‘Bloodline,’ Starring the Upper Florida Keys

by Christine Bord
Last updated: 10:00 PM ET, Tue June 7, 2016

New episodes of Netflix's binge-worthy drama "Bloodline" have finally dropped. The series features Kyle Chandler, Linda Cardellini, Sissy Spacek and Ben Mendelsohn, but the real stars of the show are the Upper Florida Keys.

Filmed entirely in Islamorada and the Keys nearby, "Bloodline" follows the Rayburn family as their oldest sibling comes home, bringing the family's "secrets and scars" back with him.

The series' most frequented location is the family's beloved inn, The Rayburn House, played by the idyllic Moorings Village and Spa in Islamorada. The resort's beaches, docks, boats and porches are featured in every episode of the show. Whether they're fighting or partying, the Rayburns are usually doing so at The Moorings.

The Moorings' Beach Cafe, open to the public daily for lunch and dinner, is also featured on the show. So, if you don't want to check into a room at the spa (nightly rates in one of the resort's cottages can start as high as $1,859), you can still catch the sunset while you grab a drink or a burger on the hotel's grounds.

Of course, no series set in the Florida Keys would be complete without at least one scene set at the "gateway to the Keys," Alabama Jacks in Homestead. For "Bloodline," that shot came in the very first episode as Danny ditched the bus for a beer and a fish taco at Alabama Jacks. Accessible by boat or car, the bar and restaurant is actually best known for its conch fritters and fish sandwich.

Robbie's of Islamorada is another Florida Keys mainstay featured in one of "Bloodline's" many dock scenes. Robbie's is one of the few tourist traps along the Overseas Highway that is worth the stop. For $1 anyone can buy a bucket of fish, take it down to the docks and feed it to the Tarpon below. It's actually crazy fun and the classic Florida Keys photo op. But, be warned, the pelicans may mistake your nice shiny cell phone for a fish and try to steal it. I still have the scratches on my iPhone to prove it. Robbie's was even a hit with the cast. Linda Cardellini spent her much of her free time checking out the Keys' best tourists traps, including Robbie's.

The Caribbean Club in Key Largo is probably a spot more familiar to locals than tourists but, "Bloodline" wasn't the bar's first brush with fame. It was also featured in the 1948 Humphrey Bogart film, "Key Largo." In season one, the Rayburns shoot pool and drink beer at the club, much like its regular, real-life clientele.

Another popular joint highlighted by the series is the Green Turtle Inn in Islamorada. Fans will recognize this as the restaurant bar where Meg finally confessed she was having an affair. Frequent visitors to the Keys have probably stopped at this landmark for a meal or two. It's become so famous, it was even featured on an episode of Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives."

I dare anyone to watch "Bloodline" without dreaming of a jaunt to the Florida Keys. I know that's what I'll be doing this weekend.

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.