Vacations should be special: You should return to the rythym of your daily life, be it as a Cirque du Soleil performer or the COO of a civil engineering firm, feeling renewed and invigorated. At Air Unlimited we take your leisure seriously, we want to be your new best friend. (You know, the kind of best friend that flies you safely, and in luxurious comfort, to places like Treasure Cay in the Abaco Islands or Marathon in the Florida Keys.)

WE ARE PASSIONATE

Have you ever walked into a workplace where joy hangs in the air, like a shop where a 3^rd generation luthier creates violins? If so, you will recognize Air Unlimited as one of those workplaces where human beings – in this case, Charles “Chick” Gregg and Mark Neubauer, and their carefully selected staff, are doing just what they should be doing.

Chick and Mark came into flying naturally, both of their fathers being pilots and instilling a love for flying into the young boys who would grow up to found Air Unlimited, answering a demand for outstanding service between central Florida and Florida Keys and the Bahamas.

WE HAVE COOL AIRPLANES

If you are unused to air travel on a small scale, you should know that the 7 spacious leather seats of the Cessna 421 will bring you a level of comfort comparable to that of your favourite chair at home, the one you sink into just before the game starts. And you always have a window seat.

Our clients often express pleasant surprise at the level of noise in our Cessna 421s as they zoom toward The Bahamas or Florida Keys at 240 miles per hour: Who wants to reach for headphones to filter out engine noise when you really want to talk about how excited you are that you are finally going to try wall diving?

Of course, if you’ve chartered our Citation Mustang for a flight to that spot in The Bahamas that has not yet been discovered by most, you can fully recline in one of four well-appointed seats and have a nap – we’ll wake you when we get there. Or if you need to wrap up a few last things from the office (sigh) you can make use of your convenient work table.

WE KNOW WHERE WE ARE GOING

At Air Unlimited, our passion for flying extends to the destinations where we fly. If you are flying into Marathon, Florida Keys, chasing the dream of snagging a broadbill swordfish, we’ve got a few tall fish tales for you. Or if you want to lie on a white sand beach in The Bahamas with only the pelicans to keep you company, we have the lowdown on where you find the closest thing to a deserted beach in this paradise.

WE ARE SO RELIABLE WE COULD BE ACCUSED OF BEING BORING

Air travel: It is the best of times; it is the worst of times. More human beings are flying to more places than ever before in our history. But commercial airlines have lots of work to do in satisfying their customers: The U.S. Department of Transportation has reported that consumer complaints about commercial airlines were up 30% in 2015, from 15,539 in 2014 to 20,170 in 2015, and the most frequent complaint was that airlines are unreliable. We are refreshingly reliable.

HEY, EVEN PILOTS CHOOSE US!

We like to eat at restaurants where chefs eat, to read the novels that our favourite writers read and to watch the films that the directors we respect recommend – so why not fly with the Florida chartered airline that pilots choose? (Why, yes, it is us.)

You are lost in the pages of a Camilla Läckberg mystery, feeling relaxed and happily anticipating the moment when the Florida Keys vibes stir up your inner wildness, when your voice of your pilot cuts into your bubble of joy, announcing that you are about to experience some turbulence … and your heart starts to beat a little faster, a physical flutter of anxiety starts to build in your stomach and you close your eyes.

If you dread turbulence, if you become authentically frightened when the airplane you are sitting on begins to jolt in unpredictable ways, you should know that you can conquer this fear, or at least wrestle it into submission.

Turbulence is almost never dangerous

Fear is a useful emotion or feeling: If you are standing at the edge of a cliff that plummets to the cold North Atlantic Ocean in February, and you feel the wind rising, it is fear that will prompt you to walk away to a safe place. Fear can be our best friend.

But sometimes we fear something that we don’t have to fear, like turbulence. You may be thinking that is absolutely rational to experience fear when sitting in a airplane that is being tossed around the sky at 10,000 feet about the security of the ground. (And you make a compelling point.)

But, turbulence is common and almost always harmless.

 Only about 20 people out of the 800 million or so who fly in America every year are injured as a result of turbulence. Hint: This is a great mantra to repeat to yourself the next time your airplane flies through a rough patch of air.

So why is the airplane jostling around?

High winds, being near to a mountain, the jet stream and other factors cause predictable turbulence: Pilots are trained to deal with turbulence and aircrafts are built to withstand it. Turbulence is no more than a rough patch in the air; pilots expect it and know how to deal with it.

I know it is irrational but I still fear turbulence

You are a human being, and we sometimes fear things that we don’t have to. But knowing that we do not have to fear turbulence can really help us deal with our fear and how it makes us feel.

Remember, turbulence is nothing more than air currents: That’s all. And pilots understand how to fly in air currents and airplanes are built to do so.

Try these proven techniques the next time that your pilot informs you that there is some turbulence in your immediate future:

Distract yourself:

• Bring a special treat with you when you fly, like a Black Praline Goldbar from Switzerland (seriously delicious). If turbulence is announced, slowly unwrap your treat and lose yourself in its sinfulness; when you look up, it will all be over.

• The human body reacts immediately to fear; we begin to breath more quickly. Fool your body by closing your eyes and inhaling deeply through your nose, filling up your lower lungs and then your upper lungs. You should then hold while counting to 3 before exhaling through your lips, while consciously relaxing your facial muscles. Repeat.

To learn more about breathing techniques, visit The Tiny Buddha.

