The modernization of Key West International Airport arrived in May with the opening of a sleek, new $118 million Concourse A, eight passenger boarding jet bridges, an upgraded baggage claim, and new dining options. 

On June 12, Breeze Airways launches nonstop service into Key West from Tampa and Orlando. Then in October, Breeze will add service from Canton, Ohio, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Allegiant® Air will add Knoxville, Tennessee flights. 

In Key Largo, the Keys’ newest attraction and meetings venue for groups is the $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation, an all-new 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility showcasing an ocean exploration gallery and a science discovery classroom. 

In the southernmost island city, the new Key West Cooking School brings delicious new options for foodies and history buffs, and a reimagined hotel, the Blue Flamingo Resort, will welcome guests this July.

And the second annual “Just a Few Friends Key West” celebration will take place over Labor Day weekend. Get set for four full days of action-packed festivities to honor the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett’s life, music and his legacy in “Margaritaville.”  

Here’s what else is new in the Florida Keys & Key West: 

New Airlift to Key West 

At Key West International Airport (EYW), the all-new 48,802-square-foot Concourse A has opened with eight air-conditioned glass jet bridges for sheltered boarding and deplaning. The concourse features a contemporary design with a 446-panel electrochromic glass curtain wall, and an expanded security checkpoint with an upgraded baggage claim. A Gate 8 passenger boarding bridge is dedicated for Allegiant Air, currently with nonstop service from six cities. New EYW dining venues include Chili’s and Farm 2 Air Market. Airlines are also ramping up for more than 26 nonstop flights into EYW. They include Allegiant® Air, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — and as of mid-June, Breeze Airways. Extended TSA lanes are scheduled for completion in September, and additional improvements — a new pedestrian bridge, a modernized baggage claim with dual carousels, improved rental car counters and an expanded four-lane TSA checkpoint are slated for completion in summer 2026. To learn more, visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.  

Breeze Airways is launching four new routes into EYW this summer and fall: nonstop from Tampa (TPA) and Orlando (MCO) international airports, beginning Wednesday, June 12; from Akron-Canton, Ohio (CAK) starting Thursday, October 2; and from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU) beginning Friday, October 3. Breeze operates Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Nonstop flights from TPA and MCO are scheduled four times weekly on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Flights from CAK are to operate Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Service from RDU is to operate Mondays and Fridays. Breeze offers both bundled and a la carte fare options. Visit flybreeze.com or call 888-829-1117. 

Allegiant® Air will add twice-weekly nonstop flights from Knoxville, Tennessee’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) into Key West, beginning October 3. Flights will depart and arrive on Mondays and Fridays on Allegiant’s 156-passenger Airbus A319 aircraft. Allegiant® Air, one of EYW’s busiest airlines, has been serving Key West since June 2021. Allegiant also provides nonstop service to Key West from six additional airports: Sanford, Florida (SFB); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (PIT); Asheville North Carolina, (AVL); Cincinnati, Ohio (CVG); Indianapolis, Indiana (IND); and St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida (PIE). For more information, visit allegiantair.com or call 702-505-8888. 

Accommodations 

In Key Largo, three new Stay Ombi bungalows — with sleek interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush king beds, fully equipped kitchens and contemporary baths with walk-in showers and deck with Adirondack chairs — are available for overnight stays in Buttonwood Sound. “This is more than a place to stay. It’s a chance to step away from the ordinary and embrace a rare stillness on the water,” said Tim Jensen, Ombi’s chief executive officer. Floating bungalow packages include a welcome basket, chilled drinking water and stocked beverages, flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, fridge, microwave, Keurig® coffee maker, air conditioning, snorkel gear, paddleboard and kayak, breakfast and gourmet dinner for two, and daily roundtrip boat transfer. Overnight stay packages are priced from $850 per night for two. Guests meet at Snooks Bayside Restaurant & Grand Tiki Bar, located at mile marker 99.5 bayside or 99470 Overseas Highway. Visit stayombi.com or call 762-250-1392 to learn more.  

In Islamorada, the 4-acre beachfront boutique Pines & Palms Resort, surrounded by palm trees and offering a view of the historic offshore Alligator Reef Lighthouse, has completed its full renovation with 24 one-to three-bedroom suites with kitchens. The property’s redesign, unveiled in March, includes upgraded living and bathroom spaces, natural textures, ocean-inspired tones and a remodeled office, pool and pool bar. Onsite cottages date back to the 1930s.The resort is to be featured this fall on an upcoming HGTV program, “Building Baeumler” hosted by Sarah and Bryan Baeumler and detailing the full renovation with behind-the-scenes activities. Two local families, McKimm’s and the Reizen’s, own the property and renovated it together. Visit pinesandpalms.com or call 305-664-4343 for more information. 

In Islamorada, the 15-acre, 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, has unveiled The Cove, a new onsite adult-centric resort-within-a-resort. Guests at The Cove have access to all Three Waters amenities. The new signature restaurant Kindler, with wood-fired fare, offers a ‘bonfire for two’ dining experience with dry-aged fish and ribeye steak. With 80,000 square feet of indoor and alfresco event spaces, Three Waters also offers nine total dining options and a rum library with daily rum tastings, a Wave Motion Studio beachfront fitness center, two retail shops, water taxi and full-service marina. Activities include ocean adventures by Spray Watersports with a 26-mile personal backcountry watercraft tour, fly-casting, kayaking, offshore and backcountry fishing, diving and snorkeling. Three Waters is Marriott Bonvoy’s first Tribute Portfolio property in the Keys, located at 84001 Overseas Highway. Two sister Islamorada Resort Collection properties, the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas, are nearby. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730.  

In Marathon, Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton has opened its all-new Ocean Spa for both guests and day visitors with treatments like Swedish massages, facials and rejuvenating body therapies. The spa includes a steam room, indoor-outdoor relaxation lounge and pool with onsite dining. The resort, offering wellness memberships, also features wellness-designated king and queen rooms with amenities including scent diffuser, sleep sound machine, personal gym kit, yoga mat, face masks, cleansing wipes, artisanal teas and Sleep & Revive water elixirs. With a recent $14 million renovation, the resort’s elevated amenities include two pools, private sand beach and expanded dining. Onsite are the Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow villa that’s one of Marathon’s oldest buildings, and the iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse dating from the 1950s. The Faro Blanco Marina, a SunTex facility, offers slips for vessels ranging from 35 to 140 feet, boat rentals, and snorkeling and fishing trips. For more details, visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.  

In Key West, the new 245-room Blue Flamingo Resort, located at 3820 N. Roosevelt Blvd., has transformed two properties. Come July 2025, The Gates and 24 North hotels, will turn into one resort and officially open its doors. Its lobby features striking light fixtures, eclectic furnishings, two dining venues, and pops of color accenting sand-toned décor. Rooms and suites range from 300 to 575 square feet. Amenities include The Backyard Pool & Social Club with two pools, cabanas and lounge chairs, fire pits, and two Tiki-style bar-restaurants, Rum Row and Toasted Coconut. Programming includes weekly wellness activities, evening outdoor yoga classes, a costume jubilee party with participant competition, lawn games, bocce ball, corn hole and other activities. The redesign is by Virserius Studio of New York City and Paris, known for interior and experiential designs. A retail shop offers branded lifestyle keepsakes, local Vacation Inc. goods, and hand-rolled Rodriguez Cigars. Flexible event spaces include two indoor meeting rooms for 30 to 40 guests and The Backyard, for up to 200. Preview rates are offered. To learn more, visit blueflamingokeywest.com or call 305-320-0940. 

Key West's downtown 178-unit Opal Key Resort & Marina, located at 245 Front St., has unveiled sleek transformations that include a newly revamped lobby, rooftop bar, an updated waterfront pool deck area and three new dining and cocktail experiences. The new lobby offers a beachy ambiance with stylish lounge areas, lush greenery and natural textures. New dining venues include the signature Lolita’s Coastal Cocina, with Latin-inspired flavors, a festive taco bar and creative cocktails; Elevate Skye Bar & Lounge, an open-air venue with small plates such as tacos, artisan cheese boards, ceviche and handcrafted cocktails; and Ka’Teen, with light poolside fare exclusively for hotel guests. A new grab-n-go station offers coffee and infused water. An onsite marina offers high-energy water sports. Visit opalcollection.com/opal-key/ or call 305-294-4000. 

Attractions  

In Key Largo, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is showcasing its new $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation. The 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility features an ocean exploration gallery, science discovery classroom, program planning areas and a second-floor balcony. It includes exhibits celebrating scientific innovation, history, humanities and arts. Built by REEF — with a 30-year global legacy of marine conservation rooted in the Upper Keys — the center serves as an inspirational launchpad for inspiring future ocean stewards, pioneering research, fostering collaboration, transforming marine conservation and hosting meetings for small groups. REEF offers educational programs and experiences about fish identification, invasive lionfish and citizen science. REEF's native plants and heritage trail, adjacent to the new facility, has details about local flora, fauna, history and culture. The new facility is located at 98380 Overseas Highway. Visit REEF.org/OEC or call 305-852-0030. 

Also in Key Largo, Jules’ Undersea Lodge — the world’s only underwater hotel where a guest scuba dives to check into accommodations — is undergoing upgrades that include new countertops and refreshed paint. The lodge, located in a manmade 30-foot-deep lagoon at the Key Largo Undersea Park at mile marker 103, is located at 51 Shoreland Drive. The park offers Discover SCUBA Diving, open water dive certification and four PADI specialties – only available at the Undersea Park – including The Habitat, The Aquanaut, Underwater Maintenance and Innerspace specialty programs. Lodge guests can spend the night, order a pizza meal to eat underwater, or experience a three-hour adventure. University of South Florida professor Joseph Dituri in May 2023 broke the world record for living underwater by spending 100 days at the Lodge. Dituri’s Project Neptune 100 was a research study to measure the body’s response to long-term pressure exposure. Other lodge guests have included astronaut Buzz Aldrin, oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Cousteau; former Canadian prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and rock stars Steve Tyler of Aerosmith and Jon Fishman of Phish. Visit jul.com or call 305-451-2353. 

In Islamorada, The Protect Center is building a new intensive care facility, with an onsite veterinary laboratory and a 56,000-gallon above-ground saltwater intensive care unit pool for sick, injured and orphaned dolphins and small whales. When the saltwater pool is completed, targeted this fall, the facility is to be the Keys’ only federally licensed whale and dolphin hospital. The center features an Exploratorium, a 2,000 square-foot interactive space with aquariums, wildlife and rotating exhibits; and classroom-style space for meetings, events and seminars. An onsite gift shop sells merchandise and sustainable items with a “re-fillery” to refill eco-friendly home and personal care necessities to reduce single-use plastics. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 82748 Overseas Highway. Hard hat tours can also be arranged. Visit connecttoprotect.org/hospital or call 305-453-4321. 

On Grassy Key in the Middle Keys, Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is featuring a new, once-a-month 1.5-hour Sunset Celebration interactive experience where you can offer dolphins one of their favorite Jell-O treats, then toast the sunset with a glass of champagne. The experience also includes learning about the mammals’ “dolphinalities,” or dolphin personalities, with team members and a chilled sunset champagne toast. It’s priced from $249 per person for those five years and older and $199 per person for DRC members; a participating paying adult 18 and older must accompany a child ages 5 to 7. Founded in 1984, DRC promotes peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication among marine mammals, humans and the Keys’ environment. DRC, as a research and education center, provides a sanctuary and forever home to its dolphin and sea lions. Visit dolphins.org or call 305-289-1121. 

Also in the Middle Keys, the Florida Keys Watermans Co., at mile marker 58 on Grassy Key, offers water adventures in kiteboarding, wingfoiling, wakeboarding, e-foiling, sailing, paddling, and outrigger canoeing with experiences including backcountry excursions and guided downwinder trips to Marathon’s Coco Plum or Curry Hammock State Park beaches. Outrigger canoes, paddleboards, kayaks, kiteboards, and wingfoils are available to rent. Two new Learn to Wakeboard camps are offered July 17-11 and 14-18. Annual club memberships are priced from $2,000 annually for local individuals to $4,750 for non-local families. The company is based at Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club, located at 58182 Overseas Highway. Visit floridakeyswatermancompany.com or call 305-998-4590. 

The Key West Wildlife Center has unveiled its new elevated $2.4 million wildlife clinic and recovery aviary within the 7-acre Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St. near Atlantic Boulevard. The facility, with space for education and outreach, features the clinic for dedicated treatment and care, and expansive protected space for rehabilitation of wildlife and birds. The state- and federally permitted facility operates a 24-hour wildlife rescue line for indigenous wildlife including birds, reptiles and small mammals. It rescues close to 1,500 wildlife patients, including about 1,400 birds, each year. The center is open to the public Fridays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Greeters and volunteers share the organization’s mission, inviting visitors to enjoy green space that includes the aviary and turtle pond. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008. 

Sustainability 

Key Largo’s MarineLab Environmental Education has joined the Keys’ Blue Star dive operator program, overseen by NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. MarineLab offers overnight marine science field programs for students from fifth grade through college, and summer day camps. Blue Star operators are committed to educating clients about South Florida ecosystems, sanctuary waters surrounding the island chain, and responsible diving and fishing etiquette. Currently, Blue Star has 34 dive and 20 fishing guide Keys operators. MarineLab is located at 51 Shoreland Drive. Visit marinelab.org or call 305-451-1139 or floridakeys.noaa.gov/onthewater/bluestar.html. 

The Florida Keys’ Artificial Reef Program, funded through a $10 million state grant program, has three new underwater patch reefs at the Gulfside 10-Mile Artificial Reef site, located 10 miles offshore of Key West in federal waters. The power pole artificial reef project includes the deployment of 45 concrete power poles, each 35- to 55-feet-long and purposefully stacked in perpendicular layers, to create various habitat spaces for marine life. The patch reefs range in height from six to 12 feet, are about 65 feet in diameter, and are 40 to 45 feet deep. Poles were obtained from the Florida Keys Co-Op’s Sea Oats Beach Project in Islamorada and the Monroe County Land Steward. Hanna Koch, Monroe County’s director of artificial reefs, and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission scientists, report that a variety of species, including snappers, groupers, nurse sharks, sea turtles, invertebrate species and egg masses, are flourishing at the sites. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/1325/Artificial-Reefs-Program or call 786-847-5443. 

