Nine Key West Watersports That Will Leave You Wanting More

Romantic Sunset from Turtle Kraals

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Forget that Kevin Costner movie, Key West is Waterworld. Water water everywhere, and still a lot to drink, but I am mixing my metaphors stronger than Sloppy Joe’s mixed my mojitos. Let’s face it, if you’re coming to the Florida Keys, you better love the water.

We found nine Key West watersport activities that will leave you neither high nor dry, and we’re not afraid to share them with you.

The beaches of Key West as seen from the water

Snorkeling on a Coral Reef

How would we describe the water at Key West? Three words A-Maze-Ing. It’s so clear, warm, and calm. What’s more? Beautiful coral reefs sit within reach of even modest snorkelers. Along the reefs live colorful tropical fish, lobster, eels, sea turtles, and dolphins. It’s like you are swimming in a tropical fish tank.

A beautiful scene from snorkeling on a coral reef in Key West
You see the most colorful fish snorkeling on coral reefs

Kayaking the Mangroves

Mangrove forests are one of the truly amazing ecologies in the world. They are freshwater plants that live in the ocean. How do they accomplish this? Teamwork and sacrifice! The Red Mangrove grows closest to the water. It stabilizes the soil with gnarly roots and pumps extra salt into one sacrificial leaf. The black mangrove grows behind the red, clearing more salt that it deposits on the outside of its leaves. This allows the white mangrove to live on the inside of the mangrove hammock in relatively fresh water.

The mangroves do more than protect each other. They are the nurseries of the ocean, protecting baby fish until they can go out on their own. They also protect the shores from the ravages of hurricanes. No wonder mangroves are a protected species in Florida.

See also
Tucson Mountain Biking - The Local's Guide to Tucson's Trails

Check out the mangroves for yourself on a Bugeye Backcountry Eco Tour

Kayaking through the beautiful mangroves around Key West

Splashing on the Beach

The eastern shore of Key West is loaded with beaches from Zackery Taylor State Park to the piers of Higgs Beach and the opulent beach hotels at Smather’s Beach. You can watch the sunrise, explore the forts, or even explore from shore. Key West beaches are more fun than you can shake a snorkel at.

Stunning ocean view from Key West garden

Swimming in a Sponge Garden

‘I beg your pardon, I never promised you a sponge garden,’ might never be a hit song, but it’s an amazing place to explore. There is just so much life in a sponge garden. We saw lobsters in a sunken bathtub (how the bathtub got there is a story for another day). A turtle bopped around, and a dolphin swam right up to us on porpoise. Barracuda and stingrays were plentiful too. It was a veritable who’s who of who lives under the sea.

Small Barracuda in sponge garden
Dolphin visiting the sponge garden. There is a wide variety of life here.

Racing on a Jet Ski

Touring Key West by jet ski is a thrilling way to explore the island. We left the beach and played a high-speed game of follow the leader around Fort Zachary Taylor State Park until we reached the mansions of Sunset Key. From there, the guide turned us loose to see what these machines are capable of. Spoiler alert – they are incredibly fast and nimble! After playtime was up, we continued our tour around Stock Island. By the end of the trip, I really thought I was getting the hang of these bad boys.

Ed flexing on a jet ski tour of Key West
Nothing beats the rush of racing on a jet ski.

Parasailing in Paradise

All day long we could see operators taking up people parasailing. The view must be fantastic. I wonder if you could see all the way across the azure blue waters to Cuba? It’s a rhetorical question, but I’ll give you the answer anyway. You can’t see Cuba. The rider would have to be a mile in the air to see Cuba, but you will see the surrounding minor keys and feel the joy of flying on these trips.

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Driving the Big Sur Coast
Key West Parasailing

Diving the Vandenburg

Seven miles offshore and 140′ feet down sits the USS Vandenburg. Its massive radar dishes now breed fish instead of searching the sky for incoming Cuban missiles. Her hull stretches over two football fields in length and tells the story of Key West. The southernmost point has always been the first outpost protecting America from threats from the south, but it’s also a fabulous destination of aquatic explorers.

Want more South Florida Diving? Check out our Fort Lauderdale diving guide!

Scuba Diver exploring a wreck (not the Vandenburg)
A beautiful scene from a coral reef at Key West

Sailing into the Sunset

There are sunset cruises for every taste and budget in Key West. From the caviar and champagne crowd to full on multisport adventure, every company offers you their own nautical take on the Home of the Sunset. Is the sunset better from Mallory Square or on the ocean? You’ll never know unless you leave dry land and find out for yourself.

Historic BugEye Schooner Key West
Romantic sunset cruise at Key West

Aquatic Education at the Aquarium

At the Key West Aquarium, you can explore the mangrove, sponge gardens and coral reefs without even getting your toes wet. From sharks to turtles and everything in between, you are certain to find your favorite sea animal. What’s more, their interpretive exhibits teach you all about the ecology of the Lower Keys.

See also
Taking the Plunge- Our First Solo Dive at Catalina Island
The impressive entrance of Key West Aquarium
Megalodon mouth - the largest shark in the history of the world

Wrapping up Key West Water Watersports

Key West is full of amazing adventures, romance, and perhaps a bike ride or two, but no Florida getaway is complete without entering the ocean. Have you ever experienced any of these watersports before? What did you think? Which one was your favorite or you are most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments below.

Disclosure: A big thank you to The Florida Keys and Key West for hosting us and setting up a fantastic itinerary! For more travel inspiration check out their InstagramFacebook, and Twitter accounts.

As always, the views and opinions expressed are entirely our own, and we only recommend brands and destinations that we 100% stand behind.

Key West is full of amazing adventures, romance, but no island trip is complete without entering the ocean. From kayaking, snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing and more, there is no shortage of watersports. Click through for more details. #KeyWest #Florida #Watersports #OnlyintheKeys #TheFloridaKeys

If you're coming to the Florida Keys, you better love the water. We found 9 Key West watersport activities that will leave you neither high nor dry. Click pin to learn all the fun ways to get wet and stay cool on Key West. #KeyWest #Florida #Watersports #OnlyintheKeys #TheFloridaKeys

Want to experience the best of Key West? Watersports like kayaking, jet ski tours, and snorkeling and more show you some of South Florida's most beautiful marine life & tropical scenery. Click to learn more about the fun ways to get in the water in Key West. #KeyWest #Florida #Watersports #OnlyintheKeys #TheFloridaKeys

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Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman aka Coleman Concierge. In a nutshell, we are a Huntsville-based Gen X couple sharing our stories of amazing adventures through activity-driven transformational and experiential travel.

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Meet Ed & Jenn

Hi! We are Jenn and Ed Coleman, and together we are Coleman Concierge. It is our goal to inspire you to get out, expand your world, and to seek adventure, even in your own backyard.

We deeply believe in the transformational power of travel. Our tagline is amazing adventures for ordinary people because we believe that you don’t have to be super rich, super fit or super anything to have an amazing adventure. Expanding your comfort zone and trying new things will pay huge dividends in both health and happiness.

We advocate for sustainable and ethical travel and truly believe in the power of travel to transform both ourselves as well as the world around us.

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