Florida Keys for kids
Children and families that love outdoor adventure and activities can indulge their passion for play in the Florida Keys.
Swimming with dolphins, learning to snorkel, deep-sea fishing and kayaking are just a few of the recreational and educational activities in the Florida Keys and Key West designed to appeal to kids and families seeking enticing fresh-air fun.
One of the most exciting and unique activities for children in the Florida Keys is the opportunity to interact, wade or even swim with dolphins. Several centres throughout the Middle and Upper Keys offer educational, entertaining and unforgettable programmes featuring close-up interaction with the friendly, intelligent marine mammals. Children can also swim with sea lions at Theatre of the Sea: dolphins.org, dolphinscove.com, dolphinsplus.com, theaterofthesea.com
Kayaking in the Keys with children is a great adventure, combining beautiful scenery, wildlife and marine life and healthy exercise. Today's kayaks are stable and safe for kids, as they are hard to overturn and easy to manoeuvre. Many tours start with a motorboat ride out to a remote, pristine area of the Florida Keys, where participants then transfer to kayaks. Some kayak tours also include the chance to snorkel: keyskayaktours.com
Children and parents can catch their own lunch on a “party boat” deep-sea fishing adventure that departs from Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada. The crew caters to anglers at all levels of experience and will help novices bait their hooks and land their catch. They will also clean and filet fish back at the dock for clients to take to one of the local restaurants, where the chef will cook it to order. Children will also enjoy the novel activity of hand-feeding large tarpon fish that gather at the docks at Robbie’s: robbies.com
Viewing the continental United States’ only living coral barrier reef is a primary reason to visit the Florida Keys, and children can view this underwater paradise on organised snorkeling tours. Kids who enjoy the water and are comfortable in it should be able to snorkel with a little basic instruction. A great place to give it a try is Key Largo’s John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, America’s first undersea park: pennekamppark.com
After all this activity, the whole family will be ready for a well-earned treat at one of the Keys’ ice-cream parlours. Pop into Arnold's Happy Days in Grassy Key, a 1950s-style soda fountain, or Tiki Beach Snowballs in Key West, serving 32 flavours of snow balls made with shaved ice.
For more information about the Florida Keys & Key West, visit: fla-keys.co.uk