Events

Badges, tickets and hotel packages are available for the second annual Labor Day weekend “Just a Few Friends Key West” celebration Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1. The event honors the music, life and legacy of the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Buffett chronicled the island’s lifestyle with his “tropical rock” style after discovering the island city in the early 1970s. Events include the Cheeseburger Beach Battle & Tribute Concert at Southernmost Beach Resort; two Milagro Margarita Bar Strolls with two Duval Street and Historic Seaport routes; a Second Line Memorial Procession through Old Town, ending at Truman Waterfront Park with a party in the park; a Coconut Telegraph Trolley Tour, and other activities. “Jimmy Buffett gave so much to this island — through music, tourism, and his unshakable love of the Keys,” said organizer Paul Menta. Live concerts are to feature recording artists Nidirah Shakoor, a female vocalist in Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band; Keys favorites Howard Livingston & the Mile Marker 24 Band; and Will Kimbrough, co-collaborator of many Buffett songs including “Bubbles Up,” and others. Activities include author events, sailing excursions, a proclamation by city officials, and family-friendly activities. VIP badges, administered by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, support local nonprofits Reef Relief, the Bahama Village Music Program and Key West High School Marching Band. Visit JustAFewFriendsKeyWest.com or call 305-731-3385 to learn more.  

Tours

Three new GPS-driven, self-guided Island Audio Tours of Key West are styled after interactive podcasts with vintage audio clips, interviews, local music and narrations.   

Users purchase a tour, priced at $30 each, download the app for iOS or Android, and are given a code unlocking the audio. The Legends of Key West tour highlights Captain Tony’s Saloon, Jimmy Buffett’s recording studio and his first home on the island, the Chart Room Bar, and treasure hunter Mel Fisher. A Pirates, Treasure Hunters, and Wreckers tour includes stops at the Heritage House’s pirates well, the Oldest House, Mallory Square and the Key West Shipwreck Museum. A Murder, Money, and Margarita’s tour explores the Key West Cemetery, guides visitors with stories from ‘Sloppy Joe’ Russell, the Otto family and their haunted doll named Robert, and through graves of ship captains, millionaires, and colorful characters. Locals Josh Koerpel, a former Key West schooner captain, and Frank Everhart, a 28-year veteran of Schooner Wharf's Island Comedy Magic Bar, created the tours, available in English and Spanish. Visit islandaudiotours.com or call 724-816-5037. 

Dining  

The new Key West Cooking School offers a flavorful way to experience the food, heritage and culture of the southernmost island city in the continental United States. Set in a historic downtown 1856 Navy building, the school features chef-led demonstrations that combine storytelling with the preparation of classic Key West-inspired cuisine, blending Bahamian, Cuban, Spanish and New England influences into vibrant flavors. Guests enjoy a multi-course meal during culinary classes that include Tropical Bites, Island Indulgences and Catch of the Day. The “Dinnertainment” experience is complemented by Bar 1, where guests can join cocktail classes. The activities are ideal for parties, friends, families and groups. Presented by Historic Tours of America, the school is located at 291 Front St., Suite 207, and is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Reservations are required. Visit keywestcookingschool.com or call 305-294-2665. 

On Duck Key at the 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort, Salt + Ash is the resort’s newest culinary concept by Florida native chef Jeremy Ford, a Michelin-recognized and Bravo reality series Top Chef winner. Salt + Ash, in the resort’s lobby, combines flavors of land, sea and fire and locally sourced ingredients from Ford’s 5.5-acre farm in Homestead, Florida. The farm-to-table concept features natural ingredients that are expertly charred, delicately seasoned and salt-infused. The 75-seat Salt + Ash, serving nightly dinner, offers indoor and outdoor seating. In addition, Hawks Cay has converted its poolside Pilar Bar into a renovated, adults-only venue, open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily with Ernest Hemingway-inspired cocktails. Visit saltandashflakeys.com or call 305-289-2999. 

Keys chef-owner Lynn Bell’s new Square Grouper Bar & Grill Key West has opened for lunch and dinner at 920 Caroline St. Tasty offerings include blackened grouper benedict, chicken and waffles, shrimp tacos, ahi tuna and avocado eggrolls, and Bloody Mary’s garnished with fried softshell crabs. Square Grouper, known for ‘elevating dining,’ has two other sister venues: the original Square Grouper on Cudjoe Key, so named by offshore square bales of marijuana found in the 1970s throughout the Keys; and Square Grouper Islamorada. Visit squaregrouperkeywest.com or call 305-292-1975. 

Accolades 

A giant Keys gumbo limbo tree is the nation’s largest. Located at Islamorada’s 8.7-acre Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve, home to Florida Bay Forever at mile marker 82 bayside, the nationally designated American Forests Champion Tree has a new plaque honoring Keys residents Jim and Janice Duquesnel for “preserving the natural environments of the Florida Keys.” American Forests recognizes the largest known tree of each species in the United States. Visit floridabayforever.org/gumbo-limbo-tree-a-state-champion-at-green-turtle-hammock/ 

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS Social: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Pinterest • TikTok • Keys Voices Blog 

High-resolution images can be found at this link. 
 

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Key West International Airport’s all-new contemporary $118 million Concourse A has opened, unveiling eight air-conditioned glass jet passenger bridges for boarding and deplaning. (Photo courtesy of Key West International Airport)

Guests enjoy an interactive class and dining experience at the new Key West Cooking School and learn about the island’s unique cuisine and heritage from chef-storytellers. (Photo courtesy of Key West Cooking School)

Chef-storyteller Karl Stahl shares insights into recipe preparation and island traditions with class participants at the new Key West Cooking School. (Photo courtesy of Key West Cooking School)

Stay Ombi’s overnight bungalows in Key Largo’s Buttonwood Sound include a kayak, a paddleboard and snorkel gear for easy-access water adventures in the Upper Florida Keys. (Photo courtesy of Stay Ombi) 

Stay Ombi offers on-the-water overnight stays in three contemporary, fully equipped bungalows in Key Largo’s Buttonwood Sound. (Photo courtesy of Stay Ombi)

Key West’s new Blue Flamingo Resort, opening in July, features The Backyard Pool & Social Club, offering lively, interactive nightly activities. (Photo courtesy of Blue Flamingo Resort)

Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton in Marathon has unveiled its new Ocean Spa with relaxing lounges. (Photo courtesy of Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton)

Visitors can learn about fascinating Keys fish and a 30-year global legacy of marine conservation rooted in the Upper Keys at the all-new REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation in Key Largo. (Photo courtesy of REEF)

The all-new 4,000-square-foot, $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation in Key Largo is the Keys’ newest visitor attraction and a unique venue for groups. (Photo courtesy of REEF)

A young visitor explores an interactive mangrove exhibit inside the Exploratorium at The Protect Center in Islamorada. The 2,000-square-foot space features rotating exhibits, aquariums, and hands-on learning experiences highlighting the Florida Keys’ unique ecosystems.

 The year 2025 brings a long-awaited expansion at Key West international Airport with an all-new Concourse A and extended TSA lanes. Passengers are soon to experience a contemporary sleek new concourse A at the southernmost airport in the continental United States.

New culinary experiences and dining options at hotels throughout the island chain, from Key Largo to Key West, also are unveiled.

Enhanced attractions include Key West's Oldest House Museum, showcasing a pioneering life in Key West from the 1820s with added artifacts. And the restored Elizabeth Bishop House, where the celebrated poet lived and wrote in Key West during the 1930s and ‘40s, is to offer visitor tours slated to begin in mid-March.

Here’s what’s new in the Keys:

Keys Airlift

At Key West International Airport (EYW), a 49,000-square-foot Concourse A expansion is targeted for completion in April 2025, and its extended TSA lanes are to be completed in September 2025. Overall airport improvements are slated for final completion in summer 2026 — with eight passenger boarding jet bridges, a 446-panel electrochromic glass curtain wall, state-of-the-art baggage carousels and additional restrooms. Dining offerings are to include a First Call Beach Bar at baggage claim, a Southern Point Bar, Chili's restaurant and Farm 2 Air Market. Six carriers — Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — currently serve EYW with more than 20 nonstop domestic flights and destinations. This year, more than 1.3 million passengers have traveled through the airport, with a passenger increase of 10 percent compared to calendar year 2023. Visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodations

Islamorada's 15-acre, 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, Marriott Bonvoy's collection of independent hotels, has opened the brand's first in the Keys. Located at 84001 Overseas Highway, the resort features The Cove, an adult-centric resort-within-a-resort with island-inspired rooms and king suites, a private beach lagoon, and restaurants Kindler and The Hideaway, both slated to open in January. The resort’s Wave Motion Studio is a beachfront fitness center. A rum library offers daily afternoon rum tastings. With 80,000 square feet of indoor and alfresco event spaces, the property also offers additional multiple dining outlets: a fully renovated Tiki Bar; Little Limon, Mercado Morada, Lucky Twist, Islamorada Pizza Co. and Kokomo. Also featured are two retail shops, a water taxi and full-service marina. Activities include fly-casting, kayaking, offshore and backcountry fishing, diving and snorkeling, and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports with a 26-mile personal backcountry watercraft tour. Nearby are the sister Islamorada Resort Collection properties: the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730. 

A fully renovated Islander Resort Islamorada, at 82100 Overseas Highway, is unveiling new dining options that include Drift, a beachside dining pavilion serving breakfast classics and flame-grilled fresh catches; and the renovated casual Tides Beachside Bar & Grill, with coastal-inspired fare and tropical cocktails for lunch and dinner. In addition, Coccoloba offers fresh dishes and beverages during the day at the resort’s lively pool area; Sandy's features chilled libations under a thatched roof; and Seaside Sports provides convenient grab-and-go snacks. On-site activities include Beach Movie Night on Fridays, Moonrise Bonfires on Saturdays, live music Fridays and Saturdays, beachfront yoga, snorkeling and paddle-boarding, complimentary loungers, seaside putting golf and rentable beach cabanas. Refreshed units also are at the Bayside Villas by Islander Resort, located at 81450 Overseas Highway. Visit islanderfloridakeys.com or call 305-664-2031.

The Middle Keys' Faro Blanco Resort, known for its iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse that dates from the 1950s, recently completed $14 million in renovations. Enhancements include updates to both the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, a Curio Collection by Hilton, and sister property, the Courtyard by Marriott Faro Blanco Resort, located at 1996 Overseas Highway in Marathon. Dining options at Faro Blanco include the Lighthouse Kitchen + Bar, Blue Waters Bar & Grill by the Courtyard's infinity pool, El Farito Coffee and Market, and The Bistro for grab-and-go items. The two resorts offer a total of 250 guest rooms, four pools, four dining options, a white sand beach and various watersports. The site also features the historic Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow that is one of Marathon's oldest buildings. Additional renovations slated for completion by late December include a pool deck with new cabanas, a full-service spa and wellness center and a state-of-the-art fitness studio. The Faro Blanco Marina offers slips for vessels ranging from 35 to 140 feet as well as boat rentals. Visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.

In Marathon, Isla Bella Beach Resort & Spa has become 95% plastic-free, installing drinking water stations throughout the property and replacing plastic bottles with reusable aluminum bottles and single-use takeout service ware with reusable utensils and service ware made from sustainable materials. The hotel also has implemented a 1% impact fee, paid by guests on checkout, to create on-site programming and allocate funds to Florida Keys nonprofit organizations. Isla Bella has partnered with the Conch Republic Marine Army, a Florida Keys volunteer group dedicated to cleanup and restoration of mangrove habitats in the Keys, donating $85,000 for acquisition of a new 33-foot boat offering cleanup trips. This spring, an on-site beekeeping program is to return to provide fresh honey for the resort's dining outlets, support the environment through pollination, and serve as an educational resource for guests. Featuring 199 oceanfront units, the resort is located at 1 Knights Key Blvd. at mile marker 47. Visit islabellabeachresort.com or call 800-405-1948.

In Key West, the historic six-room Kona Kai Oasis, located at 630 South St., has been acquired by HP Hospitality, a full-service boutique management and investment group, making the “micro-boutique” guest house its first  property in Key West and its 11th in the Keys. Kona Kai Oasis is branded as an extension of the boutique cottage-style Kona Kai Resort in Key Largo. The Old Town Key West property’s amenities include complimentary bikes, pool, stocked in-room refrigerator and coffee maker, a grill and outdoor sundeck, and beach chairs, an umbrella and a cooler for beach outings. It’s located 0.2 miles from Duval Street and a short walk from major attractions such as the Southernmost Point, Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters and Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. In addition to Kona Kai Oasis and Kona Kai Resort, HP Hospitality owns nine other Keys boutique resorts: Amoray Dive Resort, Azul Del Mar, Dolphin Point Villas and Rock Reef Resort in Key Largo; Drift Hotel in Tavernier; La Jolla Resort and Lodge and Pines and Palms Resort in Islamorada; and Gulf View Waterfront Resort and Conch Key Fishing Lodge & Marina in Marathon. Visit konakaioasis.com or hphospitality.com or call 305-852-6914.

In Key West, the downtown 160-room La Concha Key West, an Autograph Collection Hotel at 430 Duval St., has completed full restorations to its public spaces, including the lobby and exterior façade. On-site dining venues include the Tropicado mojito bar, with crafted mojitos, daiquiris, and tapas inspired by tropical Spanish cuisine; Perla, with contemporary Cuban cuisine, serving signature breakfasts and upscale dinners; and El Dom Café, a Cuban-inspired coffee café with café con leches and sandwiches in a bright, domino-themed space. The property’s new seventh-floor Grand Dame Villas at the Rooftop offer seven rooftop villas with a dedicated concierge, floor-to-ceiling windows and balconies overlooking Duval Street. Villas feature textured furniture, diagonal square wooden tile patterns, gold and rattan details, Bose sound systems, and amenities such as fresh flowers, stocked fridge, welcome gift, Panama hats, seasonal fruit and assorted beverages. La Concha originally opened in 1926 with marble floors, private baths and ocean views. Visit marriott.com/en-us/hotels/eywaw-la-concha-key-west/overview/ or call 305-296-2991.

Key West's downtown 178-unit Opal Key Resort & Marina, located at 245 Front St., is undergoing renovations: upgrading its lobby for a sleek new arrival experience; expanding its pool area and deck; and unveiling a new signature restaurant, Lolitas, with a new dining concept. Completions are slated for early 2025. Guests currently can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner from a tented waterfront pop-up location by the marina. Visit opalcollection.com/opal-key/ or call 305-294-4000.

The landmark 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 1500 Reynolds St., has unveiled its newest restaurant. Dorada Key West serves “Baja-Med” fare infused with Mexican, Mediterranean and Asian flavors; shareable bites and cocktails. Diners can enjoy a “Toes in the Sand” six-course, chef-curated tasting menu at the ocean’s edge. Additional food and beverage venues include the signature Flagler’s restaurant with outdoor patio, the Canary Room lobby bar and lounge, and Morrison's Market with takeaway provisions, goods and gifts. Casa Marina Key West’s recent renovations include a new 5,000-square-foot oceanfront event lawn, added to an existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space — including the newly enhanced 3,100-square-foot Flagler's Ballroom, 2,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom and versatile 5,000-square-foot Keys Ballroom. Visit casamarinaresort.com or call 305-296-3535.

