St. Louis - Miami & the Keys Travel Guide

In South Florida and the Keys, nothing succeeds like excess. People take indulgence to Roman Empire levels, from the music-video-like pools of Miami Beach's extravagant super hotels, to buckets of beer and fried shrimp in the Florida Keys, to expertly shaken cocktails mixed under a Little Havana moon. Even the skyscrapers are a testament to the region's push for size and extravagance. Fortunately the best purveyors of food and fun are realizing the good times can't roll at overdrive forever, and are incorporating sustainable business practices.

Everglades Encounters

South Florida is full of natural beauty, especially the spectacular wetland ecosystem of the Everglades. A colorful cast of characters inhabits the fringes (and occasionally, the heart) of these swamps, marshes and rolling prairies. Alligator wrestlers and Bigfoot hunters share a beer at crab shacks, while panthers prowl the backyard, and environmentalists document the magic of this unique wilderness. The Everglades is nature at its most alluring; the ripple of bubbles as a gator submerges into the blackwater bayou, and the sword-billed fish dive of waterfowl hunting the sparkling sloughs.

The Keys to Quirk

Americas eccentricities (and quite a few eccentrics) coalesce in the southeast corner that is South Florida. And the truly unconventional are found in the sun-dappled islands of the Florida Keys. This lovely island chain is connected by the Overseas Hwy one of the nation's great road-trip byways. Here youll find drag queens working day jobs as boat captains, No Name islands inhabited by miniature deer, and colorful Key West: a tolerant pot of gold at the end of a rainbow flag. And all ensconced within the natural beauty of shimmering bays, serene tidal flats and emerald islands.

Overseas Hwy to Key West | PISAPHOTOGRAPHY / SHUTTERSTOCK

Why I Love South Florida & the Keys

By Regis St Louis, Writer

South Florida has three world-class attractions Miami, the Everglades and the Keys. I never tire of wandering the streets of Miami Beach, taking in deco masterpieces followed by late-afternoon strolls along the sands, when the golden light is mesmerizing. The Everglades provides that heady dose of nature, of quiet paddles over mirror-like lakes and nighttime walks (on elevated boardwalks, of course) peering at gators gliding gracefully through the water. The Keys has a little of everything peaceful mangroves for leisurely paddles, kaleidoscopic coral reefs and one zany conch capital (aka Key West) where anything goes.

On September 10, 2017, one of the largest hurricanes ever recorded barrelled over the state of Florida, leaving flooding and destruction in its wake. Hurricane Irma made landfall in the Florida Keys as a category 4 storm the width of Texas, with wind speeds in excess of 130 mph. Nearly 7 million people across the state evacuated, there were widespread power outages and storm surges were seen as far north as Jacksonville. But the Florida Keys and the Everglades bore the brunt of the storm. Homes and businesses in the tiny town of Everglades City were left battered and mud-soaked after an 8-foot storm surge receded. Meanwhile, in the Keys, a FEMA survey reported that 25% of buildings had been destroyed, with another 65% damaged.

The research for this book was conducted before the storm hit and the content was sent to print soon afterward, when Irma's long-term effects were still unknown. In a state so heavily reliant on tourism, most cities were already announcing intentions to be ready for visitors soon. Still, those planning travel to Florida, especially the Florida Keys (www.fla-keys.com) or the Everglades region (www.nps.gov/ever), should check official websites for the latest information.