Amenities:
1,100-foot white-sand beach, lined with palm trees
525-foot wooden trademark fishing pier
Avanyu Spa, with lap pool, fitness studio, and treatment rooms
High Speed Internet Access in your Room
Four Jacuzzis throughout the property
Award-winning Atlantic's Edge restaurant and Curt Gowdy Lounge
Ocean Terrace Grill and poolside patio
Two heated swimming pools
Saltwater lagoon stocked with marine life
A variety of water sports including parasailing, windsurfing, kayaking, and sailing
On-site snorkeling trips and other excursions
Backcountry and deep-sea charter fishing trips
Camp Cheeca for kids ages 4 to 12
A host of complimentary activities to provide you with an unforgettable "Keys" experience
Six lighted tennis courts, and tennis lessons provided by professionals
Jack Nicklaus-designed par-three, nine-hole golf course, and golf lessons provided by professionals
Meeting facilities including a 4,200-square-foot conference center
27 acres of lush, landscaped gardens
Sport shop offering Cheeca logo apparel, jewelry, specialty coffees, snacks, magazines, and sundries
Full-service concierge
Several great restaurants within walking distance
Unique, Florida Keys-style shops within walking distance
Home of the annual George Bush-Cheeca Lodge Bonefish Tournament
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For your convenience, the resort's most popular activities and amenities inclusive with one daily resort fee of $39 per room. See our Fees page for a detailed listing of activities paid for by this daily fee.
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Activities and Nearby Attractions or Points of Interest:
Popular Dive Sites in the Upper Keys
Alligator Reef
Featuring some of the most popular reef dive sites in Islamorada, this incredible reef is marked by a 136-foot lighthouse that was built in 1873 to commemorate the wreck of a Navy schooner. The reef is intermittently sliced with canyon-like channels, called the Gullies, that shelter endless schools of fish in depths from five to 60 feet. Guests to Alligator Reef witness a variety of grunts, porkfish, and morays, as well as the occasional, inevitably curious, barracuda.Cheeca Rocks
Straight out from Cheeca's namesake resort, the Rocks are the largest of the inshore patch reefs. Ideal for snorkelers, this shallow reef covers several acres, and offers a variety of dive sites in waters with depths ranging from 12 to 15 feet. Known for their diverse marine life, the Rocks host colorful parrotfish, queen triggers, and graceful angelfish, not to mention frequent visitors like spotted rays and schools of tarpon and snook. The Eagle
Sunk as part of the artificial reef system in 1985, this 287-foot freighter lies in 65 to 110 feet of water on its starboard side and gives divers four decks and a cavernous hold to explore. Home to a spectacular array of marine life, this is one of the most popular dive sites in all of the Keys. Night Dives to Davis Reef
In depths of 25 feet, this coral ledge runs for approximately 300 yards and is famous for its moray eels that greet all divers. Hens and Chickens
Southeast of Snake Creek Pass, marked with a 35-foot tower and buoy No. 40 on Hawk Channel, lies a beautiful patch reef system named for its unusual coral head formations. With over 10 popular dive sites, the system varies in depths from virtually nothing to over 20 feet. The reef comprises layered star coral heads that are accented with brain corals, seafans, and sponges. Inhabitants include grey snapper, blue stripe grunts, and an occasional docile nurse shark. The USS Spiegel Grove
A Landing Ship Dock (LSD 32),which is now the largest vessel ever intentionally sunk as an artificial reef. The vessel is 510 feet in length and 84 feet wide. She resides at a depth of 130 feet near Dixie Shoals in Key Largo-lying on her starboard side. About 400 feet of the ship's length is accessible at a depth of 48-50 feet. Most of the Spiegel Grove can be explored at depths of 50-85 feet. Fishing Calendar
January: Sailfish are to be found around the reefs and cobia near Hawk Channel. Kingfish numbers peak in the latter part of the month. February: Sailfish, kingfish, blackfin tuna, and amberjack run offshore, and shrimp run on the outgoing tide through the channels. March: Sailfish and kingfish decline, while tuna and amberjack increase. Dolphin and wahoo appear. Backcountry bonefish, permit, and tarpon come in. Snook season opens. April: Offshore, dolphin, and marlin increase. Tarpon, snook, and bonefish remain in the backcountry. May: Dolphin, tuna, and amberjack are plentiful late in the month. Blue marlin, white marlin, and giant bluefin tuna appear. Tarpon and bonefish peak in the backcountry, along with redfish and snook. June: The best time of year for dolphin, marlin, wahoo, shark, and bonefish is the month of June. Sailfish and tarpon begin to taper off. Tarpon remain active. July: Dolphin and marlin remain offshore. Warmer waters bring less tarpon, but snapper and grouper are still consistent. Trout move farther out in the backcountry. August: Offshore fishing is still excellent in early morning and evening hours. Backcountry tarpon and tailing bonefish are excellent at dawn and dusk. September: Bonefish increases again as amberjack and shark return. Dolphin declines, wahoo returns. Big yellowtail is be found on the reefs, as a variety of snappers increase. Backcountry snook re-opens. October: Permit and bonefish are at their best as dolphin and marlin return. Grouper and snapper are to be found in deep holes. Sharks increase both offshore and in the backcountry. November: Sailfish and kingfish return with cooler weather; dolphin and marlin are on the decline. Tarpon and bonefish taper off, while mutton snapper increases. December: Sailfish peak at the end of the year. Kingfish are numerous offshore, and in the backcountry, trout, redfish, jack crevalle, and blacktip shark dominate.
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Additional Information:
Cheeca Lodge & Spa is located in Islamorada, Florida, on Upper Matecumbe Key, which lies on the Atlantic side of the Overseas Highway (U.S. Highway 1), 75 miles south of Miami, at Mile Marker 82. There are daily domestic and international flights into Miami International Airport and limited daily commercial flights into Marathon Airport, 30 miles to the south. Also available: the Island City Flying Service air terminal at Marathon (for private aircraft and charters only).From Miami International Airport
(Approximately one hour, 30 minutes) When leaving the airport, get in the far right lane. Take the far right exit, marked "LeJeune Road/836 West Coral Gables."
Stay in the far right lane as you exit onto LeJeune Road. Take the right lane of LeJeune Road just over a half mile, going through two stoplights. Watch for a right-hand entrance marked "836 West."
Take 836 West (the ramp is on the right), and stay on 836 West until you reach the Florida Turnpike south - 8.3 miles.
Exit onto the Florida Turnpike, south, and continue until the turnpike ends - approximately 25.6 miles.
The turnpike empties onto U.S. Highway 1 in Florida City, at the entrance to the Florida Keys. Stay on U.S. Highway 1, heading south until you reach Cheeca Lodge, in Islamorada, at mile marker 82.
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