The Florida Keys are laid-back, delightfully kitschy…and best seen from a convertible. Further north, Key Biscayne and places north are barrier islands, built up of sand. Key Biscayne is not one of the Florida Keys, but the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida. If you make the 130 mile drive across the Overseas Highway to the end, you will find Key West. Go ahead and drive over the Seven Mile Bridge. Improved navigation led to fewer shipwrecks, and Key West went into a decline in the late nineteenth century. It’s modern now. Following the hurricane, some of the original railway bridges were converted to carry the highway roadbeds. Nearly any houseplant known to commerce, and most landscape plants of the South, can thrive in the Keys climate. The main chain of Keys islands can be traveled by motor vehicles on the Overseas Highway, a 127-mile (204 km) section of U.S. 1, which runs from Key West to Fort Kent, Maine in its entirety. [25] While some visitors arrive via Key West International Airport and Florida Keys Marathon Airport in Marathon, cruise ship or ferry from Miami, Fort Myers, or Marco Island, Florida, the vast majority of tourists drive down from the mainland on U.S. The Florida Keys has public bus transportation. The record low in Key West is 41 °F (5 °C) (in both 1886 and 1981), and low temperatures below 48 °F (9 °C) are rare. The Florida Keys are a perfect place for a short trip (think 3-5 days) so for lucky Americans it would make a great weekend escape! Flagler, a major developer of Florida's Atlantic coast, extended his Florida East Coast Railway down to Key West with an ambitious series of oversea railroad trestles. The Keys is the northernmost range of the American crocodile, which is endemic from South America to Panama, north to the Florida Keys. The Miami to Key West drive time is around 4 hours, and well worth it. More than 95 percent of the land area lies in Monroe County, but a small portion extends northeast into Miami-Dade County, such as Totten Key. The islands lie along the Florida Straits, dividing the Atlantic Ocean to the east from the Gulf of Mexico to the northwest, and defining one edge of Florida Bay. We spent five … The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. Get away with Chad Crawford as he makes his way through the beauty of the Florida Keys. Three hurricanes disrupted the project in 1906, 1909, and 1910. The US Census population estimate for 2014 is 77,136. Along the way are many great … Because of the threat from storm surge, evacuations are routinely ordered when the National Weather Service issues a hurricane watch or warning, and are sometimes ordered for a tropical storm warning. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma affected the Keys (although none made a direct hit), causing widespread damage and flooding. … Approximately 1,700 islands make up the Florida Keys. While still open to pedestrians—walking, biking and jogging—if the bridge were closed altogether, only a ferry subsidized by FDOT and managed by the county would transport visitors to the island. Their deaths caused anger and charges of mismanagement that led to a Congressional investigation. Rome2rio makes travelling from Miami to Florida Keys easy. The northern and central sections of the Florida Keys are the exposed portions of an ancient coral reef, the Key Largo Limestone. Ahhh, the Florida Keys. As of the 2010 census the population was 73,090 with an average density of 532.34 per square mile (205.54/km2),[1] although much of the population is concentrated in a few areas of much higher density, such as the city of Key West, which has 32% of the entire population of the Keys. Today this unique highway allows travel through the tropical islands of the Florida Keys and view exotic plants and animals found nowhere else on the US mainland and the largest coral reef chain in the United States. The building permit allocation was increased in 2005 when local governments reduced estimates for evacuation. The islands are listed in order from southwest to north. North of Elliott Key are several small transitional keys, composed of sand built up around small areas of exposed ancient reef. [18] Governor Rick Scott reported devastation; most areas were without power or water. A 125-mile-long chain of islands that begins just south of Miami, the Florida Keys are connected by the Overseas Highway’s 42 bridges — one almost seven miles long — over the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. We spent a few days travelling the Florida Keys thanks to http://www.fla-keys.com. They are island remnants of ancient coral reefs (Upper Keys) and sand bars (Lower Keys) that flourished during a period of higher sea levels approximately 125,000 years ago (a period of geologic time known … Photo by Stephen Frink/Florida Keys News Bureau, This area is reserved for members of the news media. What makes the Seven Mile Bridge so fascinating? In some places, "caprock" (the eroded surface of coral formations) covers the ground. Change your password and update your account information. One of the longest bridges when it was built, the Seven Mile Bridge connects Knight's Key (part of the city of Marathon in the Middle Keys) to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. The