• Tell yourself what you know to be true: Turbulence is safe; your plane is just flying through some wind currents.

• Bring along a stress ball to calmly squeeze during the flight, expelling excess nervous energy from your body as you do so.

Air travel has shrunk the earth, meaning that many of us have become explorers, waking up in magical places far from our homes. Don’t let a fear a turbulence keep you grounded.

You know that you want to go to the iconic Florida Keys, where the sun is shining, the water is that impossible color of blue and the sand perfect for sifting between your tanning toes – but where should you stay? Air Unlimited knows a thing or two about resorts in Florida Keys, having flown in thousands of holiday-makers to this enchanting place, and we like to share.

Here are 6 outstanding resorts in Florida Keys that are waiting for you:

1. Island Bay Resort

Consistent excellence: Island Bay Resort in Key Largo has placed in Trip Advisor’s top 25 small hotels for five consecutive years and Trip Advisor’s top 25 hotels for romance for 2 consecutive years. But this is a resort that is much more than its accolades from the largest travel website on the planet.

Island Bay resort knows just how sublime true relaxation can be: Come-hither hammocks line the exquisite private beach; lush tropical gardens line pretty walking paths, radiating natural perfume; and private cottages feature spacious decks, patios and, naturally, BBQ grills. You will feel at home at Island Bay Resort.

2. Little Palm Island Resort and Spa

Exclusive Exclusivity: Little Palm Island Resort and Spa is accessible only by boat or sea plane, offering you an unplugged kind of privacy. You will only one TV in this remote 5-acre resort, and it will not be in your luxurious suite, but you will find a Japanese soaking tub graced with floating flower petals at the SpaTerre, truly secluded white sand beaches and freshly shucked cold water oysters offered as appetizers at The Dining Room.

Staying at Little Palm Island Resort has been described as living alone in a natural luxury that exceeds your expectations. If you seek a blissful space where you can relax in a new way, this is your resort.

3. The Marker Waterfront Resort

Seclusion within historic vibrancy: The Marker Waterfront offers new-fashioned amenities wrapped up in the historical atmosphere of Old Town Key West. Guests bask in the elegant comfort of this 2-acre tropical resort, cleverly landscaped as a private oasis, knowing that the temptations of Duval Street – like the beer pancakes at the Blue Heaven Restaurant, where roosters roam freely – are waiting just outside the front door.

If you want to experience the iconic culture of Key West, to join your fellow human beings in letting your hair down, this is your resort.

4. Tranquillity Bay Beach House Resort

For the family: Tranquillity Bay Beach Resort is a visually uplifting space where original art hangs on walls and sculptures light up public spaces. It is also a space where children are celebrated, with Turtle Island Water Sports offering lessons in scuba diving for 5-7 year-olds, letting them experience the world underwater easily and safely. And there is more, for all age groups, like the kids club, where parents are persona non grata.

If you want to see the beaming faces of your children as they tell you all about how they learned to snorkel, Tranquillity Bay Resort is for you.

5. Santa Maria Suites

Elegance everywhere: Trip Advisor brims with positive comments about Santa Maria Suites: A British woman writes of being so impressed by the gourmet kitchen in her suite that she wanted to replicate its simple elegance in her own home. And you can buy fresh tuna, scallops, shrimp and grouper at places like the Fishbusterz Retail Seafood Market.

Santa Maria Suites embraces its history and that of Key West, offering luxurious suites in a charming space: Retreat to a simple elegance after exploring the beguiling streets of this neighborhood, or after catching your own grouper to grill in your gourmet kitchen.

6. Jule’s Undersea Lodge in Key Largo

Adventure: Have you ever considered sleeping with the fishes? (Not in that way.) Once Jules Verne’s research laboratory, Jule’s Undersea Lodge offers the adventurous travel looking for unusual experiences just that. Guests must be able to scuba dive, the lodge is 21 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, but can learn how at the Key Largo Undersea Park.

If you are claustrophobic, perhaps you should give this experience a pass. But if you want to shake yourself up, to experience our planet in a new way, spending a night in deep ocean waters is just the thing. Oh, and there’s pizza for dinner.

The surface of the water is the kind of calm that draws you toward it, inviting you to slice into its perfection with a dive, but you want it to be a Wahoo that disrupts the glassiness of the morning ocean, or an elusive Marlin: You are gone fishing.

Air Unlimited knows where to fish in The Bahamas, we have flown eager novices who dream of landing a white marlin and passionate devotees who regale us with tales of the ones who got away to the places where they want to be. Here are six fishing spots in The Bahamas that we think you shouldn’t miss.

Fish Rum Cay

Do you seek unspoiled fishing waters, the kind that people like to keep quiet about? Well, yellow-fin tuna, wahoo and blue and white marlin powerfully glide unseen through the deep waters of Fish Rum Cay – until a well-chosen lure catches their attention. (Like yours.)

And it is not all about the sweet drama of a big catch, the bonefish and tarpon in the Salt Pond offer hours and hours of old-school fishing: You will forget what it feels like to move within the confines of your navy wool suit.

Link: Rum Cay.

Berry Islands

You could come to Berry Islands for serenity, for the seductive miles of alluring white sand beaches that border these largely inhabited cays. But you should come for the big game: blue-fin tuna, blue marlin and sailfish are plentiful in these exquisite waters, and the local guides offer you the kind of support that results in memorable end-of-day photos.

Should you wish to take a break from the drama that is deep-sea fishing, the local reefs are populated with strawberry groupers, lean snappers and grunts while feisty bonefish awaits your inner angler.

