The Florida Keys & Key West are putting Earth Day in the spotlight with a wide range of activities throughout the island chain on and around 22 April 2024.  Every day is a reason to celebrate the planet in the Florida Keys. It is an area full of natural wonders including ten state parks, two national parks, four federally protected wildlife refuges and the only contiguous coral barrier reef in continental United States.   Earth Day activities include: KEY WEST Mote Marine Laboratory’s Ocean Fest: This community celebration of the Florida Keys’ marine environment takes place on Saturday 20 April, from 10 am to 3 pm at Truman Waterfront Park. Attendees of all ages are invited to enjoy a fun day of crafts, games, music, food, local brews and shopping. Mote and other environmental organisations provide exhibits and experiences to enhance understanding of the work being done to preserve coral reefs. Earth Day 5k Run/Walk: The Key West Southernmost Runners’ 26^th annual Earth Day 5k Run/Walk is set for Saturday 20 April at Truman Waterfront Park. Proceeds from the race benefit the Conch Republic Marine Army, a local nonprofit grassroots organisation dedicated to cleaning and restoring the shallow mangrove habitats. Plogging the Keys Earth Day Cleanup: Plogging the Keys, a group that stages numerous cleanups around Key West, is to hold its Earth Day cleanup event in the Triangle area, starting at 8 am on Monday 22 April.   LOWER KEYS Bahia Honda State Park Earth Day Celebration: Bahia Honda State Park in the Lower Keys is to stage its annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday 20 April. Attendees can learn about earth-friendly activities from numerous conservation-minded vendors and enjoy live music and crafts. A scavenger hunt will send kids on a journey to visit the festival’s many exhibitors, including the Florida Keys’ Turtle Hospital, Reef Relief, and Save-A-Turtle of the Florida Keys. Plant Mangroves with Plant a Million Corals and Coastlove: Plant a Million Corals’ headquarters at Summerland Farms in the Lower Keys is now home to both coral and mangrove nurseries. Coastlove, a leader in mangrove restoration, has joined with Plant a Million Corals to create an Earth Day community event on Saturday 20 April. There are tours of the nurseries and the chance to plant baby mangroves along the shoreline, along with educational activities, live music, and refreshments. Full Moon Kayak Excursion: Captain Bill Keogh’s Big Pine Kayak Adventures hosts full moon kayak excursions from October to May in the waters surrounding the National Key Deer Refuge. April’s full moon paddle takes place on Tuesday 23^rd April, the day after Earth Day. Paddlers on the 6:30-8:30 pm excursion can explore the quiet beauty of the mangrove estuary and view the full moon light. Cost is a US$30 donation that supports the Florida Keys Wildlife Society.   ISLAMORADA I.CARE Coral Restoration Dives: I.CARE is a nonprofit group dedicated to the restoration and maintenance of the coral reef communities in the Florida Keys. Coral transplant dives are offered every Saturday and the third Sunday of each month - including 20 and 21 April - with three participating Upper Keys dive shops. Those interested can join the citizen science effort while exploring Keys reefs with other conservation-minded divers.   Visitors can discover more of the island chain’s unique eco-attractions by tapping into the free Florida Keys Eco-Experience Trail pass. More information on the Florida Keys & Key West

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The free Florida Keys Eco-Experience Trail pass has now gone live. Visitors to the Florida Keys can now easily explore the island chain's unique eco-attractions. The mobile-only digital pass enables users to find and check in at local businesses while exploring the environment and wildlife. The easy-to-use pass features only-in-the-Keys attractions, sites, and marine adventures. Created by the Florida Keys tourism council and tech company Bandwango, the Eco-Experience Trail pass includes nearly 50 geo-tagged, bookable activities. They range from dolphin watching in Key West to behind the scenes at Plant a Million Corals on Summerland Key. Further activities and offerings are to be added in 2024. After accessing the pass via fla-keys.com/experience, users can begin exploring state parks and nature tours, wildlife centers and refuges, as well as coral restoration opportunities. Also featured are fishing, diving, and snorkeling tours, many conducted by sanctuary-certified Blue Star operators. Users can filter experiences by location, activity type or attraction. Upon checking in at a location on the pass, users also receive points based on the level of the experience. Once a specific number of points is earned, passholders can exchange them for prizes. In addition, some participating businesses provide value-added offerings or incentives. "The Eco-Experience Trail pass is an easy-to-use, mobile-based 'passport' that introduces visitors to the best of the Florida Keys' natural attractions," said Rita Irwin, chair of the Keys tourism council.   