Keys Attractions 

In Key Largo, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is constructing its new $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation, to be unveiled June 7-8, 2025, to coincide with World Ocean Day. The 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility is to feature an ocean exploration gallery, science discovery classroom, ocean outreach gallery, program planning areas and a second-floor balcony, as well as exhibits celebrating scientific innovation, history, humanities and arts. REEF programs include educational experiences about fish identification, invasive lionfish and citizen science. The center is to be a launchpad for inspiring future ocean stewards, pioneering research, fostering collaboration and transforming marine conservation. REEF's headquarters, home to its campus administration, is a classic conch-style house. Known as the Upper Keys' oldest building that’s still in its original location, it stands at 98300 Overseas Highway. Visit REEF.org/OEC or call 305-852-0030.

In Islamorada, The Protect Center’s interactive museum Exploratorium has opened with nearly a dozen aquariums and educational exhibits about marine mammal rescue, veterinary medicine, conservation research and Keys ecology. In addition, The Protect Center’s boutique gift shop Sustain, offering mostly sustainable items, features a new “re-fillery” enabling visitors and residents to refill eco-friendly home and personal care supplies of cleaners, soaps, shampoos, body wash and other necessities to reduce single-use plastics. The Protect Center, located at 82748 Overseas Highway, is to be the Keys’ only whale and dolphin hospital with a 56,000-gallon intensive care unit. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2025. Visit connecttoprotect.org/hospital or call 305-453-4321.

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Animal Farm, a sanctuary where more than 150 animals are cared for with the help of selected county inmates guided by Farmer Jeanne Selander, has a new pair of two-toed sloths. Sid, age 10, and 9-year-old Sylvia were gifted by the Shell Factory Nature Park in Fort Myers, Florida, which closed its doors in September. The Animal Farm, located just off College Road on Stock Island, is open to the public on the second and fourth Sunday of each month from 1-3 p.m. with free admission. Community and school groups can schedule tours. Visit facebook.com/KeysAnimalFarm/ or call 305-293-7300.

Key West's Elizabeth Bishop House, where the celebrated United States poet lived and wrote during the 1930s and 1940s, is to open March 6, 2025, after a structural restoration; visitor tours are scheduled to begin the week of March 11. The Elizabeth Bishop's Postcards exhibit, on loan from Vassar College Libraries and showcasing Bishop's postcard correspondence from early life to her final years, is to run March 10 through May 5, with closing events including a conversation with the curators scheduled April 24-27. Bishop was the United States poet laureate in 1949-50 and won a Pulitzer Prize in 1956. She purchased the 19th-century eyebrow house in 1938 for $2,000 in financial support from her partner Louise Crane. The on-site Elizabeth Bishop Garden — to include plants from a list drawn from botanical and garden references in Bishop’s letters, poems, paintings and sketches — is to feature an accessible garden pathway leading through exhibits illuminating the poet’s life and work, and to a small seating area for reflection and reading. A rear yard presentation area is to seat about 50. The property, a registered Literary Landmark and home of the Key West Literary Seminar, is located at 624 White St. Visit kwls.org or call 305-293-9291.

Celebrating its 195th year, the Oldest House Museum, located at 322 Duval St., showcases life in Key West during the 1820s and '30s. The Wreckers' Room — where Captain Francis Watlington, a Florida state representative from 1858 to 1861, lived during his final days — is refurbished with newly conserved pieces including a blacklist for illegal wrecking practices, an insurance policy for "pirate-infested waters," and navigational charts from the 1600s to the 1800s. The Oldest House now features an original 1825 Dubois & Stodart box piano — one of only three in the U.S. on exhibit — a Cuban mahogany ice box, elegant whale oil lamps, and newly restored original pieces that arrived on a ship with 16-year-old Emeline Johnson, married nearly 200 years ago. The museum's restored Cistern Room is to feature an exhibit, "Water at the Watlington’s,” focusing on limited water on a frontier island, beginning Jan. 10 thru March. Visit OIRF.org or call 305-294-9501.

Key West’s retired U.S. Coast Guard Cutter INGHAM, docked at Truman Waterfront Park at the end of Southard Street as the INGHAM Maritime Museum and National Historic Landmark, is now open for sunset celebrations on Fridays, depending on weather. INGHAM was in service for 52 years, from 1936 to 1988, and is the only Coast Guard cutter afloat to receive two Presidential Unit Citations for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy. Events take place from one hour before sunset to one hour after sunset. Visit uscgcingham.org or call 305-292-5072.

The Key West Wildlife Center is unveiling a new elevated tropical green wildlife clinic and renovated wildlife recovery aviary, both targeted for completion in early 2025, within the 7-acre Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St. near Atlantic Boulevard. The new $2.4 million facility is to feature a large aviary with expansive room for flight conditioning and a clinic with a dedicated treatment area and additional interior space for patient care. The new facility also provides more exterior space for rehabilitation and protected space for education and outreach. The wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility, with a 24-hour wildlife rescue line, provides rehabilitation for native wildlife including birds, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008.

Keys Environment

On Big Pine Key, Save Our Key Deer Inc., led by founder-president Valerie Preziosi, is opening a new state-authorized Key deer rehabilitation facility in late December. The center is to provide care for orphaned fawns and medical assistance to Key deer injured by vehicles or needing attention because of entanglements, objects embedded in their hoofs or legs, illness, infections or wounds. While not open to visitors, the new facility is to provide webcam viewing and educational information on social media platforms. Save Our Key Deer conducts scientific research, including a study on the availability of natural drinking water sources for Key deer. Many of the endangered deer today depend on human sources for fresh water. Visit saveourkeydeer.org or call 760-807-9064.

The Monroe County Artificial Reefs Department has deployed 10 of 45 concrete power poles at a new artificial reef area about 16 nautical miles northeast of Key West in federal waters off the Gulf of Mexico. Additional poles and structures are to be added to the site to increase habitat complexity and space for marine life. “This deployment is the first in a long line of projects being developed to provide several ecosystem and economic-related services,” said Hanna Koch, Monroe County’s artificial reefs director. Monroe County has been awarded $15 million from the state of Florida to create a Florida Keys artificial reefs program. The most recent artificial reef placed in Keys waters was the 524-foot decommissioned Air Force ship General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, sunk off Key West in 2009. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/reefs.

Marking its fifth anniversary, Mission: Iconic Reefs has launched a new website about the NOAA-led, partner-driven $35 million program to restore seven reef sites in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The seven include Carysfort Reef, Horseshoe Reef, Cheeca Rocks, Newfound Harbor, Eastern Dry Rocks, Sombrero Reef and Looe Key Reef. “When Mission: Iconic Reefs launched it was only an idea — nothing more than words on paper,” said Jennifer Moore, the program’s senior manager. "Practitioners are outplanting corals on the reef, research is underway alongside restoration, and terabytes of data are being collected and analyzed. Our five-year pace has been nothing short of astonishing.” Mission Iconic Reefs was launched Dec. 9, 2019. A trailer for a soon-to-be-released mini-documentary on the program, produced by the office of National Marine Sanctuaries, is also on the detailed site. Visit MissionIconicReefs.org.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS Social: Facebook • Twitter • Instagram • YouTube • Pinterest • TikTok • Keys Voices Blog 

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The documentary-style episodes present local personalities throughout each of the Keys’ five districts. Featured are Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary-certified Blue Star diving, fishing and snorkeling operators; environmentalists; culturalists and chefs.

Podcast subjects include sustainability; hidden Florida Keys; culture of literature, history and art; culinary heritage; Blue Star diving, and Blue Star fishing and snorkeling.

Podcast host-writer Elizabeth Harryman Lasley, a past president of the prestigious SATW or Society of American Travel Writers, has been a CBS Morning Show travel contributor and hosted travel shows on KABC Radio and Southern California Public Radio station KPCC.

Produced by Armchair Productions in conjunction with the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the podcast is available on more than 20 platforms including Audible, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify and others.

The new podcast episodes dropped during the week of Sept. 23.

The first season of Florida Keys Traveler, with 30 episodes airing in 2023 and celebrating the island chain’s bicentennial, commemorated the Florida Legislature’s July 3, 1823, establishment of Monroe County. Twice-weekly episodes debuted from March 23 to July 3, 2023. Ten were aired additionally through inflight syndication on Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., the flag carrier of Hong Kong; and Singapore Airlines, the flag carrier of the Republic of Singapore.

Listen to Florida Keys traveler podcast episodes: podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/florida-keys-traveler/id1677811386 and fla-keys.com/podcast/.

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In Islamorada, the expansive new 15-acre contemporary Three Waters Resort & Marina — featuring an adults-only resort-within-a-resort and Marriott Bonvoy’s first Tribute Portfolio Resort in the Keys — is to be unveiled in early October. Several additional refurbished and expanded Keys properties are nearing completion.

Attractions that provide outdoor opportunities include new pickleball courts in Key Largo, an Upper Keys fox sanctuary offering public tours and an upgraded Key West wildlife aviary.

Here’s what’s new in the Keys:

Keys Airlift

At Key West International Airport (EYW), a 49,000-square-foot Concourse A expansion — with completion set for spring 2025 and overall project completion in summer 2026 —includes eight passenger boarding jet bridges, with the first bridge installed this summer; a 446-panel electrochromic glass curtain wall; state-of-the-art baggage carousels; extended TSA lanes; and additional restrooms. New venues include a First Call Beach Bar at baggage claim, a Southern Point Bar, Chili's restaurant and Farm 2 Air Market. The facility is designed to withstand 200 mph winds while addressing long-term passenger needs. Six carriers — Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — serve EYW with 21 destinations and more than 20 nonstop flights. The airport tallied a 10.3% passenger increase through August 2024, compared with the same eight months in 2023. Visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodations

Islamorada’s 15-acre, 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, Marriott Bonvoy's collection of independent hotels, is to open Oct. 3, 2024, as the brand's first in the Keys. Located at 84001 Overseas Highway, the resort features The Cove, an adult-centric resort-within-a-resort with island-inspired rooms and king suites, a private beach lagoon, and the Wave Motion Studio, a beachfront fitness center. A rum library offers tastings upon check-in. With 80,000 square feet of indoor and alfresco event spaces, the property offers nine dining concepts including Islamorada Pizza Co., a signature venue featuring wood-fired fare, and an outdoor Central American food hall. Also featured are two retail shops, a water taxi, full-service marina and renovated Tiki bar. Activities include fly-casting, kayaking, offshore and backcountry fishing, and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports with a 26-mile personal backcountry watercraft tour. Nearby are sister Islamorada Resort Collection properties: the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730. 

Islander Resort Islamorada, at 82100 Overseas Highway, is unveiling new dining options this fall that include the renovated coastal casual Tides Beachside Bar & Grill, and Drift, a new beachside dining pavilion. The dining venues join Elements Restaurant and the resort’s Oasis oceanfront food truck, serving fresh local flavors in a laid-back setting amid swaying palms. Additional renovations to expand the resort's beachfront area and one of the main pools are to be unveiled later this year. The upgrades are among recently completed resort enhancements, including fully renovated oceanside rooms and suites and the nearby Bayside Villas at Islander Resort, at 81450 Overseas Highway. Islander Resort's activities include Beach Movie Night on Fridays, Moonrise Bonfires on Saturdays, live music Fridays and Saturdays, beachfront yoga, snorkeling and paddle-boarding, complimentary loungers and rentable beach cabanas. Visit islanderfloridakeys.com or call 305-664-2031.

The Middle Keys’ Faro Blanco Resort, known for its iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse that dates from the 1950s, recently completed $14 million in renovations. Enhancements include updates to both the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, a Curio Collection by Hilton, and sister property, the Courtyard by Marriott Faro Blanco Resort, located at 1996 Overseas Highway in Marathon. Together, the resorts offer a total of 250 guest rooms, four pools, four dining options, a white sand beach and various watersports. The site also features the historic Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow that is one of Marathon's oldest buildings. Dining options at Faro Blanco include the Lighthouse Kitchen + Bar, Blue Waters Bar & Grill by the Courtyard's infinity pool, El Farito Coffee and Market, and The Bistro for grab-and-go items. Additional renovations encompass 10 to 12 poolside cabanas, the Ocean Spa — a 3,200-square-foot spa and wellness center — and a state-of-the-art fitness studio. The Faro Blanco Marina offers slips for vessels ranging from 35 to 140 feet as well as boat rentals. Visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.

In Key West, the downtown 160-room La Concha Key West, an Autograph Collection Hotel at 430 Duval St., has unveiled its new Grand Dame Villas at the Rooftop. The property's seventh floor now offers seven rooftop villas with a concierge-level experience. Villas feature floor-to-ceiling windows, balconies and a dedicated concierge. They include the Hemingway Suite, the largest, with a sunroom and guest copy of "To Have and To Have Not," written by Hemingway and set primarily in Key West; and the Sunrise, Sunset, Havana, Hibiscus, Tortuga and Flagler villas. Units feature textured furniture, diagonal square wooden tile patterns, gold and rattan details, floor-to-ceiling windows and Bose sound systems — with amenities such as fresh flowers, stocked fridge, welcome gift, seasonal fruit, assorted beverages and handcrafted Panama hats. The property's public spaces, including the lobby and exterior façade, are undergoing a full restoration set for completion by year’s end. Food and libation venues include Tropicado with classic crafted cocktails; Perla and El Dom Coffee Shop with fine and casual Cuban cuisine; and Epicurean, a market with Key West goods and gourmet dining options. La Concha originally opened in 1926 with marble floors, private baths and ocean views. Visit marriott.com/en-us/hotels/eywaw-la-concha-key-west/overview/ or call 305-296-2991.

Key West’s downtown 178-unit Opal Key Resort & Marina, located at 245 Front St., is undergoing renovations to its lobby, pool deck and signature restaurant Bistro 245, slated for completion as a new venue in December. The popular restaurant is to be unveiled as Lolitas, with a new dining concept. Guests currently can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner from a tented waterfront pop-up location by the marina. Visit opalcollection.com/opal-key/ or call 305-294-4000.

Keys Attractions

In Key Largo, the nonprofit Pawsitive Beginnings Inc., founded to provide a safe haven and permanent home to foxes saved from the fur trade, has been honored with the county proclamation of “Pawsitive Beginnings Day in Monroe County,” designated Aug. 27 each year. A new Healing Den at Pawsitive Beginnings assists individuals seeking bonding  and animal-assisted therapy for trauma, depression and anxiety. Visitors can book private hourlong tours of the Pawsitive Beginnings sanctuary for up to four participants ages 10 and older, with a prior appointment, to learn about the sanctuary’s eight foxes and the history of fox fur farming. Tour donation fee is $150 for the group. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a participating adult. Visit pawsitivebeginnings.org or call 305-376-1887.

