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The Florida Keys is a magical place. In fact Key West, the Florida Keys most distant island, is only 90 miles from Cuba. On the bay side you can go offshore for miles, stop your vessel and stand in knee deep calm as glass water and not see land anywhere around you. It's an absolutely surreal trek for an ocean lover and outdoors person. I've encountered many a sting ray and sea turtles while there.

The Florida Keys can be considered the American tropical paradise and features all the same amenities and lodging as other island destinations. There are several things to do for example award winning sport fishing, skin diving and snorkeling, trolling, kayaking, sailing, and species tours beyond belief. Each of our island destinations has some unique features. My wife and I invite you to visit each area individually and discover our tropical heaven in the Florida Keys.

One of the main reasons for my trips down to the Florida Keys is for Lobster Sport Season. The locals call it bug hunting. It only last for a weekend and the place is packed. If your into hunting for lobster, this is quite an exciting affair. Don't leave behind your snorkel/mask, tickle stick and net! The kind of Lobster you'll find down there are the Spiny Lobster type, which have no pinchers and can get quite large. Spiny Lobster are larger than most Main Lobsters in cases. Don't forget, recreational harvesters are required to have a valid Florida Saltwater Fishing License with a current crawfish stamp. Consult a local tackle shop for exemptions to licensing needs. Licenses are available through local convenient stores, tax collectors, many tackle shops and marine supply stores.

What does it cost to travel to the Keys? I'm finally getting to that. The Florida Keys is by far the best tropical vacation spot for any novice fisherman, scuba diver, or just plain traveler. But watch your wallet! The Florida Keys is quite expensive. My family and I shopped around extensively for the best hotel prices and by far the best we found was a little place right off the highway called Big Pine Key Motel. They had the best rates and the biggest rooms of every "affordable" place to stay down there which were around $70 and up! And I do mean up. Some establishments were asking over $400. If you've got the wallet, I would highly recommend Little Palm Island. It's one of the top 10 destinations in the world and the only way you can get to it is by boat. The Big Pine Key Motel is just a 20 minute drive from Key West and is surrounded by dive shops, fishing expeditions and great places to eat.

I'm going to close with a caution. The Florida Keys is protected by many environmental laws that cater to endangered species. If you do any hiking lookout for the poison wood. It looks as innocent as an oak tree and 10 times more dangerous than poison ivy. The locals can't cut it down because it produces a fruit that an endangered species of bird eats.