Link: Berry Islands.

Andros

Locals call Andros “The Big Yard”; it has expansive mangrove swamps where all manner of reptiles flourish and dark forests where wild boar run free. Divers from far-flung places gather here to explore its blue holes, stunning vertical underwater caves.

But you will come for the bonefish: It has a real name, like all fish do: the Latin Albula Vulpes, which translates to “white fox.” The white fox, or grey ghost, as it is known locally, does not come quietly but fiercely fights the strain of the line as you bring it in. Seasoned trainers at places like The Mangrove Cay Club will guide you through a bout with a brilliant bonefish.

Link: Andros

Bimini

Bimini is Ernest Hemingway country: If you yearn for the big game, to experience the physical thrill that travels down your spine when you first see the wahoo on your line, this is your space.

Bimini is the closest The Bahamas gets to America, a mere 50 miles away, which made it a natural spot to buy liquor during the long, dry days of the prohibition. And it is just the spot to wrangle yourself a trophy; Bimini is home to the Lion Fish Bash, the All Women’s Tournament and Wahoo Challenge.

Link: Bimini.

Exuma Sound

Exuma Sound knows fishing: Children shout with abandon as they land the bottom fish that await colourful lures in shallow reefs, and their parents know just how they feel as they float above unknowably deep waters where glorious red snappers, gleeful dolphins and tuna soundlessly roam.

As in Andros, the grey ghost inhabits Exuma Sound, the west side of Great Exuma is known locally for its superb bonefish fishing.

Link: Exuma Sound

Simplicity in air travel is elusive. The dreamiest holiday where you were able to slip out of the cloak that is your day-to-day life and become a version of yourself that you thought might have be lost can be sullied by a unpleasant flight back into reality. Air Unlimited has a motto that reflects what air travel should be, pleasant, enjoyable and without drama: Fly. Enjoy. Return.

Should you be contemplating trading in the rigors of commercial flight for charter flying, or a small airline, where your holiday begins when you step on the aircraft, you should know that Air Unlimited flies a little higher than its competitors – figuratively speaking. Let us tell you a little about ourselves:

The Argus Gold Rating

Argus International Inc. has granted Air Unlimited a gold rating, after reviewing our historical safety record, our aircraft, our pilot’s background checks and conducting on-site audits. We are proud that our unwavering commitment to the safety of our clients has been recognized in this important way.

Our destinations

We regularly fly where you want to go: The Bahamas: Marsh Harbour, the most happening town in the Abaco Islands, and it has just one traffic light; Treasure Cay, where the golfing is 5 star and there isn’t a traffic light in sight, and Florida Keys: Marathon, where the big fish play and Key West where you just might become the most relaxed version of yourself that has ever existed.

Or you charter a flight and tell us where to go.

The things we don’t do

You are walking sideways down a ridiculously narrow aisle, politely accepting the apology of a fellow passenger who has just missed elbowing you in the head as he tried to stuff an overstuffed bag into a overhead bin that is already full, when you see that an elderly woman with a cane by her side is sitting in your carefully booked aisle seat, the dreaded middle-of-the-row seat empty beside her … Air Unlimited takes all of this away. Poof!

We do celebrations well

Your dad has finally recovered from a heart surgery and you want to spend some time with him, just the two of you. It has been a rocky path at times, but you are about to celebrate being married for 30 years, and you want to sip champagne together as the blue-green waters of the Florida Strait come into focus from high above. Air Unlimited is passionate about your joyous celebrations.

Expedia. Kayak. Priceline. Booking.com

Booking a flight of a reasonable length with no stopovers at a reasonable cost can be an exasperating process. We have all felt the physical thrill of success when we finally see a worthy flight appear on our screen only to find out, moments later, that it is no longer available, or that the price has spiked in the time it has taken you to click on a link.

Air Unlimited makes booking a divinely simple process: For a scheduled flight, you complete a simple form and submit it: No drama.

Our prices are and will remain highly competitive

Remember when you found that unbelievable price on a commercial flight – you could not stop smiling – and then the extra charges were applied and doubled your fare? At Air Unlimited, our pricing is absolutely transparent and fair: We want to build a long-term relationship with you as client.

If you are booking an aircraft as a charter, to take you to a destination of your choice and pick you up later, Air Unlimited will happily provide you with a prompt quote: Simply go to this link.

If you are booking a seat on a scheduled flight, simply click here.

Our clients, as always,  have the last word:

Dreading Your Next Flight? Don’t. 5 reasons that you should totally ♥ flying.

Vivid images of white sand glittering in morning sunlight have been flitting before your eyes for weeks now, as you sit in late-afternoon meetings with exacting clients or sit quietly in a taxi that is moving way too quickly across town. But to get to that sublime dive spot in Florida Keys or the medieval castle in the Scottish highlands you have to fly – and you are not looking forward to it.

Here are 5 truths that put a fabulous grin on your face as you book your next flight:

1. Flying is extraordinarily safe.

You are quietly sitting at your assigned gate, you were delighted to find a book that you’ve been meaning to read at a tiny kiosk but you are still on its second page. You look out of the wall of windows you are sitting next to and see a plane slowly moving toward a runway, readying for take-off.  And you deeply regret watching that movie about that pilot who landed a plane on the Hudson River.

It is at this point that you should think about this truth: Flying is extraordinarily safe. You will be 17 times safer on your flight than if you were to drive a car to your destination – if that were even possible. To put it another way, you have a one in 7 million chance of being in a plane crash.