In Key Largo, the Monroe County Parks and Beaches Department has unveiled the Keys’ largest standalone pickleball complex, with 10 new dedicated outdoor pickleball courts at Key Largo Community Park, located at 500 St. Croix Place, mile marker 99.5. The courts are open from 7:30 a.m. until sunset. Three additional county courts are to be built at Blue Heron Park at 30451 Lyttons Way on Big Pine Key. Visit parksandbeaches.fun or call 305-453-8748 or 305-453-8808.

The Key West Wildlife Center is unveiling a new elevated lime-green avian clinic and a welcome center, both targeted for completion in early 2025, within the 7-acre Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St. near Atlantic Boulevard. The clinic is to offer therapy baths and digital X-rays to better serve native and injured wildlife. The new $2.4 million facility is to feature a dedicated treatment area with additional interior space for patient care, more exterior space for rehabilitation and protected space for education and outreach. The wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility, with a 24-hour wildlife rescue line, also provides rehabilitation for non-avian species. Some 1,500 native wildlife patients were rescued in 2023, said executive director Tom Sweets. The facility is currently open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, with variable hours during the week; visitors should call ahead. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008.

In Key West, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum at 200 Greene St. is debuting a comprehensive “Spirits of the Passage” exhibit that documents the history of the transatlantic slave trade, its legacy and Florida Keys heritage — including Key West’s 19-century role as headquarters for the U.S. Navy’s antislavery squadron. The exhibit’s centerpiece is an extensive collection of artifacts recovered from the English merchant slave ship Henrietta Marie, which sank 35 miles west of Key West in 1700 after unloading enslaved Africans in Jamaica. Exhibit modules place the transatlantic trade in the context of its time, re-creating portions of the Henrietta Marie as well as depicting captured Africans’ homeland, the Jamaican plantation experience and Florida Keys elements ranging from Key West’s African Cemetery to the Cuban slave shipwreck Guerrero discovered off Key Largo. Plans call for the exhibit’s soft opening in October and a grand opening in mid to late November. Visit melfisher.org or call 305-294-2633.

The Key West Art & Historical Society has acquired the woodcarving “Elegant Lady,” hand-carved by acclaimed Cuban-American folk artist Mario Sanchez, a Key West resident who died in 2005. “Elegant Lady” portrays a Bahama Village street scene at the intersection of Petronia and Thomas streets with Blue Heaven restaurant as a backdrop. With 200 works by Sanchez in its permanent collection, KWAHS has the world’s largest assemblage of the artist’s works and personal artifacts, ranging from paper bag sketches to handcrafted paper kites to intricate woodcarvings. The society operates the Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House, Fort East Martello Museum, the Tennessee Williams Museum and the Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters. Visit kwahs.org/exhibit/mario-sanchez/ or call 305-295-6166.

Keys Environment

In the Lower Keys, the Plant a Million Corals restoration organization has successfully cultivated 40,000 corals at its land-based nursery in Summerland Key. PAMC, with goals of cultivating 100,000 corals by the end of 2024 and plans for future expansion, was founded in 2019 by Dave Vaughan, a Keys coral reef scientist known globally for pioneering the micro-fragmentation method of growing corals. Each of the 100,000 corals can be fragmented into 10 pieces, with PAMC targeting a goal of cultivating a million corals by year-end 2025. “Reaching 40,000 corals is a monumental step forward in our mission to restore the Florida Reef Tract,” Vaughan said. The organization also is growing mangroves in partnership with Key West–based Coastlove to help restore Keys coastlines. Visitors can book a tour of the organization’s Summerland Farms facility at 23801 Overseas Highway. Visit plantamillioncorals.org or call 772-216-0391.

Mote Marine Laboratory on Summerland Key has deployed a SeapHOx sensor at Looe Key in the Lower Keys to monitor pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity and temperature, to assess coastal acidification. Ocean acidification occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere is absorbed into seawater, reducing the pH (increasing acidity) and negatively impacting calcifying organisms like corals, shellfish and some plankton species. “Deploying the SeapHOx sensor is a milestone for our efforts to preserve coral reefs,” said Emily Hall, manager of Mote's Ocean Acidification and Chemical and Physical Ecology research programs. High-resolution data collected by the sensor tracks subtle changes in the reef environment, offering early warning signs of stress conditions. The deployment is funded by the Southeast Coastal Ocean Observing Regional Association. Complimentary public tours are conducted Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at Mote's Summerland Key facility, 24244 Overseas Highway. Visit mote.org/news/mote-leads-successful-sensor-deployment-initiative-to-impr or call 305-745-2729.

Key Dives, a conservation-minded dive shop in the Upper Keys, has a new location in Islamorada after moving from Bud N’ Mary’s to 85960 Overseas Highway, located bayside off Snake Creek Bridge. Key Dives was founded by Mike Goldberg, a CNN Hero and co-founder of the nonprofit Island Conservation and Restoration Education, known as I.CARE, with a goal of empowering divers to help restore Keys coral reefs. I.CARE is dedicated to restoring reefs off the Upper Keys including Alligator Reef. Key Dives conducts coral restoration and outplanting dive trips on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Visit icareaboutcoral.org or keydives.com or call 305-664-2211.

Keys Transportation

Conch Connect, a new on-demand, door-to-door rideshare service between Key West and neighboring Stock Island, has been launched by Monroe County. Conch Connect operates daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with all-electric Teslas. Rides are $2 per person, per ride, with payments made via the Freebee app. Cash is not accepted. Users can download the app by searching "Ride Freebee" on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Users should request rides at least 30 minutes in advance. Visit conchconnect.org or call 855-918-3733.

Keys Arts

Key West’s “Walk on White” kicks off Oct. 17 from 6-9 p.m., and is set for the third Thursday evening of each month through May. Strollers can sip complimentary libations and explore an array of arts-focused venues with works by painters, photographers, sculptors, ceramic and mixed media artists, and artisan jewelers. Arts lovers can enjoy creative demonstrations and musical and literary performances. WOW, launched in 1999 to promote and showcase the island’s midtown artists, now features more than 25 businesses in the White Street Gallery District. Visit WalkonWhiteKeyWest.com.

Keys Accolades

Noble House Hotels & Resorts’ Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Lower Keys and The Marquesa Hotel in Key West have earned prestigious rankings in the “First MICHELIN Key Hotels: All the Keys in the United States.” Little Palm Island Resort & Spa earned a top “Three Keys: Extraordinary Hotels” honor. “This 4-acre island is home to a mere 30 suites and a couple of rules — no guests under 18, no audible cell phones — serve to keep the atmosphere properly tranquil,” MICHELIN stated. The Marquesa Hotel earned “Two Keys,” with MICHELIN citing its rooms as “just what you’d expect, breezy and open, with gently rotating ceiling fans and robust antique furniture.” Visit guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/travel/all-the-key-hotels-united-states-michelin-guide-2024.

The Key West Art & Historical Society has been chosen for a Smithsonian Institution's Traveling Exhibition Service partnership program sharing local narratives on food. "Peeling back the layers of our local and regional food, you uncover a much larger story centering around Key West's diverse community," said KWAHS curator Cori Convertito, manager of "FOOD: Celebrating Conch Cuisine." The exhibit is to debut in early 2026 with additional funding provided by the nonprofit Florida Humanities, a National Endowment for the Humanities affiliate. Visit kwahs.org or call 305-295-6166.

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Several resort properties in the Keys have been enhanced and rebranded, with changes including the full renovations of two hotels established during the 1920s and of a gay men’s resort in Key West. An expansive new contemporary resort in Islamorada is to open this fall.

Here’s what’s new in the Keys:

Keys Airlift

Key West International Airport (EYW) experienced a 20% increase in airline seat capacity and tallied more than 450,000 passengers during the first quarter of 2024. A 49,000-square-foot Concourse A expansion, with overall project completion targeted by spring 2026, is to include eight glass jet bridges, state-of-the-art baggage carousels, extended TSA lines, additional restrooms and is designed to withstand 200 mph winds and storm surge while addressing long-term passenger needs. New venues are to include a First Call Beach Bar at baggage claim, Chili's restaurant and Farm 2 Air Market. At EYW, Signature Aviation recently unveiled a new private 4,500-square-foot terminal with covered parking facilities, second-story patio with panoramic views, a pilot's lounge, café and work areas. Six carriers — Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — serve EYW with 21 destinations and more than 20 nonstop flights. Visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.

In the Middle Keys at Marathon International Airport, a Million Air fixed-base operations facility is tentatively slated to open in late 2025. Facilities are to include a full-service indoor-outdoor restaurant and parklike green roof, open to both passengers and the Marathon community. Million Air offers a staffed beverage cart on arrival for passengers. The operation includes 16 acres of ramp space and a 5,008-foot-long runway. Million Air acquired the former Marathon Jet Center at the Middle Keys airport in January 2022 as the aviation company’s fourth fixed-base operation in Florida. Visit millionair.com/locations/mth/ or call 305-743-1995.

Keys Accommodations

At Everglades National Park, an all-new 75-seat stand-alone restaurant is open at the 24-unit Flamingo Lodge and Restaurant, unveiled in fall 2023 with studios and one- and two-bedroom suites, kitchenettes and balconies overlooking Florida Bay. Offering catch-and-cook options and casual fare, the restaurant is open to all park visitors. The park’s pink Guy Bradley Visitor Center — with a Florida National Parks Association bookstore, interactive nature and art exhibits, and expansive views overlooking Florida Bay — is open Fridays through Tuesdays (closed Wednesdays and Thursdays through Oct. 31) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2,400-square-mile Everglades National Park is the continental United States' third-largest national park. Park entrance fees for vehicles and vessels are $35 for a seven-day pass. Visit flamingo everglades.com/flamingo-lodge-restaurant or call 855-708-2207.

In Key Largo, the 200-room Baker’s Cay Resort at 97000 Overseas Highway is revitalizing its rooftop garden with fresh herbs, tomatoes, edible flowers, cucumbers and other vegetables to enhance garden-to-table fare. Executive Chef Carolann Wheeler is developing the resort’s Chef’s Garden to seasonally enhance menus with fresh produce. Sustainability elements throughout the resort include no single-use plastics in meeting setups, handmade organic confetti for wedding packages, refillable and recyclable bottles of water by Florida-based Proud Source, and team activities involving local conservation groups. A resort team-building activity includes group raft building using repurposed materials. Groups of up to six can build rafts to race on Florida Bay. Visit bakerscay.com or call 305-852-5553.

Islamorada Resort Collection is to offer 379 guestrooms and a world-class fishing fleet when its newest resort, the 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, is unveiled in Islamorada this fall. Billed "as an unexpected oceanfront experience unlike any resort currently in the Florida Keys," the resort joins Tribute Portfolio, Marriott Bonvoy’s collection of independent hotels, as the brand's first in the Keys. The new resort is to offer The Cove, an adult-centric resort-within-a-resort with island-inspired rooms and suites with only king beds, a private beach lagoon, and the resort's Wave Motion Studio, a fitness center overlooking the beach. A rum library is to offer tastings on check-in. The property, with 80,000 square feet of meeting space, is to feature nine dining concepts including an island-style pizza restaurant and those featuring wood-fired fare and Central American cuisine; two retail shops; a water taxi for guests; a full-service marina; and a renovated Tiki bar. Planned activities include fly-casting and kayak fishing; offshore and backcountry fishing; and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports, with a 26-mile personal watercraft tour of backcountry mangroves and wildlife preserves. The collection currently includes the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730. 

Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, located in the heart of the Keys at 1996 Overseas Highway in Marathon, is to convert July 10 to Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton. The property, known for its iconic 65-foot-tall Faro Blanco Lighthouse from the 1950s, is unveiling fully renovated guest rooms, the restored historic Parrish House featuring a private suite, and additional experiences throughout the resort by late this year. Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club and the adjacent Courtyard Faro Blanco Resort, combined, are to feature four pools, four dining options, a white sand beach, watersports and 250 guest rooms. Also new are one-story bungalows, a multilevel pool deck with bar and infinity pool, poolside cabanas, and a spa and fitness center. Visit faroblanco.com or call 305-743-1234.

In Key West, the 39-unit Island House Resort is nearing the completion of its extensive property renovation of rooms and apartments, poolside bar, 24-hour café, expansive sundeck and indoor spa. Completion is slated for October before the island’s popular Fantasy Fest celebration. Resort manager James Braun designed and fabricated the guest rooms’ custom-made LED backlit headboards complementing the property's new aesthetic, described as “mid-century modern Key West chic.” The clothing-optional resort, operational since 1976 with a unique longevity among men’s gay-owned and -operated properties, is billed as “the best gay resort in the world” and stands at 1129 Fleming St. Visit islandhousekeywest.com or call 800-890-6284 or 305-294-6284.

In Key West, the downtown La Concha Key West hotel at 430 Duval St. offers 160 freshly renovated rooms and 14 additional seventh-floor suites named Grande Dame Villas at the Rooftop. Suites feature textured furniture, diagonal square wooden tile patterns, gold and rattan details, floor-to-ceiling windows and Bose sound systems — as well as concierge services and amenities such as fresh flowers, stocked fridge, welcome gift, seasonal fruit, assorted beverages and a La Rubia Panama hat. Undergoing complete renovations are the property's public spaces including the lobby, exterior façade and rooftop pool. Food and libation venues include Tropicado with classic crafted cocktails; Perla and El Dom Coffee Shop with fine and casual Cuban cuisine; and Epicurean with gourmet grab-n-go items, gifts from Key West stores such as La Rubia Key West Authentic Panama Hats, Rodriguez cigars, handcrafted jewelry and sandals. La Concha originally opened in 1926 as a luxury hotel with marble floors, private baths and ocean views. The hotel is expected to join Marriott's Autograph Collection when renovations are completed. Visit laconchakeywest.com or call 305-296-2991.

Key West’s Pier House Resort & Spa, with 119 rooms and 23 suites, is launching an educational Marine Science Eco Experience at 1 p.m. on July 12, 19 and 26. The program explores hands-on experience with sea urchins and cucumbers, decorator crabs and other sea life, loggerhead turtle nesting and the role of coral reefs, marine mammals and invasive species and mangrove and seagrass ecology. The property is located at 1 Duval St. Visit pierhouse.com or call 305-296-4600.

