BWW Reviews: Florida Keys to My Heart

Of all the mementos that we brought back from the Florida Keys, the most enduring one didn't go into our luggage but was uploaded to our mind's eye: towering, swaying palm trees set against an endless expanse of turquoise water, the hue of our favorite crayon.

The sea rules life in the Keys, a 120-mile-long island chain tethered to mainland Florida by U.S. 1. The road itself is known as the Overseas Highway, and addresses are specified as oceanside (the Atlantic on the east) or bayside (Florida Bay on the west, giving way to the Gulf of Mexico as the Keys loop past the bottom of the Everglades). Rarely is one side more than a few blocks from the other. Traveling south and then hooking west toward the end of Route 1 in Key West, you jump from island to island with both ocean and bay/gulf separated only by the pilings of the U.S. 1 bridge - the chain that holds the turquoise necklace together.

Snorkeling and scuba diving amid coral reefs teeming with fish are life-altering activities. There's a hospital for turtles and a museum about the history of diving. Meals tend to revolve around fresh fish and local delicacies like conch and stone crabs. Bayside dinners are accompanied by dramatic sunsets, the glowing disc sliding down the horizon and seeming to disappear into the sea within seconds.

What's not to love about the Florida Keys?

The tropical warmth of this region south of Miami beckons in the winter months and washes over you like a pleasant sauna during spring. We lucked out when we visited in late April, because that same week Florida's northern neighbors were flooded with unrelenting rain. Our five days were bright and sunny, and when it got too warm we merely found shade in a nearby restaurant.

There are countless ways to amuse and educate yourself and your family about this delicate balance of sea and coastal creatures and plant life. State parks offer beaches, hiking and diving. The experience for a first-time snorkeler like me was breathtaking. The thought of dropping off the dive boat was initially terrifying to me, but I finally summoned up the courage to work my finned legs down the boat ladder, held on to a buoy for a few minutes, and took the plunge with my husband's outstretched arm to steady me.

Snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is now one of my favorite experiences. I don't know what I was afraid of, but that fear disappeared as I spotted dozens of fluorescent fish, barracuda and even harmless baby jellyfish floating around. Flora on the shallow ocean floor swayed as if it were listening to cool jazz. Swimming was effortless with a flotation vest for buoyancy and fins that required just a gentle kick for propulsion. Our masked faces planted in the water, we breathed comfortably through our snorkels as we surveyed a kingdom I barely knew existed. When are we going back?

Pennekamp, named for a Miami newspaper editor who helped to establish Everglades National Park and to preserve the 178 nautical miles of coral reefs, sea grass beds and mangrove swamps that would become the park, is a legendary destination for divers. The park entrance in Key Largo (oceanside, of course) is only about an hour by car from Miami International Airport. In addition to snorkeling and scuba tours, you can take a glass bottom boat and view the marine life without even getting wet.

Just down the road is a different sort of high seas adventure, a "cruise" on the original African Queen from the Humphrey Bogart/Katharine Hepburn classic film. The steamboat seats only six, but Captain Richard will regale you with film lore and vessel history. It's a thrill just to think of walking on the same boat as those legendary actors. Don't expect a yacht: it's tiny! We chugged along to the ocean and I even tried my hand at steering the boat. Passengers on passing yachts and commercial craft all waved when they spotted the African Queen.

For those fascinated by tropical plants, a must visit is a jewel box botanical garden that's part of the Kona Kai Resort, bayside in Key Largo. Visitors can tour the grounds and learn from the resort's own ethnobotanist, Rick Hederstrom, about the state's myriad plants and flowers. The property is a veritable fruit market, with trees laden with bananas, key limes, pineapples, honey dates and coconuts. Rick tapped one coconut so that we could have a refreshing drink of coconut water.

The tour is an informative 90-minute leisurely stroll through the hundreds of tropical plants on the property. You'll learn about 42 palm species, 25 native plants, 21 types of grasses, 11 bamboo species and a greenhouse devoted to spectacular orchids. The resort, which also contains an art gallery, sponsors educational programs in the local schools.

We made our base for the Upper Keys at the Ocean Pointe Suites in Tavernier, just south of Key Largo. The property sits on 60 acres of tropical landscaping that is part of a protected mangrove forest. Some of the suites offer gorgeous ocean views and have balconies. There are also some wild cats that may provide entertainment. Mostly they hang out and watch for iguanas. Speaking of which, we saw a huge iguana - the size of a love seat - but were a little too slow to get a picture. Next time for sure.

