23 May 2013
Florida Keys & Key West Booth at Pow Wow: #709
FLORIDA KEYS — The Florida Keys & Key West offer a variety of new and enhanced accommodations, intriguing museums and outdoor activities to tempt visitors ranging from adventurers to relaxation seekers. Explore the highlights here.
Keys Travel
Passengers now can fly nonstop between the Big Easy and the Southernmost City, following the March 9 launch of Southwest Airlines' round-trip service between Key West International Airport and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
Southwest's flights are scheduled once per day, with passengers traveling on 143-seat Boeing 737-700 aircraft. Flights are scheduled to take approximately one hour and 45 minutes each way.
Southwest joined the airlines serving Key West in November 2012, when it assumed nonstop Orlando and Tampa Bay routes that were previously operated by AirTran Airways.
For schedules and ticketing, visit www.southwest.com.
Keys Accommodations
Islamorada's Pines & Palms Resort, located at mile marker (MM) 80.4 oceanside, was named the Upper Keys 2012 Property of the Year by the Florida Keys Lodging Association. A recent series of upgrades, added amenities and continually evolving landscaping have transformed the lush property into an exceptional and individualistic tucked-away tropical setting beside the Atlantic Ocean.
The resort's attention to detail is apparent right down to room keys designed by a local artist, each crafted from recycled lobster trap wood. Proprietors Jim and Sara Bernardin strive to provide a real Florida Keys atmosphere with the addition of compacted sand to replace all asphalt driveways, exotic sea grasses, and “hidden surprises” of more than 200 orchids and bromeliads that complement tropical gardens already landscaped to create more private spaces and provide exotic respite for wild and migratory birds.
New amenities such as flat-screen televisions, upgraded furnishings, 300-plus thread count linens and more rooms refitted with king beds help guests ease into luxury, yet live like a local — with cozy oceanfront cottages and a pair of retro cruiser bikes for guests to explore the island in a low-impact way.
Fully equipped kitchens in every room and barbecues upon request mean convenient dine-in options, and laundry facilities also are available.
The oceanfront pool and tiki bar encourage relaxation and connections with new friends. The tiki bar offers a variety of beers, wines, tropical frozen smoothies, ice cream and the island favorite, Key lime pie.
For information and reservations, visit www.pinesandpalms.com.
Key West's Southernmost Hotel, located at 1319 Duval St., has completed an extensive renovation that gives all elements of the 65-year-old property a stylish contemporary flavor.
Each of the 118 guest rooms, which range from 220 to 480 square feet, now feature elegant décor in blue and brown tones as well as remodeled bathrooms.
In addition, the property's tranquility pool has been redesigned and the adult-only serenity area contains new, plush lounging furniture to induce a feeling of relaxation and escape.
Guests also enjoy complimentary parking and free Wi-Fi. The Southernmost Hotel Collection also includes the Southernmost on the Beach and historic bed and breakfasts La Mer Hotel and Dewey House, with shared amenities such as two pool bars, three pools, an on-site petite spa, concierge and bellman services, a fitness center and an oceanfront restaurant.
For information and reservations, visit www.southernmostresorts.com.
Upscale recreational vehicle travelers can enjoy luxury amenities at the recently opened Point of View RV Resort, located at MM 99 bayfront in Key Largo.
The new waterfront camping locale boasts a reception area, fitness center, spacious beaches, 20-slip marina and three guest docks. The 12-acre facility offers 110 large full-hookup RV sites (25 of them still in the final stages of completion).
Resort amenities also include powerboat rentals, billiards, a pool with two bathhouses, a fish cleaning area, laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi and propane services.
A contemporary clubhouse and a tiki hut with barbecue should soon be completed, according to the property owners. For reservations and more information, visit http://pointofviewrvresort.com/.
Keys Experiences
Tiki Jet Jetpack Adventures has opened in Islamorada at the Postcard Inn Beach Resort & Marina at 84001 Overseas Highway.
Tiki Jet currently is the only outfit in the Florida Keys to offer the jetpack experience. In 2011 the Florida Keys was the first destination in North America to offer the experience to travelers.
