Key West

The Florida Keys & Key West are unveiling 1,500 “new” rooms this summer, showcasing all-new and fully refurbished resorts — and its first “luxury-inclusive” resort — in coming weeks.

Night divers soon can submerge on Florida Keys reefs for a chance to witness a fascinating yet fragile underwater reproductive phenomenon that occurs when coral polyps release millions of gametes (eggs and sperm) in synchronized mass-spawning rituals.

Seafood lovers can chow down on Florida’s clawless lobster during the annual Key West Lobsterfest Thursday through Sunday, Aug. 9-12, featuring temptations ranging from a lobster boil to a lively street fair starring the tasty crustacean. 

Adventure lovers can celebrate the late Mel Fisher, who sought and salvaged the shipwrecked Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, Thursday through Saturday, July 12-14, during Mel Fisher Days in his longtime “home port.”

A rich roster of literary events awaits fans of fine writing during Hemingway Days 2018, set for Tuesday through Sunday, July 17-22. The festival celebrates the talent and exuberant Key West lifestyle of legendary writer Ernest Hemingway, who lived on the island for most of the 1930s. 

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has implemented a Blue Star Fishing Guide program to recognize and promote sustainable recreational fishing in the Keys. 

Key West has been named number one among the Most Excellent Cities Overall to travel worldwide and the Most Excellent Cities for Restaurants by TripAdvisor, one of the world’s top travel planning and booking sites.

New and fully renovated properties, including the Florida Keys’ first luxury-inclusive adults-only resort, are soon to be unveiled in the island chain. New airlift into Key West International Airport also is on the horizon, with seasonal service to launch this summer from Texas. Also, United Airlines is to expand service to Key West from New Jersey this fall and from Chicago this winter.