The 125-mile-long Florida Keys & Key West island chain is much more than just leisurely vacations. It’s your key to doing business or team bonding in style with a subtropical island vibe. "Resorts throughout the Keys, many providing relaxing and scenic waterfront views, have enhanced their offerings with villas and new facilities for groups," said Jack Meier, group sales manager for the Keys' Monroe County Tourist Development Council. Nonprofit organizations dedicated to environmental conservation and sustainability and historic preservation also offer unique only-in-the Keys venues for small groups. The Keys are an ideal island destination for meetings, typically of 15 to 100 attendees — providing opportunities to extend mid-week business gatherings with pre- or post- leisure stays. The island chain is easily accessible from major U.S. cities with more than 20 nonstop flights to Key West International Airport (EYW). Later this year, United Airlines is to begin operating daily nonstop flights from Newark's Liberty, Chicago O'Hare, Houston's George Bush and Washington D.C.'s Dulles airports. Check the Monroe County Tourist Development Council's new meeting planner guide and read its Keys Traveler MICE edition for inspiration.  Visit fla-keys.com\kla-mice.   Keys Airlift Airline seat capacity is increasing on flights between several major cities and Key West International Airport (EYW). JetBlue Airways is to resume nonstop service Oct. 29 to EYW from Boston Logan International Airport, with nonstop daily service scheduled in January. On Nov. 5, American Airlines is to add a second daily nonstop flight to EYW from Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Also Nov. 5, Delta Air Lines is to resume its nonstop winter seasonal flight to EYW from New York City's LaGuardia Airport.   Keys Accommodations Islamorada's 27-acre oceanfront Cheeca Lodge & Spa — with 243 rooms and suites, 11 stand-alone casitas, a total 70,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor event space — offers a new stand-alone 10,000-square-foot Islamorada Ballroom. Billed as the Keys' largest, it accommodates up to 1,500 for receptions and 788 for banquet-style dinners. Forty-three new premier oceanfront suites each offer over 550 square feet, a private balcony and open-air spa tub. The Casitas at Cheeca Lodge feature personalized butler service and one- and two-bedroom units from 750 to 2,100 square feet. Casita group buyouts are offered. Visit cheeca.com   The Islamorada Resort Collection  offers 376 island-inspired guestrooms,12 dining outlets, 80,000 square feet of meeting space and a fishing fleet. The Collection includes the 110-room Amara Cay Resort, the 52-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas, and an all-new resort and marina at mile marker 84 in 2024. When completed, the new resort will have 214 guestrooms, seven culinary venues including an island-style pizza restaurant and an outdoor venue with Central American cuisine and a full-service marina. The collection's iconic Tiki Bar is also undergoing renovations. Group activities include offshore and backcountry fishing and ocean adventures by Spray Watersports, with a 26-mile jet ski tour of backcountry mangroves, wildlife preserves and other attractions. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com   The Middle Keys' newest luxury property, the 199-unit Isla Bella Beach Resort in Marathon, has more than 20,000 square feet of function space including 16,000 of outdoor space and a 2,800-square-foot Hibiscus Event Center. For new groups of 20 or more rooms per night and with a minimum food and beverage purchase, group perks include an "It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere" welcome reception, breakfast vouchers at Marketplace, private pool for a day, fee-waived indoor meeting space, and more. The Virtuoso Preferred resort's offerings include a new Sushi Cabana, opening this winter; on-site charters for fishing, diving and watersports; a spa, five pools and three food and beverage venues. Visit islabellabeachresort.com .   The  311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, has unveiled extensive renovations including a new 5,000-square-feet oceanfront event lawn, adding to its existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space. New elements include  four new food and beverage outlets and upgraded piers utilized for watersports. Group activities include scavenger hunts, jet ski tours, private snorkeling trips and golf tournaments. All guest rooms are renovated. Nine event spaces accommodate from 10 to 500. Visit casamarinaresort.com   Keys Attractions In Key Largo, The Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) offers The Interpretive Center for small groups, providing educational experiences about fish identification, lionfish or mangrove ecology. REEF's headquarters is in a classic conch-style house, known as the oldest building in the Upper Keys still in its original location. An all-new onsite $5 million, 4,000-square-feet, two-story Marine Conservation Center features an ocean exploration gallery and three centers for discovery science, ocean outreach and program planning is targeted for completion in 2025. It will provide space for groups of up to 80. Visit reef.org/mccproject   In Islamorada, the Florida Keys History & Discovery Center is a 7,500-square-feet facility on the north side of the oceanfront Islander Resort. It focuses on the Keys' maritime history, the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad and exhibits about the island chain's reef ecosystem. A second-floor 35-seat theater screens documentaries. The center's first floor showcases Upper Keys history including First Nation people, early Spanish treasure hunters and pirates. A Coral Reef Exploration Exhibit has three aquariums, interactive kiosks and views on monitors of coral reef ecosystems. Visit keysdiscovery.com   In the Middle Keys at Dolphin Research Center, groups can meet dolphins and participate in memorable interactive experiences including team-building exercises with the marine mammals. It offers two separate meeting rooms, each with a full-screen monitor and Wi-Fi, and hosting up to 70 attendees theater-style or 44 for dinner. An airy 378-square-feet outside porch hosts smaller breakouts or an ‘al fresco’ meal. Visit dolphins.org/events .   