Playa Largo is a tropical sanctuary in the Upper Keys
I daydream this time of year of skipping off to the Caribbean while Greenville succumbs to the yellow haze of pollen and temperatures that ping-pong daily. But after visiting Key Largo, Florida, the vision has narrowed: take me to Playa Largo.
The resort sprawls across 14 acres of aqua blue waterfront, and because it faces west, sunsets are nothing short of spectacular. It was once America’s largest pineapple plantation, and the property has preserved much of its natural subtropical setting. I signed up for an eco-tour to learn more about its biodiversity and got to see beach morning glory in bloom (it’s an evergreen vine known to help stabilize sand dunes). But the island’s most invasive species is hard not to love: Playa Largo is covered in iguanas.
The native iguanas are massive and striped and super friendly, lounging by the pool like paying guests, falling out of trees when they lose their balance. My phone is full of iguana photos from the trip, and guests of all ages fawn over them. There are smaller lizards too, brown and green anoles, and a curly tailed variety. If you can believe it, the reptiles were imported to The Keys in the 1940s to curb pests ravaging sugar cane fields.
A nightly celebration, called Eventide, toasts the day’s transition to night. Cocktails are built into fresh pineapples and there’s live music. At sunset, guests are invited to write their worries on little slips of paper and drop them in an iron bowl. It’s lit on fire and kayaked into the Florida Bay, where the ashes are carried up into the night sky.
Lowkey vibes at Key Largo
Key Largo has a different vibe than Key West, with its day tourists and partygoers. It’s a place to relax, to play in the water, and nourish body and soul. Playa Largo’s footprint includes private balcony rooms across four buildings, a row of full-service bungalows called The Hammocks, and one luxurious three-bedroom beach house. I attended a cocktail party around its private oceanfront pool, and we topped off the night with s’mores on the beach via our own chiminea set into the sand for the evening. Playa Largo’s staff goes all out to create personalized occasions like these.
The water in the Upper Keys is warm, shallow, and crystal clear, identical to a Caribbean experience but without the hassle of leaving the US and getting through customs. It’s a blast to walk as far as you want half-submerged, looking for starfish, tarpon, clusters of little silver needlefish, and Florida’s famous manatees. Parts of the resort have steps that lead right into the ocean, and it’s a trip. Little kids literally squeal to jump again and again into the crystal sea.
At the private marina, there’s snorkeling gear, paddleboards, and sea kayaks; this is also where you book parasailing and catamaran adventures. If you sail onboard with Captain Lolly, you’re in for a real treat.
A luxe spa on property is aptly named Ocean, and the resort’s four restaurants feature an abundance of local seafood. Once you have lunch poolside at Sand Bar, it’s hard to go elsewhere, though breakfast is a gorgeous spread at La Marea. Make sure to pick an evening to reserve The Sol By the Sea Water Table Experience. Dining on fresh Florida seafood with your feet in the water at sunset is a vision I will long remember.
Photography courtesy of Playa Largo.
