Exploring the Florida Keys: A Christmas Eve Adventure

Exploring the Florida Keys: A Christmas Eve Adventure

Wandering around the Florida Keys on the day before Christmas.

For those of you from “up there”…

The Florida Keys comprise a chain of islands stretching roughly 120 miles from the southern tip of Florida into both the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean. The term “Key” comes from the Spanish word “cayo,” meaning small island. In total, there are about 1,700 Keys, most of them tiny, with only 40 to 50 inhabited. The Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) runs the length of the inhabited islands, from Key Largo to the southernmost point at Key West. Key West is the most famous of the Keys, while Key Largo, Islamorada, and Marathon are also well-known destinations.

Big Pine Key

The Blue Hole, about 30 miles from Key West

The Blue Hole on Big Pine Key is a freshwater-filled, abandoned limestone quarry located within the National Key Deer Refuge. Originally excavated in the 1930s and 1940s for road construction and Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad, the site has since become a sanctuary for wildlife, including birds, snakes, alligators, key deer, and green iguanas.

A serene view of the Blue Hole in Big Pine Key, Florida, featuring green foliage and calm water reflecting the clear sky. — View across the Blue Hole to the Observation Platform.

Close-up view of an alligator swimming in murky water, partially obscured by surrounding vegetation. — One of the residents, who likes to hang out just below the Observation Platform.

A serene view of a lake surrounded by lush greenery under a clear blue sky, featuring trees and foliage in the foreground.

A close-up image of a dried palm frond among green foliage in a natural outdoor setting.

A sign advising visitors not to feed wildlife, featuring an image of a deer and an alligator with messages in English and Spanish. — Bi-lingual residents

A wooden fence with a sign indicating that the area beyond is closed to public entry, surrounded by lush green foliage. — Permanent residents (critters) only past here.

Click/ tap here for

2016 visit to the One-eyed Gator in the Blue Hole

and

2019 visit to the Blue Hole and the out-of-business Big Pine Key Road Prison

No Name Key

End of the Road, on a small neighboring key to Big Pine Key

A long, empty road stretching through a green landscape in the Florida Keys, with telephone poles lining the sides and clear blue sky overhead.

A roadside view in Big Pine Key featuring a red diamond-shaped sign, a notice sign, and a wooden information board surrounded by lush greenery. — The road ends at an overgrown trail into the wild that eventually leads to open water.

A narrow water channel surrounded by lush green vegetation in Big Pine Key, Florida. — A short distance into the overgrowth is a narrow one-foot-wide water channel cut into the rock that stretches away in both directions. Its purpose is lost to time.

A landscape view of a dry area with tall, dead trees and green shrubs under a clear blue sky, showcasing the natural environment of the Florida Keys. — The trail to the water winds through clusters of dead trees, creating an eerie atmosphere.

A barren tree with bare branches stands amidst a landscape of shrubs and foliage, captured in sepia tones.

A bare, twisted tree with sprawling branches in a natural setting surrounded by greenery.

A sunlit image of dead tree branches rising above lush green foliage in the Florida Keys.

A person standing among mangroves and grasslands, observing the natural landscape with a body of water visible in the background. — Fred observes the water.

Scenic view of mangroves surrounding a calm body of water in the Florida Keys.

Little Torch Key

Christmas Eve Lunch, just south of Big Pine Key!

A large Santa Claus statue waving next to palm trees at Kiki's Sandbar in the Florida Keys, with a colorful sign displaying various distances to different locations.

A wooden walkway extending over a calm water body, leading to a colorful beachside restaurant surrounded by palm trees and vegetation.

View of a dock over the water in the Florida Keys with a sign indicating food, drink, live music, and pet-friendly outdoor and indoor dining options.

View of Kiki's Games Beach with a waterfront and a sign thanking visitors to keep the area tidy. Lush greenery and mangroves are visible, as well as a bridge in the background.

An old vehicle covered in colorful stickers, sitting among large rocks and surrounded by tropical plants.

A sign depicting a cartoon iguana with a prohibition symbol, instructing viewers not to feed iguanas, with a beach background. — Not everyone can partake of lunch.

By the way, great Lobster Bisque if you are ever passing by.

A wooden pier extending into the turquoise waters of the Florida Keys under a clear blue sky, with lush greenery on the left.

A view of a bridge over turquoise waters with two people standing on a wooden dock in the foreground and an island visible in the background. — One of many bridges that connect the keys.

Click here to see full-size, no-watermark images in my galleries at www.ImagesByBill.us.

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December 29, 2025

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One response to “Exploring the Florida Keys: A Christmas Eve Adventure”

2025 Adventures: Scenic Spots, Great Stories, & Favorite Images

January 20, 2026 at 4:26 pm

[…] System Out & About in “America’s Oldest City”: a tourist’s view Exploring the Florida Keys: A Christmas Eve Adventure Abandoned Places: the Mutineer […]

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