In Marathon at Crane Point Hammock Museum & Nature Trails, the midcentury 2,500-square-feet Crane House is unique to the Keys and can host up to 70. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, an antique 84-foot-long red railroad car provides space for 25 to 30 attendees. Crane Point is preserved by the Florida Keys Land and Sea Trust as one of the Keys' most sensitive environmental and archaeological sites. It has a museum, historic Bahamian-style Adderley House, "fish pedicures," gift shop and nature trails. Crane Point is also the new home for the Marathon Wild Bird Center, with new educational bird enclosures, hospital and rehabilitation facility to treat sick and injured wild birds. The facility houses more than 40 non-releasable birds and continues to treat about 750 birds annually. Visit cranepoint.net   At Mote Marine Laboratory's Elizabeth Moore International Center for Coral Reef Research & Restoration, groups can book a private tour of the land-based coral nursery, with outdoor research and indoor labs. The facility has classroom space for 25, and continental breakfasts and bag lunches can be arranged. It also offers private group tours and interactive coral experiences at its satellite coral nurseries at Reefhouse Resort & Marina in Key Largo, and at Bud N' Mary's marina in Islamorada. Visit mote.org/locations/details/international-center-for-coral-reef-research-and-restoration/islamorada-coral-nurseryredirect   On Key West's Truman Waterfront, the state-of-the-art 6,000-square-feet Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center offers new contemporary exhibits highlighting Florida Keys mangrove, coral and seagrass habitats. A freestanding main exhibit focuses on the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. There's also an exhibit on shipwrecks and maritime history. A conference room seats 30 and there's access to a small kitchenette. Visit floridakeys.noaa.gov/eco_discovery.html   Keys Tours In Marathon, the Pigeon Key Visitor Center and Pigeon Key Express train offer daily tours departing from the Pigeon Key Gift Shop. The colorful train, with a locomotive front and two 30-passenger coaches, travels along a 2.2-mile restored span of the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Lying beneath "Old Seven," the tiny island of Pigeon Key was a camp for workers building the bridge in the early 1900s and features restored buildings and a museum. Visitors can swim, snorkel, fish and shop. Train tours can be booked online 14 days in advance. Visit pigeonkey.net   Keys Podcast Meeting and incentive planners and event attendees can explore the Keys' unique heritage through a new 30-episode documentary-style Florida Keys Traveler podcast that showcases 200 years of the island chain's history. The podcast features local personalities, attractions and venues in each of the Keys' five districts: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Florida's Lower Keys, and Key West. Visit fla-keys.com/podcast/.

Fall in the Florida Keys & Key West is calling travelers with outdoor festivities and immersive activities. The Keys offers excitement on and in the water as well as on land. The Florida Keys continue marking its bicentennial milestone throughout 2023, with museum exhibits and festivities commemorating the two centuries of heritage. With expanded airline seat capacity, new hotels and resort programs, and enhanced attractions, see what is in store for this autumn in the Florida Keys.   What’s new    Keys Airlift Airline seat capacity is increasing on flights between several major cities and Key West International Airport (EYW), which is currently undergoing a major Concourse A expansion. JetBlue Airways is to resume nonstop service Oct. 29 from Boston Logan International Airport on 140-seat Airbus A220-300 aircraft, with nonstop daily service scheduled in January. On Nov. 5, American Airlines is to add a second daily nonstop flight from Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport. Also Nov. 5, Delta Air Lines is to resume its nonstop winter seasonal flight from New York City's LaGuardia Airport. Beginning Nov. 28, United Airlines is to operate two daily nonstop flights from Newark Liberty International Airport. Additionally, Dec. 21 United will begin operating daily nonstop flights from Chicago O'Hare, Houston's George Bush Intercontinental, and Washington D.C.'s Dulles airports.   Keys Accommodations From Nov. 1, the all-new 24-unit Flamingo Lodge offers studios and one- and two-bedroom suites with kitchenettes and balconies overlooking Florida Bay in Everglades National Park. An adjacent stand-alone restaurant is slated to open along with the lodge. The park's fully renovated pink Guy Bradley Visitor Center — with interactive nature and art exhibits and expansive views overlooking Florida Bay — is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The 2,400-square-mile park is the continental United States' third-largest national park. Visit flamingoeverglades.com/flamingo-lodge-restaurant   In Islamorada, Casa Morada Resort has partnered with the renowned Cornell Lab of Ornithology to enable bird enthusiasts to become familiar with indigenous bird species in the Upper Keys. Properties in the Enthusiast Hotel Collection connect guests who are birdwatchers with local birding experts and birding ecosystems. Guests can study migration patterns and nesting rituals, observe birds on educational walks, and learn about efforts to protect vulnerable species. Casa Morada, located at 136 Madeira Road, welcomes guests 16 and older. Visit casamorada.com .   