Los Martires - The Florida Keys
“It takes no more time to see the good side of life than the bad.” - Jimmy Buffett
“Courage is grace under pressure.” - Ernest Hemingway
The Story -
Ginger, Maria, Amelia, Alex, and I were fortunate to celebrate my fiftieth birthday together in the Florida Keys. The Florida Keys are alive with numerous outdoor adventures and we spent most of our time biking, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking, and swimming. Our outdoor pursuits combined with great food and quality time together added up to a perfect way to celebrate my birthday. Below I've shared a few of my favorite pictures from our trip as well as a brief description of each.
The Villiage of Islands - Islamorada, FL
Conveniently located between the saltwater wilderness of Everglades National Park and the deep blue waters of the Florida Strait, Islamorada was the perfect staging point for our Florida Keys adventure. Islamorada is made up of six islands - Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, and the offshore islands of Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key. We stayed in an amazing Airbnb overlooking the ocean with gorgeous views of the sunrises/sunsets and the marina. And as an unexpected bonus, the marina was also the home to five manatees who surfaced regularly in the evenings for our viewing pleasure.
Robbie’s Marina and Open Air Market - Islamorada, FL
A tourist trap but well worth a visit despite the crowds. We rented kayaks and explored the vibrant marine life along the abundant bayside mangroves and Indian Key, a long-deserted island with a storied past about a mile from the mainland. We also hand-fed massive tarpon, pelicans, and nurse sharks.
Bahia Honda State Park - Big Pine Key, FL
Featuring an award-winning beach and a historic bridge, the Bahia Honda State Park is a favorite destination for both locals and tourists for good reason. The park encompasses over five hundred acres and offers some of the best snorkeling and beachcombing in Florida. We snorkeled for hours, ate lunch on the beach, and explored the old railway bridge for incredible views of the Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
Curry Hammock State Park - Marathon, FL
Curry Hammock State Park is one of the largest uninhabited parcels of land in the Florida Keys. The park protects large areas of mangrove swamp, rockland hammocks, and seagrass beds essential to the Keys ecosystem. We walked the beach, watched the kiteboarders, and hiked the moderately difficult and unique two-mile coral trail on the Florida Bay side of the park. We also crossed the famous Seven Mile Bridge multiple times.
Edelweiss - Captain Pascale - Plantation Key, FL
We chartered a boat named “Edelweiss” captained by a Swiss-German woman named Pascale. Captain Pascale guided us to several prime locations where we snorkeled for hours while encountering hundreds of tropical fish, stingrays, lobsters, sea urchins, and conchs. After snorkeling, we spent some time relaxing and enjoying the famous Islamorada sandbar, a party gathering spot for hundreds of people and boats.
The Conch Republic - Key West
Our last day in the Florida Keys started with an informative and relaxed bike tour of Key West and ended with a glorious sunset at Mallory Square. In between, we visited museums, ate lunch on Duval Street, shopped at a variety of eclectic stores, and even got within ninety miles of Cuba.
Gallery -
