Keys Traveler

fla-keys.com

Meetings + Incentive Edition

Resorts Welcome GroupsExperiences Highlight Meetings

Key Lime AcademyIndigenous Keys Seafood

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By Captain Ted Lund

A group dines beachside at Largo, which caters to small meetings and retreats.

Florida Keys resorts welcome groups

International, national and regional resort brands have established roots throughout the Florida Keys,

offering memorable settings for one-of-a-kind events and programs.

“The Florida Keys & Key West offer an experience that’s a world away from a typical meeting experience at a mega-metro convention center,” said

Jack Meier, group sales manager for the Florida Keys & Key West tourism council. “With our wide array of properties, it’s simply finding the right fit for your group.”

In Key Largo, the eagerly awaited 14-acre, 144-room luxury Playa Largo Resort & Spa — the first new-build resort in the Upper Keys in 21 years — has opened as the 100th addition to Autograph Collection Hotels.

Playa Largo offers more than 40,000 total square feet of meeting space, three gourmet restaurants, a 6,000-square-foot ballroom, a pool with a 1,200-square-foot deck, 10 secluded bungalows, a three-bedroom beach house with private pool, a full-service spa and a 6,000-square-foot beach. Kosher groups can be accommodated. Visit playalargoresort.com.

The private Ocean Reef Club, at Key Largo’s northernmost tip, has 30,000 total square feet of indoor meeting space and a new Carysfort Hall, with a 5,688-square-foot ballroom and five additional meeting rooms for up to 500 attendees. The club also expanded its state-of-the-art Cooking School at Carysfort Kitchen for culinary events and classes.

Planners can choose from 300 accommodations that include villas and homes. Ocean Reef also features two 18-hole golf courses, a lagoon beach that accommodates up to 400 and a 175-slip marina. Visit MeetingsAtOceanReef.com.

On Duck Key in the Middle Keys, the 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort, a AAA Four Diamond Award and Preferred Hotel Group Lifestyle Collection member, has 20,000 square feet of oceanfront meeting space including refurbished space for up to 600. The new dockside 208-seat Angler & Ale restaurant offers private group space for 88.

The resort features 177 guest rooms and 225 two- and three-bedroom villas, a full-service marina, multiple restaurants and swimming pools, a saltwater lagoon and a spa. Visit hawkscay.com.

The 216-room Marriott Key West Beachside offers a 5,673-square-foot ballroom, Key West’s largest, and nearly 10,000 square feet of meeting space. Upgrades are underway with new air walls and carpeting.

A new 12-slip dock can accommodate boats up to a maximum 40-foot length. Guest water taxis run from the new dock to downtown Key West. The property offers seven breakout rooms and six event rooms. Visit beachsidekeywest.com.

Key West’s 216-room DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Grand Key recently underwent a $7.5 million renovation. It offers 7,000 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting space. The ballroom can seat 200 or accommodate up to 300 for a reception. Visit doubletree3hilton.com.

Subtropical islands feature new and refreshed properties

Keys TravelerMeetings + Incentive Edition

EditorAndy Newman

Managing EditorCarol Shaughnessy

Senior WriterLaura MyersCopy EditorBuck Banks

“Keys Traveler” is published by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the official visitor marketing agency for the Florida Keys & Key West. Director: Harold Wheeler; Sales Director: Stacey Mitchell; Groups Sales Manager: Jack MeierCover photo of Hawks Cay Resort & Marina on

Duck Key near Marathon by Andy Newman

Jack Meier

Largo, a private sanctuary, has opened in Key Largo for corporate meeting or incentive groups. The gated resort, which can accommodate up to 15 single guests or 30 in doubles, is nestled

amid mahogany, palm and buttonwood trees and indigenous orchids. A private pier can accommodate up to 100.

Its 5,000-square-foot The Lodge offers function space and accommodations, along with six 800-square-foot bungalows.

