As they drive south, motorists reach Key Largo as the first island. The area’s varied water and nature experiences offer a good starting point for planning a trip: paddling trails wind through mangroves and Largo Sound, while the barrier reef lies offshore. Other highlights include a park with West Indian tropical hardwood forest, a marine center featuring stories from science, history and art, and maritime history. If you’re looking for a hotel in Key Largo, you can start by considering which of these highlights you’d like to shape your stay.
Paddling, Snorkeling and Diving
At John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, several miles of paddling trails wind through mangroves and Largo Sound. The barrier reef lies four to six miles offshore, so a dive boat is required for the Key Largo diving experience. MarineLab offers snorkeling lessons led by a marine scientist. Advance reservations are required. Paddling, guided snorkeling lessons and diving are different ways to explore the underwater world—and each comes with its own planning requirements.
Corals, Schools of Fish and Underwater Sites
The waters off Key Largo are known for stands of elkhorn coral and large aggregations of star and brain corals. At Molasses, large schools of grunts and gray snapper are a feature of the underwater world. The 510-foot military ship Spiegel Grove was sunk as a diving attraction seven miles off Key Largo on June 17, 2002. At a reef formation known as Key Largo Dry Rocks, a nine-foot-tall bronze statue stands in 25 feet of water. The underwater highlights thus range from corals and schools of fish to a sunken ship and a statue.
Nature on Land and Knowledge of the Sea
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park encompasses one of the largest areas of West Indian tropical hardwood forest in the United States. It provides habitat for 84 protected plant and animal species. Alongside the marine highlights, the park offers a forest habitat with a specific variety of protected species. The REEF Ocean Exploration Center in Key Largo brings together stories from science, history and art. Admission is free, and the center is open to everyone. Check the center’s current information before your visit.
History on and in the Water
At the dedication ceremony on December 10, 1960, Florida Governor LeRoy Collins designated John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park as the first underwater park in the United States. The area also has a connection to film history through the steamship The African Queen: dating from 1912, the ship was immortalized in the 1951 film of the same name. The operator offers daily 1½-hour canal cruises through the Port Largo Canals. The set duration makes it easy to plan the cruise as a defined block of time; check current availability before your trip.
Compare Planning Requirements
When planning your trip, the water-based activities differ mainly in their requirements: MarineLab’s snorkeling lessons require an advance reservation, diving at the barrier reef requires a dive boat, and you should check availability for the canal cruise before your trip.
Discover more destinations: Layton, Marathon, Big Pine Key, Little Torch Key, Stock Island, Key Colony Beach, Islamorada, Sugarloaf Key
For the main travel overview: Monroe.
