Brand New Concourse, More Airlift, Alluring Attractions and Activities are What’s New for Summer 2025 in the Florida Keys & Key West

FLORIDA KEYS (June 10, 2025) —The Florida Keys & Key West is giving visitors even more reasons to plan a summer getaway with an upgraded airport, more new flights, renovated resorts, new attractions and activities, and innovative sustainability offerings. 

The modernization of Key West International Airport arrived in May with the opening of a sleek, new $118 million Concourse A, eight passenger boarding jet bridges, an upgraded baggage claim, and new dining options. 

On June 12, Breeze Airways launches nonstop service into Key West from Tampa and Orlando. Then in October, Breeze will add service from Canton, Ohio, and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, and Allegiant® Air will add Knoxville, Tennessee flights. 

In Key Largo, the Keys’ newest attraction and meetings venue for groups is the $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation, an all-new 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility showcasing an ocean exploration gallery and a science discovery classroom. 

In the southernmost island city, the new Key West Cooking School brings delicious new options for foodies and history buffs, and a reimagined hotel, the Blue Flamingo Resort, will welcome guests this July.

And the second annual “Just a Few Friends Key West” celebration will take place over Labor Day weekend. Get set for four full days of action-packed festivities to honor the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett’s life, music and his legacy in “Margaritaville.”  

Here’s what else is new in the Florida Keys & Key West: 

New Airlift to Key West 

At Key West International Airport (EYW), the all-new 48,802-square-foot Concourse A has opened with eight air-conditioned glass jet bridges for sheltered boarding and deplaning. The concourse features a contemporary design with a 446-panel electrochromic glass curtain wall, and an expanded security checkpoint with an upgraded baggage claim. A Gate 8 passenger boarding bridge is dedicated for Allegiant Air, currently with nonstop service from six cities. New EYW dining venues include Chili’s and Farm 2 Air Market. Airlines are also ramping up for more than 26 nonstop flights into EYW. They include Allegiant® Air, American, Delta, JetBlue, United and Silver — and as of mid-June, Breeze Airways. Extended TSA lanes are scheduled for completion in September, and additional improvements — a new pedestrian bridge, a modernized baggage claim with dual carousels, improved rental car counters and an expanded four-lane TSA checkpoint are slated for completion in summer 2026. To learn more, visit eyw.com/concourse-a or call 305-809-5200.  

Breeze Airways is launching four new routes into EYW this summer and fall: nonstop from Tampa (TPA) and Orlando (MCO) international airports, beginning Wednesday, June 12; from Akron-Canton, Ohio (CAK) starting Thursday, October 2; and from Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina (RDU) beginning Friday, October 3. Breeze operates Airbus A220-300 aircraft. Nonstop flights from TPA and MCO are scheduled four times weekly on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. Flights from CAK are to operate Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Service from RDU is to operate Mondays and Fridays. Breeze offers both bundled and a la carte fare options. Visit flybreeze.com or call 888-829-1117. 

Allegiant® Air will add twice-weekly nonstop flights from Knoxville, Tennessee’s McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) into Key West, beginning October 3. Flights will depart and arrive on Mondays and Fridays on Allegiant’s 156-passenger Airbus A319 aircraft. Allegiant® Air, one of EYW’s busiest airlines, has been serving Key West since June 2021. Allegiant also provides nonstop service to Key West from six additional airports: Sanford, Florida (SFB); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (PIT); Asheville North Carolina, (AVL); Cincinnati, Ohio (CVG); Indianapolis, Indiana (IND); and St. Pete-Clearwater, Florida (PIE). For more information, visit allegiantair.com or call 702-505-8888. 

Accommodations 

In Key Largo, three new Stay Ombi bungalows — with sleek interiors, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush king beds, fully equipped kitchens and contemporary baths with walk-in showers and deck with Adirondack chairs — are available for overnight stays in Buttonwood Sound. “This is more than a place to stay. It’s a chance to step away from the ordinary and embrace a rare stillness on the water,” said Tim Jensen, Ombi’s chief executive officer. Floating bungalow packages include a welcome basket, chilled drinking water and stocked beverages, flat-screen TV, Wi-Fi, fridge, microwave, Keurig® coffee maker, air conditioning, snorkel gear, paddleboard and kayak, breakfast and gourmet dinner for two, and daily roundtrip boat transfer. Overnight stay packages are priced from $850 per night for two. Guests meet at Snooks Bayside Restaurant & Grand Tiki Bar, located at mile marker 99.5 bayside or 99470 Overseas Highway. Visit stayombi.com or call 762-250-1392 to learn more.  

