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Key Largo things to do start with the reef: a snorkel trip or glass-bottom boat from John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, with the Christ of the Deep statue as the park’s best-known sight. Add a mangrove paddle and the African Queen canal cruise, and you have a full day in the first town of the Keys.
I grew up in South Florida and have spent years boating, snorkeling and scuba diving around the Keys, Pennekamp included. My advice is to book the reef first and build the day around it, because tour boats leave at fixed times. Everything else on this list bends to fit. The reef trip does not.
Key Largo Day Trip
Key Largo runs along the Overseas Highway, and the stops below run from mile marker 106 at the north end down to Tavernier. Miami is about an hour away, per the Florida Keys tourism council, so you can leave after breakfast and be on a boat by mid-morning.
A workable order is the reef trip first, lunch, then the African Queen or a paddle, and a quiet stop before sunset. The table lists what each place costs and when it runs.
| Stop | Cost | Hours or departures | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Pennekamp park entry | $4.50 single-occupant vehicle; $8 plus 50 cents per person for several occupants | 8 a.m. to sunset | MM 102.5 |
| Glass-bottom boat | $55 adult, $30 ages 4 to 11 | 9:15, 12:15, 3:15 | MM 102.5 |
| Reef snorkel tour | $49.95 adult, $45.95 under 18 | 9:00 to 3:00, five departures | MM 102.5 |
| Single kayak rental | $30 an hour, $45 for up to 4 hours | Book ahead | MM 102.5 |
| African Queen canal cruise | $59 | 10, 12, 2 and 4 | MM 100 |
| Key Largo Hammock park | $2.50 per person | Sunrise to sunset | MM 106 |
| Wild Bird Center sanctuary | No fee listed; donations | Sunrise to sunset | MM 93.6 |
| Harry Harris Park | $15 per vehicle, non-residents | Sunrise to half hour after sunset | Tavernier |
If you are choosing between this town and the next one south, our Key Largo vs Islamorada comparison sorts that out.
Key Largo Snorkeling
John Pennekamp is the country’s first undersea park and covers 70 nautical square miles, according to Florida State Parks. The reef sits miles offshore, so snorkeling here means a boat trip. The park’s tour concessionaire runs a 2.5-hour tour with about an hour in the water.
Departures run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Adults pay $49.95 and anyone under 18 pays $45.95, with a safety vest included. Masks and fins rent for $6 each, and a shorty wetsuit is $10, which is worth it from December to February.
Prefer to stay dry? The Spirit of Pennekamp glass-bottom boat runs 2.5 hours at 9:15, 12:15 and 3:15. Adults pay $55, children 4 to 11 pay $30, and kids 3 and under ride free. Reservations must be confirmed in person at least an hour before departure. Our John Pennekamp snorkeling guide goes deeper on the tour itself.
On land, the visitor center has several large saltwater aquariums, a theater, a Maritime Heritage Exhibit and a Coral Cam, which makes it a fair rainy-hour stop. If you are bringing your own boat, the park ramp costs $10 per vessel for day use. One of the two ramps has been closed for construction since July 22, 2026, and trailer parking is much reduced, so call the park at 305-676-3777 before you tow.
Key Largo Diving
Key Largo calls itself the Diving Capital of the World, and the two sites below are why. The Christ of the Deep is a bronze statue about 9 feet tall, standing in less than 25 feet of water at Key Largo Dry Rocks, roughly 5 miles offshore and inside the park. It has stood there since 1965, per the Keys tourism site.
Snorkelers and divers can both reach it. The park’s tour operator says none of its glass-bottom boat trips go to the statue, so book a snorkel departure and ask whether it stops at Dry Rocks.
The Spiegel Grove is for certified divers. The 510-foot ship went down on May 17, 2002, about six miles offshore, and it sits in 60 to 130 feet of water. For a standard wreck dive without going inside, the Keys tourism site recommends advanced open water certification or higher.
