Key Largo Coral Reef National Marine Sanctuary and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

We backtracked to Key Largo to spend a few weeks in Pennekamp, the first state park as you enter the Keys. It is also the the beginning of 70 nautical miles of the first US underwater park with a large reef system. The reef system extends and parallels the Keys, coming closest in the middle keys to within 3 miles from the islands. Pennekamp provides glass bottom boat trips, snorkel trips and diving outings. It’s a sanctuary for the hundreds of fish, corals, Seashells, sponges, sea horses and turtles. And it’s here in our back yard, amazing.