bars lithified and with changes in sea level are presently exposed as the islands, while the channels between the bars now separate the islands. The current bridge bypasses Pigeon Key, a small island that housed workers building Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railway in the 1900s, that the original Seven Mile Bridge crossed. The native flora of the Keys is diverse, including members of both temperate families, such as red maple (Acer rubrum), slash pine (Pinus elliottii var. We were only on the toll road from south of Miami to Florida City. Some of the dissolved limestone redeposited as a denser cap rock, which can be seen as outcrops overlying the Key Largo and Miami limestones throughout the Keys. Several parallel lines of reef formed along the edge of the submerged Florida Platform, stretching south and then west from the present Miami area to what is now the Dry Tortugas. [26] This influx of traffic, coupled with the two-lane nature of U.S. 1 through most of its length in the Keys, and the fact that no alternative road routes are available mean that Monroe County has the highest per capita rate of fatal automobile accidents in the state of Florida. Today the total land area of the Florida Keys is 137.3 square miles (356 sq km) and in total there are over 1700 islands in … [2] "Key" is derived from the Spanish word cayo, meaning small island. The most severe hurricane to hit the area was the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, a Category 5 hurricane. Because no area of the islands is more than 20 feet (6.1 m) above sea level (and many are only a few feet elevation), and water surrounds the islands, nearly every neighborhood is subject to flooding as well as hurricane winds. The Overseas Highway, sometimes called the Highway that Goes to Sea, is a modern wonder. [5] The islands in the southwestern part of the chain, from Big Pine Key to the Marquesas Keys, are exposed areas of Miami Limestone.[6]. The natural habitats of the Keys are upland forests, inland wetlands and shoreline zones. The perfect Florida Keys road trip itinerary including all the best stops along the Miami to Key West drive including activities to enjoy! By 15,000 years ago the sea level had dropped between 300 to 350 feet (91 to 107 m) below the contemporary level. A 125-mile-long chain of islands that begins just south of Miami, the Florida Keys are connected by the Overseas Highway’s 42 bridges — one almost seven miles long — over the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Following the Cuban Revolution, many Cubans emigrated to South Florida. Starting about 100,000 years ago the Wisconsin glaciation began lowering sea levels, exposing the coral reef and surrounding marine sediments. Most of the Florida Keys fall into USDA zone 11a to 11b (upper Key Largo is 10b). Official records for Key West were kept at the Weather Bureau in downtown from January 1871 to February 1958, and at Key West Int'l since March 1958. But amidst the topaz waters, diving pelicans and lush mangroves are a treasure trove of attractions that are educational, historical or just plain fun. Middle and Lower Florida Keys are among a few remaining South Florida dark skies locations accessible by car, thanks to their position along the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore with southern skies unobstructed by light pollution associated with urban development. After the destruction of the Keys railway by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, the railroad bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge, were converted to automobile roadways. It is a cashless toll road. Scout Key is home to Winter Star Party, a prominent annual amateur astronomy event in the United States, and one of the Top 10 star parties in the world according to BBC Sky at Night. Marathon to Orlando 7 hours. To make the drive to Key West worth it, we recommend … The exposed reefs and sediments were heavily eroded. In response, many homes in the Keys are built on concrete stilts with the first floor being not legally habitable and enclosed by breakaway walls that are not strongly attached to the rest of the house. [23] The remaining portion of Fat Deer Key and most of Shelter Key are part of Key Colony Beach.). The Key West City Council repeatedly complained about the roadblocks, which were a major inconvenience for travellers, and hurt the Keys' important tourism industry. The warm and sunny winter climate, with average highs around 75 °F (24 °C) and lows above 60 °F (16 °C), is the main tourist season in the Florida Keys. Quick Facts About the Florida Keys & Key West. The Florida Keys have distinctive plant and animals species, some found nowhere else in the United States, as the Keys define the northern extent of their ranges. Key West traditionally had strong links with its neighbor ninety miles south by water, and large numbers of Cubans settled there. The stunt succeeded in generating great publicity for the Keys' plight, and the inspection station roadblock was removed. other region. Florida : Florida Keys. This archipelago extends over 198 square miles from the Soldier Keys to the Dry Tortugas. The limestone that eroded from the reef formed oolites in the shallow sea behind the reef, and together with the skeletal remains of bryozoans, formed the Miami Limestone that is the current surface bedrock of the lower Florida peninsula and the lower keys from Big Pine Key to Key West. The climate of the Florida Keys is tropical savanna (Köppen climate classification: Aw). It is an international gathering that attracts 500+ people each year who enjoy stargazing, astrophotography and Milky Way photography. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010. Monroe County was unable to secure a $17 million loan through the state infrastructure bank, delaying work for at least a year. Composed of coral and limestone, the islands curve southwestward for about 220 miles (355 km) from Virginia Key in the Atlantic Ocean (just south of Miami Beach) to Loggerhead Key of the Dry Tortugas in the Gulf of Mexico. Acidic water, which can result from decaying vegetation, dissolves limestone. To the west of Key West the ancient reef is covered by recent calcareous sand. [8], Just offshore of the Florida Keys along the edge of the Florida Straits is the Florida Reef (also known as the Florida Reef Tract). For many years, Key West was the largest town in Florida, and it grew prosperous on wreckingrevenues. Key West to West Palm Beach 5 hours. Even if you live further up on the island chain and commute to Key West each day, you’ll still get to enjoy this unique benefit. [17] Most residents had evacuated before the storm hit the area. The storm destroyed an estimated 25% of the houses on the Keys and another 65% suffered major damage. The Keys were originally inhabited by the Calusa and Tequesta tribes, and were charted by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. [21], U.S. Highway 1, the "Overseas Highway", runs over most of the inhabited islands of the Florida Keys. The piling-supported concrete bridge is 35,862 ft (10,931 m) or 6.79 miles (10.93 km) long. If you drove directly from Key Largo to Key West, it would take you roughly 2.5 hours, traveling distance of 100 miles. Key West, the southernmost populated island in the Florida Keys, is about a 159-mile drive from Miami International Airport but lies only 90 miles north of Cuba. About 70 miles (110 km) west of Key West is Dry Tortugas National Park, one of the most isolated and therefore well-preserved in the world. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about 15 miles (24 km) south of Miami, and extend in a gentle arc south-southwest and then westward to Key West, the westernmost of the inhabited islands, and on to the uninhabited Dry Tortugas. Then, drove down to the Keys. We spend 4 days in Florida Keys and that felt too rushed. "Key" is derived from the Spanish word cayo, meaning small island. The Lower Keys are the remnants of large coral reefs, which became fossilized and exposed when the sea level dropped. For one thing, it’s one of the longest segmental bridges in the world and the centerpiece of the Florida Keys Overseas Highway that winds throughout the entire island chain. This changed with the completion of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railway in the early 1910s. Request specific information regarding new stories, press kits, photographs and other information. Spanning mile markers (MM) 54.5 to 58.5 bayside, the eight-foot-wide Grassy Key Bikeway is landscaped and furnished with a split-rail fence as well as bollards to prohibit automobile access. At the nearest point, the southern part of Key West is just 90 miles (140 km) from Cuba. Soil ranges from sand to marl to rich, decomposed leaf litter. Hurricane Georges, after destroying much of the housing and infrastructure on many of the Caribbean islands, caused damage and extensive flooding in the Lower Keys in 1998, before making landfall in Mississippi. The Keys are also home to unique animal species, including the American crocodile, Key deer, protected by the National Key Deer Refuge, and the Key Largo woodrat. After various unsuccessful complaints and attempts to get a legal injunction against the blockade failed in federal court in Miami, on April 23, 1982, Key West mayor Dennis Wardlow and the city council declared the independence of the city of Key West, calling it the "Conch Republic". Nonetheless, Monroe County, as reported in the Federal Register, has estimated that there are between 8,000 and 12,000 illegal enclosures inhabited by people.[16]. The 2-by-4-mile island features the southernmost point in the continental United States. The highway was built parallel to the original route of the Overseas Railway, which was not rebuilt following the Labor Day hurricane of 1935. [30], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}24°40′01″N 81°32′39″W / 24.66694°N 81.54417°W / 24.66694; -81.54417, Coral cay archipelago in Florida, United States of America, The Keys were formed near the edge of the Florida Platform. 