After enjoying a weekend of celebrating REEF's marine conservation work, REEF Fest attendees are invited to see firsthand how organizations in the Florida Keys are working to protect our local flora and fauna. On Sunday, October 20, start your day with a guided walking tour of a local trail at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park led by a volunteer naturalist. After the tour, attendees may then choose to then take a scenic drive down U.S. 1 to continue exploring the Florida Keys. Overseas Highway is filled with hidden gems and plenty of places to explore, and we encourage you to download the Florida Keys & Key West App to see even more options.
The nature tour is free, however state park admission fees apply. Click here for more info. We encourage you to make the most of your visit to the park by enjoying the amenities such as the water access and Visitors Center & Aquarium.
Butterfly Garden Tour at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Address: 102601 Overseas Hwy. Key Largo, FL 33037
Hours: Park is open 8am to sunset. Meet at 9:30 am for walking tour; tour will start at 10 am.
Park entrance fees apply.
https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park
Established in 1960, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first undersea park in the United States. The park, and the adjacent Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, cover approximately 178 nautical square miles of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. These areas were established to protect and preserve a portion of the only living coral reef in the continental United States. The park contains a wide variety of tropical vegetation, shore birds and marine life. Learn more about the tropical hammock habitat during a walking tour of one of the park's trails led by a local volunteer naturalist. Coffee and pastries will be served beginning at 9:30 am at the butterfly garden by the Visitors Center & Aquarium.
Florida Keys & Key West App
Looking to explore even more in the Florida Keys? Download the free Florida Keys & Key West App on the App Store or Google Play.
The App allows you to see points of interest based on your current location and also featured Narrated Driving Tours. These tours give you advance notice of scenic, iconic or historic points of interest as you drive along the Overseas Highway, Florida’s only designated All-American Road. When you are two miles from a point of interest, you will receive a notification in the App. Play the narration to hear details of the upcoming location and its amenities and decide if you would like to stop and see for yourself. Launch the Northbound or Southbound Driving Tour in the App to learn fun facts, uncover new spots and safely drive the beautiful Florida Keys.