2. Flying Allows you to Switch off.

This may come as no surprise, bearing in mind the fact that you’re reading this article online, but apparently the average adult is now spending three hours a day surfing the internet for no real reason – on Facebook, playing games and searching Google to find out how tall Johnny Depp is – and if you’re under 24 this goes up to 45 hours a week. We’re also pretty keen on our mobile phones: 6.1 trillion text messages were sent in 2010, along with 15 billion voice call minutes.

This all adds up to a pretty electronic lifestyle. With wi-fi and roaming networks across most of the developing world too, that means that one of the only times you really and truly have an excuse not to be in contact with “the real world” is when you’re on a plane.

3. You don’t have to fly the airplane

There are professional pilots who have undergone extensive training who are flying the airplane as you sit back and get productive. You are sitting in an aircraft that is zooming along high in the sky to your destination: This is the perfect time to get something done that you have been meaning to do for a while.

Remember that long email your old friend Agnes wrote you – the one where she tells you all about her new life in Reykjavik, Iceland? Why not compose a reply that she will enjoy reading as much as you did her stories? Or perhaps you have been meaning to read that book your roommate from university wrote. (The one on the history of the tomato.)

We all have stuff to do that we have not done, but we can get some of it done while we fly to far flung places on this planet.

4. You might meet a kindred spirit

A random sample of your fellow human beings will fill the seats of the next airplane you are sitting and you might find yourself speaking to someone kind or funny or earnest or well-read or who is able to tell cool stories.

Sure, you can slip on your eye mask if you are in a solitary mood but should the spirit of sociality move you, you are sure to find a fellow human being to enjoy the flight with.

Oh, and if you are single, know that many a romance has begun on an airplane. Unconvinced? Watch Departure Date, a short film that mixes real passengers, famous people and romance.

5. Flying can be frugal

You love to travel but you know that you have to be frugal if you are going to visit all of the places on your must-go-to list. And the Internet machine is a portal to highly competitive prices that benefit you.

Did you know that if you were, say, a secretary in 1960, that it would cost you about a month’s salary to fly a short distance in America? We’ve come a long way. Enjoy.

Tropical rock has begun to seep into your dreams. You wake in the morning startled to find yourself in Last Chance, Colorado or Great Snoring, England or Nameless Cove, Canada, because you were just sifting starkly white sand through your sun-tanned toes as turquoise water lazily …

We understand. And we have done your homework for you: Here are 8 dreamy places in the Florida Keys where you can shrug off your hometown and slide into a groovier state of mind.

1. The Sea Turtles knows: Dry Tortugas National Park

About 100,000 Sooty Terns come to this national park of 100 square miles – which is mostly underwater – to nest, between the early spring and early fall: Sea Turtles bury their eggs on its alluring beaches in the summer.

And you can mingle, in an eco-conscious way, with these incredible creatures, while also talking long walks on beaches that echo paradise, or walk on the wall of historic Fort Jefferson – an abandoned military fort from the 19th century – where you might see a nurse shark or reef squid. As you do. – Link here

2. Go as far south as you can in the continental USA
The northernmost point in the continental USA lies in Lake of the Woods, the stark landscape made famous by Tim O’Brien in his novel of the same name: The southernmost point is all blue skies and water that seems to go on forever.

Imagine standing next to this marker of one the most extreme geographical points in America and saying “cheese,” while contemplating that this where it all begins for America, at least in the sublime south. Link here

3. Whoa. Was that a Silver King?
Your line is loose, you are one with the sea, lost in the dance of the sunlight on its surface when you feel a tug, a tightening … and everything changes. Fishing is a marriage of butterflies-in-your-stomach excitement and sublime peacefulness and Marathon is the place to go to ensure that you strike a balance between the two.

Perhaps you dream of snagging an elusive blue marlin in Marathon, and it is possible, but know that the snappers, groupers and pompano bring their own brand of thrill to the scene. Link here

4. It is all about the beach: Baha Island State Park
You are en route to The Keys, 40,000 feet or so above land and sea, and you are reading about an alligator wrestler who has seen better days in Carl Hiaasen’s Nature Girl but all you can think of is white sand and blue-green water.

You morph into your true self at the beach and you are always seeking that beach that will wrap you up in its arms and caress you until it is time to go home. Bahai Honda Key is where you want to be. (Yes, this rhymes. ) Link here

5. Get to know Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea draws the reader into the mind of a Cuban fisherman battling with a marlin in the waters off of Florida – how brilliant that we can now enter Hemingway’s home in Key West and get a sense of the man behind the words.

It is said that Papa Hemingway, as he was sometimes called, caught 7 Marlin in one day in 1938, elbowing other word record holders out of the way – he also survived two plane crashes. And, as you can see, he had a lovely home to return to when his adventures went south. Link here

6. Get all historical.
Harry S. Truman’s middle name is actually “S”, standing for no full name in particular but giving a sedate shout-out to all of the relatives who came before him whose names began with S. History is fun.

The Harry S. Truman Little White House stands in Key West Harbour: Truman spent 175 days of his presidency here, and other American presidents, like Clinton, Carter and Kennedy also visited this charming estate. Link here

7. Take in the street performers at Mallory Square.

Allow human beings walking on spindly stilts entertain you as an ethereal sunset paints the sky like Monet would. Link here

8. Swim with the dolphins at Theater of the Sea
Dolphins chatter and they splash and they love to meet new friends, even of the human belonging-on-land variety. And sure, some of you too-cool-for-school, jaded types may believe that swimming with these toothed whales is not for you, but we give you 30 seconds of frolicking before the giggling sets in. Link here

We would like to congratulate Luis Rodriguez as our winner!