Marathon's 125-unit Faro Blanco Resort, with a historic 1950s lighthouse, is undergoing renovations and a conversion to become Faro Blanco Resort, a Curio Collection by Hilton, in late 2023. The property will include 1,200 square feet of meeting space with outdoor event space, cabanas and a new multi-level deck with bar. There's an adjoining 74-slip marina. Visit faroblancoresort.com   In the Lower Keys, the seven-acre waterfront Sun Outdoors Sugarloaf Key is slated to open in October on Summerland Key. As the Keys' fourth Sun Outdoors RV resort, it features 73 full hookup 20-, 30-, and 50-amp RV sites with patio, complimentary Wi-Fi and outdoor picnic table; a heated pool, boardwalk and peninsula Tiki bar with firepit. An additional 19 on-site "glamping" bungalows are available. Sister property Sun Outdoors Islamorada recently opened its 12-acre Upper Keys resort with 82 full hookup RV sites. Visit sunoutdoors.com/florida/sun-outdoors-sugarloaf-key   The legendary 311-room Casa Marina Key West, Curio Collection by Hilton, is to unveil its grand renovation this fall. Guests can expect a new 5,000-square-feet oceanfront event lawn added to its existing 11,000 square feet of indoor event space. Fully renovated piers can be utilized for watersports, and activities include scavenger hunts, jet-ski tours and snorkeling trips. All guest rooms — including 63 suites, are renovated. Visit casamarinaresort.com or call 305-296-3535.   In Key West, the two-bedroom penthouse suite at Ocean Key Resort & Spa is redesigned as the Flamingo Royale Suite. The suite, accommodating up to four, offers a spacious lounging area, two king bedrooms and two full bathrooms with a spa tub. An oceanfront balcony spans the full length of the suite showcasing sweeping views of the ocean and historic Key West Harbor. Visit oceankey.com   Keys Attractions In Islamorada, The Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder (DPMMR) rescue group is developing The Protect Center Whale & Dolphin Hospital. It will be South Florida's only working veterinary hospital to treat injured whales, bottlenose dolphins and other marine mammals. The new facility is to include a 40-feet-diameter pool for long-term marine mammal rehabilitation, an educational classroom and a 3,000-square-feet marine wildlife conservation-themed museum, opening in early 2024. DPMMR has responded to more than 700 injured, sick and stranded marine mammals in the Keys.   At Robbie's Marina in Islamorada, the new Transparensea glass-bottom boat is available for day and night tours of reefs such as Alligator Reef, Caloosa Rocks and Cheeca Rocks. The 46-foot Newton, built in 2023, can carry 49-passengers and has 16 glass-viewing windows and Lumitec underwater lights for night tours. Daily tours are scheduled at noon, 3 p.m. and 20 minutes after sunset. Visit glassbottomtour.com   In Marathon, the Pigeon Key Visitor Center and a custom-designed Pigeon Key Express train, launched in August. It offers daily tours departing from the Pigeon Key Gift Shop at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. The colorful train, with a locomotive front and two 30-passenger coaches, travels along a 2.2-mile restored span of the Old Seven Mile Bridge.  Visitors can swim, snorkel, fish and shop at an on-island gift shop. The train depot is at 1090 Overseas Highway bayside. Visit pigeonkey.net   In Marathon, the 63.5-acre Crane Point Museum & Nature Trails is to unveil an all-new home for the Marathon Wild Bird Center — with new educational bird enclosures and a new hospital in October. The facility will house more than 40 non-releasable birds and continue to treat about 750 birds annually. Crane Point also features the Crane House, built in 1954 and now fully renovated for events; a museum, lagoon, plant nursery and several nature trails. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Crane Point is the site of prehistoric Native American artifacts and an early Bahamian village. It is home to the Adderley House, a structure built in 1904, and the second-oldest house in the Keys outside of Key West. Visit cranepoint.net   At Key West's Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, the new "1622: Wealthy World" exhibit showcases never-before-displayed artifacts from the Nuestra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita shipwrecks, two galleons from Spain's 1622 fleet that sank off Key West. The museum is believed to contain the richest single collection of 17th-century maritime and shipwreck antiquities in the Western Hemisphere. The exhibit features objects including huge cannons and rare hand weapons, cooking implements and ceramic food and water storage jars, and more. The Atocha and Margarita were among 28 vessels shipwrecked during a 1622 hurricane. Both galleons' wreck sites were discovered off Key West in the 1980s by salvager Mel Fisher and crew. Visit melfisher.org or call 305-294-2633.   