Florida Keys Trip Overview
Southern Florida is home to unique ecosystems and diverse wildlife and we will explore everything the sunshine state has to offer on this summer adventure! Visit Everglades National Park and the famous Florida Keys while participating in a variety of community service projects based on marine conservation including working with dolphins, sharks, and turtles!
Work with the largest reef restoration foundation in the world to help heal the coral reefs off the coast of southern Florida.
Participate in hands-on programs and educational learning focused on restoring coral reefs in the largest barrier reef in the continental US and third largest in the world!
Enjoy everything the beautiful Florida Keys have to offer. Kayak through the mangroves on an excursion to discover the unique flora and fauna found in this habitat—from Mangrove Tree Crabs to the Upside-Down Jellyfish, you never know what you’re going to see. You might even be joined by manatees, nurse sharks, and a wide variety of bird species!
Visit a turtle hospital dedicated to turtle rescue and rehabilitation. Meet the “patients” and learn about ongoing efforts and current research in the field. You may even have the opportunity to watch a live procedure if a turtle is going through surgery during your visit.
Go on a snorkeling trip in part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and discover a variety of colorful marine life. After learning about marine habitats and fish identification this is the perfect chance to test your knowledge and see how many different species you can identify. Finish your snorkeling adventure by relaxing on a stunning white sand beach and swimming in the turquoise water.
Complete your adventure in Southern Florida with time spent exploring the Southernmost point of the US and the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami.
This program is perfect for high school students interested in marine conservation and exploring the spectacular world of the Florida Keys while meeting like-minded peers. Our Florida Keys Middle School Service Trip is intended for 7th & 8th-grade students.
During this program, you will…
- Earn up to 25 hours of service working with the largest coral restoration foundation in the world
- Visit a sea turtle hospital and learn about efforts to protect these majestic creatures
- Go on a classic airboat ride through The Everglades and spot alligators, crocodiles, and colorful birds
- Survey coral reefs and complete marine wildlife surveys
- Enjoy a catamaran trip and snorkeling tour through colorful reefs
- Spot a variety of marine life, including colorful reef fish, whale sharks, manta rays, and more!
- Kayak through the mangroves and explore this unique ecosystem
- Relax at a beautiful beach and swim in the warm turquoise water
- Visit the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami
Trip Itinerary
DAYS 1-2: MIAMI AND EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK
Arrive in Miami and meet your fellow travelers. Your TFT staff will be ready to go with fun ice breakers and group bonding activities so everyone can get to know each other and become excited about the upcoming adventures! Visit the beautiful Everglades National Park and be amazed by the nine different ecosystems that are found here! The variety of habitats found in this part of Florida supports a unique system of plants and animal species that cannot be found anywhere else in the world! Discover for yourself how this dynamic landscape lends life to the wide variety of wildlife. This is the only place on the planet where the American Alligator and American Crocodile coexist. Go on a classic Everglades airboat ride and try to see if you can spot both in the wild! The Everglades is home to a variety of endangered species including 16 species of birds, a variety of mammals, reptiles, and plants. America’s wetland is the perfect place for adventurous travelers and nature enthusiasts!
DAY 3-5: ISLAMORADA
Welcome to the Florida Keys! Turquoise water, incredible marine life, and a vibrant atmosphere make this the perfect place to spend the next few days.
We’ll begin our service project with the largest coral restoration foundation in the world by learning about their mission at their exploration center. We’ll blend classroom learning with hands-on time in the water visiting the reefs where the foundation has restored more than 130,000 critically endangered corals back to Florida’s barrier reef since 2007!
Even though the Florida barrier reef is the third-largest in the world, it only hosts two percent of the populations of the once-dominant staghorn and elkhorn coral that it had in the 1970s. The foundation we work with has developed a method of coral “farming” that involves hanging finger-sized fragments of coral on coral trees which are then outplanted in the reef six to nine months later when the colonies have grown large enough. This has resulted in the foundation restoring 17,500 acres of reef thus far.