Custom meals are by Bill Hansen Catering, whose past clients include presidents and celebrities. Activity offerings include paddleboarding and kayaking in the 15-foot-deep Coral Lagoon, as well as sailing, nature tours and dolphin swims. Visit largoresort.com.

Key Largo Retreat Property Opens

Paya Largo Resort & Spa in Key Largo has a lengthy bayfront beach and 40,000 square feet of meeting space.

A web-based video-learning platform provides travel professionals with the educa-

tion necessary to become certified Florida Keys destination specialists.

Key Lime Academy uses seven video-driven modules to educate participants on Keys properties, at-tractions and history. Each module is followed by an eight- to 10-ques-tion quiz presented in multiple-choice format.

The process takes about 30 min-utes and can be done either incre-mentally or in a single sitting. When the user has completed the entire e-learning series and passed all quizzes with a grade of 80 percent or better an electronic certificate is issued.

Key Lime Academy is offered on the Keys tourism council official website at fla-keys.com.

Key Lime Academy aidstravel professionals

PLAYA LARGO RESORT & SPA BILL HANSEN CATERING

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RON MODRA RON MODRA

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The Florida Keys, with authentic indigenous experiences, healthy cuisine and relaxed activities for visitors, offer a rich 125-mile-long setting

for meetings of virtually all types. The island chain’s eco-attractions, offshore fishing and fascinating history provide engaging, interactive opportunities for enrichment and enjoyment. In Key Largo, Ocean Reef Club’s partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation enables groups “to contribute by taking either a snorkeling or scuba-diving trip to a coral nursery and helping to plant coral on the reef,” said Michelle Simpson, director of sales. “These team-building events allow groups to be a part of this nonprofit conservation organization while putting life back into the ocean.” Key Largo’s new Playa Largo Resort & Spa is targeting travel groups, executive board meetings and retreats, “because of our resort’s location and the caliber of service we offer,” said Elizabeth Diaz, director of catering and events. Privacy is often requested for small retreats, said Tammy Petersen, president of Chicago-based Retreats Unlimited. Largo, a new private destination retreat in Key Largo, is in its portfolio. “Our partnership with Largo enables us to bring unique offerings to our guests such as yoga retreats, wellness retreats, special corporate packages with

themed mystery theater dinners, scavenger hunts or other custom events,” Petersen said. Planners booking Islamorada Resort Company’s four properties — Amara Cay Resort, La Siesta, Pelican Cove and Postcard Inn in Islamorada — strive to create memories. “No more of the cookie-cutter classroom-style meetings. They want specialty menus, customized meeting packages, intimate dining, things that can make their attendees’ experiences memorable,” said Anne Walston, area director of sales. At Islamorada’s Islander Resort, A Guy Harvey Outpost, “we see a lot of smaller groups. They do a combined trip of a meeting and incentive activities,” said Karly Campbell, director of sales. At nearby Cheeca Lodge, dining requests include current foodie trends of Asian noodle bowls and poké dishes. Teambuilding activities with wine, beer, rum and liquor tastings are included in activities such as paint-and-sip classes or museum nights with a local artist. “Creating these types of experiences allows us the opportunity to make a meeting or event truly destination-specific, and infuse some authentic Islamorada and Florida Keys flavor,” said Rhonda Whitfield, Cheeca’s director of sales and marketing. Marathon’s Faro Blanco Resort and Yacht Club, a Hyatt Place Resort known for its signature landmark

Rich experiences highlight meeting trends in Keys

lighthouse built in the 1950s, offers yacht excursions. “You can choose a private charter boat to host a board meeting on the beautiful waters of the Keys,” said Corinne Dean, director of sales and marketing. Marriott Key West Beachside offers about 10,000 square feet of meeting space with a 5,675-square-foot ballroom on the 2-by-4-mile island of Key West. “Having the largest ballroom in Key West, we enjoy good demand year-round,” said Alan Beaubien, Beachside’s director of sales and marketing. At Casa Marina, a Waldorf Astoria Resort with 22,600 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, groups are “quickly immersed in the Key West lifestyle with team-building and breakout activities from sand sculpting workshops to sunset cruises and snorkel tours,” said Andrew Rosuck, director of sales and marketing. Guests are greeted with sunglass fittings or cigar rollers during welcome receptions. The Westin Key West Resort & Marina can stage receptions for groups up to 100 in its Paradise Cottage at Sunset Key Cottages, a private island just 500 yards offshore, accessible via an eight-minute boat ride. Indigenous culinary offerings include a