Islamorada, encompassing four "mainland" keys (derived from the Spanish cayo, meaning low island), is the next stop on our journey in a southwestern arc toward Key West. Two more keys in the Islamorada chain are offshore.

For sheer joy you'll want to visit the Theater of the Sea, a kind of miniature Sea World with far fewer crowds and simpler animal shows. It's one of the oldest marine mammal facilities in the world, home to sea lions, sea turtles, tropical and game fish, sharks, stingrays, marine invertebrates and dolphins. We loved watching Wilbur the sea lion go through his paces. He made faces, smiled, did "handstands" and caught mini hula hoops. He had the entire crowd in his flippers. Kids (and you) will love the parrot and dolphin shows. Warning: you might get stuck in the gift shop, which is well-stocked with fun magnets and the like, and is reasonably priced.

Also in Islamorada is the History of Diving Museum. This non-profit, interactive museum features the world's largest international collection of diving helmets and diving artifacts. A diving helmet exhibit highlights the various countries of origin, and uses helpful lighting to point out each helmet. A recording explains the helmets and you'll walk away with a new-found respect of diving lore. The building's beautiful exterior is an eye-catching, colorful mural of underwater creatures. Inside you can explore 13 themed exhibits featuring equipment from ancient eras to early scuba.

Just down the road, don't miss the Bitton Bistro Café, quite likely the best creperie south of New Orleans. Savory and dessert crepes were wonderful, the coffee was strong and sandwiches are served on authentic baguettes.

The next stop is Robbie's Marina, bayside just past Indian Key Channel on Lower Matecumbe Key. It's easy to zoom by it, but if you do, you won't be able to feed the swarms of tarpon that have been turning up at the dock for decades to snack on baitfish. Buy a bucket of fish and see if you can get the tarpon to jump out of the water for a bite. They're large, powerful fish; shy they are not. The tradition started when Robbie rescued an ailing tarpon and discovered that its jaw had been torn open. After getting stitched, the fish was nursed shoreside until it was well enough to be released. Soon it was returning with its entourage for a quick meal. Now the word is out.

The keys on the way to Marathon are small and you'll see plenty of gorgeous water on both sides of the road. Once in Marathon, check in at the Turtle Hospital, which treats sick and injured turtles found all along the coast.

The hospital evolved since the 1980s, starting as a motel with an elaborate aquarium. Now it's the only state-certified veterinary hospital in the world for sea turtles. The hospital building, once a night club, has an operating room for an assortment of surgical procedures, and X-ray equipment. Elsewhere in the complex are dozens of tanks for an assortment of turtles on the mend. The objective is to nurse them back to health and release them into the sea.

On a 90-minute tour, you'll learn ab out the varieties of turtles and common maladies (tumors are a big problem, as are injuries from boats and the ingestion of plastic and other trash thrown into the water), and get to meet just about all the patients. Some turtles in the tanks are decades old and some mere months. The gift area offers many trinkets, including funky turtle socks and fun necklaces. All proceeds from our online store, including Donations, Adoptions and Memberships help fund The Turtle Hospital.

Heading out of Marathon, the road is literally an overseas highway: Seven-Mile Bridge spans the water until Little Duck Key. Bahia Honda Key is home to Bahia Honda State Park, encompassing 524 acres. The park stands out from others because it has sandy beaches and deep waters close enough offshore to offer swimming and snorkeling.

The subtropical climate throughout this geographic region has created an environment unlike any other in the continental United States. Many plants and animals in Bahia are of Caribbean origin and the park is originally part of Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway holdings. The Old Bahia Honda Bridge recalls Flagler's railroad dreams, and a section of the original bridge offers a panoramic view of the island and surrounding waters.

These keys may not be as popular as Key West, but they offer scores of opportunities to explore this unique part of the country. If you do venture to Key West, and want a luxury experience, stay at Casa Marina, a gorgeous Waldorf-Astoria property that's recently been renovated. It's right on the beach, is an historic landmark and offers the most personalized service on the island. The Spa al Mare offers beachside treatments, and I've never experienced a more serene massage. The sounds of the ocean were just a few yards from the cabana. Heavenly.

Next time, a visit to Key West, its museums and historical attractions. Stay tuned.

Photographs by Naomi Serviss