The landmark 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, at 1500 Reynolds St., this summer opens its newest beachfront restaurant Dorada, the resort’s outdoor oceanside dining outlet serving “Baja-Med” fare and cocktails. Additional food and beverage venues include the signature Flagler’s restaurant with outdoor patio, the Canary Room lobby bar and lounge, and Morrison's Market with takeaway provisions, goods and gifts. Casa Marina Key West’s renovation includes a new 5,000-square-foot oceanfront event lawn, added to an existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space — including the newly enhanced 3,100-square-foot Flagler's Ballroom, 2,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom and versatile 5,000-square-foot Keys Ballroom. All guest rooms — including 63 suites, many with large oceanfront balconies and patios — are renovated. Two upgraded piers accommodate watersports and group activities such as personal watercraft tours, sunset sails and private snorkeling trips on a luxury catamaran. Visit casamarinaresort.com or call 305-296-3535.

Hyatt Centric Key West Resort & Spa offers restaurant Four Flamingos: A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, at 601 Front St. as a waterfront sea-to-table venue that launched as a pop-up in May 2023. It features fresh catches, hand-crafted cocktails and a daily 5-6 p.m. happy hour. In addition, Hyatt Centric Key West is the first Hyatt resort to implement "The Infinite Bottle Project," serving Proud Source Water in "infinitely recyclable" aluminum packaging. Working toward a goal of becoming a single-use plastic-free resort, the Key West resort has marked a milestone collection of one ton of aluminum from the property and surrounding community. Visit fourflamingoskeywest.com or hyatt.com/hyatt-centric/kwest-hyatt-centric-key-west-resort-and-spa/environmental-sustainability, or call 305-809-4000 or 305-809-1234.

Keys Sustainability

The Monroe County Tourist Development Council has launched its Florida Keys Eco-Experience Trail pass featuring 55 free geo-tagged, bookable experiences such as visiting Keys eco-attractions, taking a backcountry kayak tour or exploring the island chain’s wildlife refuges and state parks. Newly added vendors include Key West Aquarium, Sol Chaser Charters and Mellow Ventures. Trail participants can discover unique nature tours, wildlife centers and refuges, coral restoration opportunities and fishing, diving and snorkeling in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The mobile-exclusive digital Florida Keys Eco-Experience pass features offers, added values and Keys-branded prizes. Visit fla-keys.com/experience. 

Eco-friendly choices for booking Keys accommodations and diving and fishing trips — through the Florida Green Lodging and Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Blue Star programs — are now highlighted by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council through designated icons on the Keys’ website. Choices in each of the Keys’ five districts are designated on the website with a Green Lodging leaf graphic or a Blue Star logo. Currently, state-designated Green Lodging properties include 17 Keys lodging establishments, while the Blue Star program features 34 dive operators and 20 fishing operators throughout the Keys. Visit fla-keys.com.

World-renowned marine conservationist Sylvia Earle and her organization Mission Blue have declared South Florida’s coastal area — the Florida Keys and Ten Thousand Islands, including Biscayne Bay — a Hope Spot, scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean. “This Hope Spot combines the mangroves, seagrass meadows, coral reefs and the deep waters beyond all together, making this an amazing place highly regarded by people all over the world,” Earle said. The new Florida Keys and Ten Thousand Island Hope Spot connects the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary with the waters of the national parks of Everglades, Ten Thousand Islands and Biscayne Bay, forming a link between the established Florida Gulf Coast and Coastal South Florida Hope Spots. Visit missionblue.org/hope-spots/.

In Key Largo, the new REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation at the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is to be unveiled June 8, 2025, on World Oceans Day. The $5 million, 4,000-square-foot two-story facility, with a second-floor balcony, is to feature an ocean exploration gallery and three centers for discovery science, ocean outreach and program planning. REEF’s headquarters is a classic conch-style house, known as the oldest building in the Upper Keys still in its original location. Its on-site Interpretive Center, for groups of up to 80, currently provides educational experiences about fish identification, lionfish and mangrove ecology. REEF is located at 98300 Overseas Highway. Visit reef.org/oec or call 305-852-0030.

The Key West Wildlife Center is constructing a new wildlife rescue and rehabilitation clinic within the 7-acre Indigenous Park, located off White Street near Atlantic Boulevard. The new facility, as an avian clinic and a welcome center, is to feature a dedicated treatment area with 25% more interior space for patient care, 40% more exterior space for rehabilitation, and ample protected space for education and outreach. The center also provides rehabilitation for non-avian species. Some 1,500 native wildlife patients were rescued in 2023, said executive director Tom Sweets. The center, at 1801 White St., currently is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, with variable hours during the week due to the construction. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008.

Keys Parks

The Monroe County Parks and Beaches department is installing more than 30 public pickleball courts this year to meet Keys demand to participate in the recreational sports craze. At Key Largo Community Park at 500 St. Croix Place,10 are set for completion this summer. On Big Pine Key, three courts at Blue Heron Park at 30451 Lyttons Way are to be completed this year, for a total of six. Pickleball lines have been added to two Big Pine Key Community Park tennis courts at 31009 Atlantis Drive. Courts are available at Bay Point Park, 6 W. Circle Drive at mile marker 15 in the Lower Keys. In Key West at Higgs Beach on Atlantic Boulevard, there are six permanent courts and two multipurpose courts with an additional six pickleball courts on two tennis courts. Visit parksandbeaches.fun or call 305-453-8748.

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Throughout the Keys, resorts are undergoing refurbishments and upgrades to enhance visitors’ experiences and stays. In addition, the island chain offers sustainability activities focused on and in the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, with opportunities including participation in coral and mangrove restoration.

Meanwhile, increased seat capacity on carriers flying into Key West International Airport is helping to make the Keys more easily accessible than ever for visitors traveling to the island chain from major U.S. cities.

Among what’s new:

Keys Airlift

Key West International Airport (EYW) is projecting an increase in airline seat capacity of more than 20% during the first quarter of 2024, with airlines averaging 33 daily flights. Six carriers currently serve EYW — Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver. The airport is currently constructing a new 48,000-square-foot Concourse A expansion set for completion now in early 2026 and is also adding an eighth gate. Planned new airport venues include a First Call Beach Bar at baggage claim, Chili’s restaurant, Farm 2 Air Market and Southern Point bar. Also at EYW, Signature Aviation has unveiled a new private 4,500-square-foot aviation terminal with covered parking facilities, second-story patio with panoramic views and pilot’s lounge, work areas and coffee café. Visit eyw.com or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodations

The beachfront Islander Resort Islamorada, undergoing a multi-phased renovation, recently unveiled refurbished guest rooms, amenities and new resort activities. Highlights include fully renovated bungalows featuring oceanside rooms and suites with updated furniture and interiors and a calm color palette of creams, whites, soft pinks and light blues. Refreshed interiors complement each room's private patio and lush, manicured foliage. The resort’s renovated Bayside Villas at Islander Resort, at 81450 Overseas Highway, offer townhome-style accommodations redone in the same aesthetic with refurbished kitchens. Bayside Villas offer a private marina, bayfront pool and access to all resort amenities. Islander Resort’s activities now include yoga, shell jewelry making, Beach Movie Night on Fridays, live music, Moonrise Bonfires on Saturdays, complimentary loungers and rentable beach cabanas. Guests also can enjoy the resort's saltwater pool, freshwater pool and hot tub. Additional renovations are soon to include upgrades to three on-site dining options: Tides Beachside Bar & Grill, offering lunch, dinner and cocktails with poolside and beachside service; Elements Restaurant, serving breakfast; and the Oasis oceanfront food truck with fresh seafood. A new beachside dining pavilion and redesigned menus at each venue are to be added at 82100 Overseas Highway. Visit islanderfloridakeys.com or call 305-664-2031.

Islamorada Resort Collection is to offer 379 guestrooms,12 dining outlets, 80,000 square feet of meeting space and a world-class fishing fleet when its newest resort in Islamorada is unveiled this summer with 214 rooms. Culinary experiences are to include an island-style pizza restaurant, a new signature restaurant featuring wood-fired fare and an outdoor venue with Central American cuisine; two retail shops; a water taxi for guests and a full-service marina; and renovated Tiki Bar. The Collection currently includes the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas. Activities are to include offshore and backcountry fishing and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports, with a 26-mile jet ski tour of backcountry mangroves and wildlife preserves. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730. 

On Duck Key, Hawks Cay Resort has launched a pup-friendly “Vacay Pup” program with a planner concierge; menu items such as roasted pig ears, a “quarter hounder” burger and “dog beer;” and doggie activities, including a new Pup Paradise Park with artificial turf and native shade trees, for guests with furry friends. "Becoming pet-friendly is a significant enhancement for both new and returning guests," said Tiffiany Holmes, resort director. Guests can register pets at check-in and get a Pup Pass bandana. Amenity packages feature a “pup nap time” door sign, in-room dog bowl, relief bags, VIP (Very Important Pups) play ball and dog beds on request. Dogs must be leashed at all times; nightly fees apply. The resort is located at 61 Hawks Cay Blvd. Visit hawkscay.com or call 888-395-5539.

The 125-unit Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, located at Marathon's iconic 1950s lighthouse, is undergoing conversion as the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton. The conversion is scheduled for completion this summer. On the resort’s third floor, premium king and queen rooms are now renovated with new furniture with light wood tones, natural textures and Keys-inspired tropical art. All guest rooms are to undergo renovations in upcoming months. The property is to include over 40,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, one- and two-story bungalows, a new multilevel pool deck with bar and infinity pool, two-story poolside cabanas and an all-new spa and fitness center. Adjacent to the resort, located at 1996 Overseas Highway, is the 74-slip Faro Blanco Marina. Visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.

On Sugarloaf Key in the Lower Keys, the 44-unit, all-suite Sugarloaf Key Hotel at the Sugarloaf Key/Key West KOA Resort is now open. Guests can enjoy KOA resort amenities including boat rentals, poolside pub and café, scheduled weekly activities and events such as trivia nights and live music, ice cream and s’mores socials. Well-appointed hotel suites can accommodate up to six guests and include private outdoor decks overlooking the property, kitchens with dishwasher and full-size washer and dryer, and separate living room and bedroom. Unveiled in December 2023, the new hotel is located at 251 State Road 939. Visit sugarloafkeyhotel.com or call 305-745-3549.

In Key West, the newly independent Key West Historic Inns — a portfolio of five historic boutique properties in the Old Town district — is now under new management with Pivot, the lifestyle operating vertical division of Davidson Hospitality Group. The five inns include Ella's Cottages, Fitch Lodge, Lighthouse Hotel, Ridley House and Winslow's Bungalows. The Davidson portfolio also includes Islamorada Resort Collection in Islamorada and Baker's Cay Resort in Key Largo. Visit keywesthistoricinns.com or call 305-294-3333.

The Key West Marriott Beachside Resort has been rebranded as the 222-room Beachside Resort & Residences by Spottswood Companies, based in Key West. Its management company Brightwild, which connects guests to local culture, offers guest experiences, managers and city guides to customize visitor experiences like those enjoyed by residents. “Over the years, our journey with legacy brands like Marriott, Hyatt and IGH has shown us that the transition to a model like Brightwild is precisely what Beachside Resort needs to ensure that we remain one of the best resorts in Key West,” said Robert Spottswood Jr., president of Spottswood Companies and co-founder of Brightwild. Spottswood Companies opened Beachside Resort, located at 3841 N. Roosevelt Blvd., in 2007. Visit beachsidekeywest.com or call 305-295-8100.

Key West’s Southernmost Beach Resort has unveiled its newly renovated guest houses, four restored 19th-century Victorian homes for adult-only accommodations. The guest houses — Avalon, Dewey, Duval Gardens and La Mer — blend intimate charms of bed-and-breakfast properties with a modern resort's amenities and services. Fostering a sense of community, they include shared spaces such as the beachfront Dewey Deck and the new Parlour Bar at Avalon, offering an array of hand-crafted cocktails and local beers and an extensive wine list. Guests have access to amenities including three pools, bars, a spa, private Atlantic Ocean beach and the Southernmost Beach Cafe. Southernmost Beach Resort, located at 1319 Duval St., offers live entertainment, group yoga classes, and programming including cocktail tastings and trivia activities. Visit southernmostbeachresort.com or call 800-354-4455.

Keys Water Adventures

In Key West, Steve and Doris Colgate’s Offshore Sailing School is offering three-day Learn to Sail and weeklong Catamaran Live Aboard Cruising courses for US Sailing certification. The renowned sailing school packages its courses with a resort stay at Beachside Resort & Residences in Key West. Courses are also offered without accommodations. Sailing lessons and bareboat cruising courses are taught aboard a Colgate 26 sailboat or a Lagoon 40 Catamaran, utilized for six days with the cruising certification courses. In honor of the company’s 60th anniversary, course pricing starts at $1,964 per person, excluding accommodations; with sailing lessons priced at $125 per person per hour with a two-hour minimum. Olympian and America’s Cup competitor Steve Colgate founded the company in 1964. Visit OffshoreSailing.com, email info@OffshoreSailing.com or call 888-385-6177. 

Yankee Freedom, the National Park Service ferry concessionaire that takes visitors to the remote Dry Tortugas National Park 70 miles west of Key West, has ordered a larger high-speed catamaran to replace its vessel currently in operation. The new all-aluminum Yankee Freedom IV is to carry 175 passengers daily and measure 112.5 feet long and 31.6 feet at the beam. The new boat is to offer main-cabin seating for 130 passengers as well as tables, a snack bar and an audio-visual passenger information center. The aft deck is to feature a covered open-air area with shower area, stowage for kayaks and camping gear, four passenger heads, and a two-level platform and handrails installed on the open bow deck for passenger viewing. Top speed will be more than 28 knots; delivery is scheduled in 2025. Visit drytortugas.com or call 800-634-0939.

Keys Sustainability

Key Largo’s Coral Restoration Foundation recently welcomed three additional Keys dive operators to its public dive program. In Key Largo, Pirate Cove Watersports and Conch Republic have joined as participants, while Southpoint Divers has been added in Key West. The dive program is open to both certified divers and snorkelers, who work to clean, maintain, monitor and plant corals in underwater nurseries. Upcoming events are scheduled. Visit coralrestoration.org/dive-programs or call 305-453-7030.

In  the Lower Keys on Summerland Key, the Plant a Million Corals Foundation and the Key West-based Coastlove are partners in a collaboration to grow mangroves at the foundation’s Summerland Farms, located at 23801 Overseas Highway. Visitors and residents can tour the facility and mangrove nursery where mangrove propagules are potted and raised for planting programs. Mangroves and coral reefs are effective natural protections against tropical storms and serve as buffers for waves and storm surge. Visit plantamillioncorals.org or call 772-216-0391.   

Mote Marine Laboratory, with its Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration located on Summerland Key, has unveiled an Adopt-A-Coral program in the Keys. Mote also operates coral nurseries in Key Largo and Islamorada, and has permanent exhibits at Islamorada’s Florida Keys History & Discovery Center and the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center in Key West. Digital E-Pal coral adoptions are $30 and come with a digital adoption certificate and photo of the “adoptee” with fact sheet. Adoption donations help Mote scientists breed corals with higher resilience to increasing heat, test various disease treatments and plant new corals onto damaged reefs. Visit mote.org/adopt/animal/adopt-a-coral or call 305-395-2757.