Air Unlimited gave away one round trip ticket on our commuter airline from OrlandoSanford International Airport to Key West International Airport to the lucky winner!

Mr Rodriguez is still deciding when and where in the Florida Keys he will be visiting but we are very much looking forward to hearing back from him!

Do you think we should do another contest likethis? Don’t forget to Like our Page on Facebook and share this info with your friends!

Take advantage of our introductory price and visit Key West or Marathon Key for only $199 per seat for a limited time.

You are living in a time when, with a few lessons and some basic equipment, you can watch a shark being hand-fed by an expert. Or swim with a school of JackFish. Or marvel as a slow-moving octopus comes into sight. If you are a diver, you know the exhilaration of morphing, albeit temporarily, into an undersea being – if you are not, such wonder awaits you in the Bahamas.

1. THE GRAND BAHAMA ISLAND: THE UNDERWATER EXPLORER SOCIETY (UNEXSO) SHARK DIVE

Nail-biting theatregoers have devoured popcorn during such films as MegaShark versus Giant Octopus, Sharknado and – yes – Jaws, promising themselves as they left the theatre and walked into the dark night that they would never again venture into deep, blue water. But the shark is a totally misunderstood creature.

Shrug off any misconceptions you may be holding, consciously or subconsciously, about these captivating fish at UNEXSO’s Shark Junction, on Grand Bahama Island. You will hang with experts in shark behaviour, who will thoroughly brief you on what to expect on the unforgettable dive.

Watching graceful sharks of various sizes move about as if performing an underwater ballet, while being offered tantalizing tidbits from practised UNEXSO divers, is as exquisite as it sounds it is.

2. ANDROS ISLAND: THE OCEAN BLUE HOLE

A blue hole is nature at its most alluring, a dark blue circle surrounded by the familiar turquoise of the water of warm climes, signalling an intense depth of water that is a portal to underworld wonders. Jeff Birch, who vibrates with a passion for imaginative diving, manages Small Hope Bay Lodge where you can easily arrange a two-person dive in the iconic Ocean Blue Hole of Andros Island.

                                                                                               Photo Credit

Jeff will be happy to arrange a dive to an inland blue-hole too: There are four different dives to chose from, all with intriguing names: The Guardian Blue Hole; Stargate; El Dorado and The Little Frenchman.

Link: Small Hope

3. HIGHBOURNE CAY: THE WASHING MACHINE DIVE

You’ve always wanted to know how your favorite Vince t-shirt feels as it dances around in the rinse cycle, right? Well, maybe not. But you will want to dance around in the Washing Machine, just south of Highbourne Cay, where the tide grabs you by the diving suit and essentially throws you off an underwater ledge – in a good way.

Check out what you could get up to in this video: The Washing Machine at Exuma Cays.

Link: The Washing Machine at Exuma Cays

4. ANDROS: THINK VERTICAL: WALL DIVING

There is diving and then, for the not easily daunted and visually hungry, there is wall diving. Floating in front of a dramatic cliff face, taking in its mesmerizing coral as Blue Angelfish, Cherubfish, Sunshinefish, Smooth Trunkfish and Midnight Parrotfish perform just for you, in an underwater ballet of motion, is sublime.

The Andros Beach Club offers wall diving, as well as wreck diving and drift diving. Oh, they also offer childcare for your wee ones, who are welcome to hang out with your instructor’s children. Nice.

5. PELICAN CAYS LAND AND SEA PARK

Great Abaco Island is home to the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park, offering a series of spectacular caves under its seas: You will feel like a new world has opened up before you, like you were somehow able to walk (well, swim) into the pages of a magical book of hidden treasures.

This 2,100 acres of precious land and water was established as a park in 1972 – way back when the world first grooved to ABBA and Eminem was a wee baby.
Link: Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park

We would like to congratulate Luis Rodriguez as our winner!

Air Unlimited gave away one round trip ticket on our commuter airline from OrlandoSanford International Airport to Key West International Airport to the lucky winner!

Mr Rodriguez is still deciding when and where in the Florida Keys he will be visiting but we are very much looking forward to hearing back from him!

Do you think we should do another contest like this? Don’t forget to Like our Page on Facebook and share this info with your friends!

Take advantage of our introductory price and visit Key West or Marathon Key for only $199 per seat for a limited time.

You frantically text notes to the office as you sit in the taxi on the way to your flight while part of your brain reviews what you packed – you vaguely recall throwing some swimming trunks on top of a light-weight cotton t-shirt which was sitting next to your go-to summer sandals and you start to breathe.

A strange physical sensation begins to flow through your body and you barely recognize it as relaxation. Whew.

You knew you needed to be in the Bahamas.

1. YOU LOOK MARVELOUS IN THAT MASK
Find a Fairy Basslet at The Pillars, mingle with Moray Eels at Mermaid Reef, peer at the Puffer fish as they blow up at Sanka Shoal and ogle the octopi at Elkhorn Park. Seriously, you could spend your entire holiday floating on the surface of outstanding snorkeling spots marvelling at sea creatures.

Though you should take an occasional break to have a sublimely cold Sands beer – maybe while sitting on a beachside café, just before the sun is about to dip into the ocean.