1) How many days/nights would be appropriate to fully 'see' the Keys? No need to be scared. This nine-foot-tall, 4,000 pound replica of a similar statue, located in the waters off the coast of Italy, is submerged in 25 feet of water at Key Largo Dry Rocks. The following are "true" Florida Keys (exposed ancient coral reefs): The following are "transitional keys", made of exposed ancient reef surrounded by sand. Key West to Naples 5.5 hours. More than 400 people were killed, though some estimates place the number of deaths at more than 600. The climate and environment of the Florida Keys are closer to that of the Caribbean than the rest of Florida, though unlike the Caribbean's volcanic islands, the Keys were built by plants and animals. The quickest way is the Ronald Reagan Turnpike. Tropical cyclones present special dangers and challenges to the entire Keys. De León named the islands Los Martires ("The Martyrs"), as they looked like suffering men from a distance. ⇢ How many days do you need? Long Key Tourism: Tripadvisor has 5,110 reviews of Long Key Hotels, Attractions, and Restaurants making it your best Long Key resource. The isolated outpost was well located for trade with Cuba and the Bahamas and was on the main trade route from New Orleans. Big Pine Key in the Lower Florida Keys is the center of a national refuge for miniature Key deer. The Florida Keys are between about 24.3 and 25.5 degrees North latitude. T he Florida Keys are a chain of limestone islands that extend from the southern tip of the Florida mainland southwest to the Dry Tortugas, a distance of approximately 220 miles. The aging structure has been deemed unsafe by the Florida Department of Transportation. An advantage of the Florida Keys is that the 125-mile-long island chain has many wide-open spaces, and offers a great opportunity to take advantage of outdoor activities and the natural beauty of sea and sky. Long Key State Park has a long history of being a resort in the Florida Keys. The Key Largo Woodrat is found only in the northern part of its namesake island, and is a focus of management activities in Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Green mile markers along the Florida Keys Overseas Highway, descending in order from mile marker 113 at the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line to marker 0 in Key West, often are used as Keys address locators. In 1935, new bridges were under construction to connect a highway through the entire Keys. They’re divided into the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys, and together, this palm-fringed archipelago spans 113 miles, all connected by only one road: The gorgeous U.S. 1-Overseas Highway. Many of the original railroad and highway bridges remain today as pedestrian fishing piers. [citation needed]. One of the advantages of living in the Florida Keys is that you get to enjoy a beach sunset every day, all year long. Evacuation of the Keys depends on causeways and the two-lane highway to the mainland. After one minute of secession, he (as "Prime Minister") surrendered to an officer of the Key West Naval Air Station (NAS), and requested one billion ($1,000,000,000) dollars in "foreign aid".[4]. Islamorada is known as the Sport Fishing Capital of the World, where backcountry sport fishing and saltwater fly-fishing were pioneered. The Florida Keys Overseas Highway is 113 miles in length, joining the mainland of Florida (starting in Florida City, just south of Homestead) to Key West. [7] While the islands of the upper and middle keys form a long narrow arc, the islands of the lower keys are perpendicular to the line of that arc. When the evacuation train failed to reach the camps before the storm, more than 200 veterans perished. https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-florida-keys-1435726 De León named the islands Los Martires ("The Martyrs"), as they looked like suffering men from a distance. Robbie’s Marina, one of the Florida Keys’ most iconic landmarks, sits on the tip of Lower Matecumbe Key, about five miles south at mile marker 77.5. Homes, businesses, infrastructure and people, as well as natural areas and native species are affected by sea level rise today and may be impacted by storm surge at any time. The types of coral that formed Key Largo limestone can be identified on the exposed surface of these keys. In 1982, the United States Border Patrol established a roadblock and inspection points on US Highway 1, stopping all northbound traffic returning to the mainland at Florida City, to search vehicles for illegal drugs and undocumented immigrants. If you’re in need stretch your legs, stop at the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. For many years, Key West was the largest town in Florida, and it grew prosperous on wrecking revenues. There is something tranquil about being able to watch the sky turn different shades of color every night from the comfort of your own home. The "towns" of Key Largo, North Key Largo and Tavernier, all on the island of Key Largo, are not incorporated.). It is the third-largest barrier reef system in the world.