkeling. It is the only U.S. national park that you can only reach by boat or seaplane, and consistently ranks as a top-five life experience for travelers who do it.

Is it worth visiting Key West for a day?

Yes, but plan for a long day. Key West is 90+ miles from the Upper Keys, and traffic on the Seven Mile Bridge can stretch the drive. A day trip works if you start early, focus on Old Town walking, and avoid trying to add Dry Tortugas. For Dry Tortugas, plan an overnight in Key West.

What can you do in the Florida Keys when it rains?

Tour the Hemingway Home, the Truman Little White House, the Turtle Hospital, the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters indoor exhibits, or take an indoor distillery or rum tour in Key West. Keys weather is typically scattered, so most rain days clear within a few hours.

Where to Experience an Immersive Florida Keys Holiday

The best way to actually do most of the things on this list is to base in a central location with a private home, pool, and dock. Our Keys Cove collection in Marathon sits at mile marker 50, the geographic midpoint of the Keys, with day trips both north to Islamorada and Key Largo and south to Key West all under an hour.

Address: 2264 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050
Get Directions →

Helpful resources:

Plan Your Florida Keys Trip

Marathon’s mile-marker-50 location keeps day trips both north and south manageable. Pick the property, then build the activity list around your base.

Browse Florida Keys vacation rentals → | See Marathon waterfront homes →

External resource: official park information at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Things to Do in the Florida Keys

Top 10 Things to Do in the Florida Keys