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It's so easy to rent a boat or charter a yacht in Florida Keys with Yachtious. Book Now!
It's so easy to rent a boat or charter a yacht in Florida Keys with Yachtious. Book Now!
SAILING IN FLORIDA KEYS
AMERICA’S CARIBBEAN CLUSTER OF ISLANDS
The string of islands at the southern tip of Florida are known as the Florida Keys. Hailed as the Caribbean of America, they are a place where a laid-back state of mind exists. These islands have a unique charm all their own, with a vibe that sings Humphrey Bogart mixed with a heaping dose of Ernest Hemingway. It’s the Margaritaville culture that Jimmy Buffett famously sings of from Key Largo down to Mile Marker 0, with a rich history of pirates, smugglers, Conquistadors, and rum runners.
Amidst all of this, there are miles of sandy beaches with palm trees swaying in the warm ocean breeze, all surrounded by cobalt-blue waters at every turn. The five groups of island clusters that make up the Florida Keys are known as Key Largo, Marathon, Islamorada, Big Pine Key, the Lower Keys, and finally, Key West. There are more than 800 keys in total, all perfect for exploring aboard your yacht charter. It is here that you will find the only living coral barrier reef in the continental US, filled with marine life that will dazzle you when you snorkel or dive here.
The best way to enjoy the island vibes of the Florida Keys is via yacht charter. You can travel to all the best destinations in the Florida Keys in perfect style. The coastline here is purely stunning, and the waterways are easy to travel. Plus, you’ll find it’s easy to customize your own Florida yacht charter vacation. You can organize it just as you wish, choosing the ports you desire. You can also choose the activities you want to do. There’s no shortage of adventure or relaxation in the Florida Keys. You can spend it purely indulging and luxuriating, or you can make it brimming with activity, or find a happy medium between the two.
Most yacht charters to the Florida Keys set sail from Miami giving you a chance to sample the vibrant flavors from cuisine to nightlife in prime art-deco fashion. Enjoy a brief bit of overindulgent chaos in the busy clubs of South Beach and savor the tastes of authentic Cuban cuisine before sailing away into a more peaceful zone from Biscayne Bay down toward the Keys.
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BEST TIME TO VISIT FLORIDA KEYS
Everyone always disagrees as to when it’s best to visit the Florida Keys on your yacht charter. In winter, the lovely temperatures are warm enough without the thick humidity and heat, making it an ideal time for northerners to escape the snow. However, winter also is the time when everyone has the same idea to trade gray, snowy skies for blue ones and thus, the crowds are thicker and the rates are higher.
For others, going to one of the famed festivals is the reason to visit. Fantasy Fest is in October; Hemingway Days are in July; Conch Republic Independence Days are in April, and the Key West Pride event is in June. If you’re not interested in visiting during one of these spectacular events, it’s probably best to base your decision on the weather and crowds when planning your yacht charter to the Florida Keys.
Between March and May are the best times to visit because the winter crowds are winding down and the hotel rates are much more reasonable. Additionally, the weather is a lovely 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. In summer though, visitors are less numerous. The hotels offer fantastic rates during this time, though the weather is unforgivably hot and humid. If you can take the heat though, bear in mind that June 1st through November 30th is hurricane season with August, September, and November being the most common months for big storms.
QUICK FACTS
BEST FOR CRUISING: NOVEMBER TO MAY
TIME ZONE: GMT−5:00
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH
CURRENCY: UNITED STATES DOLLAR
REASONS TO VISIT
ARCHITECTURE
MALLORY SQUARE
MARGARITAVILLE CULTURE
ECCENTRIC PARADISE
SUNSET CELEBRATION,
DRINKS ON DUVAL
DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK
KEY LIME PIE
EXPLORE OTHER YACHT CHARTER AREAS WITHIN THE NORTH AMERICA- EAST COAST
GETTING TO FLORIDA KEYS
The scenic Overseas Highway is the main road via US 1 to access the 120-mile-long island chain of the Florida Keys from mainland Florida. Most visitors opt to fly into Miami International Airport (MIA) or Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). From there, renting a car or even boarding an airport shuttle bus is a great option. It takes about one hour on the road from Miami to Key Largo, the gateway to the Florida Keys. From Ft. Lauderdale, the drive is just under 2 hours.
