Islamorada, FL

Islamorada is a village in the Upper Florida Keys made up of several islands, from Plantation Key to Lower Matecumbe Key. It calls itself the Sportfishing Capital of the World, and anglers come for offshore trips on the Atlantic and shallow-water fishing in Florida Bay, while everyone else comes for calm water, island parks and an easy drive from South Florida.

Where is Islamorada?

Islamorada runs along US 1 from roughly mile marker 90.5 to 72.6 in Monroe County, just south of Tavernier and Key Largo. It takes in Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key and Tea Table Key, and was incorporated as a village in 1997. Miami International Airport is the closest major airport, about 80 miles and roughly an hour and 45 minutes away without traffic. Because the village is long and narrow, mile markers are the easiest way to find anything. For the rest of the island chain, see our Florida Keys guide.

Things to do in Islamorada

Fishing is the main event, with charter and guide boats running out of marinas up and down the village for sailfish, mahi, tarpon and bonefish. Off the water, the History of Diving Museum covers centuries of underwater exploration, and the Hurricane Monument at about mile marker 82 honors those lost in the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park shows ancient coral in old quarry walls left from the railroad era.

Two island state parks sit just offshore and are reached by boat or kayak: Indian Key Historic State Park, site of a 19th-century town, and Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park, a tropical hardwood hammock. On Lower Matecumbe Key, Anne’s Beach is a shallow, sandy stretch with a boardwalk that is popular with families and paddlers. Parking there fills early on weekends.

When to visit Islamorada

Winter and spring bring dry weather and peak crowds. Fishing is good year-round, with different species in season through the year. Summer is hot, with calm mornings and afternoon storms, and hurricane season runs June through November.