whole fish grouper taco carving station. “The whole island is a unique experience for active guests seeking relaxation or for a welcome reception,” said Jackie Herbst, Westin Key West’s director of group sales. The Westin features some 6,000 square feet of meeting space at its harborfront location.

Sunset Key’s laidback atmosphere offers a relaxing respite for attendeesstaying at the Westin Key West Resort & Marina or the island’s cottages.

By Laura MyersPhotos by Andy Newman

Faro Blanco Resort & Marina in Marathon features three meeting rooms, two boardroom suites and extensive outdoor event space.

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In the Florida Keys, meetings can be hosted at offbeat, unconventional venues: a one-

of-a-kind marine attraction, the home of a literary legend or even the vacation residence of a former president.

At Bud N’ Mary’s Fishing Marina in Islamorada, a 10,000-square-foot steel building is positioned on the Atlantic Ocean with about 5,000 square feet available for events. Behind that, 1,300 square feet of oceanfront decking is decorated with funky Keys nautical and sportfishing gear. An onsite kitchen and chef provide dining options. Visit budnmarys.com.

Robbie’s Marina is a popular Islamorada waterfront hub, nestled among coconut trees on Florida Bay with eclectic outdoor vendors. Planners can charter fishing trips for groups. The on-site “old Keys-style” Hungry Tarpon Restaurant cooks up the catch for a fresh fish meal. Participants can even feed resident tarpon. See robbies.com.

Theater of the Sea in Islamorada offers dolphin and sea lion shows for up to 200 for private evening events. Customized options include a private tour of marine life exhibits, photographs with parrots or a choreography of dolphin behaviors added to music. Visit theaterofthesea.com.

Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key near Marathon offers group activities at the nonprofit facility that’s home to bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions. Private tours, research sessions or interactive dolphin experiences can be booked. Planners can reserve the center for private group events for up to 200. A director of guest services helps to plan visits that can include an on-site picnic. Go to dolphins.org.

In Key West, groups can hold events at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum, a Spanish colonial villa where famed author

Unconventional Keys venues make meetings memorable

and Nobel Prize winner Ernest Hemingway lived and wrote some of his most famous works in the 1930s. The grounds are available for up to 100 people. Private house tours can be arranged as part of the event. Visit hemingwayhome.com.

Key West’s Harry S. Truman Little White House Museum, Florida’s only presidential museum, is a unique function venue. The late United States president spent more than six months at this tropical retreat during his 1945-1953 administration. The grounds can accommodate groups as large as 400 people, while smaller groups can utilize the president’s own dining room, living room and south porch for dinners. Private museum tours can be included. See trumanlittlewhitehouse.com.

The Studios of Key West, housed in a deco-style former Scottish Rite Masonic Center, offers a 200-seat, 2,175-square-foot professional theater, contemporary art gallery, nine studios and two classrooms. Meeting venues

include the theater, classrooms that measure about 600 square feet each, and a 1,500-square-foot gallery for receptions. Go to tskw.org.

A new operator, Up The Keys Eco-Tours, offers private tours explor-ing Florida Keys eco-attractions

for groups of six to 13 participants in a comfortable 14-passenger van. With a 10-day advance booking, up to 26 can be accommodated in two vans.

The off-the-beaten-path tours are cre-ated by certified international tour di-rector Kim Stamps, who designed the journeys to share the history, culture and unique ecology of the Keys.