In Islamorada, the 4-acre beachfront boutique Pines & Palms Resort, surrounded by palm trees and offering a view of the historic offshore Alligator Reef Lighthouse, has completed its full renovation with 24 one-to three-bedroom suites with kitchens. The property’s redesign, unveiled in March, includes upgraded living and bathroom spaces, natural textures, ocean-inspired tones and a remodeled office, pool and pool bar. Onsite cottages date back to the 1930s.The resort is to be featured this fall on an upcoming HGTV program, “Building Baeumler” hosted by Sarah and Bryan Baeumler and detailing the full renovation with behind-the-scenes activities. Two local families, McKimm’s and the Reizen’s, own the property and renovated it together. Visit pinesandpalms.com or call 305-664-4343 for more information. 

In Islamorada, the 15-acre, 214-room Three Waters Resort & Marina, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, has unveiled The Cove, a new onsite adult-centric resort-within-a-resort. Guests at The Cove have access to all Three Waters amenities. The new signature restaurant Kindler, with wood-fired fare, offers a ‘bonfire for two’ dining experience with dry-aged fish and ribeye steak. With 80,000 square feet of indoor and alfresco event spaces, Three Waters also offers nine total dining options and a rum library with daily rum tastings, a Wave Motion Studio beachfront fitness center, two retail shops, water taxi and full-service marina. Activities include ocean adventures by Spray Watersports with a 26-mile personal backcountry watercraft tour, fly-casting, kayaking, offshore and backcountry fishing, diving and snorkeling. Three Waters is Marriott Bonvoy’s first Tribute Portfolio property in the Keys, located at 84001 Overseas Highway. Two sister Islamorada Resort Collection properties, the 110-room Amara Cay Resort and the 55-unit La Siesta Resort & Villas, are nearby. Visit islamoradaresortcollection.com or call 866-806-0730.  

In Marathon, Faro Blanco Resort & Yacht Club, Curio Collection by Hilton has opened its all-new Ocean Spa for both guests and day visitors with treatments like Swedish massages, facials and rejuvenating body therapies. The spa includes a steam room, indoor-outdoor relaxation lounge and pool with onsite dining. The resort, offering wellness memberships, also features wellness-designated king and queen rooms with amenities including scent diffuser, sleep sound machine, personal gym kit, yoga mat, face masks, cleansing wipes, artisanal teas and Sleep & Revive water elixirs. With a recent $14 million renovation, the resort’s elevated amenities include two pools, private sand beach and expanded dining. Onsite are the Parrish House, a two-bedroom bungalow villa that’s one of Marathon’s oldest buildings, and the iconic 65-foot Faro Blanco Lighthouse dating from the 1950s. The Faro Blanco Marina, a SunTex facility, offers slips for vessels ranging from 35 to 140 feet, boat rentals, and snorkeling and fishing trips. For more details, visit faroblancoresort.com or call 305-743-1234.  

In Key West, the new 245-room Blue Flamingo Resort, located at 3820 N. Roosevelt Blvd., has transformed two properties. Come July 2025, The Gates and 24 North hotels, will turn into one resort and officially open its doors. Its lobby features striking light fixtures, eclectic furnishings, two dining venues, and pops of color accenting sand-toned décor. Rooms and suites range from 300 to 575 square feet. Amenities include The Backyard Pool & Social Club with two pools, cabanas and lounge chairs, fire pits, and two Tiki-style bar-restaurants, Rum Row and Toasted Coconut. Programming includes weekly wellness activities, evening outdoor yoga classes, a costume jubilee party with participant competition, lawn games, bocce ball, corn hole and other activities. The redesign is by Virserius Studio of New York City and Paris, known for interior and experiential designs. A retail shop offers branded lifestyle keepsakes, local Vacation Inc. goods, and hand-rolled Rodriguez Cigars. Flexible event spaces include two indoor meeting rooms for 30 to 40 guests and The Backyard, for up to 200. Preview rates are offered. To learn more, visit blueflamingokeywest.com or call 305-320-0940. 