The Key West Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters Museum has reopened after restoration work to the lighthouse tower. It originally opened in 1848. Adjacent to the tower, a fully restored oil storage shed is to become part of the museum's display space. Visitors can walk up the lighthouse's 88 steps for sweeping panoramic views. Ninety-minute sunset experiences — offering private use of the lighthouse for groups ranging from two to eight — and a marriage proposal package are offered. The historic landmark, operated by the Key West Art & Historical Society is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Visit kwahs.org/lighthouse   Keys Bikes In Key Largo, Bike the Florida Keys rents Lectric XP Step-Thru 2.0 bikes with a top speed of 28 mph and range of up to 45 miles. The company has free deliveries in Key Largo, Tavernier and Islamorada. Guided half-day tours can be booked. Riders must be 16 to ride. Visit biketheflkeys.com   In Key West, Key Lime Bike Tours features a new two-hour, four-mile guided Sunset Bicycle Tour past historic sights of Mallory Square, the Custom House, Mile Marker 0, Truman Waterfront Park, Hemingway Home, Southernmost Point, The Mansion by the Sea and popular bars. Brightly lit beach cruisers have coaster brakes, baskets and comfort seats, and the tours include bottled water and drink coupons. Visit keylimebiketours.com   Keys Marinas A new Key West marina, Happy Landings Marina, is to open this fall for 75 vessels up to 40 feet in length. The marina is to feature gated 24-hour access, dock and concierge services, a fish-cleaning station, ice machine and parking. Thirty boat lifts are initially planned with capability to hoist boats up to 20,000 pounds. Visit happylandingsmarina.com  

The final episode of the Florida Keys Traveler podcast series is to air today commemorating the Keys' 200th bicentennial birthday. It features commentary by a 104-year-old resident. The Florida Territorial Legislature established Monroe County, covering the entire 125-mile-long Keys island chain, on July 3, 1823. The final podcast, titled "Happy 200th Birthday, Florida Keys!" rounds off a 30-episode documentary-style series that celebrates two centuries of the Florida Keys. It was recorded on-site at more than 25 locations. Hosted by veteran broadcaster and journalist Elizabeth Harryman Lasley, it has taken listeners through the island chain's history from the early 1800s to the present. Commentary and perspectives are provided by Florida Keys historians, community leaders and local personalities. Topics included shipwreck salvage and maritime heritage, cultural and artistic expression, sport fishing, diversity and Black and Cuban history. It also focused on the environment and conservation. The final episode features 104-year-old Key West resident Onelio Gonzalez. Gonzalez recalls Ernest Hemingway walking the island streets and President Harry S. Truman at his Little White House in Key West. He also speaks of riding on Henry Flagler's Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad, completed in 1912 and stretching from Florida's southern mainland throughout the Keys. The podcast is available on more than 25 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

The Florida Keys & Key West continues its bicentennial celebrations, with heritage activities throughout Monroe County. The 200-year anniversary is being celebrated throughout 2023, with museum exhibits, art showcases and festivals. On July 3 — 200 years to the day, the world's largest Key lime pie will be served - projected to measure 13.14 feet in diameter. Here’s what else is planned in the Florida Keys this summer:   Keys Attractions Cruisin' Tikis Key Largo has added a third floating Tiki bar to its fleet and a second location, now departing from Sundowners in Key Largo. Options from Sundowners include Tiki Fun, Sunset and Night cruises for up to six people. Cruisin' Tikis also operates two Tiki boats out of Snooks Bayside Restaurant and Grand Tiki Bar. Cruises run 1.5 to two hours. cruisintikiskeylargo.com.   In Tavernier, the new 6,500-square-foot Pinfish Entertainment Center, located in Tavernier Towne shopping center, is slated to open this summer. It will feature Duckpin Bowling, axe throwing with three lanes, an arcade with about 30 games including video games and virtual reality, and a self-serve beer tap wall. Duckpin bowling is similar to traditional bowling but with shorter lanes and smaller bowling balls and pins. The venue can accommodate from eight to 80 guests. pinfishentertainment.com.   In Marathon, the Pigeon Key Visitor Center and Pigeon Key train have additional summer tours, with four daily tours departing for historic Pigeon Key at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. (including a shark pool feeding after the tour) and 2:30 p.m. The tiny island of Pigeon Key is beneath the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge. The train, consisting of a locomotive front and two 30-passenger coaches, travels along the 2.2-mile span of the bridge nicknamed "Old Seven."  Visitors can swim, snorkel and fish from shore, and browse the on-island gift shop. The train depot is at 1090 Overseas Highway bayside at the old Seven Mile Marina property. pigeonkey.net   The Key West Aquarium — Key West's first attraction — has undergone restoration of the building's front exterior in a redesign resembling the original open-air aquarium that first opened in 1937. The new design features a nautically themed fountain and image of the aquarium from the 1930s. Inside the aquarium's Touch Tank, a vertical fish tank filled with tropical fish has been added. A new "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" audiovisual show, with a hammerhead shark, entertains visitors. Educational tours and informative talks take place throughout the day. keywestaquarium.com   Keys Fishing The new Landboat Charters, billed as the Florida Keys' only team providing onshore bridge fishing charters, offers new family-friendly, three-hour bridge and Key West pier fishing charters that include rods, gear, bait and cold bottled water. Nonresidents are required to have a valid Florida fishing license, priced from $17 for three days at GoOutdoorFlorida.com.  fishthebridges.com   Keys Environment