A lot of people think there are no seasons here in the Keys. They've got it wrong, as do the snowbirds, in my humble opinion. Snowbirds come in the winter, escaping the snow, ice, and unpleasantness that comes along with those things. But they take off in the spring and totally miss out on the greatest season of all here- summer.
Summer in the Keys means flat calm water with crazy visibility, sea turtle hatchings, and storms that make one feel truly alive. Lobster season begins in the summer, and the hotter it gets, the hotter the mahi bite seems to be out on the reef.
Sure, hurricane season coincides with summer, but they're pretty rare (I've suffered through a handful in over twenty years) and you know when they're coming so you can escape with plenty of time to spare.
Summer also tends to be a time when traffic slows down and there's more room to spread out and have an area all to yourself. There are days when the sandbar is empty and the lobster hidey-holes are full.
Sure, it's hot, but that's what air conditioning is for. And the hotter it is, the more you appreciate things like a snow cone and the ocean breeze. Unlike many parts of Florida, we don't get rain every single day in the Keys. We'll go days without a drop or a cloud and on the flip side, we'll go days without a crack of sunshine, lending to great reading time and reflection.
So sure, Christmas in the Keys is unique and awesome, and Fantasy Fest is off the hook, but if you've never experienced a summer in the subtropics, consider a long weekend to try it out. That's what I did...in 1997. And I haven't looked back.