Keys Attractions

In Key Largo, Kona Kai Gallery at the 14-unit Kona Kai Resort has unveiled its latest gallery collection, “Almost Sexy,” by Islamorada abstract artist Beth Kaminstein, regarded for her work in ceramics, clay and drawing. Kaminstein, a well-known Keys studio artist, has worked and lived in New York City and Florence, Italy. The resort, with boutique cottage-style units, is located at 97802 Overseas Highway. Visit konakairesort.com or call 305-852-7200.

The structural restoration of Key West’s Elizabeth Bishop House, where the famed United States poet laureate lived and wrote during the 1930s and 1940s, is nearing completion and expected to open in early 2025. Bishop purchased the 19th-century eyebrow house in 1938. Plans for the on-site Elizabeth Bishop Garden — to include plants from a list drawn from botanical and garden references in Bishop’s letters, poems, paintings and sketches — include public visitor tours in 2025. An accessible garden pathway is to lead visitors through permanent exhibits illuminating Bishop’s life and work and to a small seating area for reflection and reading. A rear yard presentation area will seat about 50. The property, a registered Literary Landmark and the new home of the Key West Literary Seminar, is located at 624 White St. Visit kwls.org or call 305-293-9291.

Key West’s Aquaplex, located in the heart of the island city’s LGBTQ entertainment district, recently debuted its Birdcage Cabaret with Christopher Peterson show starring the Key West-based female impersonator. Peterson is known for performing his EYECONS show at Key West venues and in other cities. His Birdcage performances blend traditional impersonations of famous divas with elaborate new elements and feature a rotating cast of Aquanettes, the complex’s signature drag queens. Located at 504 Angela St. just off Duval Street, The Birdcage can seat 80 to 100 guests. The new 90-minute cabaret show is staged Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Visit aquakeywest.com/the-birdcage-cabaret or call 305-916-1255.

Keys Dining

In Islamorada, the all-new 3,700-square-foot Papa Joe’s Waterfront — known for its signature sunset views of both the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay on Upper Matecumbe Key — serves “elevated casual fare” such as calamari, tuna nacho and “conch puppy” appetizers; hamburgers and fresh fish sandwiches for lunch; and fish and steak plates for dinner. Stretching over Florida Bay, the venue seats 130 indoors and 32 on the outdoor patio and features a large open Tiki bar. Originally built in 1938, Papa Joe’s was a Florida Keys institution until it was demolished in 2011. “The Keys were built on history and it’s nice to be able to rebuild history,” said owner Charles Hertel, a former Keys fishing guide. Papa Joe’s is located at 79786 Overseas Highway. Hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday (closed Wednesday) and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Plans include a new apparel business. Visit PapaJoesWaterfront.com or call 305-433-4662.

In Islamorada at Bud N’ Mary’s Fishing Marina, the new PR Café, open for breakfast and lunch daily, is operated by Erik Rodriguez, the executive chef at Islamorada’s Ziggie & Mad Dog’s restaurant. PR Café’s breakfast offerings include meat, egg and cheese options on croissants, bagels and English muffins. Sandwiches and take-away lunches, with weekly specials, are available for diners and fishing charters departing daily out of the complex’s adjacent marina. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., the 20-seat café has inside and outdoor seating and is located at 79851 Overseas Highway. Call 305-664-0166.

Keys Accolades

The City of Key West has won the Historic Florida Keys Foundation’s Award of Excellence for rehabilitation of the Key West Aquarium, the island’s first attraction, at 1 Whitehead St. The recent renovation of the aquarium building’s front exterior is a redesign resembling the original open-air aquarium that opened its doors in the 1930s. Visit keywestaquarium.com. In other Historic Florida Keys Foundation awards, the Key West Lighthouse, located at 938 Whitehead St. and operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society, won for preservation, for upgrades and repairs made to the 66-foot, 1848 tower that protects a Fresnel lens at its top. Visit kwahs.org/museums. Both attractions have earned a Historic Preservation Star.

For the 12th time, the City of Key West has been named a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. “The trees being planted and cared for by Key West are ensuring that generations to come will enjoy a better quality of life,” said Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation’s chief executive.

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The Florida Keys continue marking their bicentennial milestone throughout 2023, with museum exhibits and festivities commemorating the 125-mile-long island chain’s vibrant two-century heritage.

Among what’s new:

Keys Airlift

Airline seat capacity is increasing on flights between several major cities and Key West International Airport (EYW), which is currently undergoing a major Concourse A expansion to be completed by summer 2025. JetBlue Airways is to resume nonstop service Oct. 29 to EYW from Boston Logan International Airport on 140-seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with nonstop daily service scheduled in January. Nov. 5, American Airlines is to add a second daily nonstop flight to EYW from Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on a 76-seat Embraer 175. Also Nov. 5, Delta Air Lines is to resume its nonstop winter seasonal flight to EYW from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on a 70-seat Embraer 170. Beginning Nov. 28, United Airlines is to operate two daily nonstop flights to EYW from Newark Liberty International Airport: one on a Boeing 737-700 and one on a 70-seat Embraer 170. Additionally, Dec. 21 United is to begin operating daily nonstop flights to EYW on 126-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft from Chicago O’Hare, Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental, and Washington D.C.’s Dulles international airports, replacing its 70-seat Embraer 170 aircraft on those three routes. Visit eyw.com or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodation

At Everglades National Park, the all-new 24-unit Flamingo Lodge, including studios and one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and balconies overlooking Florida Bay, is slated to open Nov. 1 for guests. Rates range from $259 to $399 per night, plus tax, through May 2024 with a 14-day maximum stay. An adjacent stand-alone restaurant is slated to open along with the lodge. The park's fully renovated pink Guy Bradley Visitor Center — with interactive nature and art exhibits and expansive views overlooking Florida Bay — is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Florida National Parks Association bookstore is in the center with books and Everglades souvenirs. The 2,400-square-mile park is the continental United States' third-largest national park. Visit flamingoeverglades.com/flamingo-lodge-restaurant or call 855-708-2207.

In Islamorada, Casa Morada Resort, a member of Enthusiast Hotel Collection, has partnered with the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology to enable bird enthusiasts to become familiar with indigenous bird species in the Upper Keys. Properties in the Enthusiast Hotel Collection connect guests who are birdwatchers with local birding experts and birding ecosystems. Guests can study migration patterns and nesting rituals, observe birds on educational walks, and learn about efforts to protect vulnerable species. The Enthusiast Hotel Collection features "experiential hospitality for enthusiastic travelers who are seeking adventures in off-the-beaten-path destinations and prefer to stay at hotels that have a story to tell.” Casa Morada, located at 136 Madeira Road, welcomes guests 16 and older. Visit casamorada.com or call 305-664-0044.

Marathon’s 125-unit Faro Blanco Resort, with a historic 1950s lighthouse, is undergoing renovations and a conversion to become Faro Blanco Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton, in late 2023. The enhanced property is to include 1,200 square feet of meeting space with expansive windows and outdoor event space, cabanas and a new multi-level deck with bar. There’s an adjoining 74-slip marina. Visit faroblancoresort.com or 305-743-1234.

In the Lower Keys, the 7-acre waterfront Sun Outdoors Sugarloaf Key is slated to open in October on Summerland Key. As the Keys’ fourth Sun Outdoors RV resort, it features 73 full hookup 20-, 30-, and 50-amp RV sites with patio, complimentary Wi-Fi and outdoor picnic table; a heated pool, boardwalk and peninsula Tiki bar with firepit. An additional 19 on-site “glamping” bungalows are available. The newest Lower Keys resort is located at 3000 Johnson Road gulfside on Summerland Key. Sister property Sun Outdoors Islamorada recently opened its 12-acre Upper Keys resort with 82 full hookup RV sites with outdoor kitchens, patio furniture, 47 boat slips at three marinas, pool and private poolside cabanas, kayak and watersport offerings, clubhouse, workout center, Tiki hut and second-story ocean-view lounge. Visit sunoutdoors.com/florida/sun-outdoors-sugarloaf-key or call 305-745-1079.

The legendary 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, is to unveil its grand renovation this fall. Guests can expect vibrant décor, enhanced food and beverage venues, and a new 5,000-square-foot oceanfront event lawn added to its existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space. Fully renovated piers can be utilized for watersports, and activities include scavenger hunts, jet-ski tours and snorkeling trips on a luxury catamaran. All guest rooms — including 63 suites, many with large oceanfront balconies and patios — are renovated. Event space includes the 3,100-square-foot historic Flagler's Ballroom, a 2,600-square-foot Grand Ballroom and versatile 5,000-square-foot Keys Ballroom. Nine event spaces accommodate from 10 to 500 people. Visit casamarinaresort.com or call 305-296-3535.

In Key West, the two-bedroom penthouse suite at Ocean Key Resort & Spa is redesigned as the Flamingo Royale Suite, with 1,200 square feet, dynamic colors, bold wallpaper and tropical accents. The suite, accommodating up to four, offers a spacious lounging area, two king bedrooms and two full bathrooms with a spa tub, a claw foot tub and separate showers. An oceanfront balcony spanning the full length of the suite showcases sweeping views of the ocean and historic Key West Harbor. Visit oceankey.com or call 305-809-8072.

Keys Attractions

In Islamorada, The Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder (DPMMR) rescue group is developing The Protect Center Whale & Dolphin Hospital, located at 82748 Overseas Highway bayside, as South Florida's only working and teaching veterinary hospital to treat injured whales, bottlenose dolphins and other marine mammals. The new facility is to include a 40-foot-diameter pool for long-term marine mammal rehabilitation, an educational classroom and a 3,000-square-foot marine wildlife conservation-themed museum, targeted to open in early 2024. Currently, the Protect Center’s Sustain Gift Shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. An affiliated experiential learning facility, The Connect Center, is located at 31 Corrine Place in Key Largo. DPMMR has responded to more than 700 injured, sick and stranded marine mammals in the Keys. Visit connecttoprotect.org/hospital or call 305-453-4321.

At Robbie's Marina in Islamorada, the new Transparensea glass-bottom boat is available for day and night tours of reefs such as Alligator Reef, Caloosa Rocks and Cheeca Rocks. The 46-foot Newton, built in 2023, can carry 49-passengers and has 16 glass-viewing windows and Lumitec underwater lights for night tours. Shaded and open-air, Transparensea is promoted as Florida's only stabilized glass-bottom boat with Seakeeper, which aids boat stabilization. Daily tours are scheduled at noon, 3 p.m. and 20 minutes after sunset. Visit glassbottomtour.com or call 305-214-5277.

In Marathon, the Pigeon Key Visitor Center and an all-new, custom-designed Pigeon Key Express train, launched in August, offer daily tours departing from the Pigeon Key Gift Shop at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The colorful train, with a locomotive front and two 30-passenger coaches, travels along a 2.2-mile restored span of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Lying beneath “Old Seven,” the tiny island of Pigeon Key was a camp for workers building the bridge in the early 1900s and features restored buildings and a museum. Guided tours of Pigeon Key begin at the yellow picnic tables on the south side of the bridge tender’s building by the umbrellas. Visitors can swim, snorkel, fish and shop at an on-island gift shop. The train depot is at 1090 Overseas Highway bayside. Train tours can be booked online 14 days in advance.  Visit pigeonkey.net or call 305-743-5999.

In Marathon, the 63.5-acre Crane Point Museum & Nature Trails is to unveil an all-new home for the Marathon Wild Bird Center — with new educational bird enclosures and a new hospital and a rehabilitation facility for treatment of sick and injured rescued wild birds — in October. The facility is to house more than 40 non-releasable birds and continue to treat about 750 birds annually. Crane Point also features the Crane House, built in 1954 and now fully renovated for events; a museum, lagoon, plant nursery and several nature trails. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and located at mile marker 50.5, Crane Point is the site of prehistoric Native American artifacts and an early Bahamian village. The attraction, located at the site of Marathon's first train depot, is home to the Adderley House, a structure built in 1904, originally owned by a Bahamian sponge fisherman and noted as the second-oldest house in the Keys outside of Key West. Visit cranepoint.net  or call 305-743-9100 or 305-743-3900.

At Key West’s Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, the new “1622: Wealthy World” exhibit showcases never-before-displayed artifacts from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita shipwrecks, two galleons from Spain’s 1622 fleet that sank off Key West. The museum is believed to contain the richest single collection of 17th-century maritime and shipwreck antiquities in the Western Hemisphere. Telling the shipwrecks’ story in the context of their time, the exhibit features objects including huge cannons and rare hand weapons, cooking implements and ceramic food and water storage jars, tools of the ships’ surgeon and carpenter, passengers’ belongings, a priceless emerald cross, gold and silver coins and 24 silver bars that weigh about 70 pounds apiece. The Atocha and Margarita, carrying riches from Spain’s New World colonies, were among 28 vessels shipwrecked during a 1622 hurricane. Both galleons’ wrecksites were discovered off Key West in the 1980s by salvager Mel Fisher and crew. Located at 200 Greene St., the museum opens at 10 a.m. daily and the last visitors are admitted at 4 p.m. Guided behind-the-scenes tours of the artifact conservation lab can be booked at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. weekdays. Visit melfisher.org or call 305-294-2633.

The Key West Lighthouse and Keeper’s Quarters Museum has reopened after restoration work to the lighthouse tower, originally opened in 1848. Adjacent to the tower, a fully restored oil storage shed is to become part of the museum’s display space. Plans include positioning three replica 100-gallon oil butts in the oil house, to give visitors an understanding of how difficult the lighthouse keeper’s job was to keep the light fueled at night and during storms. Visitors can walk up the lighthouse’s 88 steps for sweeping panoramic views of the island city. Ninety-minute sunset experiences — offering private use of the lighthouse for groups ranging from two to eight — and a marriage proposal package are offered, priced from $375 for groups of two to four. The historic landmark, operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society and owned by Monroe County, is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 938 Whitehead St. Visit kwahs.org/lighthouse or call 305-294-0012.

The historic Key West Firehouse, celebrating its 10th year as a museum, offers new exhibits, a Dalmatian scavenger hunt, a gift shop and a retired firefighters' lounge. Key West, known for one of the country's largest districts of historic wooden buildings, experienced the Great Fire of 1886 but city firefighters have preserved the historic Old Town district for 137 years since. Small groups can rent the facility for rates priced from $250 and ghost tours of the 1907 firehouse can be booked on Friday nights. Located at 1024 Grinnell St., Key West's “hottest” historic attraction is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visit keywestfire.com or call 305-617-6744.