A roundtrip All-Day Adventure tour departs Key West and travels north over more than 20 bridges to Grassy Key. Passengers can search for wildlife such as the tiny indigenous Key deer at the National Key Deer Refuge as well as alligators, turtles and birds. Other stops include the quirky Bat Tower on Sugarloaf Key, Bahia Honda State Park and in the Marathon area the Turtle Hospital, Dolphin Research Center or Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters.

For additional information, visitUpTheKeys.com.

New eco-tours traveloff the beaten path

Planners of meetings, incentive events and corporate retreats typically seek unique experiences that connect them to a destination. Relax-ing offshore activities and bucket-list adventures are what the Florida

Keys are all about. A fishing charter, for example, in waters off the Keys is an adventure

made all the more memorable by catches such as sailfish, tarpon or yel-lowtail snapper.

A group hunt for the best Key lime pie is sure to satisfy all taste buds. Nearly every Keys dining venue serves a creative version of this rich signa-ture dessert.

For active groups kayaking, swimming with dolphins and other experien-tial activities can be booked around the Keys. Among them are:

Key Largo Bike and Adventure Tours offers afternoon Bike and Beer tours for up to 12 in the Upper Keys with a 10-mile trek from Tavernier to Islamorada. Participants can enjoy three stops for beer and a van ride back. In Islamorada, another tour visits historic venues, locations from the hit Netflix drama “Bloodline,” a tiki bar and two craft breweries. Visit keylargobike.com.

At Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters in Marathon, groups can swim with and feed fishes while learning about the Keys marine ecosystem. Groups up to 12 can explore the facility’s 200,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. Private tours and events are offered for up to 125. Go tofloridakeysaquariumencounters.com.

Serenity Eco Therapy at Bahia Honda State Park in the Lower Keys combines gentle meditation, yoga and Pilates with stand-up paddleboarding techniques. A two-hour experience helps to relieve stress. Visit serenityecoguides.com.

Haunted Key West offers an Infamous Hauntings Ghost Tour, a walk for up to 20, featuring locations that include the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum with human and feline ghosts. Visit hauntedkeywest.com.

Crafting sand sculptures at Key West’s Casa Marina or The Reach, both Waldorf Astoria resorts, is another way to build competitive team spirit or bonding. Sand-Isle Professional Sand Sculpting offers beach workshops for six to 150. Go to sandisle.com.

Key West Food Tours for groups of six to 12 offers a three-hour, 1.7-mile experience. Participants stop approximately every four blocks to taste conch fritters, fish tacos, Key lime pie and other samplings. Seekeywestfoodtours.com.

Group activities help build team bonding, trustGroup activities buildteam bonding, trust

Groups can hold events at the Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum in Key West where the famed author lived and wrote in the 1930s.

Paddleboard yoga is a great group activity in the Keys.

The Florida Keys offer both ca-sually funky and sophisticated dining for groups, with many

menus highlighted by delectable sustainable seafood freshly caught from the Atlantic Ocean or scooped out of Florida Bay. Keys chefs are known for artfully creative prepara-tions that blend indigenous seafood with tropical ingredients.

Companies booking a Keys meeting or retreat are likely to be focused on social responsibility, renewal and sustainability. Keys cui-sine may be organically enhanced with fresh lime, mango, avocado, papaya and coconut, while fish gracing a table was likely unloaded just hours earlier onto a local dock.

Sweet stone crab claws, served with drawn butter or chilled with mustard sauce, are a renewable resource. Fishermen harvest only the claws, returning crabs to the sea where the claws regenerate.

An event’s menu might include yel-lowtail, hog or mutton snapper, hog-fish, grouper or mahi-mahi. Meeting participants might especially enjoy a team-building catch-and-cook fishing event, with fish they catch served grilled, broiled, blackened, baked or fried.

Key West pink shrimp — light and flavorful, generally sweeter than other crustaceans — are bountiful.

Spiny clawless Florida lobsters, served steamed or broiled with drawn butter, are another favorite.

Keys restaurants often use Key limes to flavor seafood dishes and sauces, and no meal is complete without the island chain’s renowned Key lime pie.

