Are the Florida Keys the same as Key West?

Are the Florida Keys the same as Key West?

Over the years I have had this argument with my younger brother,  Ike over this question.

To settle this matter, I took him to Florida on one of my vacations and the two of us had it wrong.

First, I didn’t understand what these Keys look like, while my brother was associating a Key with a lake.

To make the question easier for you to understand, I will take you on a trip to some of the Florida Keys.

As you get ready for your next vacation, which of the Florida Keys islands will you choose to visit?

Key West and Key Largo are well known and have been visited by many tourists.

However, the experiences you stand to get in both Keys are not the same.

Beautiful white sand beaches, pristine waters, and different kinds of activities are features that are common to both Keys.

If the Florida Keys are your desired point of destination on your next vacation, you might be a bit confused about the choice of the island to visit based on what your desire may be.

Key Largo and Key West are the places in Florida every tourist will love to visit.

The features and activities on both beaches are similar and they will measure to the standards you have long desired.

I will now examine the many differences between both beaches.

As a result, you will have enough information to help you choose the beach you will like to go to for your vacation.

Small Town Vs Small City Feel

Visiting Key West is like visiting Florida city itself.

It is an island city, but it is everything a city should be.

Key Largo is more of a small town or community than a city.

This will tell you that there are more business activities, nightlife, parties, tourism, and all manners of human activities in Key West, while there are not many human activities in Key Largo.

Life in Key Largo is relaxed, with fewer business activities.

You will get a much more intimate feel in Key Largo than you will get in Key West.

Although Key Largo is a small community, you will feel more at home in it than in Key West where there are such activities.

This does not mean you will not see people you know in Key West.

You will have more of the feeling that you are in a community in Key Largo than you will feel in a tourist destination.

Dive Shops Versus Dive Bars

Key West and Key Largo are both rich in aquatic activities.

Activities like ocean kayaking, scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, fishing charters, and jet skiing are common on both beaches.

I will like you to note that you will see more dive shops in Key Largo and more dive bars in Key West.

This is to say that there are more exciting social scenes in Key West and more outdoor activities in Key Largo.

There are lots of incredible bars in Key Largo such as Sharkey’s Pub and Galley Restaurant or the Caribbean Club.

These are the places Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall shot the  film they titled “Key Largo.”

However, there are significantly more bars in Key West, and top among them are Sloppy Joe’s, the Green Parrot, Captain Tony’s Saloon, and Garden of Eden, which is the city’s only clothing-optional bar.

Activities

I will consider snorkeling and diving.

There is great diving in Key West, but snorkeling and diving in key Largo are unequaled in the whole of the southernmost keys.

Both islands are rich with incredibly healthy, beautiful, and most easily accessible reefs.

Dry Tortugas National Park is where you will get the best snorkeling spot in Key West.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Mosquito Bank or Sea Gardens, Molasses Reef, and the Grecian Rocks are placed you will get great diving in Key Largo.

At Coral Reef State Park, you can dive around the statue of Christ of the Abyss.

Fishing Spots Versus More Limited Fishing Allowed.

Key West is the best place for all kinds of fishing, be it fly-fishing or hook-and-line fishing.

There are numerous fishing championships and tournaments organized in Key West all through the year.

These competitions and tournaments use to take place at different places on the island and surrounding waters.

There are waters in Key Largo where you are not allowed to fish because they are protected by authorities.

The best places you can fish in Key West are Edward B.

Knight Pier and Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park.

There are fishing boats on hire in these parks.

You can engage their services to snag some whoppers off the coast.

I often come here each time I have a vacation and want to explore these Keys.

Dream Catcher Charters, Gulfstream Fishing, and Key West Fishing Charters are some of the top-rated fishing boat companies in Key West.

Their services will give you a lifetime experience.

FAQs

Is Florida Keys or Key West better?

If you want to get busy, participate in activities, and visit places of interest, Key West is the best place for you to go.

On the other hand, if you need a place you will rest, relax and engage in outdoor activities, go to Key Largo.

Which Florida Key is the prettiest?

Among the whole of the Florida Keys, Key Largo is the most pretty because a lot of activities going on in this Kay for beach enthusiasts.

Are the Florida Keys the same as Key West?

The Florida Keys and Key West are not the same.

The Florida Keys are made up of a group of islands located at the southern tip of Florida.

These islands are on a stretch of about 100 miles.

They are 20 islands in all that make up Florida key and they are connected by Highway 1.

On the other hand, Key West is but a city located on the southernmost island which you can access by road.