Natural Instinct: A Slow Travel Guide to the Florida Keys

If all you want is a comfortable bed and a dress code that calls for shorts and tees, Not Your Average Hotel (NYAH) is perfect for you. Ditch any notion of formality. For starters, some rooms have bunk beds, and it’s a fuss-free continental breakfast. The value is in the outdoor activities. You can relax poolside (there are three to choose from) or take advantage of the excursions: snorkeling, jet skiing, kayaking, fishing, parasailing, jeep adventure tours, guided kayaking and SUP boarding among them.

The food-obsessed, Miami-based Zagat guide has praised the restaurant at Little Palm Island, so you can count on excellent food when you book one of the 15 thatched-roof beachfront bungalows. Sequestered on a private island in the Lower Florida Keys, the resort has 30 suites in total. Do the math: it means a maximum of 60 people on the island, so you’ll pretty much have that beach all to yourself. And because you’re in the Keys, you must try the Key lime pie.

True, most wildlife fans come to the Florida Keys to see marine animals: barracudas, loggerhead turtles, stingrays and manatees. But some come to see the endangered Key deer, a relative of the North American white-tailed deer. Only 600 to 800 of the endangered species remain, and they roam this 8,500-acre (3,450ha) protected reserve at the center of Big Pine Key. Staff are on hand to answer questions about the mammals and their habits.

Dry Tortugas National Park, which comprises seven small islands, is one of the most biodiverse nature spots in Florida, but one of the least-visited national parks. That could be because you can only reach it by seaplane. It’s worth the trip, though: in addition to pristine beaches, kitted-out campgrounds on Garden Key and birding sites, there’s also historic Fort Jefferson, which once functioned as a Civil War prison.

Captain Bill Keogh has been guiding kayakers (beginners welcome) through the Lower Florida Keys for more than two decades via his friendly outfit, Keys Kayak Tours. As a trained nature guide and educator, he’ll have you paddling the shallow waters of the Keys, or maybe take you on his Custom Backcountry Tour to see sharks, stingrays, dolphins, turtles and birds. Trips depart from the Old Wooden Bridge Resort.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is home to the only living coral barrier reef in the United States – known simply as the Florida Reef – and the third-largest coral barrier reef in the world. The park is a popular destination in Key Largo for snorkeling, scuba diving and swimming. For those who don’t want to get into the water, it’s easy to arrange a glass-bottom boat tour to appreciate the aquatic life.

Imagine standing in a glass-enclosed (climate-controlled) habitat surrounded by 60 butterfly species and 20 exotic bird species. That sums up a visit to the Butterfly & Nature Conservatory in Key West. The Conservatory also houses a Learning Center, where you can discover cool facts about butterfly anatomy, migratory habits and life-cycle highlights. Be sure to greet the two resident flamingos, Rhett and Scarlett, on arrival.

Bahia Honda Park may be virtually uninhabited, but it’s the ideal place to join a snorkeling tour to the nearby Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary. More than 150 species of fish, including barracuda and parrotfish, have been sighted at Looe Key Reef. Divers have also seen stingrays and sharks. The real draw for many is the 7,000 years’ worth of colorful coral growth, including staghorn, elkhorn and fire corals.

Islamorada, just south of Key Largo, is a string of six very laid-back islands popular with snorkelers and divers for its reefs – but also as a place to just chill. You can book beach yoga sessions with Plantation Key Fitness. If yoga doesn’t float your boat, there’s always Zumba or hardcore fitness classes on the beach. Meet your instructors at Founders Park on Overseas Highway.