Marathon On a Budget

Cultivated in the old Key's lifestyle and marinaded in the traditions of seafaring, Marathon is known to give a warm welcome to snowbirds and beach bums alike. Magnificent coral reefs, gorgeous beaches, and amazing nature refuges - Marathon works to retain the wonder of Floridian wilderness. However, if you decide to go beyond the mangroves and alligators, you will surely not be disappointed as Marathon acquires a wide range of shops and restaurants to choose. Marathon is so passionate about its cooking that it even holds annual seafood festivals. With 10,255 friendly inhabitants waiting, open the gateway to your tropical dreams in Marathon, Florida.
Sights
A gorgeous wildlife reserve, a wonderful museum, and unforgettable nature trails - take a walk into the beauties of Florida at Crane Point Museum and Nature Center. A key point of interest for many travelers and a sight readily encouraged by most, Crane Point offers an endless assortment of activities to choose from. The Crane Point Museum offers a trip back in time to old Florida with its displays of local wildlife, marine life, dioramas and dramatic exhibits featuring artifacts and objects of cultural interest. However, if you find you need to stretch your legs a bit, Crane Point offers over 63 acres of nature trails, where visitors were be greeted by native plant and animal species of the Florida Keys. The trails also offer a taste of history, with tours given to the significant Adderley House and Crane House. Be sure to meet and greet with Marathon's feathery locals at the Marathon Wild Bird Center, where visitors get to admire the recovering birds before they take flight. Besides this, Crane Point also offers kayak and trolley tours. Admission is around $15.Get acquainted with the history of Marathon's inhabitants and enter the Pigeon Key Historic District. Located off of U.S. 1 in Pigeon Key, Florida, the region contains over 11 historic buildings and 3 structures. The island gained its unique name due to abundance of white-crowned pigeons that roosted there. Some of its key architecture includes the old Seven Mile Bridge created during the building of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad Key West Extension. Most of the key historic sights are from the Flagler area, including a rare three-way bridge. However, this neat little town cannot be accessed by foot or wheel, only by ferry and/or other private watercraft. Get a taste of the traditional seaside architecture and learn of how civilization came to be in Marathon.
Activities
Don't just get acquainted with Marathon's two-legged inhabitants, be sure to give a friendly hello to its finned ones as well at the Dolphin Research Center. Established in 1984 by Jayne Shannon-Rodriguez and Armando "Mandy" Rodriguez, the Dolphin Research Center seeks to provide forever homes for its dolphin friends, while providing educational and research programs in order to learn about these complex mammals. The facility keeps bottlenose dolphins as well as California sea lions in its safe, spacious quarters. The Dolphin Research Center offers a wide array of programs, including camps, training institutions, field trips, and laboratories. Shake fins with a dolphin and cuddle with a sea lion at the Dolphin Research Center.If you're looking for a fun, family-friendly place to stay, check out the Hawks Cay Resort in Duck Key, which is just a few minutes from Marathon. You'll find a gorgeous pool, beautiful calm beaches, plenty of great food, and fun activities for the whole family. It's about half way between Miami and Key West, so the whole area is a good spot to base yourself for a trip to the Florida Keys.