News Canada - Mile Markers to stop and see in the Florida Keys

(NC)—The post office in Key West is designated Mile Marker “0” and from there on one road it is 127 magnificent miles to the Miami turnpike.

Driving the other way of course, the mile markers (MM) descend all the way to Key West. Each one helps the traveller to pinpoint their exact location – and that includes some of Florida's most unusual sites, like the following:

MM 84: Robbie's Rent-A-Boat is more than a service for kayaks, houseboats and fishing tours. It's an entertaining landmark to stop for a snack—and indeed, to feed a snack to the constant gathering of wild tarpons beneath its docks, while you mingle with scores of equally curious and hungry pelicans.

MM 79.8: Stop for fishing, eating and sleeping at Bud 'n Mary's in Islamorada, a world famous, Old Florida-style marina and motel of Hemmingway style. What makes sport fishing here so supreme? The Florida Keys are in the path where the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Bay, and the Everglades meet—and that makes no place on earth as abundant with saltwater fish.

MM 61.1: On Duck Key, give yourself a treat by pulling off to spend a day or two on the sunny beach and in the arms of luxury at the newly refurbished, Hawk's Cay Resort (www.hawkscay.com). For the gracious hospitality of a bygone era, stop here also for exquisite dining, a full service spa, the children's club, for watersports, fishing and sailing, for the full service spa, and for one of the most educational dolphin encounters in the world.

MM 33: A little further south, be sure to take time out for a kayak nature tour. Naturalists with Big Pine Kayak Adventures (www.keyskayaktours.com) will take you up close to seabirds, sea turtles, and secret passages. If living free-and-easy like the locals is just your style, then rent a one- or two-bedroom cottage here from The Old Wooden Bridge Fishing Camp. Information: www.oldwoodenbridge.com.

MM 0: Mother Nature insists that this 127-mile rainbow of islands must to come to an end, but we all know what that means: The Key West pot of gold magically combines the charm of its history and location with it's own brand of kick-back hospitality. Everyone takes home a little or a lot of this spirit because it's so hard to leave it behind. Highlights here include Mallory Square at sunset; strolling Duval Street; a beer at Sloppy Joes; the Conch Tour Train; Mel Fisher Treasure Museum, plus unmatched dining, nightlife and entertainment. More on this at: www.keywestattractions.org.

MM 0: Not only is the award-winning Southernmost Hotel Collection (three nearby properties on the most splendid beach in Key West) a breathtaking location for romance and for families, it's also price conscious. With three swimming pools, two pool bars, a fitness centre, beach activities, swaying hammocks—and the most direct line south to Cuba – guests are spared the add-on costs common at other resorts. Parking, Internet Wi-Fi, a fitness centre, beach chairs, and more are all complimentary. Information: www.southernmostcollection.com.

MM 0: Hop on a bicycle. This town does indeed hold many surprises, but you have to know where to look. The personal guides with Lloyds Tropical Bike Tour take you on discoveries in quiet and pretty residential neighbourhoods. Along the way, with the exotic scents of jasmine and gardenias, you get to sample wild mangoes, coconuts, starfruit, key limes, and more. On this tour there's no fuel, no fumes, no noise— and a sense of true pleasure reconfirms why you came to Key West in the first place.

Complete state tourism information at www.visitflorida.com.

Articles are provided free of charge. Articles appearing on web sites, must credit www.newscanada.com. Articles appearing in Print, must credit News Canada with (NC) at beginning of an article or – News Canada at the end. Any source/sponsor of the information quoted in the text must also be identified as presented. Images are only to be used with corresponding editorial copy. Usage of News Canada articles constitutes your acceptance of these terms and an agreement between you and News Canada.

To open/download image(s) used in this article, please click the following links:

Mile Markers to stop and see in the Florida Keys

By Jane Stokes