# Miami to Key West -- what other great stops too?



## Cathyb (Jun 24, 2007)

Southern Calif vacationer wants to drive from Miami and spend one week in Key West;  however would like a few nights along the way in interesting spots.  First time to this area and enjoy culture and seafood  -- don't lay on beaches due to skin cancers.

Floridians -- what are your favorite places on the road to Key West???


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## rreno (Jun 24, 2007)

*driving to Key West*

Keep in mind that if you travel in Sept thru Nov a lot of places close.  Last time I drove down, all be it was 10 years ago, we stop before labor day and when we came back some places were closed until Nov.  I don't know if this holds true still or not.


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## LStormont (Jun 24, 2007)

Depends on what you go for - you can go snorkeling on a glass bottom boat in Key Largo, stop by the Dolphin Research center or the Wild Bird center...


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## JLB (Jun 24, 2007)

Bahia Honda State Park is a noteworthy place, but probably not worthy of an overnight stop.  I'm not sure how many overnights you want to spend between Miami and Key West.  Because of the nature of the drive, most folks just wanna get there as quickly as they can, hopefully without having to sit for hours in stopped traffic.


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## MarkSilver (Jun 24, 2007)

What are your interests and who will be traveling with you and their ages (i.e. will you have kids with you)?


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## Docklander (Jun 24, 2007)

I did that very journey about 3 years ago and can't say that anything really caught my eye as merriting an overnight stop. I would however recomend cattamaran trips that can be taken from a number of places (Key Largo being one of them) that go to reefs a good distance from shore with really good snorkelling (that's when there haven't been any strong winds in the area which can cloud up the water quite a bit).


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## Cathyb (Jun 24, 2007)

Answers: 
1.We can spend 1,2-3 nights in various stops -- not on strict time schedule.
2. Age -- we are OLD - in our 70s. No kids with us. Snorkel if easy. Mostly enjoy walking the downtowns, historical buildings, people watching, catamarran trips, eating seafood. 
3. Looking at Feb. 2009 to go.
4. Is Key Largo a place to explore?

Thank you all for your great questions.


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## Transit (Jun 24, 2007)

Near Key largo and Islamarada ,John Pennycamp state park is a nice stop off. There is a nice Marriott nearby and a place call Theater of the sea thats interesting.lots of places to stop off and eat or buy tourist stuff.Marathon is large enough to explore but most of the ride to KeyWest is nice slow scenic ride with a few very small towns along the way.Enjoy you trip.


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## pcgirl54 (Jun 24, 2007)

You may want to try these activites in the Keys.

Dolphin Research Center
http://www.dolphins.org/visit_general_info.php

Theater By The Sea

http://www.thefloridakeys.com/theaterofthesea


John Pennekamp National Park

http://www.pennekamppark.com  You can rent a boat there.

Or you could really splurge and go here: Little Palm Island in the Keys,very private and highly rated Best of by COnde Nast and Travel & Leisure to name a few. What a place!

http://www.littlepalmisland.com/default.aspx?pageid=about


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## patty5ia (Jun 25, 2007)

How long is the drive from Miami to Key West with a couple of short stops?  And can you appreciate Key West if you only have three days?


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## rapmarks (Jun 25, 2007)

I second the glass bottom boat out of John Pennycamp State Park, Theatre of the Sea, Dolphin Research Center, Bahia Honda State Park.  It is approx. 100 miles from Key Largo to Key West, Theatre of the sea would be about 75 or 80, Dolphin Research Center is about 50, and Bahia Honda maybe 40 to 45 miles to Key West.
I would also recommend driving out 41 from Miami to Shark Valley in t he Everglades National Park (about 30 miles) and taking the tram trip and taking another stop at Everglades out of Homestead and looking around. We took the agricultural road from 41 to the Keys, It might be 991, a big casino is at the intersection of 41 and this road.


