The Conch Connection

Forget the lazy river. This water park has actual waves.

Fury Water Adventures takes slides, climbing obstacles and slippery wipeouts, then floats the whole playground in the blue water off Key West. There is no concrete deck and no escaping the splash zone. Out here, the splash zone is everywhere.

The floating park is part of Fury’s Ultimate Adventure H2.0, a choose-your-own-thrill kind of day that can also include parasailing, jet skiing, a banana boat ride and—on the full-day trip—reef snorkeling. If your ideal vacation includes spending more time in a swimsuit than street clothes, you have found your people.

Definition of a "Buoy" - "an anchored FLOAT serving as a navigational mark, to indicate reefs or other hazards or for mooring".   The southernmost buoy's claim to fame is being one of the most photographed and visited attractions in the United States.  The buoy is an impressive 12' tall, 7' wide and made out of approximately 4 tons of solid concrete!

The current marker actually didn't exist until 1983 when it was commissioned and installed by the City of Key West and painted by local artist Danny Acosta.

So, you're thinking of a vacation to Florida's Southernmost Island, but you're not sure what to expect! The most striking thing about the island that you'll first encounter is that the populace is a little bit of everyone. Famous celebrities to the average Joe. Island natives who've never left the island to world travelers. And every walk of life in-between.  Sit back, relax and enjoy...it's island time.

Key West is plenty colorful above the water. Slip on a mask, though, and the island reveals an entirely different personality.

Below the surface, sea fans sway, tiny fish dart through the rocks and every shadow makes you wonder what might swim into view next. You do not need a scuba certification or a collection of complicated gear. You do need to be comfortable in the water, pay attention to conditions and choose an outing that matches your experience.

That outing can be as simple as wading in from a Key West beach or as adventurous as taking a boat toward an offshore reef. The fun starts with deciding what kind of day sounds like you.

While Key West can't take the crown for the oldest settled city in Florida, it does have one of the more interesting and wide ranging historical pasts of almost any place in the state. Whether you're looking for tales of pirates, shipwrecks, US Presidents or Civil War era historical significance, Key West has a little bit of it all.

Key West has inspired painters, sculptors, photographers, writers and performers for generations. Its tropical light, historic architecture, Caribbean influences and famously independent personality have helped shape an arts community that feels as colorful and original as the island itself.

Can you experience that creative spirit in just one day? Absolutely. Many of Key West's most interesting galleries, museums and historic sites are concentrated in walkable Old Town, making an art-focused day trip surprisingly easy to plan.

Arrive aboard Key West Express, step off near the Historic Seaport and follow this flexible itinerary through a day of local art, island history and waterfront flavor. Because gallery hours and exhibitions can change, check each venue's official website before your trip and leave a little room for spontaneous discoveries along the way.

Have you ever had a memory so vivid and real that you could put that visual memory, in every detail, to pencil and paper? Well, Mario Sanchez was just such an artist.

You may not have heard of him before, but you'll soon discover that Mario Sanchez was a man to remember and is a great part of Key West's historical and legendary art scene.

A successful family vacation does not require every traveler to want the same thing. One child may be happiest spotting dolphins, another may want a beach, a teenager may crave independence and a grandparent may prefer a comfortable museum or scenic ride. Southwest Florida and Key West make it possible to combine those interests without turning every day into a long drive.

The best plan is not a packed checklist. It is a flexible mix of outdoor time, hands-on learning, local history, good food and room to slow down. Use these ideas to build a vacation that works for toddlers, school-age children, teens, parents and grandparents—and leaves everyone with stories to bring home.

Florida makes it easy to plan a romantic getaway around the way you like to travel. You can watch the sunset from a quiet island beach, explore historic streets hand in hand, enjoy dinner by the water or turn the journey itself into part of the experience.

Whether you are celebrating an anniversary, planning a long weekend or simply making time for each other, these five Florida couples vacation spots offer memorable ways to reconnect.

Sanibel Island, located in Southwest Florida, off Fort Myers, has been crowned by experts as the best U.S. shelling spot, as well as one of the best in the world (according to Coastal Living). Collecting Sanibel seashells is a favorite pastime for beachgoers from around the world. Because of the abundance of seashells found on Sanibel and Captiva, they have rightfully earned the reputation as the "Shell Islands".