In Key West, Fleming Street boutique owners are kicking off monthly First Fridays on Fleming with “sip and shop” activities. Upcoming First Friday events — set for 6-9 p.m. Oct. 6, Nov. 3, Dec. 1 and throughout 2024 — highlight Fleming Street’s 500 block, showcasing boutiques, galleries and eateries with jewelry trunk shows, art openings, plein air painting, book signings, tastings and libations. Participants in the 500 block and elsewhere on Fleming include The Roost cocktail bar, Key West Local Luxe Jewelry, Luna Boutique, Thirsty Mermaid, Key West Island Books, Sean P. Dwyer Studio, Assortment Inc Menswear, Amanda Johnson Gallery, Sea Store Antiques, Clemente's Trolley Pizzeria, Island Antiques, Sunny Eggs Bakery, Jean Pierre Klifa, Duck & Dolphin Antiques, Key West Yoga Sanctuary, Salt Gallery and Williams Hall. Visit FabFlemingKW.com or call 305-304-9001.

 Keys Bikes

In Key Largo, Bike the Florida Keys, a new Upper Keys e-bike company, rents Lectric XP Step-Thru 2.0 bikes with a top speed of 28 mph and range of up to 45 miles. The company has free deliveries in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada. The e-bikes feature front suspension, safety lights, puncture-resistant fat tires and trip and battery intelligence through LCD technology.  Half-day rentals, from 8 a.m. to noon and 1-5 p.m., are priced from $40 per person per bike. Full-day rentals, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., are priced from $65. Bikes have a range of 25 to 45 miles and are equipped with basket, water-resistant bag and helmet. Guided half-day tours can be booked. Riders must be 16 to ride. Visit biketheflkeys.com or call 305-783-6066.

In Key West, Key Lime Bike Tours features a new two-hour, four-mile guided Sunset Bicycle Tour past historic sights of Mallory Square, the Custom House, Mile Marker 0, Truman Waterfront Park, Hemingway Home, Southernmost Point, The Mansion by the Sea and popular bars for a mix of education, sightseeing and entertainment. Brightly lit beach cruisers have coaster brakes, baskets and comfort seats, and the tours include bottled water and drink coupons. Tours meet at 122 Ann St. 15 minutes prior to tour time. Visit keylimebiketours.com or call 305-340-7834.

Keys Marinas

A new Key West marina, Happy Landings Marina, is to open this fall for 75 vessels up to 40 feet in length. The marina is to feature gated 24-hour access, dock and concierge services, a fish-cleaning station, ice machine and parking. Thirty boat lifts are initially planned with capability to hoist boats up to 20,000 pounds. Future plans include up to 38 additional boat lifts, an office, clubhouse with climate-controlled locker storage, and two rental apartments in late 2024. It's at 2407 N. Roosevelt Blvd. Visit happylandingsmarina.com or call 305-518-1189.

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Significant upcoming heritage anniversaries also are planned. In early December, Everglades National Park is to celebrate its 75th anniversary at the Flamingo area in mainland Monroe County.

Additionally, Key West celebrationsin June 2023 are to mark the 20th anniversary of Gilbert Baker's creation and unfurling of the island city's 1.25-mile-long sea-to-sea rainbow flag, billed as the world's longest rainbow flag.

Among what's new:

Keys Transportation

FlixBus, the European intercity mobility company offering bus and rail services in 36 countries, has added two new Keys stops: in Key Largo and on Big Pine Key. In Key Largo, buses stop at 99501 Overseas Highway for southbound trips and at 99551 Overseas Highway for northbound trips. On Big Pine Key southbound trips stop at the U.S. Post Office parking lot at 29959 Overseas Highway, while northbound trips depart from a pullover spot at 30026 Overseas Highway. Visit FlixBus.com, call 855-626-8585 or download the free app from Apple App Store or Google Play.

In the Middle Keys, a new 60-passenger tram, sporting a locomotive front and two 30-passenger coaches, is now transporting visitors along a 2.2-mile span of the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Key. The bridge, nicknamed "Old Seven," was originally the centerpiece of railroad magnate Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, which debuted in 1912 and connected the Keys with each other and mainland Florida for the first time. Pigeon Key, a 5-acre island nestled beneath the bridge, was once home to about 400 workers constructing the railroad. The new gasoline-powered tram is ADA compliant. At Pigeon Key construction on a $184,000 project, including $166,050 allocated by the Florida Keys tourism council to the Pigeon Key Foundation, is to add ADA-accessible ramps to the tiny island's historic classroom-meetings facility and museum. Visit pigeonkey.net or call 305-743-5999.

Key West International Airport is beginning construction on its two-year, $100 million Concourse A terminal expansion, with targeted completion in late 2024. The new 48,000-square-foot, second-level concourse is to include a spacious departure and additional baggage areas, seven passenger boarding jet bridges, an expanded security checkpoint to support up to four security lanes and an extended passenger bridge connecting the existing terminal building with the new concourse. Currently, six carriers - Allegiant, American, Delta, Jet Blue, Silver and United - serve the airport with daily nonstop flights. Visit eyw.com or call 305-809-5200.

Keys Accommodations

New "Aqua Lodges" - 38 waterfront two-bedroom, one-bath tiny house–style accommodations - are offered at marinas in Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West. Each lodge has a full kitchen, flat screen TV and air conditioning and is about 350 square feet, accommodating a maximum four adults and two children. In Islamorada Treasure Harbor Marina has six lodges. In Marathon Coconut Cay RV Park and Marina has 10, with Key Colony Marina offering two. On Big Pine Key there are 13 lodges at the Old Wooden Bridge and Hurricane Hole Marina on Stock Island has seven. The Aqua Lodges can be booked through various booking sites; an 800-reservation line is soon to be available. Visit coconutcayrv.com or call 305-289-1870.

Set on a 15-acre nature sanctuary at 97000 Overseas Highway, Baker's Cay Resort Key Largo, a Curio Collection by Hilton, has unveiled Ooh la la at The Cay, the resort's new wellness salon. Ooh la la products incorporate natural, plant-based, cruelty-free and sustainably sourced and packaged products into hair, body and skincare therapies. The wellness salon provides treatments for hair, nails, lashes and makeup sessions, Hydrafacials and spray tanning. The 200-room property also offers nature-based activities such as outdoor yoga, walking trails and watersports. Visit bakerscayresort.com or call 305-602-7988.

In Islamorada the 27-acre Cheeca Lodge & Spa has unveiled a new stand-alone 10,000-square-foot event center, with 43 new luxury oceanfront suites, each featuring more than 550 square feet, to open this fall. Each suite has floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening to an expansive private lanai with open-air spa tubs. The new Islamorada Ballroom, located just north of the resort's main lodge, is promoted as the Upper Keys' largest meeting and event venue. The ballroom can accommodate 1,000 guests for receptions and 788 for banquet-style dinners. Combined with the resort's 6,300 square feet of meeting and event space, Cheeca Lodge now features more than 16,000 square feet of meeting and event space and a total 244 guest rooms and suites. The Casitas at Cheeca Lodge villas have personalized butler service and feature one- and two-bedroom units from 750 to 2,100 square feet, large furnished porches, full kitchens and washer and dryer. Cheeca Lodge is located at 81801 Overseas Highway. Visit cheeca.com or call 305-664-4651.

Also in Islamorada Chesapeake Beach Resort has unveiled eight new oceanfront villas. An additional five new villas and a boat ramp and dock are to be open during the upcoming winter holiday season. Villa types, each with kitchenette, include an 830-square-foot ocean king villa, a 700-square-foot one-bedroom ocean view, a 650-square-foot two-bedroom, 520-square-foot king and ADA-king efficiencies, and 320-square-foot standard king units. The resort's lobby, with a newly added gift shop, is fully renovated. The property currently offers 60 units rooms and suites with balconies, two pools, a beach bar and beach venue for weddings, events, family reunions and corporate retreats of up to 100. Kayaks and fishing rods can be rented. Visit chesapeake-resort.com or call 305-664-4662.

The Islamorada Resort Collection - Amara Cay Resort, La Siesta Resort & Villas, Pelican Cove Resort & Marina and Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina - offers newly added watersports with guided jet ski tours and rentals. Spray Watersports at Pelican Cove leads 26-mile guided jet ski tours through mangroves and past state parks, wildlife preserves and Alligator Reef Lighthouse (weather permitting), with a stop at an Islamorada sandbar. Additional boat and powered sandbar catamaran rentals and paddlesports are to be added later this year. The collection offers seven restaurants and bars, five pools, four beaches, four marinas and Islamorada Dive Center. All four properties are oceanfront in Islamorada. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 888-317-0889 (Amara Cay); 888-313-6200 (La Siesta); 844-471-5432 (Pelican Cove); and 844-471-5433 (Postcard Inn).

In Layton on Long Key, Lime Tree Bay Resort has added a third oceanfront pool located 10 feet from Florida Bay. New landscaping and lighting enhances the property's quarter-mile-long beach, where guests can enjoy hammocks and sunset viewing. The upgrades are part of a $10 million renovation over the past five years that includes a new dockside guest building; 10 new 1,600-square-foot three-bedroom, three-bath townhouses with full kitchens, washer-dryers and private boat dockage; upgraded linens and amenities such as daily complimentary breakfast and use of bicycles, paddleboards, kayaks, barbecue grills and twice-weekly beach yoga classes. The 67 rooms and suites have access to hammocks, barbecue grills and seclusion among more than 100 palm trees. The property is located at 68500 Overseas Highway. Visit limetreebayresort.com or call 305-664-4740.

In the Lower Keys on Sugarloaf Key at the 14-acre Sugarloaf Key/Key West KOA Holiday campground, new vacation rental units in two buildings can be reserved for stays starting May 2023. The vacation rentals feature a queen bedroom, living space with sofa bed and private bathroom, kitchen and balconies; four units are wheelchair accessible. Campground amenities include a pool, air-conditioned café, pub with live music, private beach, marina and watersports rentals. It's at 251 State Road 939 off the Overseas Highway. Visit koa.com/campgrounds/sugarloaf-key/ or call 305-745-3549.

Noble House Hotels & Resorts has acquired 50% ownership of Key West's Marquesa Hotel, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and its 80-seat Café Marquesa in a partnership with local owners Carol Wightman and Erik and Derek DeBoer. The acquisition is Noble House Hotels & Resort's third Keys property; it fully manages, owns and operates Ocean Key Resort & Spa in Key West and Little Palm Island Resort & Spa on Little Torch Key. Located at 600 Fleming St., the Marquesa Hotel features 44 rooms in restored Victorian-style properties that include Marquesa 4-1-4, three pools and lush garden settings. Visit marquesa.com or call 305-292-1919.

La Te Da Hotel, a 15-room all-welcome adult-only property at 1125 Duval St. in Key West, has fully renovated its outdoor bar and seating areas. The property features well-appointed guest rooms, a pool, two full-service bars and multiple entertainment venues with live entertainment. Visit lateda.com or call 305-296-6706.

In Key West at Parrot Key Hotel & Villas, a native Florida Keys plants display in the guest lobby showcases the benefits of indigenous plants to Keys ecosystems. Books from Books & Books at The Studios of Key West, artists' prints of native species and decorative butterfly boxes from the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory are displayed for sale. Located at 2801 N. Roosevelt Blvd., the resort also has added on-site scavenger hunts for kids as an educational experience for learning about Keys ecosystems. Visit parrotkeyhotel.com or call 888-211-0348.

Keys Parks

Everglades National Park, the continental United States' third-largest national park covering 2,400 square miles in South Florida, is scheduled to celebrate its 75th anniversary on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Flamingo in mainland Monroe County - a 50-minute drive from the park's entrance. The anniversary celebration is to include a ceremony, open house at the new Guy Bradley Visitor Center and tour of the 24-unit Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant scheduled to open in 2023. Camping in the Flamingo campground and furnished eco tents is currently available. The park also is hosting the Everglades Iron Ranger Challenge, highlighting 75 miles for 75 years, where participants can earn a patch and certificate for recording 75 miles of activity. Visit nps.gov/ever, flamingoeverglades.com/flamingo-lodge-restaurant or call 855-708-2207.

In the Lower Keys on Big Pine Key the new Pine Channel Nature Park at mile marker 29 offers a scenic viewing area with a 9,500-square-foot boardwalk and 11-foot raised deck, bike racks, restrooms, a kayak and canoe launch area, Tiki huts and picnic areas with barbecue grills. Swimming at one's own risk is allowed. Located at the former Big Pine Swimming Hole, the renovation was funded by the Florida Keys tourism council and the Florida Department of Transportation. The park, at 29550 Overseas Highway, is home to a historic Henry Flagler concrete mile marker more than a century old and believed to be one of only three remaining. Flagler conceived and built the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad that was launched in 1912, connecting the Keys with each other and mainland Florida for the first time. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/parks.

Keys Heritage

The Key West Business Guild is planning a 20th anniversary celebration to commemorate the island city's famed 1.25-mile-long sea-to-sea rainbow flag, billed as the world's longest rainbow flag, with events to take place during the guild-produced Pride festivities set for June 7-11, 2023. The flag was sewn in Key West in 2003 by original rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker to mark the 25th anniversary of his original banner's debut. Baker spent three months in Key West while he and helpers sewed approximately 17,600 linear yards of fabric weighing more than 3 tons. Visit gaykeywestfl.com/pride/ or call 305-294-4603.

Keys Attractions

Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium's third land-based Keys coral nursery has opened at Reefhouse Resort & Marina at 103800 Overseas Highway, expanding the Upper Keys' resilience-focused coral restoration efforts. Mote - raising brain, star and branching corals both onshore and offshore - outplants coral along the entirety of the Florida Keys reef tract. A separate Mote satellite land-based coral nursery is at Bud 'N Mary's Marina in Islamorada and public tours are available each Tuesday at 2 p.m. Reservations can be made at mote.org/Islamorada. At the Keys' Mote Marine Laboratory base on Summerland Key, Mote offers public tours Tuesdays at 10 a.m. with reservations. Visit mote.org or call 305-745-2729.

In the Middle Keys, Dolphin Research Center is showcasing its two-room, 1,372-square-foot meeting and event space overlooking Florida Bay. The space features the 702-square-foot Key Largo Room and the 672-square-foot Key West Room, each accommodating up to 70 attendees theater-style or 44 for dinner. An airy 380-square-foot outdoor porch has alfresco dining. Other attributes include Wi-Fi capability and full-screen monitors. Interactive dolphin experiences, educational and team-building programs also are offered. Dolphin Research Center is located at 58901 Overseas Highway on Grassy Key. Visit dolphins.org or call 305-289-1121, ext. 241.

