By: Jim Swartwout

Spending most days stuck in traffic in Orlando, undeniably has its aggravations, so when I need a break from cluttered roads, idiotic co-workers and constantly ringing phones, I hop a plane for the flight to Miami International Airport. The minute the sweltering air hits my face my whole attitude changes. Starting the rental car I know that after a little over four hours of driving south there’s a little piece of heaven on earth harkening back to an older, quieter, more beautiful Florida, where the pace is slower,  and the highlight of the day is the beautiful sunset or shine off silvery scales of the tarpon jetting through crystal clear waters.

While definitely home to an peculiar mix of good ole southern boys, sixties throwbacks, and people with a firm commitment to styling in fishing vests every day instead of coats and ties or mega jewelry, the Keys have a loose, unpretentious social vibe. While most tourists race their way through the majority of the Florida Keys Islands on the four plus hour drive between the discos of South Beach and the bars of Key West, I enjoy the laid back Islands in between the two.

The road itself, U.S. 1, is one of the best places to relax and drift into the Keys mentality As a primarily two lane marathon of a road, it stretches to the southwest 125 miles over several dozen of tropical islands until it finally comes to mile zero at the point of Key West. From here the visitor can view the Atlantic Ocean to the left, the Florida Gulf of Mexico on the right, and spectacular  turquoise seas and luscious vegetation in unforgettable combination.

As you traverse the Card Sound Road, the more beautiful of the two passages from mainland Florida, the most pressing issue should be where to grab a bite to eat. The major compliment of eateries along the Keys are of the Crab Shack vein of architecture— just picture the most run down farm house you have ever seen and drop it on a beach or next to a roadside.However,looks can be deceiving, and here you won’t be upset The plethora of fresh seafood: fried, grilled, jerked, or encrusted, is out of this world. A favorite spot is the Pilot House Restaurant located on Key Largo.  As a classic waterfront establishment with an amazing see through deck has a completely outstanding blackened-grouper sandwich, see  barracuda swimming like a Mafioso beneath your feet. The waitress tells me a mother and baby manatee were spotted a few days earlier.

Islamorada, a town occupying several separate islands just about halfway to Key West, makes a perfect central base camp. Rentals offer many of private pools, docks and near beach locations to help enjoy the Keys atmosphere with all the amenities of home: laid-back, unfussy, and all about enjoying the outdoors. Including scuba, snorkeling, windsurfing and swimming in unspoiled waters.

The Florida Keys, a string of unique islands, which was once accessible only by boat, are now connected by over 40 bridges, providing a destination for families seeking a Caribbean island getaway without leaving the United States. With a beachfront always within a short distance, travelers can enjoy snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, boating, fishing and other water sports from all points in the Keys. The largest hardship might well be allowing the variety of activities for all travelers in your party. The beauty of a vacation rental is that with a central base on Key Cudjoe or any of the other Florida Keys you can meet all those needs and have the room to stretch out and relax.

The Florida Keys provide the ideal setting for a relaxing and tropical setting for whatever your group wants from their next summer vacation.

About the Author

The author is the founder and operating manager of Florida Gulf Vacation LLC which operates Florida Gulf Vacation and Florida Keys Vacation Rentals By Owner

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