We spent three nights in Key Largo, one of the islands making up the Florida Keys. I had been to Key West on a re-routed cruise back in 2009, but hadn't been back to Florida since (like the weather, dislike the conservative politics).
On our first morning, we were supposed to snorkel the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, but due to high winds and large sea swells, the company decided not to take us out that far (prone to seasickness, I was grateful).
Island relaxing before the tour
We (well, three of us as Niall got freaked out and cold) snorkeled near some mangroves and $800-$1200/night offshore bungalows.
We saw a large male seahorse floating by right off the deck, as well as many fish, sea stars, and brittle stars (like a sea star with multiple other arms, like octopus). We didn't see any manatees, but they did the day before! The water was cold, but we warmed up back on deck. The tours operate year-round, even in the wet season (May-October).
We had a delicious lunch at the recommended Fish House in town.
On day 2, we headed to Robbie's Marina on Islamorada, slightly south and west of Key Largo.
Our first stop was feeding giant tarpon, who jump out of the water to grab your fish, which is startling!
Don't try this at home.
Pelicans hover, and have to be shooed away by staff bouncers :)
We then did a two-hour jet ski tour along the coast (a first for all of us!), which was really fun. We got a good "driving jet ski 101" lesson for our tour guide, Daniel, and despite my reluctance to go too fast (thus being left behind a bit), I got the hang of it after about half an hour. Iver says we "almost" crashed but this is not accurate in the slightest-- we just bumped over some waves.
Check out the dolphin who swam alongside us for a bit!
Three of us snorkeled again (guess who sat it out), in a bit warmer water, but didn't see any new creatures, unfortunately!
We had a delicious lunch at the Hungry Tarpon.
I enjoyed lobster bisque and ceviche, while Kelvin had a whole snapper. You could "hook and cook" (bring your own caught fish to be prepared by the chef) if you were inclined!
We stopped at nearby Anne's Beach before heading back to Key Largo.
Our rental was just a few minutes away from world-class pickleball courts, which we learned were just two years old. Iver had a blast hitting around (despite the afternoon sea breeze), and even playing some doubles with some retirees :). Yes, we packed our own paddles along for this trip! We also enjoyed a heated outdoor pool.
Key Largo: we're a fan!
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