Marathon vacation rentals

About Marathon

Marathon is where the Keys turn family-friendly. The Turtle Hospital rescues and rehabilitates sea turtles behind the old Hidden Harbor Motel, the Dolphin Research Center on Grassy Key runs some of the most respected marine-mammal programs in the country, and Sombrero Beach gives the Middle Keys their best natural sand.

The town sits at the east end of the Seven Mile Bridge — the famous span linking the Middle and Lower Keys — and Pigeon Key, the tiny island beneath the old bridge, is reachable by foot or ferry for a postcard dose of railroad-era history. Key Largo lies 45 minutes northeast; Key West an hour southwest.

Vacation rentals in Marathon

Marathon vacation rentals center on canal-front homes with docks — boating families can keep a center console or bay boat at the back door and reach the reef or the backcountry in minutes. Key Colony Beach offers the tidiest streets; Sombrero-area homes put you near the beach.

Weekly rentals are the norm, with winter (January–March) booking furthest out. Lobster mini-season in late July is the year's hottest ticket for boaters. Many canals accommodate boats to 30+ feet with ocean access via Boot Key Harbor or the Vaca Cut — confirm draft and clearance with your host.

Things to do in Marathon

• Tour the Turtle Hospital's rescue and rehab facility
• Swim or snorkel at Sombrero Beach, the Middle Keys' best sand
• Walk or ferry to Pigeon Key under the old Seven Mile Bridge
• Meet the dolphins and sea lions at the Dolphin Research Center
• Snorkel Sombrero Reef, marked by its historic lighthouse offshore
• Drive the Seven Mile Bridge at sunset, then day-trip to Key West

Boating and family trips in the Middle Keys

Marathon balances the Keys' two worlds: reef trips offshore and calm Gulf-side backcountry in the same day. With the airport, hospital, grocery stores, and most of the Middle Keys' restaurants, it's the practical base — and the kids' programming (turtles, dolphins, easy beaches) is the best in the island chain.