Key West’s downtown 178-unit Opal Key Resort & Marina, located at 245 Front St., has unveiled sleek transformations that include a newly revamped lobby, rooftop bar, an updated waterfront pool deck area and three new dining and cocktail experiences. The new lobby offers a beachy ambiance with stylish lounge areas, lush greenery and natural textures. New dining venues include the signature Lolita’s Coastal Cocina, with Latin-inspired flavors, a festive taco bar and creative cocktails; Elevate Skye Bar & Lounge, an open-air venue with small plates such as tacos, artisan cheese boards, ceviche and handcrafted cocktails; and Ka’Teen, with light poolside fare exclusively for hotel guests. A new grab-n-go station offers coffee and infused water. An onsite marina offers high-energy water sports. Visit opalcollection.com/opal-key/ or call 305-294-4000. 

Attractions

In Key Largo, Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) is showcasing its new $6 million REEF Ocean Exploration Center for Marine Conservation. The 4,000-square-foot, two-story facility features an ocean exploration gallery, science discovery classroom, program planning areas and a second-floor balcony. It includes exhibits celebrating scientific innovation, history, humanities and arts. Built by REEF — with a 30-year global legacy of marine conservation rooted in the Upper Keys — the center serves as an inspirational launchpad for inspiring future ocean stewards, pioneering research, fostering collaboration, transforming marine conservation and hosting meetings for small groups. REEF offers educational programs and experiences about fish identification, invasive lionfish and citizen science. REEF’s native plants and heritage trail, adjacent to the new facility, has details about local flora, fauna, history and culture. The new facility is located at 98380 Overseas Highway. Visit REEF.org/OEC or call 305-852-0030. 

Also in Key Largo, Jules’ Undersea Lodge — the world’s only underwater hotel where a guest scuba dives to check into accommodations — is undergoing upgrades that include new countertops and refreshed paint. The lodge, located in a manmade 30-foot-deep lagoon at the Key Largo Undersea Park at mile marker 103, is located at 51 Shoreland Drive. The park offers Discover SCUBA Diving, open water dive certification and four PADI specialties – only available at the Undersea Park – including The Habitat, The Aquanaut, Underwater Maintenance and Innerspace specialty programs. Lodge guests can spend the night, order a pizza meal to eat underwater, or experience a three-hour adventure. University of South Florida professor Joseph Dituri in May 2023 broke the world record for living underwater by spending 100 days at the Lodge. Dituri’s Project Neptune 100 was a research study to measure the body’s response to long-term pressure exposure. Other lodge guests have included astronaut Buzz Aldrin, oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of Jacques Cousteau; former Canadian prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and rock stars Steve Tyler of Aerosmith and Jon Fishman of Phish. Visit jul.com or call 305-451-2353. 

In Islamorada, The Protect Center is building a new intensive care facility, with an onsite veterinary laboratory and a 56,000-gallon above-ground saltwater intensive care unit pool for sick, injured and orphaned dolphins and small whales. When the saltwater pool is completed, targeted this fall, the facility is to be the Keys’ only federally licensed whale and dolphin hospital. The center features an Exploratorium, a 2,000 square-foot interactive space with aquariums, wildlife and rotating exhibits; and classroom-style space for meetings, events and seminars. An onsite gift shop sells merchandise and sustainable items with a “re-fillery” to refill eco-friendly home and personal care necessities to reduce single-use plastics. It’s open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 82748 Overseas Highway. Hard hat tours can also be arranged. Visit connecttoprotect.org/hospital or call 305-453-4321. 

On Grassy Key in the Middle Keys, Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is featuring a new, once-a-month 1.5-hour Sunset Celebration interactive experience where you can offer dolphins one of their favorite Jell-O treats, then toast the sunset with a glass of champagne. The experience also includes learning about the mammals’ “dolphinalities,” or dolphin personalities, with team members and a chilled sunset champagne toast. It’s priced from $249 per person for those five years and older and $199 per person for DRC members; a participating paying adult 18 and older must accompany a child ages 5 to 7. Founded in 1984, DRC promotes peaceful coexistence, cooperation and communication among marine mammals, humans and the Keys’ environment. DRC, as a research and education center, provides a sanctuary and forever home to its dolphin and sea lions. Visit dolphins.org or call 305-289-1121. 

