Big Pine & Lower Keys Attractions in Florida Keys

Big-name attractions and larger-than-life landmarks shouldn't be missed, but neither should {0}'s less-well-known activities. Dig a little beneath the surface, and check out the neighborhood things to do. These are the activities locals like to do-and tourists would too, if only they knew about them. But, lucky you, you're plugged in. Have fun.

For more than 60 years, the region of Big Pine Key and the Lower Keys - from the west end of the Seven Mile Bridge at Sunshine Key, mile marker (MM) 40, to Stock Island at MM 5 - has advocated the responsible use and preservation of the vast natural wonders found there. This focus on the environment has earned the region the title of the Natural Keys.

The Lower Keys are home to two national wildlife refuges, a national marine sanctuary and a state park, and are surrounded by a marine environment filled with abundant terrestrial and marine wildlife.
The National Key Deer Refuge (est. 1957) protects the endangered Key deer - a subspecies of the Virginia white-tailed deer, ranging in size between 65 and 90 pounds fully grown - and its habitat. Today the refuge encompasses more than 8,000 acres of prime Key deer territory from Bahia Honda Key to the eastern shores of Sugarloaf Key, out to the edge of the Gulf of Mexico.
In the ocean waters off Big Pine Key, divers and snorkelers explore the spectacular coral and marine life of Looe Key Reef, renowned as one of the world's best reefs for diving. Each July, Looe Key is the site of a popular underwater music festival that promotes the preservation of Keys coral reefs.

Camping is widely popular throughout the Lower Keys, with multiple campground and recreational vehicle parks. Outdoor activities in the Lower Keys include both inshore and offshore fishing, kayaking through the nearby shallow waters, birding, golfing and walking.

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