Correcting popular misconceptions about Key Largo

1. Humphrey Bogart never lived here -- he made a movie here a long time ago.
2. There are no beaches -- some of the resorts have brought in sand to construct small beaches for their clientele, but Key Largo is built on coral rock, hence no sandy beaches.
3. There is no wild nightlife in Key Largo -- a few bars may stay open until 12PM, but mostly things wind down pretty early here. For wild nightlife, see Key West.
4. Our beautiful coral reefs are not right offshore -- if you want to snorkel or dive the coral reefs that we're famous for, you must go by boat. There are small patch reefs you can visit, besides the more famous (and well-traveled) reefs like Molasses, but they're still 2 to 3 miles offshore in most places. Quite a swim!
5. Unlike the Caribbean dive destinations, a dive guide will not accompany you on your boat dive unless specifically hired to do so. If you don't feel comfortable navigating underwater while diving, bring a little extra money to hire a guide.
6. Alligators do not hang out in Key Largo -- but the Everglades are about an hour's drive north of here and you can see plenty of them in the wild there!
7. You can't walk anywhere in Key Largo, except for the streets in local neighborhoods -- but you can bike on our bike path next to the Overseas Highway. The terrain is very flat, but I'd still rent a car if I were you.
8. Key Largo is not a shopping mecca -- there are a few shops on the highway; Sandal Factory, Florida Keys Gift Shop, The Key Lime Tree, to name a few, but for high-powered tourist shopping, keep on going south to Islamorada or Key West, or visit the local KMart.
   
9. There are many businesses along the Highway in Key Largo -- hardware stores, construction businesses, plumbers, real estate offices, cleaners, thrift shops, pawn shops, boat shops, etc. We're kind of the business section of the Keys.
10. There are plenty of restaurants in Key Largo from fast food to fine dining -- but you'll have to go down the side streets to find one on the water. Many of the nicest ones are off the beaten path, so do some research ahead of time, or ask a friendly local.
    

Not many places have songs and movies about them...

It's December 12, 2006. I'm looking from my front porch to see what's going on. Blue skies with puffy white clouds, palm trees and other colorful tropicals swaying lightly in the breeze, my cat sunning herself on a chair, a few anoles running around the bushes. Yes, that's the scene in Key Largo today. Truly a paradise compared to the northeast where I grew up, especially on December 12th!
The street is quiet, no cars for the last few hours, although I can hear far-off traffic sounds from Route 1, the Overseas Highway and main conduit through the Florida Keys. It transports drivers from the Florida mainland, through all the major Keys, to Key West, ending point for the 100+ mile drive.
I would like to give you the flavor of Key Largo. The name itself carries its own cachet. Let's start with some images.