Another option is to connect or fly direct to Key West International Airport (EYW). At this airport, you can find plenty of ground transportation to take you to your accommodations including shuttle buses and rental cars. Key West is fun and easy to navigate. Taxis and Key West Transit buses are always available. Moreover, now, visitors can also opt to fly into Florida Keys Marathon International Airport via small charter aircraft. From there, shuttle buses, taxis, and rental cars can take you where you want to go.
Some people prefer not worrying about having a rental to take care of, mainly since Key West is quite walkable and there are pedicabs too that make the experience all the more lively. Others love the drive despite its length for the remarkable scenery surrounding them. If you choose to rent a car, from Miami International Airport, you’ll take LeJeune Road south to 836 West. From there, hop onto the Florida Turnpike and head south toward Key West. The Turnpike ends in Florida City at US 1. Continue following US 1 south for about 22 miles to Key Largo, and you’ll be in the Florida Keys. From there, you can continue to drive south to hit Key West.
Driving from Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, you’ll want to follow the signs as you exit the airport to 595 West. Take 595 to the Turnpike and keep going until you see the signs for the Florida Keys. If you’re coming from the north, get on the Turnpike southbound just below Ft. Lauderdale where Exit 4 connects with the southern part of the Turnpike. Moreover, should you be exploring Florida’s west coast and want to check out the Florida Keys for a yacht charter, take I-75, also known as Alligator Alley, east to the Miami exit and follow it south until you hit the Turnpike Extension.
While you’re driving, be sure to look out for the Mile Markers. They make for great photographs that your passengers can snap while you drive along. Once in the Keys, US 1 officially becomes the Overseas Highway. The miles are noted with green mile-marker signs. Starting just south of Florida City, they begin with number 127 and down in Key West, you’ll no doubt want to get a photo of yourself standing underneath Mile Marker 0. Not sure what Key you’re on? Key Largo has Mile Markers from 108 to 90; Islamorada has Mile Markers from 90 to 63; Marathon has Mile Marker from 63 to 47; The Lower Keys has Mile Markers from 47 to 4, and Key West has Mile Markers from 4 to 0. Key West is a total of 159 miles from Miami.
You can completely avoid land travel if you’d prefer by boarding the Key West Express. These high-speed passenger ferries come from Ft. Myers Beach and Marco Island. They dock at the Key West Bight Ferry Terminal which is in the Historic Seaport District. This area is filled with delightful restaurants, bars, and shops. From there, you can walk to famed Duval Street, the heart of Key West, in just 15 minutes. The ride on the ferry takes around 3.5 hours.
You can also set sail in your private boat or aboard a luxurious yacht charter from the Atlantic side or along the Gulf of Mexico. Part of the journey will be through specially-marked Intracoastal waters while after Long Key, international markers become applicable. You should be sure to consult the appropriate Coast Pilot and Light List manuals, though if you’re on a yacht charter with a crew, you can relax and enjoy the ride. Reservations should be made for the marinas in advance as they can get popular.
WHERE TO STAY IN FLORIDA KEYS
There are many different types of accommodations available in the Florida Keys. For families, honeymooning couples, or even groups of friends, you’ll find something suitable for any style of vacation here.
In Key Largo, you’ll find large chain resorts as well as small motels and guesthouses. Some of these feature a continental breakfast. Because these places sit on the Florida Bay or the Intercostal Highway, you’ll likely get breathtaking views of the sunsets and find plenty of access to all sorts of activities from sailing to snorkeling to diving to fishing, plus more.
Islamorada offers hotels, motels, guesthouses, and inns. Waterfront resorts, campgrounds and RV parks are available too. There aren’t many bed and breakfasts though, but you can find vacation rentals also which are ideal for larger groups or more extended stays.
