A Florida Keys yacht charter is the key to laid back, slowed down, relaxation, and fun—24/7. Commonly referred to as The Conch Republic, the Keys are a 100-mile stretch of islands, cays, and islets connected by US 1, better known as the Overseas Highway. It ends at Key West, the southernmost point in the United States. Of course, being on a luxury yacht, you won’t have to worry about driving the highway in the weekend traffic.
Everywhere you’d want to stop in a car can usually be reached by boat. All the waterfront restaurants, bars, and nightclubs have ample dockage for the yachting set, or a place to park your craft will not be far away. Rush hour is nonexistent in the Florida Keys. As soon as you step foot on land at Key Largo you’ll feel your blood pressure go down and your heart will beat steadily at a leisurely pace.
The Conch Republic starts at Key Largo, approximately 58 miles south of Miami by boat. The first stop you’ll want to make is not hard to find because it’s on the water, right off Key Largo. Your captain will anchor so you can go diving or at least snorkeling on the only living coral reef in the continental United States (and the third longest in the world), and, it’s a state park.
Within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is an extraordinary underwater universe: canyons and mountains of living rock, schools of fish moving in synchronized Technicolor, shipwrecks, and oddities like the Christ of the Abyss, an 11-foot bronze statue can be seen in this magical underwater corner of paradise.
However, don’t be tempted to take home a souvenir. Park Rangers, and there are many, frown on anything leaving the park. You’ll find the fish to be curious and almost friendly, because they have never been threatened. Fishing, spear fishing, or taking of game, shells, shellfish (such as conch), or anything else is strictly prohibited.
After you’re finished fish watching and underwater photographing, if you want a conch shell, starfish, or other shell souvenirs, ask your captain to dock at Key Largo so you can go to Shell World, the largest sea shell supermarket in the Keys, and probably the country. The store website can be found on the Internet. An abundance of shell and gift shops can be found in the Keys, but Shell World is the biggest.
As you head south, you’ll want to dock at one of the many seaside restaurants and enjoy lunch or a cocktail. A good choice (and there are many) would be the Lorelei at Islamorada. This is where you’ll discover the meaning of Margaritaville. Friendly faces along with good food and libation in an atmosphere so relaxing you’ll forget the definition of the word stress.
You’ll probably take a day or two to find your way to Key West. There is much to see and do along the way. Once in Key West, Mel Fisher’s Maritime Museum must be paid a visit. Here, you can see the treasures from the Atocha, a sunken ship he found in the early 1980s, as well as other treasures that have since been recovered.
While you’re in the neighborhood, a short walk to Hemingway’s Home and Museum is worth a visit. 40-50 descendants of his six-toed polydactyl cat, Snow White, are in residence there. And a trip to Margaritaville would certainly not be complete without stopping in at Hemingway’s alleged watering hole, Sloppy Joe’s.
Every day in Key West is traditionally ended at Mallory Square, where street musicians perform as everyone waits to see the green flash when the sun sets and disappears behind the horizon. As night falls, the festivities begin . . . at Margaritaville . . . in the Conch Republic . . . on a Florida Keys yacht charter at a leisurely pace.
Send us an email at charter@churchillyachts.com and tell us about yourself, and your interests. Also, let us know about your guests, their ages, and interests. The more we know, the easier it is for our yacht charter specialists to recommend the right yacht and crew, and tailor an accurate sample itinerary for your perusal so you can book a fun-filled Florida Keys yacht charter as soon as possible.
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