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Along with its unapologetically offbeat ambience and burgeoning allure for luxury travelers, Key West is steadily adding another distinction to its dossier: a paradise for serious foodies. 

The Florida Keys have been on my bucket list ever since I first set foot in Florida last year with a getaway to Fort Lauderdale and Miami – although it has the reputation of being downright bizarre (see Seth Meyer’s “Fake or Florida segment“), the state also boasts incredible beaches and year-round sunshine that are undeniably attractive.

The Florida Keys are rightfully among the most popular areas of the Sunshine State. Here are six things to try. 

A haven for fishermen, foodies, and beach bums alike, the Florida Keys is the destination spot that encompasses it all. The Keys, lying about 15 miles south of Miami on Florida’s mainland and 90 miles north of Cuba, spans 112 miles long. Often referred to as “America’s Caribbean,” the archipelago is home to more than 1700 islands. Some islands, like Key West, are quite developed and populated, while the beauty of others lies more in the undiscovered.
 

Road trips don't come more spectacular than the Overseas Highway. Sailing through tropical savanna over the Florida Straits, it links Miami on the mainland with the 180-kilometer-long Florida Keys island chain.

One of the most notable people to live in Key West was writer and avid traveler Ernest Hemingway, and as a visitor you can still find many traces of Hemingway in Key West.

More than an hour’s drive south of Miami, Islamorada in the Upper Florida Keys has a history of reinventing itself. Practically annihilated by the 1935 Labor Day hurricane (still considered the strongest to reach landfall in the United States), this “Village of Islands” became known for quality sport fishing, attracting professional and amateur anglers from around the world.

Whether you’re taking a quick trip down from Miami, flying in for a short getaway, or visiting with plans to make your way through the rest of the Keys; Key West is the perfect launching point for a road trip through the Florida Keys.

The Florida Keys attract a cast of irreverent, lively characters and denizens – independent folk who embrace the perks of island living. Perhaps that’s why the Keys became the “Conch Republic” in 1982, succeeding with secession where none did before.

From Key Largo to Key West, it’s easy to fill sunny days with outdoor sports, and star-studded nights with food, drink, and downtime anywhere along this 110-mile-long island playground. Average daytime temperatures in Key West sit at 81.9 degrees—perfect for water activities. Even in the late evenings, temperatures rarely dip below a mild 73. Starting out from Miami, you can drive the length of the Overseas Highway in about four hours, but why rush when there are so many ocean views to ogle, land to explore, and fruity drinks to sip.