Named for its extensive pine forests, Big Pine Key was the homestead site of Keywesters of Bahamian decent, known as "Conchs," in the 1890s.

The area is a Mecca for nature lovers and bird watchers as well as boaters and fishermen. A wide variety of fish roam the shallows and the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream. Nature trails wind through the pinewoods and exotic tropical foliage.

The National Key Deer Refuge encompasses most of the island. A unique species, tiny Key deer are a sub-species of the white-tail deer and stand only about 26 inches high. Big Pine Key is also home to Bight State Aquatic Preserve and the National Great White Heron Refuge. There are even a few alligators in a pond nicknamed the Blue Hole that’s tucked away in a pine and palm grove.

Big Pine Key and the rest of the Lower Keys are next. Big Pine Key is also home to Bight State Aquatic Preserve and the National Great White Heron Refuge.

Nearby Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary protects the most biologically diverse and aesthetically beautiful reef in the entire chain. Three-quarters of a mile of spur and groove formations can be observed from 2 to 40 feet. The excellent water clarity and moderate sea conditions at Looe Key permit its features and inhabitants to be easily observed from the surface. The wide range of depth also makes the reef accessible to the beginning swimmer and the experienced diver. Brightly colored fish can be seen swimming among the branching elkhorn and staghorn corals, huge brain corals as well as the delicate sea fans and sea wips. A diver's dreamland and an unspoiled natural paradise, the Lower Keys is a tropical setting where you can take the time to appreciate the beauty of your surroundings.

Don’t forget about the other islands of the Lower Keys. They are famous for their homey resorts, family-oriented neighborhoods and easy access to the water. Look for intriguing names such as Summerland Key, Big Torch and Little Torch Keys, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key or Big Coppitt Key. All are an easy drive to Key West. In fact, the uninhabited Saddlebunch Keys are a network of sandy lagoons and mangrove islands that make the jaunt a memorable one, especially at sunset.

The Lower Keys are an oasis in a mad and rushed world. Come visit us.