In Key Largo, Mote Marine Laboratory's third land-based Keys facility — the Key Largo Coral Nursery at Reefhouse Resort, has a new weekly "Slice of Paradise" activity. Visitors can experience coral microfragmentation using a small diamond-bladed saw to create coral fragments. After slicing the coral, participants mount the fragments onto ceramic pedestals to enable growth. Participants also tour the nursery and learn about endangered coral species and Mote's genetic diversity. Minimum age is 10 and those ages 10 to 17 must be accompanied by a paying adult. Mote.org/KeysTours,   In Key Largo, the Coral Restoration Foundation has unveiled a new "Coral Bus," a first-of-its-kind nursery-raised coral transport technology where corals are acclimated that closely replicates conditions of the open ocean. Through a partnership with Georgia Aquarium, the aquarium trailer enables practitioners to monitor and regulate water temperature, pH level, filtration and water flow. coralrestoration.org   In Marathon, the 63.5-acre Crane Point Museum & Nature Trails is to unveil a new Marathon Wild Bird Center as a permanent home. Featuring a new bird enclosure, hospital and rehabilitation facility for injured and rescued birds, it is slated to open in September. The new center will house 750 or more birds annually. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and located at mile marker 50.5, Crane Point is the site of prehistoric Native American artifacts and an early Bahamian village. Crane Point, located at the site of Marathon's first train depot is the second-oldest house in the Keys outside of Key West. In addition, the property's historic Crane House, built in 1954, has completed renovations and is to serve as a venue for weddings and events. Crane Point also features a museum, lagoon, plant nursery and several nature trails.  cranepoint.net   In Islamorada, Dolphins Plus Marine Mammal Responder rescue group is developing the Protect Center Whale & Dolphin Hospital as South Florida's only working and teaching veterinary hospital to treat injured marine mammals. The new hospital and facility are to include a 40-foot-diameter pool for long-term marine mammal rehabilitation, an educational classroom and a 3,000-square-foot museum. It's scheduled to be fully open by fall. Currently, the Protect Center's retail space is open daily. Its art show, "A Wave of Color: Promoting Ocean Conservation" with over 20 curated ocean-themed works, runs through Sept. 7. Dolphins Plus has responded to more than 700 injured, sick and stranded marine mammals in the Keys.  connecttoprotect.org/hospital    Two Florida Keys environmental leaders, Mike Goldberg of Islamorada and Dave Vaughan of Summerland Key have recently earned global accolades. Goldberg, co-founder of I.CARE, the Keys' only Islamorada-based reef restoration organizationhas been named a CNN Hero. Vaughan, founder of Plant a Million Corals Foundation, was named an Ocean Steward and recognized with a sculpture placed at the John Brewer Reef in Townsville, Australia. Vaughan is the only American honored among eight coral reef champions. fla-keys.com/news/article/11413/keys-stewards-mike-goldberg-dave-vaughan-earn-global-honors/.   Keys TV and Podcast FloridaKeysTV is a new free, on-demand globally streaming channel showcasing exclusive programming dedicated to the Florida Keys. The channel is available on Amazon, Android Mobile and TV, Apple TV, Apple IOS for iPhone and iPad, Fire TV, Roku, Samsung and LG. floridakeystv.com.   The Florida Keys Traveler podcast is to air the 30th episode of its first season on July 3, commemorating the bicentennial. The podcast launched globally March 23 on more than 25 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. Episodes feature Keys personalities including historians, wildlife experts, environmentalists, entrepreneurs and adventurers.  fla-keys.com/podcast/.

Florida Keys visitors and residents will commemorate the island chain's bicentennial Monday, July 3 with the world's largest Key lime pie. Part of the "Florida Keys 200" events calendar, it follows with a laser light show and fireworks. The festivities salute the 200th anniversary of the Florida Territorial Legislature's founding of Monroe County, on July 3, 1823. "Keys 200" events have been staged around the island chain leading up to the anniversary. Bicentennial activities culminate 200 years to the day after Monroe County's establishment with the world's largest serving of the Keys' most iconic dessert. It is set for 5-10 p.m. at Big Pine Community Park, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. "What better way to celebrate this fabulous milestone than at one of the largest community events in the Lower Keys?" said Julie Schilling, president of the Rotary Club of the Lower Keys. "We're very excited to celebrate with Monroe County on the actual date of the 200th anniversary”. The huge pie created by Key West chefs Kermit Carpenter and Paul Menta, is expected to measure 13.14 feet in diameter. It is prepared with a traditional graham-cracker crust and whipped cream topping. Ingredients include juice from several thousand Key limes, more than 55 gallons of sweetened condensed milk and over 200 pounds of graham crackers. The pie will be certified in a resolution by Monroe County commissioners. The bicentennial event will also feature a photo booth; bounce house, slide and games for kids; and food trucks. Fireworks are accompanied by a patriotic laser light show, created by Key West Lasers. They will use high-powered performance lasers to generate a colorful mid-air presentation. Additional activities are to include live music by Keys band Brian Roberts and the Prime Movers, as well as former American Idol finalist and Lower Keys resident Kristen McNamara.

