Cruise over the coral reef in Key Largo

KEY LARGO, Fla. -- For those who haven't been there, the name Key Largo probably brings to mind Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Edward G. Robinson and a hotel full of gangsters waiting out a hurricane with booze and gunplay.

But once you get to Key Largo, those black-and-white movie images are wiped out by the rainbow of reality: The turquoise sea, the green mangroves, and the brilliant colors of tropical fish and other marine life found in the only contiguous coral barrier reef in North America.

The reef is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, just 3 miles from the shores of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. You can reach the reef via a glass-bottom boat called the "Spirit of Pennekamp" that departs from the park three times a day.

Most of us have, at some point in our travels, been let down by the promise of a natural wonder that did not fulfill expectations -- a whale-watching cruise where a black dot amid distant waves was the sole whale sighting, or a wildlife trail where you were lucky to see a squirrel

Snorkel or scuba in reef

But Key Largo's coral reef does not disappoint. Although the reef is 20 feet below the surface of the water, the coral and fish appear magnified, as if they are right beneath the glass, which juts down into the water in a V shape. My two young children and everyone else on board were spellbound for the hour the boat hovered above the reef for what appeared to be close-ups of the marine life. We saw yellow-and-black striped Sargent Major fish, blue hamlets, angelfish, barracudas, and the occasional green moray or turtle swimming by. The coral and seagrass in various shapes and colors swayed dreamily with the waves. It was like looking at the most beautiful tropical aquarium we'd ever seen, only it was real.

Of course, serious scuba fans and reef-seekers who are world travelers may scoff; Key Largo's reef is not exactly like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. But part of the attraction of Key Largo's reef is its accessibility. Snorkel and scuba trips to the reef are available from any of the local dive shops, but the glass-bottom boat was an affordable and easy alternative for me and my children.

Key Largo was a simple day trip from the Ford Lauderdale area.

We walked the short trails along the shores of the park, which showcase the mangrove swamps and hardwood hammocks that once thrived all along the Florida coast, and we enjoyed spotting the many egrets lined up like statues to watch our boat pass through the narrows that connect the shores of the park to the open sea.

From Pennekamp Park, we headed to the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center in Tavernier, a couple miles south of Key Largo, arriving just in time for the 3:30 p.m. feeding of the pelicans. Every day, a few buckets of fish are thrown out to supplement the diets of wild brown pelicans who live in the area, and the birds -- somewhat prehistoric looking with their long, flat, clapping beaks and plodding waddle -- come by the hundreds in hopes of getting in on the handout. You can volunteer to help give the fish out, but be forewarned: This is not a job for the squeamish, as the birds can get aggressive and the fish are not particularly pleasant to touch or smell.

Even when surrounded by the splendors of nature, sometimes kids want to climb and swing, so we also spent some time at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier, which features a swimming beach and picnic areas in addition to a nice playground.

Naturally fish restaurants abound on Key Largo, but like a lot of children with unsophisticated palates, mine don't like fish. So we compromised and had supper at Sushi Nami, a Japanese restaurant where I feasted on sushi and sashimi while they had chicken teriyaki. We dined at a low table, seated on cushions on the floor, with our shoes off, but if that doesn't sound like fun to you, there are also regular tables, chairs and a sushi bar.

Other activities in the Key Largo area include fishing excursions, biking and expensive "swimming with the dolphins" programs at any of several research centers.

For us, the reef, the birds and the sea made for a perfectly magical outing that was easy to find, easy on the wallet and easily as memorable as the movie. But if a visit to the real Key Largo doesn't shake your head free of the Hollywood version, stop in for a drink at a local bar called the Caribbean Club. Some of the scenes from the movie were shot there.

If you go

GETTING THERE: Take the Florida Turnpike south to Homestead/Florida City, then U.S. 1 to Route 1. Key Largo is a two-hour drive from the Delray Beach-Boca Raton area, about 90 minutes from Fort Lauderdale and just an hour from Miami. Route 1, also known as the Overseas Highway, meanders through the series of barrier-reef islands that make up the Keys; Key West is 113 miles southwest of Key Largo. Finding any site along Route 1 is easy because the road is marked with mile numbers.

JOHN PENNEKAMP STATE PARK: Mile marker 102.5. Swimming, camping, hiking, canoe and kayak rentals, boat trips. "Spirit of Pennekamp" glass-bottom boat tours depart at 9:15 a.m., 12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m.; the trip is 2 1/2 hours long. Tickets are $20 for adults, $12 for children under 12. For reservations, call (305) 451-6300. Snorkeling trips from the park leave at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m.; adults are $26.95, children under 18 are $21.95. Scuba trips are $41 per person and leave at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Equipment rentals are available; there are also numerous dive shops outside the park. For more information, visit www.floridastateparks.org/pennekamp/ or call (305) 451-1202.

FLORIDA KEYS WILD BIRD CENTER: Mile marker 93.6. Call (305) 852-4486 or visit www.fkwbc.org. Open sunrise to sunset, daily. Arrive early for a parking spot for the 3:30 p.m. daily pelican feeding; $5 donation requested per car.

CARIBBEAN CLUB: Mile marker 104. Bar where some scenes for "Key Largo" movie were filmed; (305) 451-4466.

SUSHI NAMI: Mile marker 99.5. Platter of sushi, sashimi and tempura, $16.95; chicken teriyaki off the children's menu, $5.95; (305) 453-9798.

HARRY HARRIS PARK: Mile marker 92.5; turn on Burton Drive and drive to the waterfront, about a quarter-mile.

GUIDEBOOK: "Hidden Florida Keys & Everglades," by Candace Leslie, is an easy-to-use guide to the area (Ulysses Press, $13.95).

INFORMATION: Contact www.fla-keys.com or (800) FLA-KEYS.