Islamorada

Islamorada likes to bill itself as "Sportfishing Capital of the World" and does boast the largest fleet of charter boats in the Florida Keys. Why all the action? Well, fishermen have the choice of charging into the Atlantic for sailfish, tuna, and mahi-mahi along the Gulf Stream, or heading for the shallow "backcountry" waters of Florida Bay and the Everglades for a flyfishing foray after elusive bonefish and tarpon. Like its neighbor just to the north, Key Largo, Islamorada also gives divers a chance to snorkel shallow reefs or dive on shipwrecks – including the 287-foot Eagle, sunk as an artificial reef in 1985 and now encrusted by corals and sponges. And canoe and kayak tours of the shallow tidal flats and neighboring keys are readily available. Actually, Islamorada is not just one isle, but a "village of islands" (four to six islands, depending on who’s counting) centered on Upper Matecumbe Key. The beaches are not much to e-mail home about, but there are shops and galleries – and any number of restaurants, bars, and even comedy clubs where tired fishermen can refuel at the end of a long day on the water. And watching the sun go down on Florida Bay over a slice of key lime pie? Priceless.