Also in the Middle Keys, the Florida Keys Watermans Co., at mile marker 58 on Grassy Key, offers water adventures in kiteboarding, wingfoiling, wakeboarding, e-foiling, sailing, paddling, and outrigger canoeing with experiences including backcountry excursions and guided downwinder trips to Marathon’s Coco Plum or Curry Hammock State Park beaches. Outrigger canoes, paddleboards, kayaks, kiteboards, and wingfoils are available to rent. Two new Learn to Wakeboard camps are offered July 17-11 and 14-18. Annual club memberships are priced from $2,000 annually for local individuals to $4,750 for non-local families. The company is based at Grassy Flats Resort & Beach Club, located at 58182 Overseas Highway. Visit floridakeyswatermancompany.com or call 305-998-4590. 

The Key West Wildlife Center has unveiled its new elevated $2.4 million wildlife clinic and recovery aviary within the 7-acre Sonny McCoy Indigenous Park at 1801 White St. near Atlantic Boulevard. The facility, with space for education and outreach, features the clinic for dedicated treatment and care, and expansive protected space for rehabilitation of wildlife and birds. The state- and federally permitted facility operates a 24-hour wildlife rescue line for indigenous wildlife including birds, reptiles and small mammals. It rescues close to 1,500 wildlife patients, including about 1,400 birds, each year. The center is open to the public Fridays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Greeters and volunteers share the organization’s mission, inviting visitors to enjoy green space that includes the aviary and turtle pond. Visit keywestwildlifecenter.org or call 305-292-1008. 

Sustainability

Key Largo’s MarineLab Environmental Education has joined the Keys’ Blue Star dive operator program, overseen by NOAA’s Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. MarineLab offers overnight marine science field programs for students from fifth grade through college, and summer day camps. Blue Star operators are committed to educating clients about South Florida ecosystems, sanctuary waters surrounding the island chain, and responsible diving and fishing etiquette. Currently, Blue Star has 34 dive and 20 fishing guide Keys operators. MarineLab is located at 51 Shoreland Drive. Visit marinelab.org or call 305-451-1139 or floridakeys.noaa.gov/onthewater/bluestar.html. 

The Florida Keys’ Artificial Reef Program, funded through a $10 million state grant program, has three new underwater patch reefs at the Gulfside 10-Mile Artificial Reef site, located 10 miles offshore of Key West in federal waters. The power pole artificial reef project includes the deployment of 45 concrete power poles, each 35- to 55-feet-long and purposefully stacked in perpendicular layers, to create various habitat spaces for marine life. The patch reefs range in height from six to 12 feet, are about 65 feet in diameter, and are 40 to 45 feet deep. Poles were obtained from the Florida Keys Co-Op’s Sea Oats Beach Project in Islamorada and the Monroe County Land Steward. Hanna Koch, Monroe County’s director of artificial reefs, and Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission scientists, report that a variety of species, including snappers, groupers, nurse sharks, sea turtles, invertebrate species and egg masses, are flourishing at the sites. Visit monroecounty-fl.gov/1325/Artificial-Reefs-Program or call 786-847-5443. 

Events

Badges, tickets and hotel packages are available for the second annual Labor Day weekend “Just a Few Friends Key West” celebration Friday, August 29 through Monday, September 1. The event honors the music, life and legacy of the late singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. Buffett chronicled the island’s lifestyle with his “tropical rock” style after discovering the island city in the early 1970s. Events include the Cheeseburger Beach Battle & Tribute Concert at Southernmost Beach Resort; two Milagro Margarita Bar Strolls with two Duval Street and Historic Seaport routes; a Second Line Memorial Procession through Old Town, ending at Truman Waterfront Park with a party in the park; a Coconut Telegraph Trolley Tour, and other activities. “Jimmy Buffett gave so much to this island — through music, tourism, and his unshakable love of the Keys,” said organizer Paul Menta. Live concerts are to feature recording artists Nidirah Shakoor, a female vocalist in Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band; Keys favorites Howard Livingston & the Mile Marker 24 Band; and Will Kimbrough, co-collaborator of many Buffett songs including “Bubbles Up,” and others. Activities include author events, sailing excursions, a proclamation by city officials, and family-friendly activities. VIP badges, administered by the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys, support local nonprofits Reef Relief, the Bahama Village Music Program and Key West High School Marching Band. Visit JustAFewFriendsKeyWest.com or call 305-731-3385 to learn more.  

