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Best Places to Stay in the Lower Keys

Jill Martin | December 27, 2017

The Lower Keys are a different kind of paradise, mostly attracting nature lovers, star gazers, fishermen, divers, and those who failed to get a last-minute room in Key West. They stretch from mile marker 5 to 40, and although they’re quiet (some say desolate) compared to their neighboring Keys, this is where you’ll find Bahia Honda State Park, Looe Key Marine Sanctuary, and two national wildlife refugees.

Here are the best hotels to stay at to get in on all the action, or rather the serenity, of the Lower Keys.

#6

Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge

Why it made the list

Pitch a tent, enjoy a room, or even stay in a rented mobile home at this stay-your-way 10-acre property at the foot of the Spanish Harbor Bridge. And all options are a deal for the Keys. Got a boat? Bring it and keep it in the water while you’re here. It’s family friendly, clean, comfortable, and the kind of place where everyone will get to know your name. Another bonus is you’ll be minutes from the Keys’ best beach at Bahia Honda State Park.

So many choices, for so little money. From tent camping and Read More

#5

Sugarloaf Lodge

Why it made the list

Who wouldn’t want to stay on an expanse of waterfront known as Sugarloaf Sound? It just sounds so appealing, and it is. The lodge also resides within the Great White Heron Refuge. You’ve got nature, easy water access, not to mention the coolest vintage rooms around. Did we mention their onsite Tiki Bar with live entertainment? This is a preserved slice of Keys life you should be introduced to.

Family owned and operated since 1973, this is just the kind Read More

#4

Deer Run Bed & Breakfast

Why it made the list

When most think of the Lower Keys, solitude and key deer come to mind. Here, you get both. Even if you think you’re not a B&B kind of person, do yourself a favor and discover Deer Run. It’s on a quiet, dead-end road, it’s oceanfront, key deer wander the property all hours of the day, the night sky is amazing, and so are the innkeepers, Jen and Harry. More bonuses? It’s a State of Florida Certified Green Lodge--and you get your own bathroom.

Need serenity now? Find your way to this oceanfront B&B Read More

#3

Parmer's Resort

Why it made the list

Unless you spot its high-in-the-sky signage as you’re driving south, you would never know this beautiful property even existed. It’s hidden in a residential neighborhood but it’s right on the water (Pine Channel) and its wide range of accommodations provide plenty of options to suit most needs, from a tiny room that barely fits the bed to your own freestanding cottage with a full kitchen and two bedrooms. Plus, its location makes exploring by land or sea hassle-free.

New owners have taken the helm, so upgrades may be on the ho Read More

#2

Oceans Edge Key West Hotel & Marina

Why it made the list

Stock Island marks the southernmost end of the Lower Keys, and that is where you’ll find Oceans Edge. It’s the newest luxury resort to be built in the Keys and every room offers an ocean view. Plus, if you’ve never ventured onto Stock Island, here’s your chance to see what Key West was like before its big boom. This is affordable luxury.

Just a few miles from Key West, Oceans Edge is the smart cho Read More

#1

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa

Why it made the list

Although you can only get here by boat, or a sea plane, no other resort in the Florida Keys can compare to Little Palm Island, in fact, few resorts in the nation can. It steals the top spot even though we know only the very blessed can afford to stay in one of their exclusive, thatched-roof bungalows. But if you can, you will be ensconced in luxury, privacy and have an exponential island experience.

There's a long list of notable guests that have chosen to sp Read More

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