WATERSPORTS
The dirty little secret about the Keys is you don't go there for the beaches -- you go there to leave the beach. It's the translucent green-blue water that lures adventurers -- whether to dive, snorkel, kiteboard, kayak, or fish.

DIVING The Keys have arguably the best diving in all of the U.S.; the third-longest barrier reef in the world stretches from Miami along the length of the Keys, much of it a 3,835-square-mile marine sanctuary that is home to a range of corals as well as hundreds of kinds of fish. Add to that numerous wrecks, 80-degree water, and visibility up to 40 feet in April.

"Thanks to Hurricane Dennis, the most exciting wreck now is the Spiegel Grove," says Steve Rainey of Key Largo's Amoray Dive Resort (800-426-6729, amoray.com). The 510-foot ship was intentionally downed in 2002 to a depth of 134 feet, but she ended up on her starboard side until tides from the storm put her upright. Now divers are better able to swim inside via cut-throughs.

Dive Key West (800-426-0707, divekeywest.com) has earned a reputation for high-quality instruction for both beginners and experienced divers. The company's night dives are especially popular. "After dark the coral polyps plume out to feed, crab and lobster scurry along the bottom, and all the nocturnal things with iridescent eyes show up," says co-owner Cece Roycraft. "It's can't-miss nightlife."

WIND SPORTS Islamorada has become known as the Cape Canaveral for Keys kiteboarding. The shallow waters make for easy kite relaunching and winds blow steadily at 15 to 25 knots -- without the gusts that yank novices into the wild blue yonder. "These are some of the friendliest conditions in the world to learn kiteboarding," says Brad Lange, a seven-year veteran of the sport and owner of Seven Kiteboarding, based on Islamorada. The area doesn't see big waves, so locals use flat waterŠstyle boards. Seven Kiteboarding teaches in two-, three-, and four-hour blocks ($300Š$500; 877-937-2359, sevensports.com) and can also arrange for multiday safari-style camps downwind accompanied by a Jet Ski or boat.

The same winds that get kiteboarders airborne also attract travelers who want to learn how to sail. The Offshore Sailing School (from three days, $1,550, accommodations included; 800-221-4326, offshore-sailing.com) is on Duck Cay at Hawk's Cay Resort, between Islamorada and Marathon. The school offers three- to 10-day courses aboard Colgate 26 sailboats; the "Live Aboard" course takes students down to Bahia Honda State Park, Key West, and Newfound Harbor.

KAYAKING There's no better way to explore the calm, clear waters around the Keys than in a kayak. If you opt for a half-day or longer trip, Bill Keogh -- author of the Florida Keys Paddling Guide (Countryman Press; $18) -- can lead you on kayak-fishing and custom trips to backcountry areas in the Lower Keys Florida National Wildlife Refuge from his base on Big Pine Key (from $50; 305-872-7474, keyskayaktours.com). For his three-hour tours, Keogh starts in the shallow waters off No Name Key, where you'll see herons, egrets, ibises, and frigates, as well as seagrass, sponge flats, and, often, a barracuda or two. Later he takes you up a creek through the mangroves, where the channel is so narrow you'll grab the mangrove roots to pull yourself along.

If you're planning a longer trip, Florida Bay Outfitters offers three- to 10-day self-supported or guided trips from Key Largo all the way to Key West. You can sleep at hotels or camp en route (from $150 per day; kayakfloridaykeys.com, 305-451-3018). Beaching Hit Loggerhead Beach, at Bahia Honda State Park, in the morning; the sun hits this mile-long stretch of sand perfectly. Rent a kayak to explore the area. Perhaps the quietest beach in the Keys, Sombrero Beach in Marathon is several miles from U.S. 1 and has a wide, sandy area bordered by a grassy park. Though tiny, Anne's Beach, in Lower Matecumbe Key, is a good spot to watch kitesurfers perform midair tricks. --Jason Harper and Geoff van Dyke

KEY WEST
You don't go to Key West to feel cool, superior, or hip. The sun-addled town's cheese factor is enormous, but that's what makes it so much fun. The motto could be, "All tacky tees welcome." Maybe the nonjudgmental character comes from being the last stop on the East Coast, or maybe it's just that the locals have seen it all. Either way, Key West makes for a good base to explore the Lower Keys, and it has the area's best nightlife.

EAT Begin the day in the courtyard of the Blue Heaven Restaurant with a breakfast tortilla or a lobster benedict (305-296-8666). For lunch, stop by B.O.'s Fish Wagon for fresh-caught filets of mahi-mahi on Cuban bread, paired with rice and beans (305-294-9272). For a relaxing dinner after a long day on the boat, the Seven Fish, tucked away in quiet Old Town, serves tasty banana chicken and an always succulent catch of the day (305-296-2777).

PARTY The spot to watch the water and tell fish stories during the day (and at sunset) is the Ocean Key Resort's Sunset Pier (305-296-7701). The let's-get-sloshy-drunk crowd clusters on Duval Street in pubs such as Sloppy Joe's (305-294-5717) and Irish Kevin's (305-292-1262). You can get a bird's-eye view from the second-floor balcony of the three-story Bull and Whistle (305-296-4545), which overlooks Duval. It also has a pool table and live music downstairs.

