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The MIDDLE KEYS include Duck Key, Grassy Key, Key Colony Beach, Long Key, and Marathon.
Duck Key is a small islet community located at mile marker 61 off the Overseas Highway. People are drawn to Duck Key because of its laid back atmosphere.
The island is filled with majestic palms that complement the turquoise green color of the canals and arched Venetian style bridges. Its proximity to the ocean, choice fishing and diving spots, and opportunities to get close to nature are added attractions.
In addition to the ocean, the tropical weather and allure of island living are major draws. Duck Key's 300 acres has more than 10 miles of water frontage overall. A boulder breakwater protects the oceanfront homes of Duck Key and the main channel leading to the 700' x 300' yacht harbor.
Key Colony Beach, which is adjacent to Marathon, is approximately 1 hour drive from Key West and 2 hours from Miami. The community is quiet and ideally located. Access to either the Gulf or the Atlantic are just minutes by boat.
Key Colony Beach is a small city unto itself and has its own restaurants, charter boats, and scuba facility. It also has its own nine hole, par 3 golf course. Nearby activities include fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and boating.
In the "Heart of the Florida Keys,” Marathon has blossomed into a small city centered on the island of Vaca Key at the midpoint of the Keys island chain. It boasts homey vacation rentals as well as luxury accommodations, and the conveniences of a modern community, including a 58-bed hospital, community library, and plenty of shopping opportunities. At the same time, Marathon has retained the charm of its roots as a 19th-century fishing village.
Numerous certified charter boat captains take visitors diving, snorkeling, fishing, sailing and touring along the only living coral reef in North America, several miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean. For landlubbers, an 18-hole championship golf course is open to members of country clubs elsewhere. And all the trappings of outdoor subtropical living abound in Marathon - from bicycling to lounging on a hammock in the shade.
Marathon is home to Crane Point Hammock, a 63-acre land tract that is one of the most important historical and archaeological sites in the Keys. Marathon is also home to the Dolphin Research Center and the Turtle Hospital.
Long Key is the home of Long Key State Park, a favorite of campers and nature lovers. It is smaller and less developed than the neighboring Florida Keys of Islamorada (north) and Marathon (south). Its location is perfect for those who want the seclusion for which the Florida Keys are so well known, while still providing easy access to activities available in its larger neighbors.
The reefs off south Islamorada and north Marathon are easily accessible from this Key.
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