Florida Keys/Key West, Miami

To take a glass bottom boat into the coral reefs off Florida or snorkeling this was one of my hang out while living in Florida for 18 yrs.

The coral is beautiful and unscarred and the fish glitter like fine jewels at a private party.

Around us in all directions a rainbow of tropical fish swam over the pastel corals or loafed to and fro with the tidal surge. Completing the picture was a statue of Christ permanently anchored to the bottom of the sea, a gift to the public from the Florida Keys' Italian fishing community. Speckled with fire coral, he raises his arms in permanent supplication.

The water temperature along the reef's edge, where I snorkeled, was about 74 degrees and dramatically clear. Coral heads erupt from the rocky mass below to form dramatic shapes: brain coral indeed looks like big single-sphere brains six feet across. Antler coral gropes out like so many elk horns; some are fan-shaped, others tubular, like bones. All have a distinctive color.

driving information John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park, is on U.S 1 at Mile Marker 102.5. Daily excursions and 3 glass-bottom boat trips run daily. Reservations are recommended, call 305-451-1202. Pennecamp also has an aquarium, nature trails, an elevated boardwalk, picnic tables and a nice beach.

wonders of subtropical beauty a must when in Florida.

I strongly recommend you take a trip to the Florida Keys and Key West while youre in South Florida. Key West is like a tropical Cape Cod...haven to many artists and writers such as Ernest Hewingway, Robert Frost and many other ones! Even though, Key West is not renowned for its beaches, there are many other things to do there. Its an historic town, so lots of things to see in the Old Town district, scuba diving or snorkelling (they have the only reef barrier in North America!), sunset celebration in Mallory Square and having the best key lime pie in the World!

Its easy to get there by either driving, flying or boating. Its about 3 hours drive by car, 4-5 hours by greyhound and it costs about $50 round trip/person.

Not realy. But You have to travel more south to Key West and visit this cute place!
The picture shows Hemingways house.