Florida Keys is set to celebrate its bicentennial in style with a host of top events. Visitors are invited to join in with a sunset celebration on the Middle Keys' Old Seven Mile Bridge, a gala sea-to-table dinner, plus festivities and fireworks. The activities salute the 200th anniversary of the Florida Territorial Legislature's founding of Monroe County, which contains the entire Florida Keys, on July 3, 1823. As well as recognizing the historic anniversary, they spotlight unique aspects of the Keys' vibrant two-century history. Commemorative events begin Friday, May 19, with a 6 pm gathering on the Old Seven Mile Bridge, once the centerpiece of the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad that operated from 1912 to 1935. Attractions include live music and dancing, local artists, catered tidbits by the Marathon High School culinary class and a sunset toast with vodka distilled from breadfruit. Past and present commissioners who helped guide Monroe County are to be honored during the evening.   Next on the schedule is a culinary event that highlights Florida Keys seafood, the talents of celebrity and local chefs. Set for Saturday, June 10, the Sea to Table Dinner takes place at Bud N' Mary's Marina in Islamorada. A rooftop sunset reception is set for 6:30 pm, while the dinner begins at 7:30 pm in the property's spacious Boat Barn. As well as fine cuisine, attendees can discover Keys artists' work, historic photos and the coral nursery at Bud N' Mary's. Local fishing captains are to host each table.   The following Saturday, June 17, Keys residents and visitors can enjoy a picnic at Rowell's Waterfront Park, located in Key Largo. There is live music by the Mangrove Swamp Band and others, and activities such as swimming and sailing. In addition, a fire truck will be on hand to provide cooling water spray and fun for kids.   Bicentennial celebrations culminate July 3 — 200 years to the day after Monroe County's 1823 establishment. A family-friendly gathering takes place at Big Pine Community Park. Highlights include the creation and serving of the world's largest Key lime pie — expected to measure 13feet in diameter and prepared with a traditional graham-cracker crust and whipped cream topping. The evening will feature live music by Brian Roberts and the Prime Movers, as well as former American Idol finalist and Keys resident Kristen McNamara. Also planned are a bounce house, slide and games for kids, food trucks, and a glittering fireworks and laser light show. Throughout 2023, museum exhibits and festivals are being themed to commemorate the anniversary  

  The Florida Keys and Key West are putting Earth Day in the spotlight with a wide range of activities throughout the island chain on and around 22 April 2023.   Every day is a reason to celebrate the beauty of the planet in the Florida Keys, full of natural wonders including ten state parks, two national parks, four federally protected havens and the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef.   Earth Day specific activities include:   Coral Fragging Party with Captain Hook’s   In the Lower Keys, Captain Hook’s on Big Pine Key is teaming with Reef Renewal USA for a three-day immersive ‘Make a Difference’ citizen science initiative leading up to Earth Day that enables divers to gain knowledge while actively aiding reef restoration. The programme is to begin with a Coral Fragging Party set for 20 - 22 April to study and participate in fragmenting corals into small pieces for widespread propagation. Divers can then suit up 22 April for an Earth Day Coral Nursery Dive to work on ‘coral tree’ development and planting.   Earth Day Inspired International Film Festival Screening   To kick off Earth Day weekend, Mote Marine Laboratory is to present the ‘Youth Making Ripples’ International Film Festival Screening on Friday 21 April, at the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Centre in Key West. The screening is to feature entries from the current year’s competition and top films from previous years. Topics range from local marine concerns to a specific call to action for marine conservation. Doors open at 5 p.m., followed by a ribbon-cutting celebration for the reopening of Mote’s coral research and restoration exhibit at the centre at 5:30 p.m. The film screening will start at 6 p.m.   Celebrate Earth Day with NASA Scientists   Islamorada’s History of Diving Museum, NASA and Coastlove are to host an action-packed Earth Day event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on 22 April at Marathon International Airport. NASA earth scientists are to be on hand to talk about their climate work in South Florida aboard the agency’s Blueflux carbon-monitoring aircraft. The scientists also will offer tours inside the plane to view monitoring instruments used for climate and environmental research. The History of Diving Museum is to have displays of vintage dive gear and information about the history of diving in the Florida Keys. To emphasise the connection between mangrove trees, which absorb atmospheric carbon, and the health of the Keys’ reefs and marine ecosystems, environmental organisation Coastlove and the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission have scheduled a coastal clean-up and mangrove planting experience near the event site.   Take Part in a Sea Turtle Release   Wildlife enthusiasts can celebrate 22 April, with the Florida Keys–based Turtle Hospital by witnessing a planned sea turtle release at the Islander Resort in Islamorada. The Turtle Hospital ambulance is to arrive at 9:30 a.m. and the turtle will be released at 10 a.m. A licensed veterinary hospital dedicated to the treatment of sea turtles, the Turtle Hospital was opened in 1986 with the goal of healing injured sea turtles and returning them to the wild.