[9]. On September 12, parts of the Keys were still inaccessible by causeway and some areas were closed to the public. … High tide and low tide forecasts for Florida : Florida Keys and other regions all over the world. The other storms were Hurricane Camille (1969), Hurricane Andrew (1992), and Hurricane Michael (2018). The views are absolutely breathtaking with the Gulf of Mexico to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Journal of Antonio de Herrera quoted in Goodwin-Nguyen, S (2008) Key West: A Comprehensive Guide to Florida's Southernmost City, Channel Lake, p. 19. The waters surrounding the Keys are part of a protected area known as the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. It also hosts amateur astronomy gatherings. Key West is the driest city in Florida, and most of the Florida Keys can become quite dry at the height of the dry season. The Keys were originally inhabited by the Calusa and Tequesta tribes, and were charted by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. The Florida Keys are the southernmost tropical islands in Florida that you can actually drive, fly or take a short ferry ride to from mainland Florida. The strongest hurricane to strike the U.S. made landfall near Islamorada in the Upper Keys on Labor Day, Monday, September 2, 1935. Due to their tropical climate,[24] the Florida Keys attract several hundred thousand tourists annually. Rain falling through leaf debris becomes acidic and dissolves holes in the limestone, where soil accumulates and trees root. They have been ravaged in the past by major storms, and will be flattened again with greater frequency in … The climate also allows many imported plants to thrive. While it still offers refined and luxurious accommodation, camping, and pristine nature, it's no longer only for the wealthy. All of southern Florida was covered by a shallow sea. Whether you love to surf, dive, go fishing or simply enjoy walking on beautiful ocean beaches, Tide Table Chart will show you the tide predictions of your favorite beach. Time estimates for evacuating the entire Keys range from 12 to 24 hours. (Knights, Vaca, Boot, Long Point, Crawl, and Grassy Keys, as well as most of Fat Deer Key, are incorporated in the city of Marathon. Answer 1 of 6: My wife and are are planning a 1 week trip to FL, primarily to the Keys. Key West has been home to such literary greats as Ernest Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, who wrote some of their best-known works while living on the island. A ferry takes riders between Key West and Fort Myers, as well as Marco Island due north on the mainland, along the western edge of Florida Bay.[28]. If you don’t have your own transponder, the rental car company will bill you. Miami to Big Pine and the Lower Keys 2.5 hours. Key Largo is regarded as the Dive Capital of the World and is home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, America’s first underwater preserve. The Keys still attract Cubans leaving their home country, and stories of "rafters" coming ashore are not uncommon. 1. A 2.2-mile (3.5 km) section of the old bridge remains for access to the island, although it was closed to vehicular traffic on March 4, 2008. Not having been there before, looking for some advice. Florida Keys Driving Times. For anyone else travelling to the States, the Keys would be a great add-on during a trip to Florida. We recently got to spend a few exploring a true gem in the US, the Florida Keys. The Upper Keys islands are composed of sandy-type accumulations of limestone grains produced by plants and marine organisms. ), growing at the southern end of their ranges, and tropical families, including mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni), gumbo limbo (Bursera simaruba), stoppers (Eugenia spp. Finished in 1982, the longest bridge in the Florida Keys is wide enough to give a motorist room to pull over to change a flat tire -- and steal many glances at the perfectly green water. The Key West Food Tours journey is 3 hours long stopping at some of their favorite local spots to eat from Cuban cuisine to a great rum bar with a history dating all the way back to the prohibition. This configuration arose from an ancient tidal-bar system. "Florida Keys Information and Florida Keys Info Online Videos for Florida Keys Travel Guide and Vacation Guides", "The Coconut Palm in Florida", Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, "WMO Climate Normals for KEY WEST/INTL, FL 1961–1990", "Average Weather for Key West, FL - Temperature and Precipitation", "25% of Florida Keys houses destroyed as 15 million Floridians have no power", "Florida Keys: Level of destruction uncertain, but it's not looking good", "Hurricane Irma's impact, from the air: Florida Keys battered but spared the worst in near miss", "Damage heavy on Key West, but booze still flows", "Florida Keys facing potential 'humanitarian crisis' in Irma aftermath", "Code of ordinances, City of Marathon, Florida", Monroe County Tourist Development Council Survey, Florida Highway Patrol 2006 accident statistics, "Key West Express in Fort Myers Beach, FL", Jason Project The Story of Water Movement and Land Formation, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Florida_Keys&oldid=995944718, Articles with dead external links from October 2017, Articles with permanently dead external links, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2018, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961−1990), This page was last edited on 23 December 2020, at 18:31. [27], The major industries are fishing and tourism, including ecotourism, with many visitors scuba diving in the area's protected waters. The idea of the Conch Republic has provided a new source of revenue for the Keys by way of tourist keepsake sales, and the Conch Republic has participated in later protests.
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