Four years and counting we have taken a trip to the Florida Keys, and there’s no plan in stopping! After many years of taking trips down to Key West, Big Pine Key, and Marathon, we had never actually taken the time to stop and enjoy Key Largo and all that it has to offer. Most of the time we’re just so excited to finally reach the end of that blue-walled bridge that we miss this section of the Florida Keys entirely.
**UPDATE [2021]: we officially own our very own slice of Key Lime Pie HEAVEN! More posts to come on our little Keys cottage and life in Key Largo!
I remember stopping to use the restroom at a Starbucks in Key Largo one year – that’s about it. But we wanted to make the trip a little different this year, and to explore Key Largo. It would be the first year we bring our new boat since our trip to Big Pine over 4 years ago, every other year using our pedal kayaks in Marathon.
Be sure to check out the video highlights from this trip!
The plus side to staying in Key Largo? Drive time (for us, coming from Orlando) gets cut to 4 1/2 – 5 hours versus 6+! With it being impossible to find a rental that doesn’t have a 30-day minimum stay between Key Largo and Marathon and Marathon to Key West, we aren’t left with many options.
But, hey, Islamorada is literally a hop, skip, and a jump from KL!
This trip was a game changer getting around the Everglades and surrounding Keys within Key Largo by boat. It was all new territory for us, and we had 7 days to figure it all out, and as a Florida native, I’m all about this laidback, Keys lifestyle.
The best of Key Largo from a Florida native [things to do, places to go + where to eat]
our little slice of VRBO heaven
While there are many Keys cottages, B&Bs, hotels and resorts to choose from in the Florida Keys, we always lean toward individual vacation rentals. There are a bit more leniency and privacy, it’s cheaper and most of the time they’re pet-friendly – a win-win for us with two dogs we enjoy bringing along!
[Related Read: 30+ Vacation Hot Spots In The Florida Keys]
This little slice of paradise is located right behind the famous Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen (the original) – literally. We walked to the restaurant for breakfast and key lime pie more times than we can count. Our place had a boat ramp and dock, a quaint little beach (that actually had decent snorkeling) and nice outdoor amenities (like kayaks/paddleboard, a grill, covered outdoor seating area, ring toss, and an outdoor shower) in it’s large gated yard surrounding our 1bed/1bath stilt rental.
Oh, did I mention the killer waterfront sunset views? Yeah, there’s that, too. You can find this little waterfront gem on VRBO or by simply searching Ms. Mac’s Kitchen Vacation Rental.
[Related Read: Vacation Highlights From Marathon, Florida Keys]
what to do
Islamorada Brewery
My husband and I are craft beer snobs (to put it lightly), so of course we took a day to trek down a little outside of Key Largo (about 40 minutes) to Islamorada.
Call it what you will – it’s probably the most popular area in the Florida Keys tourist-wise besides Key West.
It was our one goal – since we failed to do every other trip to the Keys – to stop into the Islamorada brewing company. Not expecting to be able to bring our pups inside, we first got comfortable at the brewery’s outdoor backyard – equipped with seating and fun games to play.
Little did we know, after ordering our first flight, we could actually bring our pups inside after all!
Indoors is a bright, funky atmosphere… yet obviously full of excitement since dogs were welcomed. There were many beers to choose from, so obviously we stayed to try almost all of them. If liquor is more your thing, IBC also has a distillery on-site and specialty drinks as well!
[Related Read: Key Largo local eats – the most underrated restaurants]
kayaking + paddle boarding
I mean, are you even in the Florida Keys if you don’t kayak at least once? With calm water and panoramic views that go for miles, why wouldn’t you? And you have a pretty good chance of spotting manatees, dolphins, and even sea turtles!
On a good, clear day, you can see the bottom and spot other wildlife as you paddle along. Plus it’s always fun to gawk at the million-dollar waterfront properties while you’re at it.
Andrea seemed to really enjoy his paddleboard ride.
Fishing, Boating + Snorkeling
For us, more than half the reason we come to the Florida Keys is to fish. We brought our new Panga for the first time and explored the mangroves within the Everglades National Park.
Our best luck this trip was sticking to small cutouts in the mangroves on the gulf side, where we caught mostly snapper. Though we also wrangled a Bonnethead shark and I was able to hand catch some Blue Crab.
We were able to catch and eat many of our meals that same day!
