Key West and the Lower Keys is a perfect place for a scuba diving or snorkeling vacation. Millions of visitors come to the Florida Keys each year, and the majority of them will scuba dive or go snorkeling while they are there. Many are there primarily for water sports. Officially there are five regions within the Florida Keys: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys including Pine Key, and Key West. You will commonly see Key West and the Lower Keys grouped together. Similarly, you will find Key Largo and Islamorada referred to as Key Largo and the Upper Keys.
Key West and the Lower Keys offer some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. The reefs are part of the third-largest barrier reef system in the world, and there is a great selection of shipwrecks. Key West has a unique culture and a nightlife not to be missed.
Key West is the southernmost city in the US and contains the southernmost point as well. It has a small city feel to it. Most visitors to the city leave their cars parked at their hotels and walk to where ever they are going. The Lower Keys start at the Stock Island's Mile Marker (MM) 5 and ends at the west end of the Seven-Mile Bridge at Sunshine Key, MM 40. Locations in the Florida Keys are tied to the distance along US 1 from the start of that highway in Key West. So, MM40 is 40 miles (ca. 64 km) north of the center of Key West. Given the number of different Keys, the system makes finding places easy. The address system is covered in more detail in the article on Key Largo and the Upper Keys.
Why Key West and the Lower Keys
Most people that have scuba dived the Florida Keys will tell you it is the best place they ever scuba dived. Key Largo and the Upper Keys get listed as the best place to dive in the Keys. Being the best place to dive might not make it the best place for your snorkeling or diving vacation. I am ashamed to admit that sometimes, I find myself vacationing with a non-diving companion. It becomes necessary to balance the diving time with other activities. Key Largo has great diving, but is somewhat limited in other activities. Also, having a car is almost a necessity. In that situation, Key West and the Lower Keys are the perfect answer. The diving is great and there are many other activities nearby.
If you are staying in Key West itself, most of the time you can leave your car and just walk. Another option would be to take a bicycle. Key West is considered the most bicycle-friendly city in the United States. Most accommodations will have a bicycle for you either as part of the room cost or for a small additional fee. While you are diving, your non-diving partner can be off exploring. It is also perfect if you do not plan on diving every day.
This year, 2022, is an important milestone for the city. It is the 200th anniversary of Key West’s first permanent settlement. It was on March 25, 1822, that U.S. Navy Lt. Matthew Perry arrived aboard the USS Shark under orders to claim the island for the United States and to establish a settlement. The city has a rich history, including a long period where it was the richest city in the United States. Salvage operations became one of the main industries for the city, and the nearby reefs had riches lining up to be recovered either for the owner or as salvage.
The tropical climate and the overseas railway saw it as a destination for the rich and famous of the early 1900s to travel to. Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and Truman Capote all lived here, and Harry S. Truman traveled here 11 times as president. The Little White House and the homes of Hemingway and Williams are three of the dozen museums in the city. Many provide insight into the early days of the city and the salvage industry.
“Close To Perfect Far From Normal” is one of the slogans for the city. Key West is known for its nightlife. From the amazing sunsets and the flash of green light on Malory Square to the non-stop fun on Duval street. Take a look at the webcam on Duval Street.
Welcome to the Conch Republic
“People who seceded where others have failed”
Key West is a city in Florida, but it is also its own nation, sort of. This year, 2022, marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Conch Republic. In March 1982, The United States Border Patrol established a checkpoint in Florida City, the gateway to the Florida Keys. They operated it the same as a border crossing, requiring proof of identity and citizenship. It was reported that traffic going into and out of the Keys was backed up as far as 20 miles (ca. 32 km). It had a negative impact on the local economy and tourism.