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## The Conch Man (Jun 25, 2007)

My recommendations are to stop by Robbies Marina & feed the huge Tarpon & have some breakfast at the Hungry Tarpon Restaurant which is at the same location, Mile Marker 77, Bay Side ~~ Best place to get some reasonable food with large portions & sit outside & watch the people & boats at Robbies ~~ It cost a $1 to get in & 3.00 to feed them ~~ These are huge fish ~~ When you get into Islamorada stop by the Wideworld Sportsman complex, bay side ~~ Do some shoppin & wonder around the Marina ~~ A great place to visit ~~ Maybe have some lunch next door at Islamorada Fish Company & enjoy the view of the Gulf ~~ Walk upstairs at the Worldwide Sportsman to the Zane Grey Lounge & have some fun ~~


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## Cathyb (Jun 25, 2007)

pc and everyone:  You all have been so helpful and again my thanks


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## Sea Six (Jun 25, 2007)

Little Palm Island is very exclusive, very beautiful, and very expensive.  But it would be a great place to stay overnight if you can justify the bucks.  Another very popular place you might consider is Hawk's Cay.  I think it's on Duck Key, just north of Marathon.  They have a lagoon where you can swim with the dolphins.


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## Kelsie (Jun 25, 2007)

*Key West*

The 3 hr ride from Miami to KW is great, especially if you get off and take Card Sound road.  You pay $1.00 toll, but it cuts out a lot of traffic, and Alabama Jack's is a fun stop restaurant on Card Sound.  Watch your speed going into Deer Key, speed limits are strickly inforced, because of the tiny deer.  Our favorite place to stay is Suite Dreams, on Von Phister St., away from the hustle and noise of Duval.  You can pull them up online and see how private an Inn it is.  We are going down in October for our 25th wedding anniversary to renew our vows.  Have a wonderful time.


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## rreno (Jun 25, 2007)

patty5ia said:


> How long is the drive from Miami to Key West with a couple of short stops?  And can you appreciate Key West if you only have three days?



It's about 3 hours 150 miles but at times is only 1 lane in each directions.  I have gone to key west 11 times on only 4 day trips.  Just last week I spend 1 week at Hyatt sunset harbor with our 2 kids(11 & 14) for the first time had did a lot more site seeing the I ever have, but I had the kids with.  I would suggest a bike to get around and you should get a taste of Key West.  Keep in mine sometimes its location and what's nearby and of course what you like to do.(shop,drink,eat or site see)


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## Mel7706 (Jun 26, 2007)

*Key west for the touristy things*

the rest of the keys are for relaxing, fishing, diving, etc. with the exception of things already mentioned. The Tarpon feeding is interesting along the way. There is a great family restaurant in Marathon also. Hopefully, other tuggers can give the above two locations and names.


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## pcgirl54 (Jun 27, 2007)

here are some other Key West resorts from Coastal Living Magazine:

http://www.coastalliving.com/coastal/travel/lodginganddining/article/0,14587,1594163,00.html


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## silverfox82 (Jun 27, 2007)

I'll second conch mans recomendations and add a little. Driving south from Miami on the florida turnpike it ends and becomes US1 in florida city. You have the choice of either continuing on 1 or taking card sound road, a bit longer but has Alabama Jacks on it for a decent fish sandwich and a cold beverage. Both roads converge in key largo and once again you are on us1 which will take you to KW. We always take our visitors to Robbies to feed the tarpon and pelicans, not to be missed and to see (not feed) the key deer on no name key just off of big pine key. Lunch at the no name pub is pretty good and if you drive a little past it your chances are real good to see a deer. There are a few historical sites on the ride down although the ones I've been to require some pretty good hiking with the exception of the hurricane monument in Islamorada, just a quick stop. Definately do the world wide sportsman as they have the sistership of Hemmingways "pillar" inside. It's a playground for adults and well worth a stop even if you are not interested in buying a $1000 fishing rod. Bud and Marys marina has sportfishing boats who dock between 3 and 4 pm if you want to see how the anglers did and the lazy days restaurant next door has great food.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 27, 2007)

Cathy,

If you're interested in a picnic, you can stop at Long Key State Park
 (mile marker 67.5). I think it's a $3.00 admission fee. Picnic tables front the Atlantic ocean - can't beat the water views!

For more info, see http://www.floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm


Richard


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## Timesharemogul (Jun 27, 2007)

*Re: Great Fl. Keys stops*

Cathy,
     Amongst the good advice offered, from my many many trips thru the FL Keys I offer you this advice: If there were only one place you should stop for,IMHO, it'd be to split a half of a day at the Dolphin Research Center (Grassy Key/Islamorada) and the other half at Bahia Honda... both places near Islamorada and Marathon....it's about halfway down the Keys, just northeast of Marathon and if you booked the Dolphin Encounter for a morning on your way down from Miami, you'd be done with it a few hours later, say, at latest, mid-afternoon. If it's a STOP you want, then do it there around Islamorada and head over to Bahia Honda State Park, for what National Geographic once called one of the top 10 best natural beaches. The Dolphin Encounter is reserved by telephone during the beginning of the prior month for the following month and is limited in the number of particpants. The drive to Key West from Islamorada is only about an hour and a half, save for unusual traffic. The drive from Miami to Islamorada is about 2 and a half hours.
Brian


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## rapmarks (Jun 27, 2007)

Dolphin Research Center is a really nice place to visit.  you can swim with the dolphins, or you can just watch and it is a really good experience.