Besides fishing, there’s so much to see cruising around the mangroves and Keys surrounding the mainland in Key Largo. Many of our adventures simply included scenic boat rides. Nest Key is a Gulf-side “sandbar” hot spot for boaters, so it’s the one place to post up in a float with cold beverages for the day.
If you have no access to a boat, there are so many charter options available that will take you on the bayside or oceanside. There’s nothing quite like catching your own fish, and then having it served up at one the local restaurants in town.
And if fishing doesn’t tickle your fancy, there are dive and snorkel boats that will take you to some of the local reefs just offshore (like Molasses Reef, Sea Gardens, and Dry Rocks). You could even spend the day at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. With two beaches on site, optimal snorkeling areas as well as guided tours to take, you can get your fix in every avenue without needing your own vessel.
Wild Bird Sanctuary
A Key Largo hidden gem!
We stumbled upon the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary on the outskirts of Key Largo while taking a scenic drive. We decided to bop in – why not, we like birds – figuring the free entry with encouraged donation was well worth it.
And it definitely beat our expectations. From screech and barn owls to hawks, pelicans and parrots – there were many species of birds on property. If you can get there to see the volunteers feed the pelicans, you don’t want to miss it.
But if you go, please, please make a small contribution to this amazing little bird sanctuary.
the best eats in town
Needless to say, simply from pictures, we managed to work our way around our plate on this trip. Which, I won’t lie, is another chunk for our love for the Keys. The freshest fish, crab, shrimp and other varieties of seafood you can get.
Every year I say, “I’m going to do it right – I’m going to eat so much seafood that I’ll be sick of it!“. Yet, time and time again I fail.
But not this year!
We did our best to stay away from the tourist trap eats, so we asked the owner of our vacation rental for places to eat in Key Largo.
[Releated Read: The most underrated local eats in Key Largo, Florida]
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen
Again, this is the restaurant directly in front of our vacation rental, so it was hard to beat… especially with that neon key lime pie sign staring us straight in the face each time we walked and drove by.
We stopped in our very first night for dinner – hangry, tired and irritable, I didn’t take a picture of my meal, sorry – where my husband and I shared the Lobster Bites as well as their Wednesday “Italian Night” special… Mahi Parmesan. Now, I know what you’re thinking. I was a bit taken back, too, but tried it anyway. And it was good.
Portions are huge and prices are fair. Breakfast was a hit the many mornings we stopped in before our daily adventures, and if all else you must stop in to try the Key Lime Freeze and Peanut Butter Pie.
Pilot House
There’s something thrilling about a marina full of yahts and boats.
And this was our view for lunch at the Pilot House restaurant, where my husband and I would compare how much these boats must cost to our house, as we sat there in awe, or shock, enjoying a Florida Keys craft beer and our lunch.
Delicious, by the way. Hands down the best shrimp tacos I’ve ever had.
*Note: no it does not come with a pickle – I stole that from my husband.
Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Cafe
It’s in the name – backyard fisheries.
Literally across the marina from Pilot House, you get the same spectacular views in an outdoor seating area. Being a fish market, the food doesn’t get any fresher!
The cafe is a self-serve establishment that, yes, smells and resembles much like a fish market. Hell, you’re in one, and you can shop from their market on-site, too.
The food is fresh – mildly pricey – yet delicious. Since the fisheries is self-serve, order and pick up is much more fast-paced here, so I will say our seafood was a tad bit overcooked in comparison.
We arrived just before peak time (12:30pm lunchtime), but it quickly got crowded – I mean a line wrapped around the entrance busy. So you can imagine when food is cooked to order in under 10 minutes, it gets cooked fast, which also means at super high temperatures.
So, honestly, it’s no wonder.
That’s my take, but the Mahi tacos and Lobster BLT were still well worth it!
Harriette’s restaurant
You’re bound to notice this bright yellow little building in passing along the Overseas Highway.
Looks can be deceiving, as the inside is like stepping in a time machine back into mid-century. It’s a dive, it’s a hole in the wall, it’s a diner – there’s nothing fancy about it. But Harriette’s is known for their homemade in-house muffins, which you can buy singly or by the dozen.
And I’m telling you… don’t you dare leave without getting the muffins. Worth the price, and you’ll wish you’d bought more (like we did). They will fill your life with happiness, but mostly with guilt because you will feel like you are eating cake for breakfast.