Learn more at Abaco Snorkeling.

2. HANG OUT WITH A KITE
Imagine gliding across the crystal clear surface of the Atlantic Ocean – your feet begin to slowly rise from the water, making you feel like you might be able to fly after all. When you are physically attached to a powerful kite, which is propelled by wind high in the blue sky, all thoughts of the external world vanish: It’s just you and the kite.
Visit Lubbers Landing in the Abaco Islands to learn more about how you might spend the morning sipping coffee under a shady tree, losing yourself in a book, and the afternoon learning how to fly… well, kite surf.

3. RENT A GOLF CART AND EXPLORE MAN-O-WAR CAY
Man-O-War Cay is a people pleaser of an island, with its town’s narrow streets that seem to whisper to visitors and pretty flower gardens of striking colours: You will feel like an explorer as you head out on your golf cart in this quiet cay, immersed in the atmosphere that is often described the real Bahamas, the one where people live their lives.

There are six tiny churches on Man-O-War Cay that will bring you back to a Bahamas that you probably thought no longer existed: Be sure to drive your cart to the higher parts of the town, where the views will, well, blow your mind.

4. WALK ON A WINDY BEACH
Being in the Bahamas is easy: It always feels right. A memorable vacation includes experiences that bluntly contrast each other, quiet standing next to exhilaration.

At some point you will desire the experience of quiet, of being alone on a beach where you can walk for a few miles, feeling the resistance of hard wet sand under your bare feet as you live in the moment.

Windward Point in Treasure Cay lays out the experience of serenity at your feet. Learn more at Windward Point.

5. CHILL OUT WITH SWIMMING PIGS

The garden-variety pig is a confirmed landlubber, hanging out in a mucky pen near a barn, but in a small island near Green Turtle Cay, you will see a different kind of pig –one who strolls down the beach in mid-afternoon, with her piglets, and who is not at all averse to a refreshing dip in the alluring turquoise water.

You can hang with these charming porcine companions: Visit Alburys Ferry Service to learn about how to get to this small, unnamed island because when pigs swim, you’ve just got to join in.

 
6. DRINK GOOMBAY SMASH AT MISS EMILY’S BLUE BEE BAR
Let your sun-drenched, salt-water sprayed hair down at Miss Emily’s Blue Bee Bar where the Goombay Smash is smack-your-lips delicious and potent. You’ll know when the time is right for you to walk through the white doors of this tiny, authentic Bahaman bar where you walk out feeling a little more like a local. (And maybe like taking a small nap.)

The Bahamas provide a landscape of sublime beauty, awakening your physical self, challenging you to live differently for a while. Go with it.

The magic of Florida Keys is that it is a place that chases other places away, leaving you in the present, smiling more widely than you have in a long while. But it is not all about the chill vibe in The Keys, its natural wonders have the power to amaze and educate, to deepen your appreciation of the creatures that walk – and swim –this planet with us.

We’ve put together a list of 4 natural wonders that deserve a space on your itinerary.

The Florida Reef

1. The Florida Reef
There is the Great Barrier Reef, the Belize Barrier Reef and then the Florida Reef, which is 170 miles long and about 4 miles wide. Shaped like a half-moon, the Florida Reef sits a few miles off the coast of The Keys, beginning at Fowey Rocks and extending almost to Marquesas Keys.

Snorkelers will lose themselves in the diversity of the reef, with more than 500 species of fish, from the ethereal Blue Angel Fish to the ubiquitous Blue Tang, and 40 species of stony coral, jutting up through the water like miniature mountains.

The shallow waters of this 10,000-year-old reef make it the perfect spot for beginning snorkelers.

The Florida Keys, White Sand Beach

2. White Sand Beaches
Nature has done few things more magical than create long beaches of white sand that run toward the blue-green water of tropical seas – such beaches are scattered through The Keys, with some deserving of special mention.

Sandspur Beach is a mile long with plenty of sand-castle-building sand and the kind of calm waters that toddlers rejoice in.

Dry Tortugas National Park calls to the adventurous beachgoer who revels in solitude – and shipwrecks. Though you must take a two-hour ride to get to this remote space, any inconvenience will be immediately forgotten when you catch your first glimpse of a leatherback sea turtle.

Tricolored Heron

3. Meet Some of the Locals: They Can Get a Little Wild
Florida Keys is home to some startlingly beautiful birds and animals, like the Tricolored Heron pictured above, and the lovely but rare Key deer, that are currently facing endangerment. Should you wish to interact with some of The Keys’ wildlife, you have several delightful options:

• If you have children, they will howl with delight as they feed the Tarpon at Robbie’s Boatyard in Islamorada: Imagine tossing a small fish to a 5-foot long fish that gleams in the sun as she snaps up your offering.
• The Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Centre is the place to learn about ecosystems that sit on land like those of pine groves and mangroves and those under water, like those of the Florida Reef.
• To see a Grey Hairstreak butterfly, a Spiny-backed Orb Weaver spider and a Belted Kingfisher head to Key West Botanical Garden.
• The turtles at the Turtle Hospital may not be feeling their best but they are usually up for visitors – why not spend some time learning more about these mesmerizing, gentle creatures?

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

4. This park is underwater. Seriously.
The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is home to the first underwater park in America: This is an extraordinarily cool happening, and because the park showcases nature at its finest, we include it as a natural wonder in this list. (Yes, mostly because it rocks. Figuratively.)

