If you ever get to visit Miami I recommend you to go to Key West. If you don’t have a car, I recommend you do rent one. Plan at least two days for the trip and leave early in the morning with the first daylight. The drive depends on where are you staying, is about 3,5 hours to Key West. If there is holiday traffic it can take you up to 5 or 6 hours. There are also a lot of tours to Key West available, either by bus, plane, boat or helicopter. The tours have different price ranges and come with different tour packages. I always drove to Key West. You can stop wherever you want and do what you want.
Another reason to get early to Key West is to get actually parking close to where you would like to go. If you stay overnight, you are fine with the hotel parking lot (assuming it’s in old Key West). The parking lots fill up quickly and later on you will have to use the more expensive options to park-like at the parking garages of hotels.
The drive to Key West on the Overseas Highway is amazing. You will drive over a lot of bridges and through the different keys before you arrive in Key West. Sometimes there will be bridges right next to the highway. These bridges used to be for the railroad. Now they serve either as a pathway for pedestrians or not used anymore. On one of these bridges, you will even see a tree growing right out of the bridge – amazing!
There is so much to see and to do in Key West, that a one night stay is not even close to being enough to do it all. You can go diving, snorkeling or rent a jet-ski. Go on a dinner cruise or on the Glass-Bottom Boat to see the coral reefs. Visit one of the many museums, like the Shipwreck Museum or visit the USCGC Ingham and explore the ship and talk to veterans.
For the gourmets under you, you will find all kinds of restaurants, cafes, and bars. From cheap to expensive and from simple to exotic highlights. Or dine out on a pier and enjoy the views.
Yes, Key West will be a pricey adventure but it’s worth it. Memories you will never forget in your life.
Two of the most photographed points are the “Southernmost Point” of the continental US and the end/beginning of US-1. This sign is also the most stolen street sign in the US and probably in the world. From the southernmost point its only 90 miles to Cuba.
Go on a small cruise and sail into the sunset. I did the cruise and they took us out on the sea, not too far away, but still enough to watch the sun going down. There were live music and a bar on board. A lot of fun to end the day.
To enjoy the nightlife in key west, visit one of the many bars or clubs along Duval Street.
Another trip I want to take is to Dry Tortugas National Park. The park is about 70 miles west of Key West and will be a real adventure. Probably the most remote US National Park. You can only get there by seaplane or boat.
Peter has a passion for Traveling, Photography, and Geocaching. These are the best ingredients for amazing adventures all over the globe. “Traveling is fun, no matter if you stay in a luxury hotel or travel like a backpacker.” Peter shares his experiences on his Blog www.gatetoadventures.com
Some of Peter’s photos are published on corporate websites, in-flight magazines, travel guides, and much more.
