A Florida Keys Tropical Paradise Experience
We have always wanted to see the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys and go kayaking in a tropical paradise. It was time for a road trip to somewhere new. We packed up the RV and headed south across the sea of grass, through the Everglades, and into the Keys until we finally reached the island we’d be staying on.
Traveling Through the Keys Wasn’t What We Expected
Traveling through the islands was not what we expected. We thought we would be driving over water most of the way going through the Keys. After all, that’s what you always see in the photos. It turns out, the longest bridge is Seven Mile Bridge, the one you see in the photos. Most of the trip is on land, and you just island hop.
We got set up and were thrilled to see our RV space had an ocean view! The blue water was sparkling in the sun. The Keys really are beautiful. The following day, we booked our first adventure. We rented some kayaks and snorkeling gear next door at the marina. In the marina alone, you could see parrot fish and nurse sharks in the crystal water. We hopped in our kayaks and decided to paddle around the whole island to catch the tide at the end to make it easier to paddle back. I recommend checking the tide if you decide to kayak in the Keys, so you at least know if it’s coming in or going out. The tide can have a strong current. If you want to have a good time while out in the sun, here’s the gear I recommend taking for kayaking in the Florida Keys during the summer:
What to bring for a Florida Keys Kayaking Trip:
- Take Plenty of water. I would bring at least one gallon for each person.
- Bring protein bars and snacks, like nuts and fruit. If you’re going to be out longer, I would pack a picnic. Our paddle around the island took half the day.
- Sunhats are a must. Even with sunscreen on, the sun can be so harsh when you’re out in it all day.
- I would say sunscreen is a must as well if you plan on being out all day. We were using SPF 50 and still had to cover our legs with towels for the last half of our paddle to keep from getting sunburned. Don’t forget to buy coral safe sunscreen, the marina sells some, or you can probably find it for less online. Many of the chemicals in cheap sunscreens can harm ocean life.
- Don’t forget the sun shirts. You can get SPF shirts pretty much at any store in the area or at the marina.
- Polarized sunglasses are great if you want to see the beautiful colors of the Keys at their best. We call them our WOW glasses for a reason! They also really helped us with eye strain from the harsh rays.
- Bug Spray is a definite requirement if you want a positive experience. The no-see-ums in Florida can be brutal. Their bite is much worse than a mosquito, which they also have. For the no-see-ums, I recommend going to Good Food Conspiracy (on Big Pine Island) for a spray that’s made especially for them. For some people, no-see-um bites can itch for up to two weeks. You may need another bug spray for the mosquitos, the no-see-um sprays don’t always work for them.
- Beach towels to cover up with. We were so thankful for these when the sunscreen wasn’t enough.
looked like an endless swimming pool with a sugary white sand bottom..
From the marina, we paddled out, under the bridge, then out to the edge of the open ocean. We found a couple places to explore along the way. When we reached the shallow waters facing the open ocean it looked like an endless swimming pool with a sugary white sand bottom. In the deeper waters, on the paddle back, we saw sting rays and nurse sharks swimming beneath our kayaks. We saw a Southern Stingray that was about six feet across, it was huge! It was a phenomenal day, and a family experience I recommend to everyone.
Subscribe if you would like to be notified right away when I post about our visit to Key West, and what you don’t want to miss! Another follow up post I’ll be writing about the Keys is about my son’s scuba diving experience where he got to feed the sharks at the Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters.
Have you been to the Florida Keys? If so, what are your favorite activities there?