SLEEP Housed in an 1884 landmark building, the 27-room Marquesa has a languid Caribbean feel (from $175; 305-292-1919, marquesa.com). If you're set on being on the water, check into the 311-room Casa Marina Resort, which has an 1,100-foot beach (from $179; 305-296-3535, casamarinaresort.com). Simple and within stumbling distance of Duval Street, the three-room Abaco Inn is an affordable refuge (from $79; 800-358-6307, abaco-inn.com). --J.H. & G.v.D.

FISHING
A clue to the rude good health of the Florida Keys' fishery can be taken from the taut slang of the Conchs, as the natives are called. The usage goes like this: A "baby" tarpon weighs up to 50 pounds. Above that, a fish tipping the scales up to 150 pounds is what Conchs would say is a plain, no-adjective tarpon. The monsters above 150 are what Bruce Chard, one of the top guides in the Lower Keys, calls "circus fatties" or, depending on how he feels about the fish he's hooked, "supertankers" ($500 per day; 305-872-4996, brucechard.com).

Circus fatties are, incidentally, inside fish for the Keys, laid-up behemoths that while away their time in crystal-clear, three- to 10-foot pools alongside the channels. You can see them as you cast. The other two species of what the Keys guides call the grand slam are the reclusive permit fish and the wily bonefish. Permit can weigh up to 30 pounds and feed mostly on crabs on saltwater flats; bonefish can weigh up to 15 pounds and prey on similar critters."We have the biggest and spookiest bonefish in the world," says Tim Klein, an elite guide in Islamorada, the angling capital of the Keys ($500 per day; 305-852-1512). "They can smell the suntan lotion on your fly if you handle it without washing your hands. That's picky."

Aside from the demanding fun of chasing all of the big three in one day, Chard advises that you not forget the barracuda. "Most underrated game fish in the Keys," he says. "It's mean, it gets to five feet long, it's got huge teeth, it'll jump when it's going for the lure, it'll jump when you fight it, and it's scary, like, 'Oh, my God,' you don't wanna touch it." --Guy Martin

LODGING
Bahia Honda State Park
Camp at 524-acre Bahia Honda State Park, in the Lower Keys, or book well in advance and snag one of the six six-person cabins right on the water (camping $31, cabins $136; 305-872-2353, floridastateparks.org).

Kona Kai Resort
Tucked away on two acres that border Florida Bay in Key Largo, the Kona Kai (from $211; 305-852-7200, konakairesort.com) has 11 rooms, each immaculate and appointed in Floribbean style.

Casa Morada
A 16-room boutique hotel run by Ian Schrager acolytes, the Casa Morada washes away stress with its minimalist but comfortable rooms, a soothing pool, and views of Florida Bay. Free kayaking is a bonus (from $199; 305-664-0044, casamorada.com).

The Moorings Village
Built on a beautiful white-sand beach on Islamorada, the Moorings consists of 18 cottages, some of which date to the 1930s, plus a 25-meter pool (from $250, two-night stay minimum; 305-664-4708, mooringsvillage.com).

EATING
Alabama Jack's
Just about anything goes at this outdoor stop in Key Largo where fish and fried foods dominate the menu. The conch fritters are a specialty, as is the savory fried-grouper sandwich (305-248-8741).

The Fish House
Sure, this Key Largo favorite looks like a Keys clichŽ (fishnets and plastic lobsters hang from the ceiling), but who cares when the fish is this fresh. Try the daily catch Matecumbe-style, smothered in tomatoes, shallots, capers, fresh basil, olive oil, and lemon juice (305-451-4665).

Pierre's
You'll find African and Asian artifacts and dark-wood accents at this upscale eatery in Islamorada known for its exceptional seafood. Choose from Florida lobster tail tempura, pan-seared dolphin in balsamic reduction, and potato-crusted local black grouper (305-664-3225).

Mangrove Mama's
A funky little spot with open-air seating on Sugarloaf Key, this old-time Keys-style restaurant serves coconut shrimp and seared scallops (305-745-3030).

DRINKING
No Name Pub
Dollar bills plaster the walls of this beer joint in Big Pine Key, which was built in 1937 and formerly housed a brothel. Don't miss the draft No Name Pub amber ale (305-872-9115).

Lorelei Cabana
Fishermen, kayaking guides, and visitors gather at this newly renovated beachfront bar on Islamorada to sip frozen golden margaritas (made with Cuervo, OJ, and Cointreau), munch conch fritters, watch the sunset, and listen to live music (305-664-4656).

Zane Grey
With a mahogany bar that dates from the late 1800s and trophy fish and animals hanging on the walls, this Long Key lounge feels like an upscale hunting lodge. Its signature drink oozes old-world masculinity: a Ketel One martini with blue cheeseŠ stuffed olives (305-664-4244).

Caribbean Club
Good enough for Bogart and Bacall in their 1948 classic Key Largo, this dive bar serves cold Bud in a can and scoffs at credit cards. Swing in, grab your poison, and head for the picnic tables out back, which overlook Florida Bay (305-451-4466).

By: Josh Kurlantzick
Map by: Alan Kikuchi
(April 2006)