DAYS 6-8: KEY WEST & MARATHON
Start your morning off in iconic Key West. Stroll the colorful streets and visit the famous bouy that marks the Southernmost Point and the lowest latitude land in the continental U.S.
Venture out in the mangroves on a kayak adventure and spot a variety of wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled for manatees, nurse sharks, and other exciting creatures!
Visit the turtle hospital in Marathon and learn more about their rehabilitation and rescue efforts. Meet the turtles, and If you are lucky you may even get to witness a live procedure!
Take all of your new knowledge out to the reefs on an exciting snorkeling adventure. Spot a variety of colorful reef fish and see how many you can identify. After spending the morning snorkeling relax on Sombrero Beach, the prettiest beach in the Keys with soft white sand and turquoise water.
DAY 9-10: MIAMI
Relax on Miami’s stunning white sand beaches and go for a refreshing swim. Visit The Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Miami and enjoy special behind-the-scenes access to the aquarium to learn more about their conservation and rehabilitation efforts.
DAY 11: RETURN HOME
After experiencing some of the best diving in the world, volunteering with an important marine conservation project, and bonding with your fellow travelers it’s time to say goodbye to paradise. The memories and friendships you made will last a lifetime!
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is unique about the Florida Keys Marine Conservation trip?
Students love that they are able to have a hands-on volunteer experience that makes a huge difference! Florida Keys Marine Conservation allows for close group bonding! Our counselor’s infectious admiration for marine life uniquely complements the curiosity of our marine-loving participants. You will have the opportunity to build a close bond with your counselors, your fellow participants and even with your community service leader! Come join our Floridian adventure!
Students love that they are able to have a hands-on volunteer experience that makes a huge difference! Florida Keys Marine Conservation allows for close group bonding! Our counselor’s infectious admiration for marine life uniquely complements the curiosity of our marine-loving participants. You will have the opportunity to build a close bond with your counselors, your fellow participants and even with your community service leader! Come join our Floridian adventure!
Where do we stay on the Florida Keys Marine Conservation trip?
Students stay in centrally located, safe, and well-supervised accommodations in each city.
They are well suited to facilitating group supervision and usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
For this program, we stay at a boutique hotel in Miami and Key Largo. Accommodations are all clean, safe, and comfortable.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for a program.
Students stay in centrally located, safe, and well-supervised accommodations in each city.
They are well suited to facilitating group supervision and usually within walking distance of the main attractions. We do not use large, impersonal chain hotels on the outskirts of cities; we prefer to select smaller, family-run hotels where we establish personal relationships with the owners.
For this program, we stay at a boutique hotel in Miami and Key Largo. Accommodations are all clean, safe, and comfortable.
For safety reasons, we do not publish the names of the accommodations we use. We do not feel it is safe to publish the name of a hotel where a group of teenagers is staying abroad. After registering, participants and parents are given access to our secure parent website where you will be able to see the names of all of the accommodations for a program.
What is included on the Florida Keys Marine Conservation trip?
Tuition cost includes: ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts, some lunches (3), and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): lunches, airfare; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
Tuition cost includes: ground transportation; accommodation; chaperones and guides; program-related activities and admissions; taxes and tips; all breakfasts, some lunches (3), and dinners.
Not included in cost (this is not intended to be an exhaustive list): lunches, airfare; visas and visa application fees; personal and medical expenses; activities and admissions that are not program-related or referenced in the itinerary; beverages other than filtered water at meals; participant expenses that are outside of the program description, such as excess baggage fees and damage to hotels; expenses related to unforeseen circumstances, such as transportation strikes and natural disasters.
What is the food like on this program?
The food on this program is authentic, delicious, and a central part of the cultural travel experience.
We prioritize eating at local, authentic establishments rather than chains, encouraging students to sample the local specialties wherever we go. We fully accommodate all dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten allergies, and other restrictions.
The food on this program is authentic, delicious, and a central part of the cultural travel experience.
We prioritize eating at local, authentic establishments rather than chains, encouraging students to sample the local specialties wherever we go. We fully accommodate all dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten allergies, and other restrictions.