Keys feature freshindigenous seafood

Fresh seafood from the Florida Keys

ANDY NEWMAN (2)

NICK DOLL

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Dry Tortugas National Park60 miles west of Key West,

and 37 miles west of the Marquesas Keys

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Seven Mile Bridge Artificial Reef

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West TurtleShoal

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AlligatorReef

CrockerReef

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Elbow ReefCity of Washington Wreck

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Dry Rocks“Christ of the Abyss”

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Tavernier

John PennekampCoral Reef State Park

Crocodile LakeNational Wildlife

Refuge

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Shell Key

Deer Key

Eagle Key

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The 125-mile-long Florida Keys island chain is linked to mainland Florida by U.S. Highway 1, the Overseas Highway. Visitors can fly into Miami International Airport (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) and from there can reach the Keys by airport shuttle bus or rental car. Travelers can reach Key Largo, the gateway to the Keys, in about an hour from Miami or an hour and 45 minutes from Fort Lauderdale.

Air Service to the Florida Keys For an up-to-date roster of commercial airlines and on-demand charter operators serving Key West International and Florida Keys Marathon International Airports, go to fla-keys.com/gettinghere/#air.

Driving DirectionsFrom Miami International Airport (MIA),

take LeJeune Road south to 836 West. Take the Florida Turnpike south toward Key West.

The Turnpike ends at U.S. 1 in Florida City.Follow U.S. 1 south about 22 miles to

Key Largo and you are now in the Florida Keys.

From Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood Inter-national Airport (FLL), exit the airport and follow the signs for I–595 West. Take 595 to the Florida Turnpike and follow the signs for the Florida Keys.

From farther north, take the Florida Turnpike south to just below Fort Lauderdale, where Exit 4 joins the southern portion of the Turnpike that ends at U.S. 1 in Florida City. Follow U.S. 1 south into the Florida Keys.

From Florida’s west coast, take I–75 (Alligator Alley) east to the Miami exit, and south to the Turnpike Extension.

Traveling Tipsto the Florida Keys

Driving Data to Keys/Key LargoFROM MILES KM HOURSMiami 50 80 1Fort Myers 200 320 4Tampa 300 480 6Orlando 280 450 5.25

Distance from MiamiREGION MILES KM MILE MARKERKey Largo 50 80 107–90Islamorada 76 122 89–66Marathon 111 178 65–45Lower Keys 128 205 45–4Key West 159 254 4–0

Via BusBus/shuttle connections from MIA and

FLL to the Florida Keys allow traveling to the Keys without renting a car.

Via BoatFerry connections from Fort Myers or

Marco Island to Key West are offered via the Key West Express. Voyages take approximately 3.5 hours.

Extensive details on getting to the Florida Keys & Key West are available at:

fla-keys.com/gettinghere.cfm

facebook.com/floridakeysandkeywest

@thefloridakeys

youtube.com/FloridaKeysTV

keysvoices.com

Insta

@thefloridakeys

Weather/ClimateWherever you are right now, chances are

the weather is better in the Florida Keys. That’s true even on a summer day. The hottest it’s ever been in Key West is 97° F (36° C), and that was in 1880. At the peak of summer, the average high air temperature is about 89° F (32° C). The Keys are devoid of superhighways or urban sprawl to absorb and radiate the sun’s heat. And the subtropical islands are cooled by sea breezes.

In the winter, the Keys are typically the warmest region in the continental U.S. There has never been a frost in Key West, according to the U.S. Weather Service.

Below are the average monthly air temperatures for the past 30 years, according to the Key West weather office. Temperatures in blue shades are Fahrenheit and those in light red are Celsius.

Help and More InformationIf you’re traveling in the Keys and

need any help, call the toll-free Visitors’ Assistance line at 1-800-771-KEYS. It’s staffed 24 hours a day. To contact visitor offices in the Keys, call 1-800-FLA-KEYS. The Keys website at fla-keys.com has a live chat feature with visitor information specialists available during regular U.S. weekday business hours to aid travelers in vacation planning.