Thrill seekers are taken by boat to the flying site, a tiki-themed 30-foot pontoon boat. During training, they receive a safety briefing and are fitted with a helmet, personal flotation device and harness. Instructors then strap participants to a JetLev R200 flight pack, tethered by a 30-foot hose to a tiny boat apparatus with a pump that uses seawater as propellant. Flight controls enable individuals to take off, make soft turns, hover and land as the boat is dragged behind.
Tiki Jet flight experiences cost $219 per person or $199 per person for a group of three or more flyers. The entire experience, including training, takes up to two hours for an individual to complete. A full 25-minute flight is allocated for each participant.
GoPro high definition video packages of the experience are available. To make reservations, visit www.tikijet.com or call 305-814-0769.
Clydesdale-drawn carriage rides are harnessing romance in Islamorada. Visitors can enjoy a special night out in a private carriage operated by Island Horse Drawn Carriage Inc., traveling to and from a luxury resort and through the island's historic art district and stopping for dinner at one of the area's many fine restaurants.
For destination weddings, the tour company offers an elegant white carriage crafted from hardwood and brass that can be custom-decorated as transport for a bridal party. Another carriage can be used as a unique parking shuttle for wedding guests.
Carriages can accommodate up to six people for private, group and couples' rides for other special celebrations such as engagements, proposals, anniversaries, holidays or birthdays.
Carriage horses Brutus and Olivia, Clydesdales like those on the famed Budweiser team, add a unique element to the leisurely ride through Islamorada's island paradise.
Contract rates from $300 are available for weddings, photo shoots and special events. Carriage rides typically cost $150 per carriage for 30 minutes and $250 for a full hour. Carriages also can be provided for weddings and special events on islands other than Islamorada for an additional transportation cost. For more information, visit www.islandhorsedrawncarriages.com.
Visitors can travel the Lower Keys' pristine backcountry by kayak with Downwind Kayak Tours, offered by Key West Eco-Tours for easy paddling and optimal exploration of mangrove forests and shallow natural areas.
Guided tours depart daily at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. from the Geiger Key Paddle Hut at 5 Geiger Road. Each excursion includes approximately 2.5 hours of leisurely paddling and is led by a professional guide knowledgeable about the region's unique ecosystem.
In either single or tandem kayaks, participants can glide through shallow waters shaded by mangrove canopies, spotting indigenous birds and sea life along the way.
Groups are limited to six kayaks to ensure personalized attention. For each excursion, the guide chooses one of six trail routes based on conditions and viewing opportunities.
All tours include front-door shuttle service to and from Geiger Key Paddle Hut as well as water and dry bags. Cost is $75 plus tax for a single kayak and $120 plus tax for a tandem. In addition, private tours can be arranged for groups of up to 10 people at a cost of $575.
For information, visit www.KeyWestEcoTours.com or call 305-294-7245.
Keys Culture
The Morada Way Arts & Culture District in Islamorada has unveiled a series of seasonal creative classes with instruction from some of the Florida Keys' most talented art professionals and educators through a newly launched Morada Way University. Classes appeal to a wide variety of interests and emphasize specific artistic materials and disciplines including the culinary arts. Students learn in outdoor island locations such as an organic garden or beneath the moon and stars during evening sessions.
A nonprofit organization, Morada Way U offers a hands-on approach to creating fine arts and crafted objects to inspire a lifelong appreciation of the visual arts.
Planned spring 2013 classes include truffle-making with Key Largo chocolatier Kristie Thomas; island-style entertaining and sushi preparation with chefs from Islamorada's finest restaurants; workshops on plein air, pottery and photography; techniques in oil painting and watercolors, gardening and a unique approach to art with wood sculptor David Wirth in his featured session, “Anatomy of Fish.” Plans also call for a children's summer art series.
Full or partial financial assistance is available based on individual need.
Morada Way U offers the option of private classes for visitors and families looking for specialized time with one of the talented instructors. For pricing and scheduling information, visit www.MoradaWayArts.org or call 305-664-9100.