Florida Keys is a place to shrug off your business suit and slide into something much more comfortable but it is also a place that knows how important its various ecosystems are to its future. Your best memory of the Florida Keys may be staring into the crinkly eyes of a Green Turtle, or watching a majestic Tri-colored Heron slowly take flight.

The Bahamas have the power to restore human beings, to bring us to a state of inner peace, where all we hear are waves stretching out on white sand shores: There are more than 700 islands on this archipelago, where red Glasseye Snappers flit past snorkeler’s masks. And Marsh Harbour, with its one stop sign is its third largest city.

In Abaco Islands, this town of about 5,000 citizens offers chilled-out snorkelling, boating and all of the amenities that an adventurer could want, like a post office, a bookshop, grocery shops and more. And bars.

For some, Marsh Harbour is a portal to others spaces in Abaco Islands, a place to get oriented and grab some supplies, but this town is a worthy destination in its own right. Why?

MARSH HARBOUR IS LOCATED NEAR SOME COOL PLACES
If you rent a car, and, yes, you can easily do so in Marsh Harbour, you could drive to Cherokee Sound, a village of about 150 residents, where men go hunting for sharks in the dark of night and hunt wild boar in the light of day, in the neighboring hills. History buffs will be chuffed to learn that these hearty folks are descendants of loyalists to Britain who left America more than 200 years ago.

BUY SOME ART, AFTER SIPPING A DECLICIOUS COLD BREW
You can drive your car for about 30 miles south from Marsh Harbour to a lovely white-sand beach where you can sift sand through your toes before heading to Pete’s Pub and Gallery where the beer is frosty cold and the art that hangs on the wall is for sale. Oh, and there are tasty and fresh fish sandwiches on offer – and authentic punch that will stop in your tracks.

AND YOU DON’T HAVE TO LEAVE MARSH HARBOUR…
Locals will tell you that the best snorkelling in the area is at Mermaid Reef and Beach and they would be right: The waters are clear and moray eels gracefully glide by, along with glittering schools of Angel Fish. When you tire of the sublime happening that is snorkelling, a reef-free beach invites you to frolic.

FROM WIGGLING YOUR TOES IN SAND TO SLIDING INTO EVENING SANDALS
There is just something about sitting at a smartly set table enjoying a conch bisque that will be followed by creamy curried shrimp while looking forward to a Bahamian bread pudding with, yes, brandy sauce: And Wally’s is but one of the memorable dining experiences to be had in Marsh Harbour.

I WONDER WHAT KIND OF BIRD THAT IS
We live among birds wherever we are, be they glistening black crows or dainty finches or magnificent owls, and how intriguing it can be to learn about the birds that grace the places we visit: In Marsh Harbour, a guy named Reggie will meet you in the morning, lend you a pair of binoculars and introduce you to some parrots and other new friends. Lucayan Nature Tours.

MARSH HARBOUR IS A GREAT PLACE TO RENT A BOAT
As you might expect, Marsh Harbour is home to several boat rental agencies: You will find what you are looking for, from a luxurious boat that easily boards 12 adults and comes with a seasoned captain ready to take you to surreal snorkelling spots to a 21-foot fishing craft perfect for taking your family for a spin.

Marsh Harbour is an outstanding base for exploring its surroundings and returning to the comfort of amenities like delicious meals and shops each evening: You can even pick your own eggplant at Abaco Neem farm, a far cry from your local Whole Foods. Marsh Harbour, the one-stop sign town that makes an impression.

Florida Keys: The name has come to reflect a state of mind, an almost ethereal oasis that frees the mind of troubled thoughts and calls out to the child in all of us. If you have actual children who will accompany you and your inner child to the Keys, consider these 5 resorts that have made a name for themselves in pleasing the entire family – yes, even the teenager.

THE SANTA MARIA SUITES 

Should you be a fan of Ernest Hemingway, you will recognize the above photo of his home during his time in Florida Keys, where you can take a peak of his recipe for the humble hamburger, titled as “Papa’s Favourite Hamburger” in a volume named “Variations on the theme of ground beef…” And what, you may ask, does this have to do with The Santa Maria Suites?

Well, should you stroll down Louisa Street just as you leave said resort, you will, in a scant 12 minutes, be standing in front of this historical home: The Santa Maria Suites vibrate with historic charm and sit just one block from Duval Street, which connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Trip Advisor ranks this outstanding resort as number 14 of the top 25 hotels in America: You can enjoy healthful smoothies at the poolside, get Zen in the garden sanctuary, put your wicked knife skills to work in your gourmet kitchen and sink into the Keys way of living for a while.

Link: The Santa Maria Suites

HAWKS CAY RESORT

Should your family wish for no-holds-barred fun in a remote location where the historic Keys takes a backseat to the lets-go-to-the-pirate-ship-pool Keys, the Hawks Cay Resort is just the thing.

Your teenager will be intrigued by the Teen Lounge where she will find new friends from places scattered across the globe, while your 7-year-old will want to spend considerable time getting to know his new friends the adorable dolphins. You will revel in the luxury of the 5,000 square feet spa, where you can rejuvenate after a family game of hoops at the basketball court.

The Hawks Cay Resort is really a village that has been built for the pleasure of young families: You can sip on a key lime cooler at the Beach Grill while watching iguanas play in nearby foliage – or while watching your teenager try kite boarding for the first time. You really cannot help but lose yourself in the myriad ways to enjoy the ocean at this celebrated resort.

