Dog-Friendly Things to Do in Islamorada

I spent the weekend in Islamorada, the "Village of Islands" in the Florida Keys.  Islamorada is actually several different islands including Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plantation Key.  Islamorada is known as the "Fishing Key" and you will find lots of marinas filled with all kinds of boats - from kayaks to big luxury charter boats - that you can rent for different types of charters like fishing, paragliding and touring some of the nearby islands.

Dogs are welcome at a lot of places in Islamorada so long as you are on a leash and you are willing to scoop that poop!  Insider Tip:  Some of the best spots are the little pull-offs on U.S. 1 (the only road in and out of the Keys).  There are pull-offs on both sides where you can park and get out to enjoy a short walk, fish or set up chairs and relax along the shores.

Anne's Beach is another great spot on the ocean side that is dog-friendly.  I visited Anne's Beach on a previous trip to Islamorada where I had a lot of fun wading in the ocean and walking along the boardwalk.  The water is crystal clear and you can see all kinds of fish and hermit crabs in the water.

Of course, no trip to Islamorada is complete without spending some time at Robbie's Marina.  When we got there on Saturday morning, a storm was just barreling its way across the island so we hunkered down on a covered part of the dock to wait out the rain.  Then we walked over to the restaurant, The Hungry Tarpon, and had some lunch.  After that, it was back to the dock to feed the hungry tarpon!

Yep...there is a whole school of Tarpon at Robbie's Marina.  Though they are free to come and go as they please, they always show up to be fed by all the visitors.  You can buy a bucket of bait fish for less than $5.00 and go out on the dock to feed these huge fish.  (Insider Tip: if you eat at the restaurant first, and show your receipt, they won't charge you $1 per person to walk out on the dock.)  The folks at Robbie's are super cool and will even let your dog bark like a maniac at the tarpon (trust me, I know this first paw).

In addition to the restaurant and the tarpon feeding, Robbie's is home to some of Islamorada's local artists and photographers.  You can find some great artwork in the vendor shops for purchase as well as all kinds of kitschy Keys trinkets.

To top off your visit to Islamorada, you should go to one of the dog-friendly restaurants on the Florida Bay for a sunset dinner.  Several, like The Lorelei and Marker 88, have wonderful food and spectacular views of the sunset.  They don't call Islamorada the "purple island" for no reason - the sunsets, which start off with vibrant yellows and oranges turn to pinks and blues and finally to purple as the sun finally sets.

Have you ever been to Islamorada and/or the Florida Keys?  

Did you know it was so dog-friendly?