Marathon is an excellent location because it puts you in the middle of the Keys so you can get to anything, but it feels like it’s so easy to escape it all. There are guest houses, a few chain hotels, beautiful resorts, and many clean yet inexpensive motels. One thing about Marathon is that waterfront lodgings are quite the norm here. Camping and RV parks are also available.
The Lower Keys are a smart place to stay to save money when visiting Key West. You’re only a short drive away from Key West and can enjoy beautiful accommodations for much cheaper. Here, you’ll find waterfront bed and breakfasts on Big Pine Key, campsites, and fishing camps too.
Key West has all types of accommodations that range from top-tier hotel brands, motels of both independent and brand name backing, and charming bed and breakfasts. There are inns and guesthouses too. It’s advised to think carefully about the experience you want to have in Key West before booking your lodgings. If you wish to full-on luxury, go with one of the 5-star resorts. If you have a large group, look into the guesthouses. If you want something intimate, find bed and breakfast. Moreover, if you’re on a family vacation and trying to save, try the motels. Wherever you stay in the Florida Keys, one thing is for sure; it will be one of the best memories you’ll ever make.
WINING AND DINING IN FLORIDA KEYS
Key West is the place where notables like Ernest Hemingway, Jimmy Buffett, and even some pirates fell in love. This incredibly vibrant yet intensely relaxed place is unlike anything else with a mixture of cultures and fresh seafood to please your palate while live music and lively bars are everywhere, serving as the ideal place to catch the sunset into the Gulf of Mexico.
In the Florida Keys, you’ll find five districts, each charming in their own right. Key West, just miles from Cuba, is filled with fresh seafood and foods that are an eclectic blend of African and Cuban flavors. It’s not easy to sample these tastes anywhere else in the US. Throughout the Florida Keys, here are the things you should be sure to taste.
Alligator
South Florida and the Keys are big on eating alligator. Listed as merely “gator” on the menus of countless restaurants, you’ll find it fried like chicken tenders or nuggets. It tastes similar to chicken too, though the texture is markedly different. You’ll also see gator ribs, gator burgers, sausages made of gators, and even gator omelets!
Swamp Cabbage
The state tree of Florida is the Sabal palmetto, which also happens to be edible. The heart of this plant is used to make what they call swamp cabbage. It tastes much like an artichoke heart. It’s usually sautéed with bacon and incredibly delicious.
Key Lime Pie
Florida’s signature dessert, key lime pie, is very popular in the Keys. If you’ve seen it on menus outside of the state of Florida, you can bet it wasn’t authentic. To be a real key lime pie, it needs to be made with Key limes that come from the Florida Keys. They’re more tart and have a very distinct scent compared to other limes.
Floribbean Cuisine
This is a mashup of the best of Florida and Caribbean flavors from the islands like Cuba, Haiti, Barbados, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, and the Bahamas. There’s nothing quite like them, infused with touches of Latin influences and even African or Indian ones too. The flavors are bolder, brighter, and purely unforgettable.
Conch
Key West is called the “Conch Republic” for a reason. This mollusk is used in many dishes, though conch fritters are something you mustn’t miss.
Shrimp
Sweet pink shrimp is on the menu everywhere in Key West as is rock shrimp which tastes a lot like lobster tail.
Fish
Commercial fishing is one of the biggest industries in the Florida Keys. The fish you eat while visiting here are so fresh and are usually caught same-day. Snapper, grouper, or mahi-mahi are the most popular. You’ll find them broiled, blackened, fried, in sandwiches, or even as a Floribbean dish with black beans and rice for a winning meal.
Stone Crab
Stone crabs are in season from October through May. One claw is removed, and the crab is thrown back in. The claws regenerate, making this delicious crab a renewable food source. It’s one of the most incredible crabs you’ll ever taste.
Tropical Fruits
Don’t forget plenty of tropical fruits to enjoy during your stay from your yacht charter in the Keys. In particular, Guanábana or the Florida red mango is a treat!