Keys History
To celebrate the 500th anniversary of explorer Ponce de Leon's discovery of Florida and the Florida Keys, 70 outdoor banners chronicling the island chain's historic highlights were recently installed in Key West's popular downtown area.
Produced by the local nonprofit organization Historic Markers Inc., the 2-foot-tall banners hang from streetlights on Duval, Whitehead, Front and Greene streets as well as at the entrance to Mallory Square, site of the nightly sunset celebration. Each one contains a historic “nugget” of information designed to inform and intrigue visitors about 500 years of history and heritage in Key West.
“Nuggets” spotlight events including the creation of Key lime pie, completion of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad in 1912 and the discovery of the shipwrecked 1622 Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha in 1985.
The banners are to remain on display until late November 2013.
For more information, visit www.historickeywest.org.
A museum depicting the natural and historic resources of Dry Tortugas National Park and historic Fort Jefferson has opened in Key West, offering visitors an easily accessible introduction to one of America's most remote national parks.
The free-admission Dry Tortugas and Key West Bight Interpretive Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 240 Margaret St. on the Key West Bight, a natural deep-water harbor on the island's Gulf of Mexico side.
Dry Tortugas National Park lies approximately 70 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico and includes the Civil War–era Fort Jefferson, one of the Western Hemisphere's largest brick structures. The interpretive center is operated Yankee Freedom, whose ferry is the only commercial boat licensed to carry passengers to the park.
Museum highlights include an 11-foot-diameter scale model of the historic fort as it appeared in the 1870s, a 30-foot-long photomural depicting the Key West Bight's historic highlights and a hands-on children's exhibit showcasing the park's natural resources.
For information, visit www.yankeefreedom.com.
Marathon is helping to preserve the Florida Keys' early aviation history with the EAA Air Museum, now open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located adjacent to the Florida Keys Marathon Airportat MM 52, the museum features artifacts, historic photographs, memorabilia, books and a flight simulator that is especially popular with young aviators.
A rented hangar space behind the small museum houses a Beechcraft Model 18. Visitors can climb inside the twin-engine cargo plane that transported passengers including military officers during World War II.
Outside the hangar is an eye-catching 1942-era military DC-3 that is open for tours. Visitors also can sit inside where, according to the museum's director Avery Loucks, Hollywood legend Grace Kelly once sat during a flight to Houston.
There is no admission cost, but donations are welcome to help maintain the mid-Keys attraction that is partially funded by the southernmost Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1241.
For information, call 305-432-1145.
History buffs can learn about Key West's past through its firefighting heritage at the Key West Firehouse Museum at 1024 Grinnell St. The museum is housed in Fire Station No. 3, active from 1907 until 1998 and one of the oldest fire stations in Florida.
Spearheaded by retired second-generation Key West firefighter Alex Vega, the museum contains artifacts from the island's firefighting history. Notable items include a 1929 American La France fire engine, a bell dating back to 1906, historic photos and an early alarm system that communicated a fire's location.
The station also contains what is believed to be one of the only remaining coal pits in America, dating from the days when fire engines were horse-drawn steamers. Uniforms, helmets and other items belonging to men once stationed at the firehouse are displayed as well.
The museum is open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is $10 per adult, with a discount for firefighters, and free for children under age 12.
For information, visit www.keywestfirehousemuseum.com.
Keys Environment
Key Largo's Coral Restoration Foundation, dedicated to creating offshore nurseries and restoration programs for threatened coral species, has opened a new Educational Center at its location next to the Pilot House Marina & Restaurant at 5 Seagate Blvd.
The center, which serves as CRF's headquarters, also accommodates visiting and local dive groups for lectures and informational seminars while participating in CRF volunteer dive programs.
Features inside the center include a series of information panels and interactive movies showcasing the state of coral reefs and CRF's innovative offshore coral growth and outplanting efforts, a 500-gallon aquarium tank where visitors can view nursery-grown corals, and information about volunteer and Adopt-a-Coral opportunities for involvement.
For more information about the nonprofit conservation organization, visit www.coralrestoration.org.
Florida Keys visitor information: www.fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS (1-800-352-5397)
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