Best Things to Do in the Florida Keys: Activities and Experiences
Some Florida Keys vacations are about seeing as much as possible. Others are about finding your favorite patch of sunshine and staying put for a while. In Marathon, you can easily do a little of both.
Located in the heart of the Florida Keys, Tranquility Bay Beachfront Resort makes an easy home base for days on the water, road trips through the islands, fresh seafood and plenty of toes-in-the-sand time in between. With beachfront space, pools, dining and Florida Keys experiences right at the resort, some of the best days do not require much planning at all.
Here are some of the best things to see and do in the Florida Keys, starting across the island chain before slowing things down in sunny Marathon.
Best Things to Do Across the Florida Keys
Each part of the Florida Keys has its own feel. Key Largo brings you close to the reef, Islamorada is made for time on the water, Marathon mixes family-friendly attractions with laid-back island living, and Key West brings history, culture and famous sunsets.
Marathon sits in the Middle Keys, so all of these areas can be reached while using the island as your home base.
| Florida Keys Area | Best Things to Do |
| Key Largo | Snorkel or dive around John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and spend the day out on the water |
| Islamorada | Go fishing, enjoy watersports and stop for fresh seafood with a waterfront view |
| Marathon | Kayak, jet ski, see the Seven Mile Bridge, visit local wildlife attractions and relax on the beach |
| Big Pine Key & the Lower Keys | Look for Key deer, spend time in nature and visit the beaches around Bahia Honda State Park |
| Key West | Wander through Old Town, catch a sunset, experience the island's cultural attractions and enjoy its year-round events |
You could fill a trip hopping between the islands, but there is plenty to keep you busy right in Marathon.
Things to Do in Marathon, Florida
Marathon has the easy pace people come to the Keys for, with plenty to do when you feel like getting up from the beach.
Spend the morning kayaking, cool off by the water in the afternoon and finish with fresh seafood and a sunset. Or skip the schedule completely. That's part of the fun.
Get Out on the Water
When water stretches out in almost every direction, getting onto it is one of the best things to do in Marathon, FL.
Take a Jet Ski Out for a Spin
Trade the beach chair for something faster. At Tranquility Bay, guests can choose private jet ski hire or join a guided tour around Marathon for an easy way to explore the water.
Explore by Kayak
For a slower pace, choose a single or tandem kayak and explore the waters around Tranquility Bay, keeping an eye out for wildlife along the mangroves. Rentals are available first-come, first-served from the beachfront watersports tent.
Try Paddleboarding and More Watersports
Test your balance on a stand-up paddleboard and explore the waterways around Tranquility Bay at your own pace. Rentals are available by the hour and first-come, first-served from the beachfront watersports tent.
Make Time for Wellness and Relaxation
Not every Florida Keys activity needs to fill the whole day.
After time on the water or a day exploring the islands, slow things back down with a massage, yoga or simply a quiet afternoon by the beach.
Tranquility Bay offers in-room spa services, so downtime can come to you without needing to leave the resort.
Yoga also appears as part of the resort’s activity programming, so check what’s happening while you’re in town. Then again, stretching out beside the pool with nowhere else to be works pretty well too.
Eat Fresh Seafood in Marathon
Trying the local seafood belongs on any list of things to do in the Florida Keys.
Marathon’s fishing heritage runs deep, and the area is known for waterside restaurants serving fish, lobster and stone crab from surrounding waters.
At Tranquility Bay, Butterfly Café and TJ’s Tiki Bar make it easy to stay close to the water at dinnertime too.
Butterfly Café is the place for a relaxed sit-down dinner with seafood and Florida Keys flavors. TJ’s Tiki Bar keeps things casual with beachside food, drinks and an easy island atmosphere.
No complicated dinner plans required.
Things to Do at Tranquility Bay
Some days are for exploring the Keys. Some are for realizing everything you need is already right outside your room.
Tranquility Bay has an ongoing lineup of resort activities alongside its beach, watersports and pools. Depending on when you visit, the calendar can include yoga, live music, sunset experiences, seasonal celebrations and family-friendly activities.
There are also beach games including cornhole, ping pong and giant chess when a little friendly competition sounds better than another afternoon itinerary.
Programming changes throughout the year, which is part of the fun.
Florida Keys Festivals and Events Worth Planning Around
The Florida Keys know how to celebrate. While dates and programming can change from year to year, a few annual events are worth having on your radar.
Fantasy Fest
Every October, Key West gets considerably more colorful for Fantasy Fest, a 10-day celebration known for costumes, parades, performances and lively street events.
If your Marathon getaway overlaps with the festival, Key West can make a memorable day trip before heading back to the quieter side of the Keys.
Key West Songwriters Festival
Music takes over Key West each May during the Key West Songwriters Festival, bringing songwriters and fans together for live performances across the island.
It is a great time to visit if you like the idea of pairing a Florida Keys escape with plenty of live music along the way.
Florida Keys Seafood Festival
Fresh local seafood takes center stage in February at the Florida Keys Seafood Festival in Key West. This family-friendly event celebrates the region’s commercial fishing community with plenty of local catches to try.
Mile 0 Fest
Each January, Mile 0 Fest brings several days of Americana and Texas Red Dirt music to Key West. It is a lively way to add live music to a winter escape through the Keys.
Florida Keys Island Fest
Held in Islamorada each April, Florida Keys Island Fest combines art, live music and local food in a relaxed outdoor setting.
From Marathon, it also makes an easy day trip north if you want to explore another part of the Keys.
Race World Offshore
For something with a little more horsepower, Race World Offshore brings high-speed powerboat racing to the waters around Key West each November.
The details of Florida Keys events change from one year to the next, so check current schedules before building them into your trip.
Make Marathon Your Base for Exploring the Florida Keys
One of the best things about staying in Marathon is that you do not have to choose between a relaxing resort vacation and seeing more of the Florida Keys.
Head north toward Islamorada. Spend a day exploring Key West. Take in the Seven Mile Bridge. Then come back to Tranquility Bay, kick off your shoes and make the rest of the day easy.
The amenity-rich beachfront resort gives you plenty of reasons to stay put too, including:
- A private 2.5-acre white-sand beach
- Three swimming pools, including a lagoon-style pool and adults-only pool
- Kayaks and motorized watercraft rentals
- Two on-site restaurants and a beachfront bar
- In-room spa services
- Beach games and recreation
- Spacious hotel rooms and villas for couples, families and groups
FAQs About Things to Do in the Florida Keys
Couples can enjoy kayaking, spa treatments, sunset experiences, waterfront dining and scenic drives through the Keys.
Families can enjoy beaches, swimming, kayaking, wildlife attractions and family-friendly resort activities.
Solo travelers can kayak, explore local attractions, enjoy wellness experiences and take scenic drives between the islands.
Popular activities include jet skiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, visiting wildlife attractions, seeing the Seven Mile Bridge and enjoying fresh seafood.
Yes. Marathon’s Middle Keys location makes it easy to explore nearby islands and plan day trips to Islamorada, the Lower Keys and Key West.
Guests can enjoy pools, a private beach, watersports, wellness experiences and seasonal activities throughout the year.
