Miami / Florida Keys

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PAULJ5555

Original Poster:

3,554 posts

175 months

Thursday 8th June 2017
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Off to Miami and driving the Keys soon.

Got the usual list of things to do, any advice welcome.

The Leaper

4,937 posts

205 months

Thursday 8th June 2017
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If you plan to drive from Miami to Key West I suspect that like me you will be disappointed. The stretch from Miami to the Keys is a single carriage way and heavily used so it takes ages and is boring. Travelling the Keys you expect to have a stunning drive but there's not much to see, especially of the ocean except one or two places.

Seek out Mount Trashmore at Key West....and do go the bars for meals and really good live music.

I remember going late evening to a bar at the bottom of Duval Street. The excellent lady blues guitar singer asked for requests, one of which was Bob Dylan's Knocking 0n Heaven's Door. She said the only way to appreciate listening to this was for everyone to go out to the street, for the man to lay on the ground and for his lady to be on top of him! So we all did. The police didn't blink an eye. Sums up Key West lifestyle, we think. Never to be forgotten few minutes!

R.

nutsytvr

566 posts

197 months

Thursday 8th June 2017
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PAULJ5555 said:
Off to Miami and driving the Keys soon.

Got the usual list of things to do, any advice welcome.
Try the Tamiami trail through the Everglades to Naples, and take an airboat ride on the way. Watch out for Gators on the grass verges.

Coming back up from KW you can cut across from somewhere around Homestead to the Trail.

Key West is ok, but as above, the drive there is crap.

Paul

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Thursday 8th June 2017
quotequote all
PAULJ5555 said:
Off to Miami and driving the Keys soon.

Got the usual list of things to do, any advice welcome.
Like someone else posted, it is a long way, and fairly sedate speeds, plenty of traffic and no real chance to overtake. That said, I didn't find it boring at all. Drove all the way from Miami to Key West and back in a day.

I would say, I would not however rush to return to Miami, not a very pleasant place IMO, worst part of Florida I've been too.

I did find a lovely winery however, if you fancy an alternative drive out.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/25.4850665,-80.5...

The Moose

22,821 posts

208 months

Thursday 8th June 2017
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As has been said, don't expect epic driving roads, although it's one of those bucket list drives...or at least was for me!

I decided to do it on a 1200cc Harley...in the height of summer. That was rather, well, warm...even in full air flow suit hehe

Key West can be fun. Book early for dinner at latitudes if you can get in - a few quid but well worth it!

carreauchompeur

17,830 posts

203 months

Friday 9th June 2017
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fking ace area...

A few tips in my travel blog smile

https://loquitohermoso.com/2017/03/24/the-final-ch...

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Friday 9th June 2017
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Mandat

3,879 posts

237 months

Friday 9th June 2017
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As others have already said, it's worth doing but the drive there and back is fairly long and uneventful.


The Moose

22,821 posts

208 months

Saturday 10th June 2017
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nutsytvr said:
Try the Tamiami trail through the Everglades to Naples, and take an airboat ride on the way. Watch out for Gators on the grass verges.

Coming back up from KW you can cut across from somewhere around Homestead to the Trail.

Key West is ok, but as above, the drive there is crap.

Paul
That's where I live, well, Marco not Naples. If you like beaches they aren't bad here but better a little further North in Sanibel.

irocfan

40,152 posts

189 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
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300bhp/ton said:
PAULJ5555 said:
I would say, I would not however rush to return to Miami, not a very pleasant place IMO, worst part of Florida I've been too.

I did find a lovely winery however, if you fancy an alternative drive out.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/25.4850665,-80.5...
I'd agree with both of these statements. TBH I've got less than no interest in wine but I did enjoy the whole Schnebli's experience (think we did airboats in the morning)

Hol

8,359 posts

199 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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If you do the keys, I'd stop overnight in Key Largo and get an early start down as it's still a 2 hour drive from there.

Also, KL has a dolphin sanctuary where you really get to interact with them. Much better than Discovery Cove.

nmd87

833 posts

189 months

Thursday 6th July 2017
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Hol said:
If you do the keys, I'd stop overnight in Key Largo and get an early start down as it's still a 2 hour drive from there.

Also, KL has a dolphin sanctuary where you really get to interact with them. Much better than Discovery Cove.
We did the Dolphin experience back in 2013. It was fantastic!

bakerstreet

4,755 posts

164 months

Friday 7th July 2017
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We did Orlando/Keys back in 2007. As others have said, its a long and boring drive.

Also be aware that if there is a hurricane, your operator can order you out of your hotel to an alternative Hotel. This happened to us and because its only one road, it took us hours to drive to Miami. Horrible journey.

However, we loved the keys. Its the polar opposite to plastic fantastic Orlando. Did some amazing dives there. Out of nearly 300 dives, I think it was one of the warmest dives I've ever done. 30C at 30 metres. It was amazing.

so called

9,074 posts

208 months

Friday 7th July 2017
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Funny that but I love the drive from Miami to Key West.
Some of the best layby's in the world in my opinion.



and nice places for lunch.



RammyMP

6,729 posts

152 months

Saturday 8th July 2017
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nutsytvr said:
Try the Tamiami trail through the Everglades to Naples, and take an airboat ride on the way. Watch out for Gators on the grass verges.

Coming back up from KW you can cut across from somewhere around Homestead to the Trail.

Key West is ok, but as above, the drive there is crap.

Paul
If you're driving through to Naples on the Tamiami Trail, have a drive up Turner River Road, loads of gators wandering about!