Pigeon Key recently became accessible via bridge again after a restoration project. There is indeed a destination at the end of the bridge, and a very historical one at that. Visiting the new Old Seven today, you’re likely to see locals using it as an exercise or walking path, running out to the end and turning around. Historical signage offers context where the path begins, and there’s another reminder of its history out on the bridge: The guardrails are made from the old railway tracks. In fact, the Highline team came down to Marathon and gave a presentation to help the Seven Mile Bridge supporters organize and fundraise.įlagler himself was from New York, and tributes to him remain. The local team of nonprofit organizations working on the cause drew inspiration and guidance from the creators of the Highline Project in New York City. The bridge is a haven for scenic walking, wildlife viewing (birds, manta rays, turtles, fish), exercise, and catching the sunset. Old Seven finally reopened last year, sporting a brand-new, 2.2-mile recreational path that leaves from Marathon and takes visitors on a journey out over the clear, bright blue water, with limitless views of the ocean and offshore islands. It took more than five years, help from multiple nonprofits, and the coordination of three levels of government to restore it. But, in need of major repairs, it closed in 2016. Once vehicular traffic was gone, Old Seven became a place of recreation – fishing, biking and walking. Old Seven has become a recreation area that stretches across the water. Not only its southwest-facing sunset views, but the ability to walk to the Old Seven Mile Bridge, a must-visit recreation area steeped in Keys history. The AAA four-diamond Isla Bella has 199 guest rooms spanning 24 waterfront acres with a private beach, five oceanfront pools, a spa, and an on-site marina where fishing charters, sunset tours, jet skis, scuba diving, and kayak rentals can all be arranged just steps from the room.īut the best perk of Isla Bella is its location. But the above resorts, all with peak-season winter room rates around $500 or more, signal that Marathon, a destination that would have laughed at fetching such prices in the past, is ready to welcome a new kind of traveler. There are still plenty of affordable lodging options in Marathon – cottages, inns and small hotels that can be had for less than $200 a night.
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Isla Bella is, however, the one that points to the destination’s future, alongside Valhalla Island Resort, a 66-acre complex being built by Bass Pro Shops Founder Johnny Morris. Isla Bella Resort, which opened in 2019, is one of the resorts bringing a more luxurious experience to the Middle Keys. There are several other lovely beach resorts in the area, such as Hawks Cay Resort and Tranquility Bay Resort, which preceded it and are owed that honor. Opened in 2019, Isla Bella Beach Resort isn’t the resort that began the change in Marathon. But when it was destroyed by Hurricane Irma in 2017, it was built back as a luxury waterfront resort. Once a local fishing community, Marathon, which is spread across more than a dozen small islands, has seen its stock rise rapidly in recent years thanks to a flurry of openings and investments that include fresh full-service resorts, revived recreational opportunities and revamped historical sites.įor a long time, a large portion of Marathon’s prized, westernmost real estate was occupied by an RV park. “But it’s a really great destination now, and there’s no shortage of things to do here anymore.” “Marathon used to be this sleepy little town with not a whole lot to do, so people blasted by it on their way down to Key West,” said Kelly McKinnon, executive director of the Pigeon Key Foundation and a Marathon resident. Think of the Florida Keys and the tried-and-true destinations of Key West, Key Largo, and maybe, if you’ve been before, Islamorada, quickly come to mind.īut in between all that, in an area known as the “Middle Keys,” a destination known as Marathon is emerging as the new place to be.
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