There’s so much more to the Florida Keys than Key West! While we LOVE Key West, some of the best things to do in the Florida Keys are found all along the chain of islands. Don’t worry, I’ve included our favorite Key West stops too!
We spent 5 days total in the Florida Keys with our 2 year old. We flew into Miami and stayed two nights in Islamorada and 2 nights in Key West. We then flew home out of Key West.
Note: This post is sponsored by The Florida Keys, but all opinions are my own. See their website for more ideas!
Where to stay in the Florida Keys
La Siesta Resort and Villas
We stayed our first two nights at La Siesta Resort and Villas in Islamorada. This is such a great spot halfway down the Florida Keys! We loved the zero entry pool and the private beach complete with water and sand toys. There’s lots of different lodging options to choose from too.
The Perry Hotel
This was our second time staying at the Perry Hotel and Marina and it’s safe to say it’s our favorite hotel in the US! Located in Key West, it’s not right in the center of downtown but instead off the beaten path which makes it much quieter. This boutique hotel has it all: multiple on-site restaurants, beautiful pool, modern rooms, moped and bike rentals, shuttle to town, and even coffee and ice cream shops located right down the marina.
Things to do in Keys
Here’s our favorite stops and things to do in the Florida Keys starting from Miami and then making our way South!
The Fish House
Located in Key Largo, The Fish House is a well-known spot for all things fresh seafood. The fun decor and atmosphere are a bonus! A great stop for key lime pie too which will start your trip off right.
Islander Girl Tours
We spent an afternoon with Islander Girl Tours for a boat trip out to the Islamorada sandbar. This is such a great family-friendly activity! Once we got to the sandbar we floated, played on the lily pad, did some paddle boarding, and enjoyed rum punch. We even got some food from the nearby floating food truck! Huge bonus: This company is all female owned and operated.
Robbie’s of Islamorada
Robbie’s is one of THE most famous things to do in the Florida Keys. Located right on the water, you can shop, eat, and feed the tarpon (our favorite!). Make sure to do all three while you’re there, and watch out for the sneaky birds trying to steal the fish for the tarpon feeding!
Midway Cafe
Located exactly 80 miles from Miami and 80 miles from Key West, Midway Cafe is a great halfway stop. We grabbed some coffee here and enjoyed their outdoor space which gives major island vibes.
ReelCatch
ReelCatch is located at Amara Cay Resort in Islamorada and was our favorite meal of the trip! The outdoor atmosphere, live music, and food were top notch. And we loved walking around the resort after dinner. Highly recommend!
Turtle Hospital
Located in Marathon, the Turtle Hospital is great for both adults and kids! To see the turtles up close, a tour must be booked and I recommend booking in advance. It lasts two hours but goes by so fast. We learned all about why turtles visit the hospital and saw so many different kinds of turtles up close. Our daughter loved feeding them and seeing the little babies!
Clear Bottom Kayak Tour
Located in Summerland Key, we took a clear bottom kayak tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking. Our tour lasted just under 2 hours and was so unique! We’ve done a lot of kayak tours in our day but loved that we could see under the water and especially loved the tunnels of mangroves we navigated through. We learned a lot and even saw some sharks!
Dolphin, snorkel, and sunset catamaran
We saw dolphins, snorkeled, cruised around, and watched the sunset with Honest Eco tours out of Key West. This 3 hour excursion had snacks and water on board (with the option to bring other drinks on your own) and was so fun! We saw lobsters and jelly fish while snorkeling and enjoyed amazing organic snacks on board.
Half Shell Raw Bar
Located right in the marina next to Honest Eco Tours, Half Shell Raw Bar is a great casual spot for some local seafood. We sat right on the water and enjoyed oysters, shrimp scampi, and a local catch of the day. They have a great kids menu too!
Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory
For a fun indoor activity, check out the Key West Butterfly Conservatory. Walk through beautiful trees and flowers while spotting many different kinds of butterflies, and even flamingos! If you stand still the butterflies might even land on you. This was such a unique experience!
Matt’s Stock Island
Located at the Perry Hotel in Key West (our favorite hotel!), Matt’s Stock Island has amazing service and even better food and cocktails. We ate breakfast and dinner here multiple times while overlooking the marina. Love!
The Perry Marina
The Marina surrounding the Perry hotel is where you can find many tours departing as well as some great spots to grab a bite! Make sure to check out Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company (shoutout to seeing a Midwest gem in Florida!) in the morning and The Little Dipper for ice cream in the evening.
That’s a wrap on our favorite things to do in the Florida Keys. We’re so glad you’re making the drive, you won’t regret it!
