Islamorada: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Islamorada is a chain of small islands, and its modern story begins with the railway, which quarried its coral rock and opened it to the world. On Labor Day 1935 the strongest hurricane ever to hit the United States came ashore here and swept away the line and hundreds of lives. The memorial by the highway is the heart of this route. Allow half a day, mostly short drives along the Overseas Highway between mile markers.
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A short history of Islamorada
Islamorada, 'the purple isle' in Spanish, is a group of islands in the Florida Keys. On 2 September 1935 the Labor Day Hurricane, one of the strongest ever to hit the United States, passed through here, killing more than 400 people, many of them army veterans who were working on building the road. In 1937 a memorial was put up in their honour, in which some of the victims' ashes are buried. Since then the town has become a centre for sport fishing, and in 1997 it became a municipality.
The ten best sights in Islamorada
1Florida Keys MemorialThe hurricane monument by the highway at mile marker 81.5; five minutes, and the story stays with you
2History of Diving MuseumA surprisingly rich collection of old diving helmets and suits from around the world; an hour
3Theater of the SeaDolphin and sea lion shows in old quarry lagoons; the swim programmes need booking
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4Robbie's of Islamorada
Hand-feed the giant tarpon off the dock for a few dollars; boats and kayaks to the islands leave from here
5Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State ParkWalk along quarry walls made of ancient coral; small and quiet, closed some weekdays
6Indian Key Historic State ParkRuins of a vanished 1830s town on an island; reach it by kayak from the highway or by boat
7Lignumvitae Key Botanical State ParkOriginal tropical forest on a bay-side island, by boat or kayak only; ranger walks on set days
8Anne's BeachA shallow beach with a boardwalk through the mangroves; at low tide you can wade far out
9Founders ParkThe village park with a beach, pool and sunset on the bay; small fee for visitors
10Green Turtle Hammock PreserveA small free nature walk off the highway, through hardwood hammock to the bay
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Islamorada →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Islamorada:
Free walking tours in Islamorada
Quarry, railway and the great storm
Islamorada is a chain of small islands, and its modern story begins with the railway, which quarried its coral rock and opened it to the world. On Labor Day 1935 the strongest hurricane ever to hit the United States came ashore here and swept away the line and hundreds of lives. The memorial by the highway is the heart of this route. Allow half a day, mostly short drives along the Overseas Highway between mile markers.
- Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park · The railway builders quarried this island for stone to build the line, and the cuts expose a coral reef about 125,000 years old. You can see brain coral and other fossils in the walls; later the stone was cut into slabs and sold as decorative 'keystone'.
- Theater of the Sea · The lagoons where the dolphins swim are flooded quarry pits left by the railway builders. The park opened in 1946, which makes it one of the oldest marine parks in the world.
- Green Turtle Hammock Preserve · A patch of tropical hardwood hammock that has grown back since the islands were cleared for the railway and for farming. Trees like mahogany and gumbo-limbo here are the same species that covered the Keys before the railway came.
- Florida Keys Memorial · The 1935 Labor Day hurricane, the strongest ever to hit the United States, killed more than 400 people here, many of them First World War veterans building the highway. A rescue train sent from Miami was swept off the rails nearby. The crypt under the monument holds the ashes of about 300 victims.
- Anne's Beach · The beach lies on Lower Matecumbe Key, one of the islands where the veterans' work camps stood in 1935; the storm surge swept right over it. Today it is named after Anne Eaton, a local environmental activist.
- Long Key Viaduct · The railway's long concrete-arch viaduct survived the 1935 storm almost intact, though the line never reopened. Its arches were later used to carry the road, and they still stand beside the modern bridge.
Islands you reach by boat
Much of Islamorada is off the road: islands with ruined towns and old forests, a reef lighthouse and shallow flats where the fish are. From Robbie's you can take a boat or rent a kayak to Indian Key and Lignumvitae Key, and the marinas run fishing and sandbar trips. This route is best done on the water; book boat times first and keep the mornings for calm sea. Bring reef-safe sunscreen and plenty of water.
- Robbie's of Islamorada · The tarpon feeding is said to have started in the 1970s when the owner nursed an injured tarpon back to health and released it, and it kept coming back with friends. Today dozens of fish up to two metres long gather under the dock.
- Indian Key Historic State Park · In the 1830s this tiny island was a busy wrecking town and briefly the seat of Dade County. In 1840 it was attacked and burned during the Second Seminole War, and the botanist Henry Perrine, who was testing tropical plants here, was killed.
- Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park · The island keeps one of the best surviving stands of original tropical hardwood forest in the Keys, including the lignum vitae tree that gives it its name, one of the heaviest woods in the world. The coral-rock house was built in 1919 for the Matheson family of Miami.
- Bud N' Mary's Marina · Islamorada calls itself the sport-fishing capital of the world, and this marina, open since 1944, is one of its oldest charter docks. Boats go out to the reef and the Gulf Stream for sailfish and mahi, or into the shallow backcountry for bonefish and tarpon.
- Alligator Reef Lighthouse · The iron lighthouse on the reef was lit in 1873. It is named after the navy schooner USS Alligator, which ran aground on the reef in 1822 and was blown up by her crew so pirates could not use her.
