Best Summer South Florida Getaway:The Keys and Key West, Visit to the Conch Republic

Living in Miami certainly has it's advantages and some disadvantages, hurricanes, brush fires during the dry season and unrelentless heat during the hot humid days of summer...But, as far as i'm concerned the good outweigh the bad on so many counts, which I'm sure is the reason my family and I have stayed more than 40 years....

Now that summer is upon us once again my thoughts go to the good times and what fun there is to be had throughout the State and especially the southern most point of Florida, the Keys and Key West.

One of our favorite things to do is visit the keys, where water activities abound to escape the heat.. My husband and I love to visit John Pennecamp Coral Reef Park in Key Largo, the Key closest to Miami.

Depending on a persons swimming ability nearly everyone can enjoy this park...are you into scuba_diving.? Then these reefs offer underwater sights that are noted around the world for the vast array of sea life living amid the Coral Reefs... if you are an accomplished diver you will be able to see ship wrecks lying in this wonderland of sea canyons, you might even find a treasure!!!.

But, if you are like me, with sensitive ears, then deep sea diving can be a bit difficult...But don't worry, there is always snorkeling, my favorite watersport..

The reefs in John Pennecamp are a bounty of beauty just waiting to be explored beneath the beautiful aquamarine waters of the Atlantic and you don't have to go to very deep to see them....There are about 600 species of fish living in more than 40 various kinds of Coral Rock....even though some Coral was damaged during the hurricanes of 2005, there is still quite enough left in this underwater perserve to thrill your sights and senses as you float above them..tThe colorful fish swimming in and through the formations are something you won't soon forget...I know I haven't, and each time we go we see sights that astound us..One of the things we enjoy to do is buy those disposable underwater cameras....the pictures they take are better than I ever imagined they would be.

But note: these reefs are fragile and endangered so no touching allowed and fines are imposed if anyone decides to take a little chunk of coral rock home with them.

Not far from this unique park is another place I love to go, one I am somwhat passionate about, the Dolphin Research Center. Here you can swim with those incredible dolphins and feel as if you are communicating with them..there are many studies going on to find out just how this happens or how they communicate with each other, but one thing is certain, Dolphins have some sort of communincation with autistic children and when they are together in the water the children react to the dolphins in ways not seen or heard before.

We have have the best times there, in the water, as we hold on for dear life while they race across the water..one even seemed to kiss my head! Not only that, but the price you pay for this privilage is spent on further research... money well spent I must say.

If you have the time and want to go to the southernmost tip of America then key_west. is just a 3-4 hour drive away..along the way you pass all the other delightful Keys; Islamarada, Marathon, Little Deer Key, each one a worthy stop on your summer get away.....finally, you traverse the 7 mile bridge, that in itself is a trip, you almost feel as if you are flying low over the water.....

Then you find your self in another atmosphere altogether...Key West calls itself the the Conch Republic and the people who live there, "conchs"...This is an island paradise without having to leave the country....there is so much to do in Key West, and since the island is so small it is easy to experience much of the islands ambiance and activities in a short time without too much effort...

A few of my favorities:

Take The Trolleyride, get an overall feel of where everything is.

Visit that most famous marker where you can take a picture of yourself at the southernmost tip of the United States

Go to the Hemingway house, see the famous 6 toed cats that roam the property

Go to the Little White House where Harry Truman spent many of his favorite days

Go Fishing , snorkling or diving from one of the many boats waiting to take you out on the beautiful blue waters for whatever activity interests you

See the glorious sunset from the famous Mallory square and people watch....you wont believe some of the characters out there waiting to entertain you

Go shopping...Duval Street has stores with some fabulous goodies waiting for you to take home

Oh, and lets not forget the food..some of the best restaurants are located down there, with chefs from around the world offering local delicacies, like Conch prepared every way shape and form as well as the all time hit, Florida Lobster..

And no trip to Key West would be complete without a drink at Sloppy Joe's, for whatever concontion you choose to indulge it.

There really is so much more to see and do in Key West as well as all the Keys..each little island has it's own attraction or sights to make any "summer sun in fun" visit just that, FUN, with a capitol F and capital U and a capital N...

Enjoy and don't forget the sunscreen!