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

Nestled away from the rest of the world, the Florida Keys have become a popular destination for Americans looking for a tropical get away vacation without traveling far from the country. There are several things to do for example world class deep sea fishing, skin diving and snorkeling, trolling, kayaking, sailing, and species tours beyond belief. Each of the island destinations has some special features. My wife and I invite you to visit each area individually and discover the bright tropical paradise in the Florida Keys.

One of the main reasons for my trips 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 fishing for lobster, this is quite an exciting affair. Don't leave behind your snorkel, tickle stick and net! The kind of Lobster you'll find down there are the Spiny Lobster type, which have no claws and can get quite enormous. Spiny Lobster are larger than some Main Lobsters in some 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.

How expensive is it to travel to the Keys? I'm finally getting to that. The Florida Keys is by far the most awesome tropical vacation destination for any fisherman, skin diver, or just plain traveler. But watch your pocket book! The Florida Keys can be quite expensive. My wife and I shopped around extensively for the best lodging prices and by far the best we found was a small place right off the highway called Big Pine Key Motel. They had the lowest rates and the largest rooms of every "affordable" place to stay down there which were around $70 and up! And I do mean up. Some places were asking over $400. If you've got the pocketbook, 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 charters and great places to get your grub on.

I'm going to end with a caution. The Florida Keys is protected by many environmental laws that are specific to endangered species. If you do any hiking around watch out for the poison wood. It looks as innocent as an oak tree and 10 times more dangerous than poison ivy. The locals can't chop it down because it grows a berry that an endangered species of bird eats.