Things to do nearMarquesas Keys

The Marquesas Keys sit within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a designation that has helped preserve the atoll's coral patches, seagrass beds, and the remarkable diversity of species that depend on them. The ring of low mangrove islands enclosing the central lagoon is thought to have formed from an ancient meteor impact, giving the Marquesas Keys a geological character found nowhere else along the Florida coast.

Anglers have long regarded these flats as among the finest in the world. Bonefish, permit, and tarpon move across the shallows in numbers that draw serious fly fishers from across the country. Beyond fishing, the surrounding reefs and grass beds reward snorkelers and divers with spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, and dense populations of reef fish. Fishing charters departing Key West regularly make the run out here.

The islands also hold quiet historical weight. A Spanish galleon, the Nuestra Senora de Atocha, sank near here in 1622, and the area became famous when treasure hunter Mel Fisher recovered the wreck in 1985. Birders find the mangrove edges productive year-round, with frigatebirds, ospreys, and roseate spoonbills among the regular sightings.

For anyone willing to make the journey, the Marquesas Keys offer a version of the Florida Keys that has largely disappeared elsewhere: wild, quiet, and rewarding on its own unhurried terms.