The Lower Keys

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Big Pine Key Vacation Planning - Lower Florida Keys

The Lower Keys

The Seven Mile Bridge marks the entrance to some of the most beautiful scenery this side of the Caribbean. As you cruise from Big Pine Key to Key West, you’ll encounter unique sites, natural attractions and the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Lower Florida Keys include many small islands connected by bridges. Big Pine Key hotels provide a great anchorage point from which to explore the Lower Keys and the rest of the Florida Keys. Schedule a Big Pine Key snorkeling trip to experience the color and diversity of Florida’s extensive coral reef system. With a variety of coral, a sunken ship and more than 150 species of fish, Looe Key Marine Sanctuary makes an excellent Big Pine Key diving trip.

Big Pine Key travel takes you through small towns and neighborhoods where you just might encounter the endangered key deer. These cute creatures can often be seen grabbing a bite to eat beneath shady trees. You can also visit the National Key Deer Refuge on your Big Pine Key vacation.

Just a few of the many keys between Big Pine Key and Key West include Cudjoe Key, Bahia Honda, Sugarloaf, Boca Chica and Stock Island. You'll find local restaurants, dive shops and eco-tour opportunities throughout these islands.

Bahia Honda State Park offers camping, snorkeling, walking trails and beautiful vistas of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. An interesting sight on Cudjoe Key is a big white radar blimp. Nicknamed Fat Albert, it can be seen flying high above the water. Visit the Bat Tower, located on Sugarloaf Key, which was originally built in 1929 as a home for bats meant to control the mosquito population. The uniquely designed Bat Tower is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Naval Air Station can be found on Boca Chica, and it remains testament to the year-round sunshine of the Florida Keys. It was commissioned in 1917 because the area’s perfect weather offered the best conditions and the most flying days of anywhere else in the country.

When it’s time for the sun to go down, the best place to be is Mallory Square on the island of Key West. Musicians, acrobats and vendors turn this area into a sunset celebration. Afterward, check out the shopping, dining and entertainment of Duval Street.

Whether sightseeing, relaxing or Big Pine Key fishing, your Big Pine Key Florida vacation is not more than a car or boat ride away from adventurous activities, dining destinations and unique experiences.

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