ROAD TRIP ~~ Miami to the Keys

[RedSox68]

We are taking a Cuba cruise from Miami next year in October. We have decided that post-cruise we want to drive the Keys. Since we are driving to Miami, we will have our own car.

So, anyone done it? Any tips, suggestions (like staying along the way instead of driving straight to Key West), do's & don'ts, hotel and restaurant recommendations, etc. would be most appreciated. Thanks.

 

[sk!mom]

I'm driving from Fort Lauderdale to Key West next week. I'll be following along for tips and I'll try to remember to check in after.

Currently, we have plans to stop at


Key Largo at Alabama Jack's

58000 Card Sound Rd
Key Largo, FL 33037

Florida Keys Brewing
200 Morada Way

Islamorada, Fl 33036

 

[RedSox68]

I'm driving from Fort Lauderdale to Key West next week. I'll be following along for tips and I'll try to remember to check in after.

Currently, we have plans to stop at


Key Largo at Alabama Jack's

58000 Card Sound Rd
Key Largo, FL 33037

Florida Keys Brewing
200 Morada Way

Islamorada, Fl 33036

Awesome. I hope you have a wonderful trip and yes, please check back in and let me know what you did and all. Thanks.

[Edited to add: I just saw that Alabama Jack's menu includes a dolphin dish. Is that the norm down there? I was kind of stunned by that]

 

[HopperFan]

Awesome. I hope you have a wonderful trip and yes, please check back in and let me know what you did and all. Thanks.

[Edited to add: I just saw that Alabama Jack's menu includes a dolphin dish. Is that the norm down there? I was kind of stunned by that]

Stunned they serve "dolphin"? It's not Flipper.

Likely they are serving Mahi-Mahi which is a "dolphin fish" and they listed it that way to get attention .........

 

[soccerdad72]

[Edited to add: I just saw that Alabama Jack's menu includes a dolphin dish. Is that the norm down there? I was kind of stunned by that]

As the PP said, "dolphin" is just another name for a dolphin fish, which is unrelated to the mammal.

https://www.igfa.org/species/69-dolphinfish.aspx?CommonName=69-dolphinfish.aspx

 

[aprilchem]

My son and I drove it last year when he accompanied me down there for a business trip. We got up and left around 8 am, I think, and ended up getting back to Miami late in the evening.

A couple of things I was surprised by:

• The drive is just a drive. You can't see the water all the much, as a lot of it is strip malls, fast foods, etc. There are spots to pull over and enjoy the water, but you need to find out where they are ahead of time because a lot of the waterfront seemed to be private property. There are plenty of places to eat and get gas and such.
• There are several historic landmarks on the way that my son thought was cool. He really like the hurricane monument.
• Key West is very crowded with bad traffic. There are a lot of open-air bars and it reminded me a lot of New Orleans. I wasn't really comfortable staying there with my son (who was 11 at the time) past dark, because we saw a ton of very drunk people around 4 pm and I was assuming it would get worse. We walked by an open air strip joint in the middle of the day, which I didn't expect.

All in all it was ok, but not my favorite experience.

 

[RedSox68]

Stunned they serve "dolphin"? It's not Flipper.

Likely they are serving Mahi-Mahi which is a "dolphin fish" and they listed it that way to get attention .........

Excuse my ignorance, but I have never seen it listed as dolphin on any restaurant menu I've been to so far. If it is Mahi-Mahi, then they should call it Mahi-Mahi!

 

[RedSox68]

My son and I drove it last year when he accompanied me down there for a business trip. We got up and left around 8 am, I think, and ended up getting back to Miami late in the evening.

A couple of things I was surprised by:

• The drive is just a drive. You can't see the water all the much, as a lot of it is strip malls, fast foods, etc. There are spots to pull over and enjoy the water, but you need to find out where they are ahead of time because a lot of the waterfront seemed to be private property. There are plenty of places to eat and get gas and such.
• There are several historic landmarks on the way that my son thought was cool. He really like the hurricane monument.
• Key West is very crowded with bad traffic. There are a lot of open-air bars and it reminded me a lot of New Orleans. I wasn't really comfortable staying there with my son (who was 11 at the time) past dark, because we saw a ton of very drunk people around 4 pm and I was assuming it would get worse. We walked by an open air strip joint in the middle of the day, which I didn't expect.

All in all it was ok, but not my favorite experience.

Thanks for your honest experience. For us, it's all about the drive and the historic aspects. We're not beach people, so didn't care about that anyway. I'm glad I know ahead of time though that there are strip malls along the way. I did expect it to be more "rural" per se. Thanks again.

