Marathon, Florida Keys
We've lived on the water in Marathon since 1994 and raised our kids on this canal. Here's how we'd spend a week here: on the water first, with a few good reasons to come ashore.
Where Marathon is
Marathon sits in the Middle Keys, about halfway down the Overseas Highway, roughly 50 miles from Key West. It's an hour's drive to Key West or Key Largo for a day trip, and close enough to everything that you'll rarely need the car. Groceries, restaurants and shops are about a mile from our houses, and Marathon's hospital is about five minutes away.
Plan to drive in on a Sunday if you can. Saturday traffic on the Overseas Highway is heavy, and the boat ramps are quieter on Sundays, which is why our stays run Sunday to Sunday.
On the water from our docks
Both houses sit on the same canal, a few houses from open water. From the dock you can be on the flats in a minute.
- The flats: shallow, clear water right outside the canal, perfect for kayaks and paddle boards.
- Patch reefs: small reefs a short run offshore, good for snorkeling and spearfishing.
- Vaca Cut: turn left out of the canal and it's about 10 minutes to Vaca Cut, the channel through to the bay side.
- Seven Mile Bridge: turn right and it's about 20 minutes by boat.
Bringing your own boat? Each house has a 60-foot dock with whips and room for one boat per rental. The approach to our canal is shallow, so ask us for the markers if your boat drafts deep. If you'd rather not trailer a boat, rentals and fishing charters are close by, and some charter captains will pick you up at the dock.
Fishing
Our guests have caught snapper just outside the canal and run offshore for mahi and blackfin tuna without going far. Both houses have a fish-cleaning setup and a bait freezer, so you can clean the day's catch at the dock and grill it that night. Anyone fishing needs a Florida saltwater fishing license; check the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for current rules and limits.
Lobster season
Spiny lobster is a big reason people come to the Keys. The two-day recreational mini-season falls on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July, and the regular season runs from August 6 through March 31. You'll need a saltwater fishing license with a spiny lobster permit, and the Keys have their own bag limits and no-take zones, so read the FWC rules before you go. Late July is our busiest week, so book early.
Things to do on land
Old Seven Mile Bridge
The historic bridge reopened in January 2022 for walking and biking. It leads toward Pigeon Key, a small island and National Historic Landmark reached by scheduled boat tours.
Sombrero Beach
One of the few sandy beaches in the Keys: a public park with a view of the Sombrero Key lighthouse offshore.
The Turtle Hospital
A Marathon hospital that rescues, treats and releases injured sea turtles. Tours show the patients and explain their recovery.
Crane Point Hammock
A 63-acre nature park with trails through a tropical hardwood hammock, wildlife and preserved historic houses.
Dolphin Research Center
On Grassy Key, next to Marathon, a center focused on dolphin research and education, with sea lions too.
Key West
About an hour's drive south over the Seven Mile Bridge, for the sunset at Mallory Square and a walk around Old Town.
Where to eat
Marathon has plenty of good, casual seafood places, most of them within a few miles of our houses. We leave a list of our family's favorites in both homes, and guests tell us they go back to the same spots more than once. Ask us for it before you arrive.
Stay with us
Tight Lines and Sandy Flats are sister homes two doors apart on the same canal. Each sleeps six in three king suites, with a heated pool and a 60-foot dock. Book one, or both for groups of up to twelve.