About the Keys
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* Dive:
If you snorkel or dive, Key Largo is a terrific place to live. Long considered the sport diving capital of the world, Key Largo is home to John Pennekamp State Park, the world’s first underwater park. I used to camp and snorkel there on weekends with my kids. And I’ve also had some great times diving wrecks and exploring the surrounding waters of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. There are lots of dive shops for folks at all skill and preference levels.

* Fish:
If you like to fish, Key Largo is (if that’s possible) an even better place to live. Stretching down to Islamorada, the bonefishing capital of the world, there is a fabulous “backcountry” – Florida Bay – and offshore you’ve got the Gulf Stream and every kind of pelagic sports fish you can imagine. If you’ve got your own boat, great; if you don’t, you’ll find one of the largest fishing fleets per square mile in the world, between Key Largo and Islamorada.

BAD HABIT CHARTERS
Phone: 305-664-3892 *
Email: captscott@badhabitfishingcharters.com
Smuggler's Cove Marina
Islamorada , FL
The Finest in Light Tackle, Offshore, and Back Country Fishing in the Florida Keys. Tournament lovers, Captain Scott Keller has fished the keys for over 15 years in the Ocean and Back Country. Cell: (305)664-6678

* Boats and Toys:
See above. There is every possible sea thing to rent and enjoy. In fact, Key Largo and the rest of the Upper Keys, including Islamorada, are much better this way than the Middle Keys or Lower Keys with the exception of Key West.

* Kayaking, Canoeing, Photography and Birding:
These don’t all necessarily go together. My friend and I did a lot of fishing from our kayaks before it became the latest craze. But if you want to explore shallow-water backcountry to enjoy birds and wildlife, and want to consider paddleboating as opposed to motorboating as the way to do it, then this part of the Keys will likely please you more than areas farther south and west.

* If you’re a private pilot, there’s a basic airstrip for small planes on Tavernier, and you can even live next to the runway.

Living Here – Other Options
So what about the rare person who buys a home here but doesn’t want to spend every waking minute on the water? No problem. Here’s just a few things that contribute to the quality of life for the person who relocates to Key Largo.

* Eating out: You’ve got tempting choices here, ranging from easy drives to Islamorada – famous throughout the Keys for its eateries – to the Mainland. And right here on Key Largo you’ve got excelent choices of just about every possible cuisine. And not only that: ever noticed how few waterfront restaurants and bars there seem to be in waterfront areas? Well, Key Largo is an exception!
* Gallery hopping: Not exactly Key West by any means, but the Upper Keys from Key Largo through the long slender town of Islamorada offer a lively community of artisans, artists in residence, and galleries
* Shopping: One of the drawbacks (to some residents) of living farther “down” the Keys (in the direction of Key West) is the “need to get off the Rock” syndrome combined with the reality of limited shopping options. In the Upper Keys (Key Largo, Islamorada) that’s less of a problem. You’re an hour from Miami
* Other stuff: There’s local night life in the Upper Keys, unlike the Middle Keys (some, but less) or the Lower Keys (not much). And there’s lots of tennis, if that’s your game. There’s also plenty of local shopping and services; that’s worth mentioning because the farther south and west you go in the Keys, the less true that is.

In conclusion, Key Largo and Islamorada definitely feel like you’re in a different part of the country, due partly to the aquamarine water and the Tiki bars and just the general ambience. So if you want to be away from traffic and a rushed lifestyle, but yet want to be near shopping and everything else that Miami has to offer, this could be just the ticket. It’s hard to imagine a better price-value proposition in the Keys.