 

[daannzzz]

We have driven down to Key West form Miami 3 times. There is a lot of water to see but not lots of beaches or places to stop. Once you are on the islands itis businesses and homes lake anywhere else but it does have a different feel to it most of the way. We have not stopped along the way for anything but lunch. In Key West we have stayed at Best Westenr Hibiscus and the Southernmost Hotel and like both of them. They are near the end of Duval street which makes it easy to walk all over, if you wish. The nothing spectacular but pleasant places to stay. The first place I stayed was the Sheraton Suites which is a bit isolated form everything but is across form a nice beach. The was a nice casual place to stay. We have done the Hemingway house and Truman House and both were very interesting. The Key West Cemetery was atmospheric as well. The Mel Fishir Maratime museum was interesting bu pretty small as was the Key West Aquarium.

 

[sonnyjane]

Excuse my ignorance, but I have never seen it listed as dolphin on any restaurant menu I've been to so far. If it is Mahi-Mahi, then they should call it Mahi-Mahi!

What it’s called varies on location. When I was in Florida it was dolphinfish or mahi. In San Diego we called it dorado. In Hawaii and here in Washington it’s mahi. http://oceana.org/marine-life/ocean-fishes/common-dolphinfish

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

We are taking a Cuba cruise from Miami next year in October. We have decided that post-cruise we want to drive the Keys. Since we are driving to Miami, we will have our own car.

So, anyone done it? Any tips, suggestions (like staying along the way instead of driving straight to Key West), do's & don'ts, hotel and restaurant recommendations, etc. would be most appreciated. Thanks.

Allow yourself more time than you think you need. Unfortunately, for much of the drive, you don't get a view of much. Often the view is obstructed by residential or commercial development. But often all you'll see are bushes. So find out where you can go see the views ahead of time and make a point to go see them. That said, don't feel like you need to go see every single view. Though not identical, they're going to be fairly similar. You're on Islands or bridges surrounded by water. So that view that's out of your way could probably be skipped and won't be missed. Parts of the old 7 mile bridge are open for walking and biking. The views in and around that area are nice.
There are plenty of places for Gas and food along the way, so that should not be an issue. What is an issue are is that there are some good places and not so good.
Key West. People expect this quaint little place. And I suppose compared to Miami or another big city, it is. But it's busy, can be very crowded, and at times can feel like you're back in he city, just on a smaller scale.

 

[Wendy31]

Excuse my ignorance, but I have never seen it listed as dolphin on any restaurant menu I've been to so far. If it is Mahi-Mahi, then they should call it Mahi-Mahi!

There's a restaurant where we sometimes eat in St. Augustine, FL, & they list their daily specials on a chalkboard at the front of the restaurant. And, many times, one of their specials is "dolphin".

The first time I saw it, I was shocked as well... "I'm not eating Flipper!", until DH told me that it was mahi. And, just like you, I said, "Well, they should just call it mahi, then!"

It's on my bucket list to drive to the Keys!! I want to eat a slice of Key Lime Pie in Key West & celebrate the sunset, & I want to drive across the 7-Mile Bridge in a convertible!

 

[RedSox68]

We have driven down to Key West form Miami 3 times. There is a lot of water to see but not lots of beaches or places to stop. Once you are on the islands itis businesses and homes lake anywhere else but it does have a different feel to it most of the way. We have not stopped along the way for anything but lunch. In Key West we have stayed at Best Westenr Hibiscus and the Southernmost Hotel and like both of them. They are near the end of Duval street which makes it easy to walk all over, if you wish. The nothing spectacular but pleasant places to stay. The first place I stayed was the Sheraton Suites which is a bit isolated form everything but is across form a nice beach. The was a nice casual place to stay. We have done the Hemingway house and Truman House and both were very interesting. The Key West Cemetery was atmospheric as well. The Mel Fishir Maratime museum was interesting bu pretty small as was the Key West Aquarium.

Thank you for the great hotel tips. I'm expecting much of it to feel "touristy" in places, but that's okay. My husband so wants to see Hemingway House and eat at Sloppy Joes LOL

Allow yourself more time than you think you need. Unfortunately, for much of the drive, you don't get a view of much. Often the view is obstructed by residential or commercial development. But often all you'll see are bushes. So find out where you can go see the views ahead of time and make a point to go see them. That said, don't feel like you need to go see every single view. Though not identical, they're going to be fairly similar. You're on Islands or bridges surrounded by water. So that view that's out of your way could probably be skipped and won't be missed. Parts of the old 7 mile bridge are open for walking and biking. The views in and around that area are nice.
There are plenty of places for Gas and food along the way, so that should not be an issue. What is an issue are is that there are some good places and not so good.
Key West. People expect this quaint little place. And I suppose compared to Miami or another big city, it is. But it's busy, can be very crowded, and at times can feel like you're back in he city, just on a smaller scale.

Do you think 7 days is enough to go round trip to Key West and still have time to see everything? Our Cuba cruise stops at Key West also, but we were thinking of trying to get to Tortuga by ferry.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Thank you for the great hotel tips. I'm expecting much of it to feel "touristy" in places, but that's okay. My husband so wants to see Hemingway House and eat at Sloppy Joes LOL



Do you think 7 days is enough to go round trip to Key West and still have time to see everything? Our Cuba cruise stops at Key West also, but we were thinking of trying to get to Tortuga by ferry.

