Key Largo

Key Largo is an island and community at the northern end of the Florida Keys in Monroe County, Florida. It is widely known as a center for recreational diving and access to the living coral reefs of the Florida Reef tract.

The area hosts multiple dive operators, charter boats and shoreline access points for snorkelling and scuba diving, with marked dive sites and moorings offshore. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park provides visitor facilities, guided glass-bottom boat trips and snorkel trails that concentrate activity on protected reef sections.

Originally settled for fishing and small-scale agriculture, the community developed in the 20th century as automobile access along the Overseas Highway improved and recreational diving grew in popularity. The state park was established in the 1960s to protect the reef and to develop recreation infrastructure.

Key Largo lies along U.S. Route 1 (the Overseas Highway) at the upper end of the Florida Keys chain, within driving distance of Miami and forming the northern gateway to the Keys and the Florida Reef.

• Diving hub: Known as the northernmost and one of the most accessible of the Florida Keys, the area is a major base for diving and snorkelling on the Florida Reef tract.
• Conservation: The undersea park and nearby sanctuary protect living coral and offer marked snorkel trails and mooring buoys to reduce reef damage.

What to See #

• John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Established in 1963, the state park protects offshore coral reefs and includes marked snorkel and dive trails and boat-restricted zones to limit anchor damage.
• Molasses Reef and Christ of the Abyss: Several named reef sites and dive spots lie within a short boat ride offshore, including Molasses Reef where the submerged statue 'Christ of the Abyss' is located.