Key Largo

An extensive public awareness initiative has begun to help leisure Florida Keys travelers and residents have an enjoyable, safe and non-impacting experience during both the two-day lobster sport season and the traditional lobster harvesting season.

Tropical Storm Elsa passed near the Lower Florida Keys and Key West Tuesday, July 6, leaving only minor impacts.

Independence Day celebrations throughout the 125-mile-long Florida Keys island chain salute the United States’ freedom — and the quirky independent spirit of the Keys — with local parades, picnics and parties topped off by fireworks displays.

To reconnect with the natural world of the Florida Keys, visitors can immerse themselves in the island chain’s many open-air areas where seclusion is intrinsic. Wander along sandy beaches, discover nature trails through hammocks and rainforest areas, or explore the clear blue waters surrounding the Keys.

There are seemingly endless ways to reconnect with nature, family and friends — and your own best self — throughout the Florida Keys. Simple “unplugged” activities found only in the island chain can help make your vacation meaningful and memorable.

In the Florida Keys, it’s possible to savor the things that matter most with the people who matter most on the vacation of a lifetime. The island chain offers scores of opportunities to reconnect through shared experiences and memory-making adventures.

Many families have been separated for months because of the coronavirus pandemic, unable to share important occasions like birthdays, weddings, graduations and holiday gatherings. But finally, postponed trips are being planned so families can reunite, make new memories and strengthen generational bonds.

For decades the Florida Keys island chain has been famed as a realm of natural beauty, open spaces and infinite horizons. A relaxing, rejuvenating escape from the pressures of everyday life. A place that values sustainability and the preservation of environmental wonders. An enticingly exotic locale, despite being located at the southernmost tip of the continental United States.