Who cares, anyway, you’re on vacation?!
lazy days (islamorada)
Yes, I realize this is NOT Key Largo.
We ventured off Key Largo a couple times – once to go visit Robbie’s (since we had never been, and my husband desperately wanted to feed the tarpon). We were supposed to have lunch at Robbie’s, but there was a change in plans (mostly because of its theme-park-like crowd for a Monday). We were looking to have a peaceful, relaxing lunch.
Because we were already in Islamorada, we had heard from our last trip about the Lazy Days restaurant. There’s also one in Marathon we went to, so we wanted to compare. This was definitely a hard place to pass on, with that view.
So if you’re willing to make the 30-40 minute drive to Lazy Days in Islamorada, I promise it’s worth it.
Nothing but the sound of the water, the cool breeze in your face and a delicious cocktail in reach. I mean this was as close to Heaven on earth as it gets for lunch with a view. I felt like I was in Key West, so naturally I went with their Key West Salad – coconut shrimp, spinach, almonds and fruit, garnished with a jam-like sauce that was both sweet and gingery.
You can sit downstairs, which is open to the water (you’re literally sitting on sand), or you can enjoy the upstairs that has indoor as well as outdoor seating. Either way, you can easily spend hours here.
hobo’s cafe
A place that’s a little underrated if you ask me. You wouldn’t really notice it from the road, other than the quirky name, but there’s nothing outwardly unique about it. Deciding to lean on the reviews about their decent happy hour specials, we were easily won over.
Plus, my funky twist on the Cuban sandwich was really, really good.
Happy hour specials included drinks and special apps, like their Ahi Tuna Tataki and wings. If you’re a sushi or tuna fan, I highly recommend going to Hobo’s – you literally can’t beat the 4.95 happy hour price anywhere.
Snook’s
About 5 or 6 buildings down from our rental, you can hear the live band playing from Snook’s restaurant every evening. Naturally it was on our list to try this trip.
We had a late lunch, so we decided to go for drinks and a light dinner – a couple of appetizers would suffice. We still walked out of there spending 60+ – on the pricier side, no doubt – although sitting under mister fans at the waters edge for the couple hours before sunset was money well spent.
Cocktails were good, and both our appetizers (bacon-wrapped shrimp and Snook’s Ahi Tuna) were delicious.
WAIT – don’t forget to check out the video highlights!
key largo tips from TML
- Key Largo is actually relatively small, so you can easily get away without scouting things to do or places to eat prior. So if you’re not one for planning your your trips in full, that’s totally OK!
- Honestly, if there’s anything I’ve learned about looking for the local’s hot spots versus tourist trap eats, is if it looks grungy or run down on the outside… it’s probably gold! Granted, don’t totally take my word for it, but that’s how the best eats in the Florida Keys has generally worked out for us.
- Don’t be ashamed – when in doubt, TripAdvisor it! If you do, it’s important to take into consideration the percentage of good reviews with the bad. If there are bad reviews within a short period more than a year old, that establishment has likely made some changes/improvements since. Besides, sometimes those leave negative reviews for something totally unrelated (like the aesthetics of a restaurant instead of the actual food itself). My point is, be mindful that some may simply be looking for something to complain about.
- Always, always, always have a weather/wind app on hand – especially if your trip focuses primarily on snorkeling, boating, fishing, or any activity on the water. The weather can change on the DIME here, so in this case it would be beneficial to choose days well in advanced (based on wind conditions) for optimal weather to be on the water.
- If you’re traveling to the Florida Keys in the dead center of July, pack light, bring a hat and lotttsss of sunscreen – it’s definitely a SCORCHER.
check out our other adventures
How we spent 2 days in Blue Ridge, Georgia – our original week long trip cut short due to hurricane Irma, but see how we made the best of the two days we had (including white water rafting).
[Round Two] A week in the mountains of Blue Ridge, Georgia – we made it back a second time to redeem our adventure in the Blue Ridge Mountains. This time more hikes, more food, things to do and sights to see!
Our 10-day honeymoon to Italy (the trip of a lifetime) – 10 days, 3 cities – see how we accomplished it all! From Venice, Florence and Rome – we mapped out the must-dos, must-sees as well as our hidden gem findings and picturesque views.
Have any questions or travel recommendations to give? Let me know – reach out and leave a comment!
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