Gastronomy and cooking were on the front burner this week during the annual visit by a representative from the Florida Keys to Montreal and Toronto, the latter including a trade event featuring a cooking demonstration by Key West chef Paul Menta at the Dish Cooking School.
Menta revealed some of his special recipes, emblematic of the thriving culinary scene in the destination, which Key representative Ashley Serrate noted to Travel Industry Today goes beyond well beyond the region’s famed key lime pies.
While the signature limes are used to flavour pretty much everything – even dog treats – “there’s so much more than that,” she laughed.
Naturally, local seafood, including in-season stone crabs, is omnipresent – even lionfish, an invasive species that local chefs are helping control by serving them for dinner.
Serrate says exotic cuisine, available at both and local and top-shelf restaurants throughout the island chain – not just Key West – also borrows heavily from Caribbean, notably Jamaica and Cuba.
But it’s not all food.
Indeed, the Keys’ attributes read like a checklist of current travel trends: suited to slow travel; sustainable and eco-friendly; offers unlimited outdoor activities; and the kind of authenticity that befits a region that once succeeded from the United States for about a day under the banner, “The Conch Republic.”
Quirky and colourful events range from Hemmingway lookalike and conch-blowing contests, to famed pride and masquerade events.
The key to Keys, Serrate says, is there’s something for everyone – not least the ability to rest and relax.
“We’ve always been known for our laid-back atmosphere,” she laughs, “Now, all of sudden, it’s trendy!”
Here are some notable news nuggets from the Keys this fall:
Hotels
- In Islamorada, the expansive new contemporary Three Waters Resort & Marina — featuring an adults-only resort-within-a-resort and Marriott Bonvoy’s first Tribute Portfolio Resort in the Keys — was unveiled in early October. Several additional refurbished and expanded Keys properties are nearing completion.
- The Middle Keys’Faro Blanco Resort, known for its iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse that dates from the 1950s, recently completed $14 million in renovations. Enhancements include updates to both the Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, a Curio Collection by Hilton, and sister property, the Courtyard by Marriott Faro Blanco Resort, located at 1996 Overseas Highway in Marathon. Together, the resorts offer a total of 250 guest rooms, four pools, four dining options, a white sand beach and various watersports. The site also features the historic Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow that is one of Marathon’s oldest buildings.
Keys Attractions
- In Key Largo,the Monroe County Parks and Beaches Department has unveiled the Keys’ largest standalone pickleball complex, with 10 new dedicated outdoor pickleball courts at Key Largo Community Park, located at 500 St. Croix Place, mile marker 99.5. The courts are open from 7:30 a.m. until sunset.
- The Key West Wildlife Centre is unveiling a new elevated avian clinic and a welcome centre, both targeted for completion in early 2025.
Keys Environment
In the Lower Keys, the Plant a Million Corals restoration organization has successfully cultivated 40,000 corals at its land-based nursery in Summerland Key. PAMC has a goal of cultivating 100,000 corals by the end of 2024 and plans for future expansion.
Transportation
Conch Connect, a new on-demand, door-to-door rideshare service between Key West and neighboring Stock Island, has been launched by Monroe County. Conch Connect operates daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. with all-electric Teslas. Rides are $2 p.p. per ride, with payments made via the Freebee app. Cash is not accepted. Users can download the app by searching “Ride Freebee” on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Users should request rides at least 30 minutes in advance. Visit conchconnect.org or call 855-918-3733.
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