In Key West's Truman Waterfront Park the all-new Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center is to open to the public in November. The state-of-the-art, family-friendly attraction features contemporary new exhibits including one that introduces visitors to Keys mangrove habitats and allows interaction with life-size mangrove branches. Exhibits include a colorful light-filled aquarium showcasing coral restoration, an interactive paddleboard experience and shipwrecks of the Florida Keys Shipwreck Trail. A freestanding main exhibit focuses on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary through multiple videos and hands-on interactive activities. Visit floridakeys.noaa.gov/eco_discovery.html or call 305-809-4750.

Marathon Mermaid Charters offers new Middle Keys boating excursions on the Marathon Mermaid, a 53-foot custom-designed vessel that offers sunset cruises around the Seven Mile Bridge. Other tours offered include a sandbar experience and reef snorkel tours in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary at the famous Sombrero Reef. The boat also can be booked for private charters. It's located at 1688 Overseas Highway. Visit MarathonMermaid.com or call 305-842-1492.

Keys Apps

A new Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary app is now available, providing information about enjoying the sanctuary's 3,800 square miles of waters surrounding the Keys. The Marine Sanctuary Explorer app describes the sanctuary's more than 50 marine zones with easy-to-read guidelines about allowed activities. GPS-enabled technology alerts users when approaching the sanctuary's no-wake and other managed zones and delivers real-time information about rules and regulations. The app is free to download for Apple and Android devices. Visit marinesanctuary.org/explorer/.

Keys Makers

In Islamorada the well-known Bob's Bunz, known for its hamburger-sized cinnamon and sticky buns dubbed the "best Bunz in town," has a new location at 81001 Overseas Highway. The eatery offers popular grab-to-go treats such as souvenir brown bags with bite-sized Key lime cookies homemade with Key lime white chocolate chips and a hint of coconut. It's open daily from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit bobsbunz.com or call 305-664-8363.

Keys Accolades

The Old Seven Mile Bridge's restoration project has been honored as one of three global 2022 Phoenix Awards winners, lauded as a significant sustainable and cultural tourism initiative by the Society of American Travel Writers. The project to rehabilitate and restore the 2.2-mile section of the bridge began in September 2017 and was funded with some $44 million from the Florida Department of Transportation, Monroe County Commission and city of Marathon. The bridge section reopened to the public in January 2022. Another $33 million is earmarked for maintenance during the next 30 years. Visit https://youtu.be/Qn81qHSSkN4.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS

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To prevent the spread of coronavirus, Keys businesses may require facial coverings at venues such as resorts, indoor attractions, museums, restaurants, grocery stores, galleries or retail shops. Masking is required in county– and Key West City–operated government buildings.

For the latest updates on coronavirus health safety protocols, visit fla-keys.com.

Keys Airlift

Beginning Nov. 18, Allegiant is to add nonstop twice-weekly service from North Carolina's Asheville Regional Airport (AVL) and beginning Nov. 19, from Florida's St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) to Key West International Airport (EYW). "Key West is one of the most sought-after destinations in the U.S. right now," said Drew Wells, Allegiant senior vice president of revenue and network planning. "We expect it to be an even bigger draw for leisure travelers seeking an affordable, convenient vacation spot for warm winter getaways." In June, Allegiant added twice-weekly nonstop service to Key West on Airbus A319 planes from Nashville International Airport, Pittsburgh International Airport and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Visit allegiantair.com or call 702-505-8888.

Keys Accommodations

Everglades National Park is planning its 75th anniversary, slated to kick off Dec. 6. In the park, a new 24-unit Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant -– located in the park's Flamingo area in mainland Monroe County about a 40-minute drive from the park's entrance -– and a new Flamingo Visitor Center are scheduled to open by early 2022, depending on weather. Both the lodge and restaurant are being built from modified and enhanced shipping containers, above the ground on cement pillars and connected by a boardwalk. Concessionaire Flamingo Everglades Adventures, a subsidiary of Guest Services Inc., is to unveil the lodge with one- and two-bedroom units. In addition,186-square-foot eco-"glamping" tents, erected on platforms with a queen or two double beds, and 42-foot houseboats (for a maximum four adults and two children), are also available for overnight stays. Visit flamingoeverglades.com or call 855-708-2207.

An expansion of Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club, celebrating two years on the Middle Keys' Grassy Key at mile marker 58, is underway with the addition of a second pool and 28 new oceanfront guest rooms scheduled to open for the December holiday season. The oceanfront Humidor House is to include four king suites with four-poster mahogany beds and private balconies. The Wrecker's House is to offer two queens, a king and three king suites with private wraparound balconies. The on-site Barrel & Bale bar, expanded with 152 seats and a rooftop bar, is to open by late December. Visit grassyflats.com or call 305-998-4590.

A new 66-acre, 110-unit resort development is planned in the Middle Keys on Crawl Key at mile marker 57. The 25-acre Valhalla Island Resort, to be developed by Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris and his Floridian Holdings LLC, is to include a three-story, 29-room resort with an additional 50 villas, cottages and homes, conservation areas, workforce housing and solar panels. Eight types of stand-alone units, with at least one porch and outside shower, are to range from 379-square-foot studios to four-bedroom, four-bath, 3,700-square-foot homes. Amenities are to include a 12,000-square-foot spa with retail space, a 3,400-square-foot fitness facility and golf carts for guest transportation. The project is under design by architectural design firm Hart Howerton of New York City and San Francisco. Visit harthowerton.com/marathon-approves-new-valhalla-resort/ or call 417-873-5000.

In Marathon, Faro Blanco Resort, known for its historic lighthouse that has guided guests to the property since the 1950s, is planning renovations to the 125-unit hotel and grounds to include an expanded pool area, waterslide, Tiki huts and other new amenities. Faro Blanco is a sister property to Isla Bella Beach Resort, owned by EOS Investors LLC. Its adjoining 74-slip marina, accommodating vessels between 35 and 140 feet, has been purchased by Suntex Marinas of Dallas, Texas. Marina guests are to have access to most of Faro Blanco's outdoor amenities. Visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.

On Stock Island, The Perry Hotel & Marina has partnered with the famed Sloppy Joe's - a watering hole formerly frequented by writer Ernest Hemingway and located in downtown Key West - to open the outdoor Sloppy Joe's Dockside on-site at The Perry. Sloppy Joe's Dockside, open daily from 12-10 p.m., features a light menu of sandwiches and salads, a 6-8 p.m. happy hour and live music nightly. Visit perrykeywest.com/eat-and-drink/sloppy-joes-dockside or call 786-862-6644.

Barbary Beach House Key West is to be rebranded as the three-story, 186-unit Margaritaville Beach House Key West in November. The new Margaritaville resort is to include a Tin Cup Chalice & Chill restaurant, new bar concepts, expanded retail outlet space and family-friendly activities. Amenities are to include complimentary welcome frozen cocktails, daily poolside refreshments including fruit smoothies and popsicles, concierge service, complimentary airport pickup and drop off, and nonmotorized watersports. The resort, which allows dogs under 30 pounds for a fee, is to be Key West's only Margaritaville resort and is located across from Smathers Beach at 2001 S. Roosevelt Blvd. Visit MargaritavilleBeachHouseKeyWest.com or call 866-237-5022.

Keys Attractions

In Islamorada, the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center is debuting an exhibit with original artworks by members of the Tropical Botanic Artists collective, showcasing the variety of creatures pollinating South Florida's native plants. Running Sept. 17 through Jan. 16, 2022, the exhibit features works illustrating birds, butterflies, moths, bees, wasps - even aquatic zooplankton - with subtropical indigenous plants they pollinate. The Discovery Center is on-site at the oceanside Islander Resort at mile marker 82. New hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday. Visit keysdiscovery.com or tropicalbotanicartists.com or call 305-922-2237.

In Marathon at the Crane Point Hammock Museum & Nature Trail, the pink Crane House has undergone a $319,000 exterior renovation and is reopened to the public. Designed in the 1950s style of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the house's blueprint is unique to the Keys. Also at Crane Point, the bright red railroad car, formerly based on Knights Key for four decades as the Pigeon Key Visitor's Center, is completing a full restoration. Scheduled to open in October, the historic 84-foot-long car is an extension of the museum and can provide meeting space for 25 to 30 attendees. Crane Point is preserved by the Florida Keys Land and Sea Trust as one of the Keys' most sensitive environmental and archaeological sites. Visit cranepoint.net or call 305-743-9300.

Keys Gardens

Celebrating the 85th anniversary of its founding as "Keeper of the Trees," the 15-acre Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is showcasing its fall "Scarecrows in the Forest" exhibition, running Sept. 15 through Nov. 30, with locally crafted scarecrows made from natural and recycled materials. Key West's open-air "living museum" is acclaimed as the continental United States' only frost-free subtropical natural conservation habitat and native plant botanical garden. Located at 5210 College Road, it shelters plant life native to South Florida, Cuba and the Caribbean including threatened and endangered species. Visit keywest.garden or call 305-296-1504.

Renovations to a collapsed historic archway and citadel at the picturesque Civil War–era West Martello Tower, a National Historic Site built in 1866 and managed by the Key West Garden Club, are complete. The brick arch, part of a tunnel that allowed Union soldiers to enter the citadel safely, is a scenic focal point of the fragrant, colorful subtropical gardens along the Atlantic Ocean shoreline at the Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park. Special events such as weddings, with the West Martello archway as a central backdrop, can be booked at the historic facility at 1100 Atlantic Blvd. Higgs Beach, meanwhile, is undergoing a 570-foot shoreline restoration, set for completion this fall, to replenish sand and sea turtle nesting areas. Visit keywestgardenclub.com or call 305-294-3210.

Keys Tours

Up the Keys Eco Tours' half-day Nature Tour, offered daily at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., now includes the Keys' famed Seven Mile Bridge in addition to Bahia Honda State Park, Key deer and the Blue Hole. Dolphin Research Center and Tiki Bar Crawl tours also are offered. In Key West, private walking tour participants (up to 10) can learn the history and culture the island on the 1.5-hour Welcome to Key West morning stroll in the heart of Old Town. A Haunted History walking tour takes participants by five haunted mansions and stops at two haunted bars. Complimentary digital photos are included. Visit upthekeys.com or call 305-928-8961.

In September on Big Pine Key, the 2-acre fruit farm Grimal Grove, billed as the first and only breadfruit grove in the continental United States, is to begin offering guided tropical fruit excursions, priced at $15 for a 90-minute tour, on request. The grove, with more than 30 breadfruit trees of five varieties, became a Florida Agritourism Association member in July. In addition, Grimal Grove has partnered with Mutiny Island Vodka on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands to develop a Grimal Grove Reserve breadfruit-distilled vodka for release next year. The Grove is scheduled to be open on Saturdays by January. Visit grimalgrove.com or call 305-923-6663.

Keys Charters

Key West's Island Vibe Charters, a new LGBTQ–owned and –operated "all welcome" charter operation, offers private excursions to offshore sandbars and to the reef for snorkeling trips for families and groups of up to six. Its 28-foot, twin-engine Edgewater boat offers bow and stern seating. Four- to six-hour trips, priced from $600, include sandbar and snorkeling excursions. Ice, drinking water, life vests and snorkeling and beach gear are provided. Visit islandvibecharterskw.com or call 305-509-2186.

Keys Environment

In Islamorada, the five-year-old nonprofit Florida Bay Forever Save Our Waters Inc. has a new home at Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve, an 11-acre conservation area owned by the Village of Islamorada with nature trails, a kayak launch and direct access to Florida Bay. The organization is developing site plans and fundraising for the Florida Bay Eco-Center, with educational programming planned and operations based at Islamorada's historic Russell Cottage. Visit floridabayforever.org or call 305-563-7970.

In Key West's Truman Waterfront Park, the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center is slated to complete the first phase of a renovation by early October. New exhibits are to feature maritime history, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and ways to protect Florida Keys habitats. A second renovation phase is to begin in early 2022. The center, like other federal and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration offices, is currently closed due to federal mandates. A reopening date has not been announced. Visit floridakeys.noaa.gov/eco_discovery.html or call 305-809-4750.

Keys Parks

State

In Key Largo at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the park's visitor center and aquariums showcase two new exhibits in partnership with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The exhibits focus on maritime heritage and include an interactive 360-degree dive experience on Upper Keys wrecks and 3D printed artifacts telling stories of dangers mariners faced when navigating Florida's coral reef. One story features the Spanish pirate slave ship Guerrero and enslaved people surviving its wreck off the Upper Keys in 1827. Visit floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park or call 305-676-3777.

In the Lower Keys, the 524-acre Bahia Honda State Park is undergoing a full restoration of its mile-long Sandspur Beach, its 24-campsite Sandspur campgrounds, a 155-car parking area and two shower towers at the day-use area. The $2.96 million Sandspur restoration is on the park's north side, with completion targeted for late 2022. The park is located at 36850 Overseas Highway. Visit floridastateparks.org/BahiaHonda or call 305-872-2353.

County

In Key Largo, plans are underway to redevelop the 8-acre Rowell's Waterfront Park, located at mile marker 104.5 bayside. Development plans include realigning the park entrance, adding a restroom facility and small parking lot with lighting, new landscaping and a walking trail. Completion is projected by summer 2022. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/1127/Rowells-Waterfront-Park.

The Big Pine Key Swimming Hole and Nature Center at the Lower Keys Scenic Viewing Area, an extension of the Overseas Heritage Trail, is under construction with projected completion in summer 2022. At the nature center area, plans include an 11-foot raised viewing deck, 9,500-foot-long boardwalk, Tiki huts, picnic areas with tables and barbecue grills, bike racks, kayak and canoe launch area and parking spaces. The county park is located at mile marker 29 on Big Pine Key across from Captain Hook's marina and dive center. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1498.

Keys Shops

The Keys' only chocolatier, Key Largo Chocolates Cakes & Ice Cream, with shops at mile marker 100.5 in Key Largo and mile marker 81.9 in Islamorada, has changed ownership. Key Largo residents Bob and Kristie Thomas recently sold their operation - known for handcrafted chocolates, truffles and Key lime treats - to Rich and Bronna Peterson, operators of small-batch Voice Chocolate in Lake Park, Florida. Visit keylargochocolates.com or call 305-453-6613.

Islamorada Coffee Roasters, known in the Upper Keys for its roving coffee van with air-roasted organic coffee, has a new retail location at 80925 Overseas Highway, just south of the Morada Way Arts District. New offerings include coffee-scented soy candles and Pirate Hat exfoliating soap made with ground coffee. The roaster features its custom I.CARE Blend, a mix of small-batch beans from dive destinations Bali, Costa Rica and Honduras. For each $25 1-pound bag of I.CARE Blend beans, $10 is donated to the nonprofit I.CARE for coral restoration efforts in Islamorada. The coffee company's bags and cups are compostable, and environmentally safe inks are water-based. Visit islamoradacoffeeroasters.com or call 305-572-3001.

Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS

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