Islamorada (aka Village of Islands) doesn’t have as much to do as Key West so in terms of things to do, you won’t need quite as much time here. It’s a great place for relaxing, enjoying the colors of the waters, fishing, and getting out on the water.
But!
Believe me when I tell you that there’s no such thing as enough time in Islamorada. I promise, you’ll probably want to move there after you visit. It’s a magical place that fully captures everything you could want in a tropical vacation destination.
Hopefully you have a couple of days there, but if you only have one day in Islamorada, here is how I would spend it.
Coffee in Islamorada
The first thing I’d do to start my morning in Islamorada is grab a cup of coffee. My favorite place to do this is at Cafe Moka. Cafe Moka is in the Trading Post with a few other shops, boutiques, and a burrito restaurant (which is delicious). I also grab an almond croissant here, but if you want more of a sit down breakfast, I have a whole post on best places to eat breakfast in Islamorada.
Robbie’s
You can’t come to Islamorada without checking out Robbie’s Marina, which is famous for feeding the tarpon. Admission to the dock is $2.50 per person and you can buy a bucket of fish for $5.00. Each bucket has around 5-8 fish in it so you can share it with a few people. Then you feed those fish to the tarpon.
You can just pay to go to the dock if you want to, but I highly recommend feeding the tarpon. It’s something everyone should do at least once and it might not sound that exciting, but trust me. Tarpon are huge and can be a little intimidating when you hold a little fish and wait for them to grab it out of your hand.
You can watch Robbie’s webcam if you want to as well!
Also, I do recommend doing it in the morning. We did it in the evening once and the tarpon didn’t seem as eager or hungry after having been fed all day long.
Go to the Whale Harbor Sandbar
Once you have your coffee and breakfast, head to the sandbar. Going to the sandbar is one of the most popular things to do in Islamorada. It’s a very short boat ride and you can see the sandbar from the shore so you don’t have to worry about any kind of seasickness.
The sandbar is just what it sounds like – a sandbar. You can lay out, float, drink, throw a football, or do pretty much whatever you want to do. Enjoying the shallow water on a hot day is so much fun – there truly isn’t a more perfect place to enjoy paradise!
It’s a popular spot that gets busy on weekends and holidays. It’s also the inspiration for the beer “Sandbar Sunday” at Islamorada Beer Co., one of the local breweries.
Depending on what you are looking for, you could combine your trip to the sandbar with snorkeling at Alligator Lighthouse. The crystal clear water makes it such an incredible experience.
Check Out Rain Barrel Village
Rain Barrel Village is easier to experience than it is to describe. Just trust me, it’s a place everyone needs to visit at least once.
You will know you are there when you see the huge lobster out front. Rain Barrel is right on the Overseas Highway (US-1), so it’s easy to spot. It’s an open air area with local shops, galleries, boutiques, and more. There is also a bar and a place to grab food.
Grab a Drink at one of the Islamorada Breweries
Islamorada has two breweries and you can’t go wrong with either one of them. Visiting the breweries is one of my favorite things to do every time we are in Islamorada. They’re located close to each other so I recommend checking out both of them if you have time.
Islamorada Beer Company and Distillery has plenty of indoor space and outdoor space. My favorite beers here are Sandbar Sunday, which is a light beer and probably good go-to if you’re not crazy about craft beer. Their No Wake Zone is delicious and to me, it tastes like vacation. It is a coconut key lime blonde ale. They also have cocktails, which is great if you have someone in your party that doesn’t like beer. Definitely try their key lime colada. You can get both a beer flight and a cocktail flight, too. They have a huge selection of their beer and cocktails available to go, so even if you don’t get the chance to hang out for a while, I recommend grabbing some to bring back to wherever you are staying.
Florida Keys Brewing Co. has a really vibey outdoor space. I like being here after dark because they have string lights which makes it really cozy. They have some staples like their Iguana Bait, which is a honey hibiscus kolsch and I feel like they always have some sort of new beer on tap to try. They also have a resident cat who basically owns the place and may or may not care about you whatsoever. I love him.
Both breweries have a really vibey beer garden outdoors and both often have live music. Islamorada Brewery has a permanent food truck with various bar food type of options and Florida Keys Brewing Company has a taco truck with some of the best tacos I’ve had in a while. Both have events pretty often as well.
Dinner in Islamorada
If you didn’t grab something to eat at the brewery, you’re probably hungry for dinner.
Loralei’s is one of the most popular places to eat dinner in Islamorada because it’s located outside on the water and has some of the best sunset views.
Lazy Days is on the other side of the island, so it doesn’t have quite as good of sunset views but it’s also waterfront.
Both of these restaurants have fresh seafood options as well as non-seafood options. Don’t forget to end your day with a slice of key lime pie!
Other Things to do With One Day in Islamorada
Enjoy the water views and pool from your hotel in Islamorada
Most of the resorts have kayaks and/or paddleboards included with the resort fee. Some have water sports on site for an additional fee as well.
Go fishing – Islamorada is actually the sportfishing capital of the world! So this is a great spot to go fishing.
Check out the History of Diving Museum
Theater of the Sea has dolphin shows and you can also pay extra to swim with dolphins. They also have sea lions, parrots, and more.
Take a sunset cruise
Keys History & Discovery Center – a small museum dedicated to Florida Keys history.
Check out an art gallery – Islamorada actually has a vibrant arts scene with several locally owned shops and art galleries. You can support local artists and buy some art to remember your trip!
Windley Key is a historic site which was formed out of Key Largo limestone. The land was sold to the Florida East Coast Railroad, which used the stone to build Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad in the early 1900s.
Anne’s Beach is a nice boardwalk along the water and has a few spots where you can get into the water as well. Don’t expect Florida Keys beaches to be typical white sandy beaches, though. Because of the coral reef, it tends to be pretty rocky. It can also feel “muddy”. It’s still absolutely beautiful but realistic expectations are helpful!
If you aren’t already planning on visiting any of the other Keys, Islamorada is centrally located making Key West, Marathon, and Key Largo all a reasonable option for a day trip.
The islands of Islamorada are laid back. Directions are spoken in mile marker, not in addresses; whatever you want to do is fine; and where it’s easy to lose track of time. It’s a perfect spot to take in the natural beauty of the Florida Keys. You’ll have the best time in Islamorada, and don’t worry – if you don’t get to everything you want, it’s a good reason to come back!
