Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and still does boat rentals (around $30 for a kayak or canoe). You can also see the island
from the water on an ecotour with Robbie's ($37.50).
By 1836, Indian Key was the first seat of Dade County, but four years later the inhabit-
ants of the island were killed or scattered by a Native American attack during the Second
Seminole War. Trails follow the old layout of the city streets, or you can walk among ruins
and paddle around spotting rays and dolphins in utter isolation in a canoe or kayak.
Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
ISLAND
10am & 2pm Fri-Sun)
This key, only accessible by boat, encompasses a 280-acre island of virgin tropical forest
and is home to roughly a zillion jillion mosquitoes. The official attraction is the 1919
Matheson House
, with its windmill and cistern; the real draw is a nice sense of ship-
wrecked isolation. Guided walking tours (1ΒΌ hours) are given at 10am and 2pm Friday to
Sunday. You'll have to get here via
Robbie's Marina
; boats depart for tours to here and
In-
dian Key
.
Strangler figs, mastic, gumbo-limbo, poisonwood and lignum vitae trees form a dark
canopy that feels more South Pacific than South Florida.
Florida Keys History of Diving Museum
MUSEUM
You can't miss the diving museum - it's the building with the enormous mural of swim-
ming manatees on the side - and we mean that in every sense of the phrase. In other
words, don't miss this museum, a collection of diving paraphernalia from around the
world. This is the sort of charmingly eccentric museum that really reflects the quirks of the
Keys. The hall of diving helmets from around the world, from Denmark to Japan, is partic-
ularly impressive.
We're also wowed by the exhibitions of diving 'suits' and technology from the 19th cen-
tury. Folks in the museum can also provide information on diving in a vintage Mark V
diving suit (the ones with the bulbous onion-heads connected to surface pumps). Hosts lec-