Key Largo Kayaking
Pennekamp has 50 miles of mangrove trails, and a paddle through them is the quiet counterpart to the boat tours. The concessionaire rents sit-on-top kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. Reservations are taken online only, and (305) 451-6300 answers questions.
A single kayak is $30 an hour or $45 for up to four hours. A double is $35 an hour or $55 for up to four hours, and a canoe is $35 an hour. The four-hour rate costs less than two single hours would, so book it if you plan to go any distance.
Key Largo Beaches
Key Largo is not a long-sand-beach town, and much of the shoreline is rock and mangrove. The park beach at Pennekamp is open for swimming and picnicking during park hours. Entry is the same $4.50 or $8-plus-50-cents vehicle fee listed above.
Harry Harris Park in Tavernier has a protected oceanfront beach and a swimming area on 21 acres, with pavilions, grills and a playground. Monroe County charges non-residents $15 per vehicle, and the boat ramp costs extra. For more sand across the Keys, see our guide to the best beaches in the Florida Keys.
Key Largo African Queen
The African Queen is a 1912 steam launch that starred in the 1951 film with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. It leaves Marina Del Mar at mile marker 100, runs down the Port Largo canals to the Atlantic and returns, a trip of about 1.5 hours. The canal cruise is $59, with departures daily at 10, 12, 2 and 4, per the boat’s own site.
The boat also runs open-deck sightseeing tours and private charters, and guests can ask the captain for a turn at the helm. It is a pleasant way to spend an hour and a half after a morning on the reef.
Key Largo Wildlife
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park sits at mile marker 106 on County Road 905. Admission is $2.50 per person at the honor box with exact change, or you can buy a day pass online. More than six miles of trails, mostly paved, run through hardwood hammock that shelters 84 protected species, including the American crocodile.
The Key Largo woodrat, found only in this area, lives in the same habitat. Rangers lead guided tours if you want company on the trail.
The Florida Keys Wild Bird Center in Tavernier keeps more than 90 resident birds that cannot be released. Its sanctuary boardwalk is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and the center lists donations rather than a ticket price. The visitor center and gift shop are open Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Best Time to Visit Key Largo
The tourism council’s weather page uses Key West figures, which run close to what the Upper Keys see. Winter highs sit at 75 to 76 degrees with lows of 65 to 67, and it almost never rains. Water runs 69 to 72 degrees from December to February, cool enough that snorkelers often wear a shorty wetsuit.
Summer highs reach 88 to 89 degrees and the water warms to 86 to 87. The first thundershowers usually show up by late May, though they rarely last long enough to spoil a full day. Hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the highest risk from August 15 to October 15.
My own pick is winter for a reef day, since the mornings are mild and the rain is rare. If you are driving on south afterward, our Miami to Key West road trip picks up from here.
Frequently asked questions about Key Largo
How many days do you need in Key Largo?
One full day covers a reef trip and one more stop. Two days let you add the mangrove paddle, the hammock trails and the African Queen without rushing.
What else is there to do besides snorkeling?
You can ride the glass-bottom boat, rent a kayak, cruise on the African Queen, walk the Key Largo Hammock trails or visit the Wild Bird Center sanctuary. Most are within a few miles of each other on the Overseas Highway.
How much does Pennekamp park entry cost?
Entry is $4.50 for a single-occupant vehicle and $8 plus 50 cents per person for a vehicle with several occupants, up to eight people. Pedestrians and cyclists pay $2.50. Tours and rentals cost extra.
Is the drive from Miami worth it for one day?
Yes, if the reef is the reason. The Florida Keys tourism council puts the drive at about an hour, which leaves time for a morning tour and a second stop.
Can you see Christ of the Deep without scuba gear?
Yes. The statue stands in less than 25 feet of water, so snorkelers can see it from the surface. Glass-bottom boat trips from the park do not go there, so book a snorkel tour that stops at Dry Rocks.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the retailer before buying.
Published October 18, 2026.
Photo credits: (1) featured, Bronze Christ of the Abyss statue… — Sebastian Carlosena, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.