Seafood and Sunsets in Marathon, Florida

Let’s watch the sunset and stuff ourselves silly with fresh seafood in Marathon.

Marathon is one of the islands in the Florida Keys, a string of tropical islands that stretch one hundred twenty miles. This fishing village is halfway between Key Largo, at the top of the Keys, and Key West.

A small airplane can fly into the Million Air facility to reach here. Otherwise, you can fly on Silver Airways from Ft. Lauderdale or American Airlines from Miami. Because of the beautiful drive, coming by car is best. The water is turquoise, and miles of it stretch around you as you cross numerous bridges and causeways.

If you are driving, stop at the Dolphin Research Center, a marine mammal research facility established in 1984. It is an important part of dolphin and manatee life in South Florida. The Turtle Hospital is also in the area if you are a turtle person like me.

Why come here? To chill. We usually come once a year. My husband docks his boat at Marlin Bay for a night or two, and we do nothing but swim, sun, read, and eat seafood.

Where to eat? First, the dress code is flip-flops, raggedy shorts, and T-shirts (not bathing suits). We always know when the Miami folks have driven down, as they are always WAY overdressed. By the way, this is a makeup-free zone, ladies.

We started our food exploration the first night at the Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House. On the second night, we visited Burdines on the Atlantic Ocean side. We always stop at Keys Fisheries, where the menu is extensive, there are specials, and a lot of seating.

At Keys Fisheries, my daughter watched as they fed the fish and the sharks.

Schools of fish swam by the boat and hid under the dock in the shade. And even with this cloudy weather, I got a serious sunburn. (Yes, I know, wear sunscreen.)

We said goodbye to Hubs, letting him sail north, where he keeps the boat during hurricane season. I just got the photo below from him, telling me that, finally, he has caught some wind.

Fair Winds and Following Seas. See you soon.