Tours

Three new GPS-driven, self-guided Island Audio Tours of Key West are styled after interactive podcasts with vintage audio clips, interviews, local music and narrations.   

Users purchase a tour, priced at $30 each, download the app for iOS or Android, and are given a code unlocking the audio. The Legends of Key West tour highlights Captain Tony’s Saloon, Jimmy Buffett’s recording studio and his first home on the island, the Chart Room Bar, and treasure hunter Mel Fisher. A Pirates, Treasure Hunters, and Wreckers tour includes stops at the Heritage House’s pirates well, the Oldest House, Mallory Square and the Key West Shipwreck Museum. A Murder, Money, and Margarita’s tour explores the Key West Cemetery, guides visitors with stories from ‘Sloppy Joe’ Russell, the Otto family and their haunted doll named Robert, and through graves of ship captains, millionaires, and colorful characters. Locals Josh Koerpel, a former Key West schooner captain, and Frank Everhart, a 28-year veteran of Schooner Wharf’s Island Comedy Magic Bar, created the tours, available in English and Spanish. Visit islandaudiotours.com or call 724-816-5037. 

Dining

The new Key West Cooking School offers a flavorful way to experience the food, heritage and culture of the southernmost island city in the continental United States. Set in a historic downtown 1856 Navy building, the school features chef-led demonstrations that combine storytelling with the preparation of classic Key West-inspired cuisine, blending Bahamian, Cuban, Spanish and New England influences into vibrant flavors. Guests enjoy a multi-course meal during culinary classes that include Tropical Bites, Island Indulgences and Catch of the Day. The “Dinnertainment” experience is complemented by Bar 1, where guests can join cocktail classes. The activities are ideal for parties, friends, families and groups. Presented by Historic Tours of America, the school is located at 291 Front St., Suite 207, and is open from 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays. Reservations are required. Visit keywestcookingschool.com or call 305-294-2665. 

On Duck Key at the 60-acre Hawks Cay Resort, Salt + Ash is the resort’s newest culinary concept by Florida native chef Jeremy Ford, a Michelin-recognized and Bravo reality series Top Chef winner. Salt + Ash, in the resort’s lobby, combines flavors of land, sea and fire and locally sourced ingredients from Ford’s 5.5-acre farm in Homestead, Florida. The farm-to-table concept features natural ingredients that are expertly charred, delicately seasoned and salt-infused. The 75-seat Salt + Ash, serving nightly dinner, offers indoor and outdoor seating. In addition, Hawks Cay has converted its poolside Pilar Bar into a renovated, adults-only venue, open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily with Ernest Hemingway-inspired cocktails. Visit saltandashflakeys.com or call 305-289-2999. 

Keys chef-owner Lynn Bell’s new Square Grouper Bar & Grill Key West has opened for lunch and dinner at 920 Caroline St. Tasty offerings include blackened grouper benedict, chicken and waffles, shrimp tacos, ahi tuna and avocado eggrolls, and Bloody Mary’s garnished with fried softshell crabs. Square Grouper, known for ‘elevating dining,’ has two other sister venues: the original Square Grouper on Cudjoe Key, so named by offshore square bales of marijuana found in the 1970s throughout the Keys; and Square Grouper Islamorada. Visit squaregrouperkeywest.com or call 305-292-1975. 

Accolades

A giant Keys gumbo limbo tree is the nation’s largest. Located at Islamorada’s 8.7-acre Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve, home to Florida Bay Forever at mile marker 82 bayside, the nationally designated American Forests Champion Tree has a new plaque honoring Keys residents Jim and Janice Duquesnel for “preserving the natural environments of the Florida Keys.” American Forests recognizes the largest known tree of each species in the United States. Visit floridabayforever.org/gumbo-limbo-tree-a-state-champion-at-green-turtle-hammock/ 

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