  Florida Keys artist Michelle Nicole Lowe, whose family heritage in the island chain spans more than a century, painted the colorful cover image for the 2023 Keys Traveler, the annual visitor magazine produced by the Florida Keys tourism council that is primarily distributed at travel shows.   This year’s Keys Traveler celebrates Monroe County’s 2023 bicentennial.   A resident of Islamorada, Lowe has a Keys connection that dates back to her great-grandfather’s arrival at Key West over a century ago from the Bahamas’ Green Turtle Cay. That enduring tie to the 125-mile-long island chain and her love of the ocean influenced the artist’s creative vision for the original watercolor titled “Florida Keys — 200 Years of Paradise” reproduced on the magazine’s cover.   Lowe’s design includes elements found on, over and under the aquamarine waters of the Keys. Henry Flagler’s historic Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad train crossing a distinctive arched bridge, Ernest Hemingway’s Key West home, a marlin jumping behind the famed author’s beloved fishing boat and images of a leaping bottlenose dolphin, the Alligator Reef Lighthouse and a setting sun comprise the top portion of the painting.   “I love Keys history and am really honored to have painted this piece to commemorate 200 years of the Florida Keys,” Lowe said. “As a teenager, I spent many evenings in front of one of Flagler's old bridges like the one in my painting as the last sliver of sun went under the horizon.   “It's awesome these bridges — a significant part of our Keys history — still exist,” added Lowe.   Underneath the bridge arches, Lowe included a double-masted schooner and some of the underwater creatures she sees during frequent dive and snorkel trips in the waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Elkhorn coral provides habitat for yellowtail snapper along with a hogfish and Florida lobster, while a sea turtle swims by. At the center is a queen conch shell, the iconic symbol of the Keys.   Digital editions of the 2023 Keys Traveler are available for download at fla-keys.com/brochures-newsletters. Lowe’s artwork can be seen at the Michelle Nicole Lowe Gallery at 81904 Overseas Highway in Islamorada.   Celebratory 200th anniversary activities are to begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 25, with the "200 Years of Paradise Kick-off Concert" at Key West’s Coffee Butler Amphitheater at Truman Waterfront Park. The program is to combine live music by noted regional entertainers Howard Livingston and Nick Norman, the showing of segments from South Florida PBS’ new documentary titled “The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise,” and drone “fireworks” with some 250 drones illuminating the sky.   Additional Keys 200 event information can be found at fla-keys.com/keys200.

Credit: The Florida Keys & Key West The Florida Keys invites everyone with ‘a Sovereign State of Mind’ to celebrate the Conch Republic next month The Keys has always been a unique part of the United States, notably as the only place that ‘seceded where others failed.’   How the Conch Republic was born The republic formed following a 1982 U.S. Border Patrol blockade. In protest, citizens organized the secession, declared war on the US, then surrendered 60 seconds later and demanded $1 billion in foreign aid. The anniversary of the ‘secession’ is celebrated each year with a program of offbeat events.   41st annual Conch Republic Days: April 21-30 Activities this year include a tall ships sea battle, a parade and a ‘drag’ race for female impersonators. The Great Conch Republic Drag Race (Saturday, April 22) takes place in the 700 block of Duval St. The wacky challenge typically stars drag queens and intrepid men in dresses, wigs and makeup who sprint down the pavement in high heels. The secession's anniversary Sunday, April 23, features a noon reenactment of the historic act of rebellion. Many of the Conch Republic's founders including Key West's former mayor, Dennis Wardlow, re-create the 1982 ceremony that marked the republic's birth. Thursday, April 27, brings the World's Longest Parade. Stepping off at 8 pm on Duval Street, the procession is so named because it begins at the Atlantic Ocean and proceeds down the length of Duval to the Gulf of Mexico. The action moves to Key West Harbor at 7 pm, Friday for the Great Sea Battle of the Conch Republic, featuring weapons ranging from water cannons to flying Cuban bread. Non-combatants can view the spectacle from Mallory Square and harborfront resorts, restaurants and bars. Landlubbers vie for victory Saturday, April 29, during a charity race featuring ‘strange bedfellows’ piloting decorated beds on wheels along Duval Street. Other festival attractions include daily tall ship and catamaran sails, a pirate’s ball and other parties. There is also a wearable art fashion show, and a sailing race that recalls the Florida Keys' colorful maritime heritage. Finally, all Conch Republic friends and fans can view Race World Offshore's inaugural 7 Mile Offshore Grand Prix, a powerboat race beside the historic Seven Mile Bridge in the Middle Keys. Racing is set for Sunday, April 30, with events to culminate in the presentation of the Conch Republic Cup. VIP spectator tickets are available at raceworldoffshore.com.

  “The Florida Keys: 200 Years of Paradise, ” an hourlong television documentary that explores the history of the continental United States’ southernmost island chain, is set to debut on many Public Broadcasting Service channels across the U.S. beginning March 1.   Produced by South Florida PBS, the documentary’s nationwide airing coincides with the Florida Keys’ bicentennial year. The Florida Legislature established Monroe County, encompassing the entire 125-mile-long string of islands, on July 3, 1823.   During the program, viewers journey through the region’s dramatic history as told through the eyes of residents who live and interpret that history every day.   Topics include the Keys’ booms and busts, industries such as shipwreck salvage, cultural and artistic expression, sport fishing, community leaders, natural disasters and renewal, environmental conservation and the legacy of Black pioneers.   Commentary from Florida Keys historians and others introduces viewers to the human side of the island chain’s two centuries of history, giving the story a deeply personal resonance.   Viewers should check local listings for scheduled air dates and times.   The program is supported by Badia Spices Inc. and The Florida Keys & Key West tourism council.   Documentary information Florida Keys visitor information: fla-keys.com or 1-800-FLA-KEYS