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## CharlesS (Jun 28, 2007)

*Family Restaurant in Marathon?*



Mel7706 said:


> There is a great family restaurant in Marathon also. Hopefully, other tuggers can give the above two locations and names.


Yes please.  What is/are the good restaurants in Marathon.  Thanks.
Charles


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## JLB (Jun 28, 2007)

Yes, I believe you can get a fair taste of Key West in three days.  Most of it can be done by headquartering somewhere near Front and Duvall, and walking.  The Duval Crawl area is a walk.  There are plenty of food places, including the market on the east/land side of the marina where they have a deli/seafood place.  There is a nice open-air restaurant/bar/entertainment venue near there also.

The comings and goings in the marina, just sitting and watching, is entertaining.  Go out on a tall ship cruise and help hoist the sails.

When we were there,racing sailboats replaced the multi-million dollar yachts the last couple days.  It was neat to see them tack to and from their slips.

W were at the Galleon, on the Marina side, and ould spend all day there, including the giant tarpon feeding in the day-trip fishing charter slips just below our lanai.

Although touristy, the main Conch Train stop/station is at Front and Duvall and you can get to other places, say the Southernmost Point, on it.

Key West was on our destination list from the time we first started timesharing, and now we have a pin there.

Driving to the Galleon from Orlando was somewhat hectic.  We started at checkout up yonder, found a Miami-area Shells for lunch, and then got initiated into the do-not-take-anything-but-the-toll-roads-through-Miami Cub.  

Going back, again to Orlando, there was an accident that stopped traffic on the Overseas Highway for several hours.  We had planned to be back to Orlando mid-afternoon, but found ourselves at one of the world's busiest interchanges, in Melbourne, at dinnertime on a Friday.  We grabbed some Wal Mart/Murphy gas and Chic-Filet, and didn't get to Orlando until after 9:00.

Use the toll roads in SE FL and through Miami.  Consider it 10 or 20 bucks well spent.

I, too would recommend heading west from Miami, to an Everglades stop, since you have come all the way from Carlsbad.


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## MULTIZ321 (Jun 28, 2007)

Everglades National Park is huge and has 4 visitor center locations

here's the link to the Shark Valley location - http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/svdirections.htm

and to the Flamingo Vistitor Center
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/flamdirections.htm

Richard


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## ronandjoan (Jul 12, 2007)

*Where to spend a night*

We're older, like to take our time, so spent the night on the way to Key West
at  Islamorada, Casa Thorn Bed and Brakfast!  It was WONDERFUL!!!  veyr unusual  your room is out in the gardens....all are separate.  You are served breakfast outside, privately by your room....


http://www.casathorn.com

"This treasure is hidden away in a secluded, quiet, tropical atmosphere in the Florida Keys.
It is beautifully decorated in a very unique and different style!
Rates: $69 - $239 "

Pictures on web site do not do it justice I have better pics- PM me if you wish

Suggestion: get a room with the bathroom with the room - we had to go outside to a shared bathroom.


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## Cathyb (Jul 12, 2007)

wow, that sounds heavenly, thank you.  We are currently at the 'other end of the earth' in our timeshare in Kaanapali, Maui.  As I speak the ocean waves are gently breaking outside our lanai.


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## silverfox82 (Jul 12, 2007)

Timesharemogul, 2 1/2 hours to islamorada from Miami? From when I pick up my rental east of the airport to when I arrive in my timeshare in lower matacumbe key, the southernmost part of Islamorada, generally takes me an hour and a half. Conversly, lower matacumbe to key west is around 1:45 due to the strict speed restrictions on big pine key for the deer and other considerations. I had a friend who used to tend bar at holiday isle, a tourist asked her if they were halfway to Key West, she replied "I guess that pretty much depends on where you started from" LOL


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