The Paradise Key
Key Largo is located in Monroe County, Florida, and is the first and the top of the stunning Florida Keys. The site is known as one of the most popular beach spots for scuba diving, snorkeling, and sport fishing. In fact, it boasts as being the self-proclaimed Dive Capital of the World.
Key Largo features an amazing and breathtaking natural beauty as it contains the largest artificial reef. It also houses many famous attractions which include the 510-foot USS Spiegel Grove, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, and the African Queen.
With winding creeks, two state parks, and a portion of a national marine sanctuary under its belts, Key Largo surely offers amazing experiences once you visit it. Below are some of the fun activities you can do when you travel to Key Largo.
What it Offers
Key Largo holds many exciting and fun activities on its attraction site which are perfect for individuals and families alike. Here are some:
1. Dagny Johnson Key largo Hammock Botanical State Park
Once you visit Key Largo, your first stop should be the Dagny Johnson Key largo Hammock Botanical State Park. It was established in 1982 and was named after a local environmental activist, Dagny Johnson. Located in the heart of Key Largo, the state park is one of the most popular attraction sites in the area. It houses one of the largest tracts of West Indian tropical hardwood hammocks in the country.
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The park is also home to about 84 protected species of plants and animals such as the American crocodile, the Schaus’ swallowtail butterfly, wild cotton, and mahogany mistletoe. It offers guests six miles of spectacular trails wherein they can catch a glimpse of some of these amazing rare species of plants and animals.
2. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
A hidden gem amongst the popular attraction, the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park will surely provide you with a memorable experience of its aquatic life. It considered as the first undersea park in the U.S wherein its features mangrove swamps and tropical hammocks in the park’s upland areas providing a unique experience to its guest. The park includes a 30,000 gallons saltwater aquarium and nature video programs in its attractions.
It also offers a glass-bottom boat tour through scuba diving and snorkeling for their guest to enjoy the stunning view of its reef. The two most popular activities in the park are Canoeing and kayaking.
3. Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Located just north of Key Largo, The Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge surrounds the east shore of Barnes Sound. It also includes Lake Surprise and a part of the shoreline of Little Card Sound. The refuge was established in 1980 in order to protect and preserve the critical habitat of the American crocodile which is found only in the South of Florida.
The refuge serves as their major protected nesting grounds hence makes it a home for a quarter of the entire American crocodile population. The wildlife refuge offers a small visitor complex and a butterfly garden to its guest.
4. The African Queen
The African Queen is an iconic vessel that is located in Key Largo, Florida. It was made popular by the 1951 movie of the same name which stars Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. It was originally built in Lytham, England in 1912 and was used to carry missionaries, cargo, and hunting parties across the Victoria Nile and Lake Albert.
Restored from its classic beauty, the iconic vessel still offers daily canal cruises in the Port Largo Canal area. It is also available to host private events. The cruises run for about an hour and a half which starts from 10 am to 6 pm daily. It departs from the Marina Del Mar and travels down the Port Largo Canals.
5. Florida Keys Wild Bird Center
The sanctuary is one of the best places to visit in key largo. The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center is home to over 100 non-releasable, permanent bird residents which includes owls, vultures, hawks, pelicans, terns, gulls, and herons. It features an Avian Rehabilitation Hospital and the Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary where guests can take a walk along its boardwalk, watch the beautiful sunset, view pelican feeding and many more.