- Founders Park · Islamorada's village park faces the bay, so it gets the sunset the ocean side misses. Its sheltered water is where many visitors first try paddleboarding, and kayaks can be rented on the beach.
North to the reef of Key Largo
Thirty-five minutes north, Key Largo holds the best-known reef in the continental United States, protected as a state park since 1963. The drive passes the art village at the edge of Islamorada and ends at a boat from a Hollywood classic. Book the reef boat ahead and go in the morning, when the wind is usually lighter. Return south through the diving museum to put the day in context.
- Rain Barrel Village · The giant spiny lobster at the entrance, nicknamed Betsy, is about 9 metres long and is one of the most photographed roadside sculptures in the Keys. Behind it, small studios sell local paintings, pottery and jewellery.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park · Opened in 1963, it was the first undersea park in the United States. Most of the park is under water, so the way to see it is by boat: glass-bottom tours, snorkel trips or diving.
- Christ of the Abyss · This bronze statue standing on the sea floor at Key Largo Dry Rocks is a copy of Il Cristo degli Abissi, which was sunk off Italy in 1954. It stands in about 8 metres of water, so snorkellers can see it from the surface on a calm day.
- The African Queen · This is the actual boat Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn rode in the 1951 film The African Queen. Built in 1912 in England, it worked on African rivers before it came to Key Largo.
- Dolphins Plus · A dolphin centre on a canal in Key Largo, where the swim programmes are in open natural seawater rather than in pools. It is a quieter alternative to the bigger shows further south.
- History of Diving Museum · On the drive back south, the museum explains the reef you have just seen from the human side: early dive gear, treasure hunting on Keys wrecks and the first underwater cameras. Plan an hour.
Getting to Islamorada and getting around
- Florida Keys Marathon International Airport · The nearest airport, 50 minutes south, with few flights; most visitors land in Miami, about two hours north
- Bus stop at mile marker 87 · Buses along the Overseas Highway stop at mile markers; infrequent, so a car is far easier here
Cheap eats in Islamorada
Islamorada eats what its boats bring in: mahi-mahi, grouper, snapper and hogfish, fried, grilled or blackened in a sandwich, with conch fritters on the side. Key lime pie is the local dessert. Many restaurants will cook the fish you caught yourself. Prices are in US dollars, and a tip of 18-20% is expected at any table with service.
- Midway Cafe · Coffee, muffins and breakfast sandwiches, about $4-12
- Islamorada Fish Company · Fish sandwiches and conch fritters on the bay, about $15-25
- Ma's Fish Camp · Casual fish shack, a fish sandwich about $15-20
- Island Grill · Waterside grill under the bridge, about $14-24
- Wahoo's Bar and Grill · Bring your own catch and they cook it, or order fish, about $15-28
- Publix deli · A made-to-order sub for a beach picnic, about $9-14
Museums in Islamorada
- Florida Keys Memorial · The 1935 hurricane monument and crypt; free
- History of Diving Museum · Helmets, suits and treasure-hunting gear; an hour
- Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park · Quarry walls of fossil coral and old quarry machinery
- Indian Key Historic State Park · Foundations of the 1830s town; kayak across in about 20-30 minutes
- Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park · The Matheson house and original forest; ranger tours on set days
Nature and day trips near Islamorada
- Anne's Beach · Shallow water and a mangrove boardwalk; best at low tide
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park · Reef by boat, plus mangrove kayak trails
- Green Turtle Hammock Preserve · A short free trail in hardwood forest
- Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park · Old-growth tropical forest; mosquito repellent essential
- Founders Park · Sunset and calm water for paddling
Things to do in Islamorada with kids
- Theater of the Sea · Shows with dolphins, sea lions and parrots, and a bottomless-boat ride
- Robbie's of Islamorada · Feeding the tarpon is the thrill: they leap for the bait
- Founders Park · Beach, playground and pool
- History of Diving Museum · Children can try on a diving helmet
- Dolphins Plus · Dolphin swims in Key Largo, minimum ages apply
Where to eat in Islamorada
- Lorelei Restaurant and Cabana Bar · Sunset bar on the bay with live music, mains about $18-32
- Chef Michael's · The smart dinner in town, fresh local fish, mains about $35-50
- Islamorada Beer Company · Local craft beer in a big taproom, a pint about $7-9
- Morada Bay Beach Café · Tables on the sand facing the bay sunset, mains about $25-40
- Whale Harbor Restaurant · Seafood buffet with a harbour view, about $40-60
- Ma's Fish Camp · Simple fresh fish and a beer, about $15-30
Frequently asked questions about Islamorada
What is there to see in Islamorada?
The top sights in Islamorada are Florida Keys Memorial, History of Diving Museum and Theater of the Sea. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Islamorada?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Islamorada without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Islamorada?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Islamorada, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Quarry, railway and the great storm.
How do you get to Islamorada and get around?
The main ways are Florida Keys Marathon International Airport and Bus stop at mile marker 87. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Where to stay in Islamorada, and for how much?
sleepntrip shows only rooms in Islamorada that meet nine conditions: a good location, high guest scores, cleanliness, and a price of up to $80 a night for two. Pick your dates and see what is free.
Looking for a hotel in Islamorada for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.