The three hour drive through the Florida Keys is surely America's most unique motor journey. No other place in America combines the scenic ocean views of the Overseas Highway with a local community that is proud to show off its history and natural wonders.

Named 'Cayo Largo', or 'Long Key' in Spanish, Key Largo is the gateway to the Florida Keys, the lovely chain of islands stretching for a hundred miles off the coast of southern Florida.

Claiming to be 'Dive Capital of the World', Key largo is truly one of the best places to dive in the world. Some of the best charter captains and fishing guides in the world work out of Key Largo. You can go after sailfish offshore, bonefish along the Atlantic shallows, or redfish and tarpon in Florida Bay.

The natural reefs at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater preserve in the nation. Home to more than 600 species of Technicolor tropical fish and 40 brilliant types of coral, the park is a part of the nationally protected Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary. The underwater caves of French Reef, a variety of marine life at Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary, sunken ships and clear waters make Key Largo a paradise for divers and snorkelers.

Six miles offshore in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary you will find the wreck of the Spiegel Grove, a 510-foot Navy ship intentionally scuttled in June 2002 as the backbone for a new coral reef

Key Largo is the first island you will see as you enter the 110-mile Florida Keys chain.  A nine-foot statue entitled "Christ of the Abyss," a gift from an Italian entrepreneur, has become world renowned as a Key Largo icon and landmark for divers. Old movie buffs will be delighted to find that the original African Queen, the boat made famous by Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in the movie of the same name, makes its home here.

Key Largo’s proximity to the Everglades makes it a premier destination for kayakers, birders and other eco-tourists. All this beauty, not to mention the island’s rich history, has inspired a vibrant community of artists who show there work at several local galleries.

A bit farther south, the quiet town of Tavernier lies along the Overseas Highway. Rumor has it that Tavernier got its name from thirsty sailors on nearby Plantation Key. There, the sailors stopped to load their ships with fruit from the pineapple plantations and then went looking for some grog before returning to sea. Tavernier became known as such because there was always a tavern near. Now visitors can stop by this charming hamlet and tour a restored turn-of-the-century home, church and postal office.