Link: Hawk Cay Resort

TRANQUILITY BAY

Tranquility Bay offers your family the simplicity of luxury and the seduction of privacy. Imagine waking up in a beach house on the Gulf of Mexico, where the brilliant white sand of a 2.5-kilometer beach reaches out to meet alluring turquoise water. A gourmet kitchen provides you will everything you need to feed your family a healthful breakfast before heading out for the first swim of the day.

The world slows down at Tranquility Bay, whether you are sea kayaking as the sun dances on the water’s surface, learning about how environmentalism and the Keys intersect on an eco tour, sitting on your balcony with a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc or enjoying an excellent dining experience at the Butterfly Café.

Link: Tranquillity Bay

THE CASA MARINA RESORT

The Casa Marina Resort is the kind of place where you can say, “Meet me at the octopus at the beach, the one made of sand that is wearing a tiny hat and glasses.”

This resort brings you the best of frolicking in the Gulf of Mexico as well as all that Duval Street offers, its atmosphere of historic Key’s culture blending with a hip vibe not unlike that of Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Located on the largest private beach in the Florida Keys, 1,100 feet of which is reserved for resort guests, the Casa Marina Resort offers diving on America’s only living barrier reef, imaginative sand sculpting workshops and simplicity of elegance in its amenities and accommodations.

Link: Casa Marina Resort

CHEEKA LODGE AND SPA

At Cheeka Lodge and Spa, your children just might want to spend the afternoon at the delightful Camp Cheeka, perhaps casting a line off the docks, exploring the beach or fleshing out their scavenger-hunting skills, while you stretch out on a lounge chair on the beach with that book that you have wanted to read for a year – sans a moment of guilt.

You might begin the day as a family doing yoga as the sun rises on the beach, before cycling around the island. Or perhaps you’ll allow your teenager an hour at the X-box arcade while you explore a folk art gallery.

This is a resort – nay, oasis – where the designers and staff get kids and knows just how important your time with your family is to you.

Link: Cheeka Lodge and Spa

They say if you put your ear to a seashell anywhere on this planet, and listen ever so carefully, you will hear the sounds of Florida Keys. Stay at one of the above resorts and experience the sounds – without the seashell.

The Florida Keys wraps itself around you, lulling you into a blissful state as you pull up a stool at a tiki bar to order a key-lime martini as the sun slowly falls from a sky that looks as if it were painted by Monet, and as you begin to think about the parrotfish you will see as you lazily snorkel over coral reefs come morning. Ah.

But the Keys are not always about solitary quiet pleasures: On the last Wednesday of July, at precisely 12:01 AM, when moonbeams are dancing on inky waters, the annual mini lobster season begins, which means that until 12:00 midnight on Thursday, you can morph into a lobsterer.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission invite novices and experts alike to experience the joy of lifting a net out of Florida waters with a Florida Spiny lobster dancing inside it – and up to 60,000 snorkelers and divers will head to the Keys to catch their dinner with their own hands. Are you in?

THE LOBSTER INFORMATION BOOTH

Aspiring lobsterers should head to the Lobster Information Booth in Key Largo where friendly workers from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission can tell you everything that you ever wanted to know about catching the Florida Spiny lobster, including how to use a tickle stick to coax the bashful “bug” (this is Florida Keys-speak for lobster) out of its hiding place.

THE LOBSTER PALOOZA EVENT

Bahia Honda State Park holds a family-friendly event aptly named Lobster Palooza where you can learn about the upcoming mini-season – the palooza is held annually on the Tuesday before the mini season begins – and even touch a Spiny lobster who is lounging around in a tank, or take an official tour of a Coast Guard vessel. The excellent demonstrations on how to catch a Spiny lobster are a must-see.

THE BASICS

As are many of the true pleasures in this life, lobstering in the Florida Keys is simple: You only need a net, a tickle stick, and your trusty mask and snorkel to land a Florida Spiny lobster. You should also be in reasonably good health, as swimming down to meet the bug of your choice behind a rock requires holding your breath, using your arm muscles to hold and move a net and climbing in an out of a boat.

CHOOSING A BOAT

The 48-hour length of the mini season means that there is a buzz in the air, the kind of communal excitement that rouses up when a group of human beings are about to do something usual, and memorable, together. It is important to keep your wits about you and not fall victim to mini season mania; this means hiring a boat with a serious captain who has the appropriate licenses, regulation lifejackets and other safety equipment on board.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Shrugging off the trappings of who you are – perhaps a stay-at-home mom with a rambunctious two-year-old or a marketing manager for a firm of optometrists – and sliding into the waters of the Florida Keys, lobstering net in hand, to seek out a Spiny lobster as it lies chameleon-like on a coral reef is freeing: You will feel like 8-year-old again. And you can do it all over again just as soon as it is over – you are legally permitted to take 6 of these soon-to-be delicious creatures.

After your adventure, you will hopefully have 6 spiny lobsters to cook – and clean: You will find plenty of charter boats who will take care of your catch for you, packaging it for freezing or cooking. Why not bring your catch to a local restaurant and have them grill the tails and whip up some cilantro/lime butter? You can savour each delectable bite as you remember the sweet thrill that crept up your spine when you first saw it on the ocean floor.

USEFUL LINKS

Show and Tell: A YouTuber Shares Her Key West Lobstering Experience

The Florida Wildlife and Conservation Commission on Lobster

Fly Air Unlimited Charter Flights

Grill Your Lobster Tails like a Chef