...experience sunrise...

Located just south of Key Largo, Islamorada is 18 miles long and less than one mile wide. It is made up of four main islands: Plantation Keys, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, and Lower Matecumbe Key.

Legend claims that "Islamorada" means "Purple Isle," and that the name was given to the area by Spanish explorers who noticed a purple hue to the coastline. The truth is the Islamorada was named "Island Home," after the Pinder Family's sailboat. They settled here in the 1870s after the area was homesteaded. Even though Islamorada has changed since the days of pineapple plantations and turtle farming, it is still a quaint fishing village in many ways.

Only now, Islamorada is known as the "Sport Fishing Capital of the World" because most world fishing records have been set here. Islamorada offers fishing in the backcountry, on the reef and offshore. Indeed, the wealth of fishing opportunities enables the area to support the largest concentration of charter fishing boats in the entire Florida Keys.

Islamorada is also a destination point for divers because of the abundance of tropical marine life, the islands' proximity to the largest living reef in the contiguous US, and the variety of underwater attractions including shipwrecks and artificial reefs. Recently, the Florida Keys were awarded the title of "America's #1 Dive Destination."

In addition to fishing and diving, Islamorada is home to four public beaches, four state parks and one city park with an Olympic-size swimming and diving pool. Several competitions are held in the area each year, from fishing tournaments to boat, jet-ski and windsurfing races. Well-attended festivals include the Nautical Flea Market, the Taste of Islamorada, the Indian Key Festival and the Islamorada Home Tour. A performing arts center hosts a cultural series and the community theater produces half a dozen shows annually.

...one of the most spectacular outdoor destinations in the world...

Islamorada is also known for some of the best restaurants in the Keys. Serving everything from local delicacies to classical gourmet cuisine, the area can satisfy every palate appetite and budget. And then there are the charming island stores, galleries and boutiques!

At Drop Anchor, our staff is uniquely dedicated to showing you all that makes Islamorada one of the most spectacular outdoor destinations in the world.