Marathon Travel Guide

  View of new and old bridges
by Ericasmurf99
 
  • View of new and old bridges
      View of new and old bridges
    by Ericasmurf99
  • Peel and eat shrimp
      Peel and eat shrimp
    by Gypsystravels
  • Boot Key Harbor
      Boot Key Harbor
    by DEBBBEDB
  • Inside at the bar
      Inside at the bar
    by grandmaR
  • After a fishing trip!-- Summer 2008
      After a fishing trip!-- Summer 2008
    by CaptainRyan
 

Flights to Marathon

All fares Ashburn (IAD) to Marathon (EYW) found by travelers in past 48 hours*
Today's lowest fares
JunJulAug
find price $376 $366
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Pro

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 Less crowded, less expensive than Key West 


Con

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 Expensive in season- hurricanes off season 


In a nutshell

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 A peaceful taste of the Florida Keys, with all the amenities 

 

Explore Marathon

Things to Do  

Seven Mile Bridge

Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon

 8 Reviews  the seven mile bridge is a significant feat of 20th century engineering. the original bridge was built by henry flagler for his railroad in the early 1900's. sections of the old bridge still stands today and you can walk or bike to historic pigeon key. pigeon key was a camp for workers on the seven... 

Fishing

Fishing, Marathon

 10 Reviews  most visitors come to marathon for it's excellent salt water fishing. at the key colony marina you can book off shore and back country fishing charters. the key colony marina is located on 6th street off of US 1 at MM 54 oceanside. 

Beach

Beach, Marathon

 5 Reviews  Sombrero Beach is a public beach - one of the best in the Keys. It is FREE. The park has been recently refurbished with new picnic shelters, bath houses and a playground and is in pristine condition. A very nice sandy beach and swimming area all along the waterfront. Good parking out on the street... 

Swim with Dolphins

Swim with Dolphins, Marathon

 3 Reviews  located on grassy key just east of marathon is the dolphin research center. here you can learn about and interact with these intelligent marine mamals. the dolphin research center has a more scientific approach to their programs than some of the other "swim with dolphins" attractions in the keys.... 

Crane Point Museum

Crane Point Museum, Marathon

 5 Reviews  A great little museum and you can learn a lot up until you see the Crane House. How sad that someone would show a dump that someone is actually IS living in and storing an array of trashY items. There were mattresses thrown about the property and we actually thought we stumbled up a deserted... 

Hotels  

Tranquility Bay Beach House

 1 Review and 1136 Opinions  There's lots of construction equipment in there, and I have no idea when or if it will re-open. I'm... 

Holiday Inn Marina

 1 Review and 501 Opinions  the holiday inn is a nice moderately priced hotel in marathon. the amenities are what you expect... 

Restaurants  

Keys Fisheries

Keys Fisheries, Marathon

 5 Reviews  This is a seafood market (Bob biked out here to get shrimp to cook- a pound was $7.99), and a marina and a restaurant. You give your order in at the window, and they call you to pick it up. The quirky thing about this restaurant is they ask you a question and you are called to pick up your food by... 

Sparky's Landing

Sparky's Landing, Marathon

 2 Reviews  For some reason I can't find the receipt for this meal and I don't remember what we ate or exactly what it cost. However, it is important to note that any restaurants past MM 54 are on keys north of Marathon. Bob had a club sandwich with fries which was so large that he couldn't eat it all and had... 

Wiped Out by Wilma - Property For Sale

Wiped Out by Wilma - Property For Sale, Marathon

 3 Reviews  This property was wiped out by Hurricane Wilma. The site is now for sale for $5 million. - outlined in yellow below -------------------------------------------- My daughter considered taking us to dinner by boat to this place, but she was afraid we wouldn't be able to get back around to our slip... 

The Island Tiki Bar & Resaurant

The Island Tiki Bar & Resaurant, Marathon

 2 Reviews  My husband and I arrived after 7 pm on a Sunday night, we were seated in the sun even though we asked to be seated in the shade, and there were shaded tables available. I ordered the "House Special" BBQ shrimp, for $17.95, when it arrived I had 5 medium to small shrimp on my plate with a large... 