7 days is more than enough yes. You probably won't get to see every single solitary little thing. But you won't miss what little you missed. Yes do dry Tortuga. It's a cool trip. The first time we went out to the keys, we tried to do it in one day and had to turn back because we weren't going to make it all the way out to Key West and all the way back. Yeah. We stopped at every little view not having determined where we were going to stop before hand.

 

[ols386]

Thank you for the great hotel tips. I'm expecting much of it to feel "touristy" in places, but that's okay. My husband so wants to see Hemingway House and eat at Sloppy Joes LOL
Do you think 7 days is enough to go round trip to Key West and still have time to see everything? Our Cuba cruise stops at Key West also, but we were thinking of trying to get to Tortuga by ferry.

We went to Tortuga on a tour boat. I remember for a stretch, going through a channel (not sure of the name), but it was extremely rough waters, and a few people got sea sick. Once we got through the channel, the water wasn’t as rough. So if you are inclined to suffer from sea sickness, take some kind of anti-sea sickness pills before you head out.

 

[OhMari]

We stayed in Marathon. There is a /turtle/dolphin hospital that rehabitates in Marathon. We rented a house/condo really cheap. 3 bedroom/3 bathroom. The refrigerator smelled a little fishy since many people stay there and do charter fishing. We kayaked in the Mangrooves and the guide ended up being from our hometown.

 

[ronandannette]

We are taking a Cuba cruise from Miami next year in October. We have decided that post-cruise we want to drive the Keys. Since we are driving to Miami, we will have our own car.

So, anyone done it? Any tips, suggestions (like staying along the way instead of driving straight to Key West), do's & don'ts, hotel and restaurant recommendations, etc. would be most appreciated. Thanks.

We did this very same thing a couple of years ago before a cruise - it was an excellent trip. My #1 piece of advice would be book a hotel ASAP if you already know your dates. It was shockingly hard to find accommodation a month or so out, even at a relatively low-season (we went in early November). We ended up staying on Islamorada, which was OK, but not really what we had in mind. We drove all the way down to Key West in one shot and then back up again and spent the night. It's an easy drive and leaving from Islamorada the morning of our cruise had us back to Ft. Lauderdale in plenty of time.

 

[sonnyjane]

We did this very same thing a couple of years ago before a cruise - it was an excellent trip. My #1 piece of advice would be book a hotel ASAP if you already know your dates. It was shockingly hard to find accommodation a month or so out, even at a relatively low-season (we went in early November). We ended up staying on Islamorada, which was OK, but not really what we had in mind. We drove all the way down to Key West in one shot and then back up again and spent the night. It's an easy drive and leaving from Islamorada the morning of our cruise had us back to Ft. Lauderdale in plenty of time.

Especially now that there are many resorts/hotels that have still not reopened after last year’s big hurricane. I was there in February (drive down from Ft. Lauderdale) and there was still a lot of damage and debris along the roads (boats, trailers, etc.) but they work quickly so undoubtedly they’ve made more progress since then.

 

[JaxDad]

I made the trip many times back in the day, then again last year with my kids. It was very fun. There are a lot of things to do and see, depending on your interests. This website was very helpful:

http://www.floridarambler.com/florida-destinations/florida-keys-roadtrip-mile-marker-guide/

 

[bballmom56]

We are in Key West right now. We have done the drive from Miami 2-3 times, and now we fly in and out directly.

The Dry Tortugas trip is great. Just be aware that it has become very popular. As of now, the first availability for two people is June 16, two weeks from today. So you would need to book it in advance. I'm not sure how many nights you would plan to stay in KW, but the Dry Tortugas trip would take up one full day. You have to check in for the boat at 7 am and you arrive back at 5:15 pm. Breakfast and lunch are served on the ferry.

As for KW, there are so many places to explore other than Duval St. As soon as you are one block off of it, the atmosphere changes. There are lots of neighborhoods with some amazing restaurants. It's well worth getting off the beaten path. Since you will have a car, I would say just plan on parking it at your hotel or B & B, and either walk, rent bikes, or use the Duval Loop bus to get around. We did the Hemingway House tour for the third time a couple of days ago and had the best tour guide this time. He was so passionate about the subject of Hemingway, his relationship with KW, and the cats! You may also want to add to your list the Truman Little White House, the Butterfly Conservatory, the Lighthouse, Fort Zachary Taylor park (just visited it for the first time yesterday and it was beautiful), the US Coast Guard Cutter Ingham which is now a museum and you can tour the ship, go to the Sunset Celebration in Mallory Square which is held very evening. Duval St. is usually busy and yes in the evening you can encounter people who have over indulged, but we have never had a problem. We were out til after 11 pm each night and never felt unsafe. There are some very cool local art shops and book stores to explore.

We have been here 8 or 9 times and we still have things to do and restaurants we want to try that we have not been able to get to!