The following is taken from
National Geographic's "Drives of a Lifetime" website:
http://traveler.nationalgeographic.c...rida-keys.html
Key Largo
Key Largo calls itself the dive capital of the world. It's home to the 70-square-mile (181-square-kilometer) John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (MM 102.5; 451-6300;
www.pennekamppark.com). The park has a visitors center and beach, a good place to hone your snorkeling skills before boarding a dive boat. The best undersea attraction of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (floridakeys.noaa.gov) is the wreck of the Spiegel Grove (
www.fla-keys.com/spiegelgrove), a 510-foot (155-meter) retired Navy ship sunk as an artificial reef in 2002 and now resting 130 feet (39 meters) underwater near Dixie Shoal. Fish you might spot include trumpetfish and angelfish lurking along the hull, which is covered with sponges and soft coral. You can also stop at Molasses Reef, suitable for snorkelers. Local dive operators include Ocean Divers (522 Caribbean Dr.; 451-1113; oceandivers.com) and Amy Slate's Amoray Dive Resort (MM 104.5; 451-3595;
www.amoray.com), which offers morning coffee with its rooms and apartments.
Pennekamp
In the area: Locals stop by the Marlin (MM 102.7; 451-2454), a Cuban restaurant, for a café con leche and pastelitos (crispy, filled pastries; try the guava) before turning in to Pennekamp. After your dive, try Hobo's Cafe (MM 101.7; 451-5888; hoboscafe.net), an authentic Keys eatery serving burgers and fresh fish.
Tavernier
Tavernier, your next stop, accesses the Conch Reef. This is perhaps the Keys' best drift dive, in which you descend at Point A, drift down current, then resurface at Point B, where the dive boat retrieves you. "It's one of the most popular ways to see the reef," says Brenda Mace, whose Conch Republic Divers (MM 90.8; 852-1655;
www.conchrepublicdivers.com) offers twice-daily reef and wreck dives. Other reefs near the southern end of Pennekamp, many with names as colorful as the fish, include Hens and Chickens, Pickles, and Alligator.
Islamorada
In the area: For breakfast, it's Harriette's (MM 95.7; 852-8689), known for its biscuits and generous servings. After a long day, treat yourself at Snapper's Waterfront Restaurant (MM 94.5; 852-5956;
www.snapperskeylargo.com), frequented by celebrities. For a classic Keys lodging experience, stay at the quiet Kona Kai (MM 97.8; 852-7200;
www.konakairesort.com), a restored 1940s bayside resort. Before you leave the Upper Keys, visit the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum (MM 83, Islamorada; 664-9737;
www.divingmuseum.org), where you can try on antique diving equipment and see diving machines from the 1700s.