Burdine's Chiki Tiki

Burdine's Chiki Tiki, Marathon

 1 Review  Our SIL decided to take us to someplace by boat to eat dinner. Unfortunately, the place he had in mind was too far away for us to eat and get back before dark, and he didn't want to be running around in the Keys after dark. So we did a circuit of Boot Key Harbor and then he docked the boat and we... 

Seven Mile Grill

Seven Mile Grill, Marathon

 1 Review  One of our favorite restaurants when staying at Marathon Marina. For one thing it is close to walk to. The food is good and the price is right and the waitresses are friendly. We went back last night (Dec 2003) and the restaurant is under new management. Sometimes in the past it was closed... 

Nightlife  

Dockside Lounge Sombrero Marina

Dockside Lounge Sombrero Marina, Marathon

 1 Review  We've tried twice to eat here and many cruisers make this a meeting place because they have a dinghy dock for the folks anchored or moored in the harbor. The first time, they told our SIL that they didn't have room for his little boat - they were saving the dock space for a big boat. The second... 

Sunset

Sunset, Marathon

 1 Review  A big evening activity around here is to sit in some spot where you can watch the sun set with a sundowner (a drink). Some of the people here who do this on a regular basis say they have seen the 'green flash' several times. The green flash can range from non-existant to spectacular depending on... 

Shopping  

The Shell Man Inc.

The Shell Man Inc., Marathon

 1 Review  If you are looking for any thing beachy, this is the place to come. They have several locations in the Keys, Key Largo MM 106, Tavernier MM 92 1/2 and Marathon Key MM 54. The prices are very fair and they have it all for the nautical buff. We picked up some really nice large shells at a good price.... 

Off The Beaten Path  

Pigeon Key

Pigeon Key, Marathon

 1 Review  We first visited Pigeon Key in 1969 when our car (a 1932 Plymouth) broke down on 7 mile bridge. My husband pushed, I steered and we drifted down onto Pigeon Key where he fixed the fault. All that was there when we were there were old boarded up wooden buildings. Now Pigeon Key (like the old 7 Mile... 

Seven Mile Bridge

Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon

 1 Review  The original girder bridge was, of course, a railroad bridge which was built: 1908 - 1912. In 1931 the Florida East Coas Railroad went bankrupt and in 1935 the line was damaged in a hurricane and service was abandoned. The State of Florida bought the roadbed from Flagler's widow and converted the... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Boating and Marinas

Boating and Marinas, Marathon

 9 Reviews  The manager of this marina rents out the mooring balls, and supervises the pumpout boat. They also have a small amount of dock space long the wall. Seawall dockage is $15.00/ft/month in the winter plus $30 to $60 for electricity (higher rate for A/C) Dinghy docks, showers, restrooms and laundry.... 

SCUBA and snorkeling

SCUBA and snorkeling, Marathon

 5 Reviews  Tilden's has a place at Hawk's Cay resort and one in Marathon. It was one of the places recommended to me by someone at the marina (one of the guys who lived on a boat said his girl friend worked there.) I never actually got to dive with them myself. OPEN 7 days a week, 8 am to 6 pm Tilden’s... 

Favorites  

Seven Mile Bridge

Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon

 3 Reviews  The old 7 mile bridge was quite narrow. I didn't realize how narrow it was until I saw it again. It is only possible to access the ends of the bridge from the Fleming Key end to Pigeon Key, and then there has been a piece taken out (photo 4) so that ships with taller superstructures can go through... 

Islands & Ocean

Islands & Ocean, Marathon

 2 Reviews  Hawk Channel is the ocean side of the Keys. A larger and deeper draft boat has to go on the Hawk Channel side away from the usually more protected and very much shallower waters of Florida Bay which is on the other side (it is NOT the Gulf of Mexico BTW). The confounded bridges that Flagler build... 

Comments

* Pricing and fares have been collected during the three days prior to today's date. Actual pricing and fares are provided by air carrier and suppliers, whose prices change frequently and without notice.
Map of Marathon