All the elements of an idyllic dive vacation in the Florida Keys come together where the Overseas Highway comes to a dramatic finish in Key West. Here, you’re at the southernmost point of the United States, and worlds away from the mainland when it comes to attitude and stress level — after all, Key West is closer to Cuba than Miami. The United States is at its most Caribbean here, and not just in the pastel-hued bungalows and crystal-clear waters, but in Key West’s casual approach to life as a whole too. The Florida Keys’ dining scene is at its most sophisticated and diverse here. And if you think the diving opportunities dwindle out at the end of the road, you’d be dead wrong. One of the most exciting wrecks of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek awaits divers who descend on the General Hoyt S. Vandenberg. And day-trippers can head offshore from Key West to one of the most fascinating national parks in the United States within the islands of the Dry Tortugas. Read on for more ways to maximize your time diving and simply enjoying all the pleasures of Key West.

LEGENDARY DIVING

With nearly half a century taking divers out to enjoy the underwater sights in Key West, Dive Key West is one of the island’s most lauded dive centers. These are the folks to head out with if you’re looking to check out the area’s most spectacular wreck, the Vandenberg (aka the Vandy), which sits in about 140 feet of water some 7 miles off Key West. The ship’s deck starts at about 95 feet. And guides who know the 520-foot-long wreck inside and out take advanced divers down to explore its superstructure, where you can explore the bridge and fin past enormous radar dishes used to track missiles during the Cold War. And as fascinating as the purpose-sunk Vandy is from a historical perspective, the potential for pelagic sightings in the deep water here — attracted by schooling baitfish that cloud the wreck — is always a thrill too.

Intermediate divers have tons to explore too when they head out with Lost Reef Adventures to dive Joe’s Tug, a 65-foot-long former shrimping boat that was also sunk as an artificial reef in about 65 feet of water. It’s the fish life that will impress you on this wreck, which is also part of the Florida Keys Wreck Trek, with moray eels, barracuda and an enormous grouper all in residence on the sunken ship, the length of which you can easily fin across several times on a single tank.

Captain’s Corner Dive Center offers daily reef dives offshore from Key West on the third-largest barrier reef system in the world, and it’s worth booking for a day when they’re headed to Western Sambo Reef. Here, the coral formations look remarkably like haystacks, and some of the greatest habitat diversity in the Lower Keys awaits. Dive down to admire one of the best-preserved groves of elkhorn coral in all of the Lower Keys. And in the spur-and-groove reef’s shallower sections, you might spot hogfish and huge gray angelfish.

Push happy hour back a few hours to get in a night dive in Key West too, and see crabs and other critters that mostly come out after dark. Near Western Sambo Reef, the shallow dive site (between 12 and 25 feet) called Marker 32 is a favorite spot for a night dive thanks to all the nooks and crannies that serve as hiding places for sleeping parrotfish, crabs and lobsters. Towering pillar coral makes for an interesting underwater landscape, and the navigational buoy here sheds extra light on the scene too.

A VISIT TO DRY TORTUGAS NATIONAL PARK

Located 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most unique in the National Park Service and can be accessed via seaplane charters, boat charters and ferry as a day trip from Key West. The park is mostly open-water, and the snorkeling and diving (the latter via overnight liveaboard charters) is excellent. But for most visitors, the highlight comes in seeing the incredibly well-preserved Fort Jefferson, which is one of the largest 19th-century forts in the country and was used as a prison during the Civil War.

OUT ON THE TOWN

From sushi to Cuban food and pretty much everything in between, Key West will make you dizzy with all the delicious dining options. And whether you’re looking for a casual platter of oysters with a marina view (Half Shell Raw Bar) or family-friendly dining, Caribbean-style with your toes in the sand (Blue Heaven), you’ll find it here. It’s worth backtracking north a few miles across Cow Key Channel from Key West to reach Stock Island for one of the best dockside dining experiences anywhere. Hogfish Bar and Grill is a low-key, open-air spot fronting working shrimp docks where the Old Key West vibe is alive and well and you can tuck into the delicious namesake fish, excellent tuna nachos or a bowl of the hearty lobster bisque. And right on Higgs Beach back in Key West, Salute! On the Beach is a friendly waterfront cafe where the Italian-inspired menu gets a Caribbean twist and local seafood stars.

What’s more to want from an island vacation that mixes diving, dining and endless explorations at the end of the prettiest road in the land?

For more information visit fla-keys.com/keywest

Plan Your Trip

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