Legal attempts to get the blockade removed failed, so the Key West Mayor stated that if the US government wanted to treat them as a foreign government, they would act as one. They “seceded” from the US, formed the Conch Republic, and attacked a US Coast Guard Cutter with water balloons. They then surrendered and demanded foreign aid. As silly as that sounds, it worked. The national news attention forced the Border Patrol to stop the roadside checks. Today, the Conch Republic still exists as a tourism tool. If you are not up to telling your friends you are off to Florida, tell them you are headed to the Conch Republic.
The Best Dive Sites Around Key West and the Lower Keys
The dive sites in the Lower Keys and the waters around Key West are outstanding and are under the control of NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. You will find dive sites for all diving levels and interests. The majority of the dive sites are shallow reef dives, however, there are some deeper reefs. There are also some outstanding wreck dives. Some wrecks were placed there intentionally, while others Mother Nature took charge.
Staying in the Lower Keys means a half hour or so drive into Key West to enjoy that city, however, it gives you a slow lifestyle and some outstanding diving. The best places to stay will be on Big Pine Key or Ramrod Key.
Here are some of the dive sites:
Looe Key Reef is always listed as a dive site when it is really more. If you are looking for a dive vacation of mostly shallow dives, this is it. Looe Key Sanctuary Preservation Area (SPA) is a patch reef system about 5 miles (ca. 8 km) offshore. While called a Key, only a small portion ever breaks the surface. It is made up of mostly spur-and-groove coral formations. To visualize this type of formation, place your hand on a flat surface and spread your fingers. That is what the reef will look like. The fingers are the coral and the space between will be sand grooves. This is a complete ecosystem with a very wide variety of coral and marine life. There are about 70 mooring buoys on the reef, this means you will not be sharing your section of the reef with another dive boat. Most of the dives are in 20 feet (ca. 6 m) to 40 feet (ca. 12 m) of water. There are some sites that drop to 100 feet (ca. 30 m). Of the almost 1,000 dives I have done around the world, my most often told dive story is about a dive I did here. A dive where a reef shark decided to become my dive buddy.
Adolphus Busch Sr. This is one of the top wreck dives in the world. This 210-foot (ca. 64 m) long former island freighter was intentionally sunk in 1998 in 100 feet (ca. 30 m) of water. The ship sits upright. Financial assistance from Adolphus Busch IV made the project possible, and the dive site was named in honor of his father. This is a site you can spend a few days exploring and still not see it all.
If Key West is your destination, you have some great diving awaiting you here as well. You will also find more dive shops and snorkeling excursions. The list of dive sites is long but these need to be mentioned.
Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg You can not talk about diving in Florida without talking about this ship. The USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg was a military troop transport that was converted to a missile-tracking ship. After it was decommissioned, it was given to the State of Florida to be used in the artificial reef program and to become the crowning jewel of the Florida Key's shipwreck trail. It cost over 8.6 million dollars to prepare this ship and sink it. The ship is one of the largest artificial reefs in the world, being just over 522 feet (ca. 159 m) long and 75 feet (ca. 23 m) wide. The ship was sunken in water 150 feet (ca. 46 m) deep. The main deck is at 100 feet (ca. 30 m) and the upper sections are around 45 feet (ca. 14 m). What was once a barren ocean floor is now a healthy habitat for marine life. I need to note that this is a dive for experienced divers. Not only is the wreck deep, but it is also subject to strong currents.
Sand Key is a “dive site” like Looe Key Reef, in that it is more than one dive site. Sand Key is an islet. The common definition of an islet is that it's too small to be called an island. Sand Key has an old iron lighthouse. It also is surrounded by 10 miles (ca. 16 km) of shallow reefs. Sand Key is noted for the most marine biodiversity in the region. If you are with a non-diving travel partner, treat them to a Discover dive here, and they will be converted.
Should Your Scuba Diving Vacation Be In Key West or Key Largo?
The Florida Key offers the best diving in the United States and many will argue in the world. If you are looking for a diving vacation, both Key West and the Lower Keys and Key Largo and the Upper Keys are outstanding choices. The one that is best for you depends more on the other activities than the diving.
