I have been traveling to Key West and the Florida Keys since 2003. It is a nice place with many destinations, attractions, things to do and places to just sit and look at the water. I consider my Key West vacation to be some of the best investment of all my time. These are my suggestions to get there and start your vacation.
Getting there: I’m a big fan of flying into Ft. Lauderdale and then driving the 126 miles south from Homestead to Key West on Highway 1, also known there as the Overseas Highway. From Ft. Lauderdale, take your rental car to Florida’s Turnpike and simply follow it south until it ends at Homestead and Florida City. It costs $4 in tolls to take the turnpike, and as of March 2011, you must have a Sun Pass transponder. Most car rental companies will rent you one for a few dollars; call and compare prices before making your car reservation.
If you have a strong desire to see Miami before you die, then fly into the Miami airport or take I-95 south from Ft. Lauderdale. Who am I to stop you?
You’ll find plenty of bars, restaurants, gift shops, and other tourist destinations on your tour of the Keys. An important thing to keep in mind is the mile marker signs – everything in the Keys is tracked by its Mile Marker. For example, the Holiday Inn in Key Largo (home of the African Queen, the actual ship used in the movie) is at Mile Marker (MM) 100. Marathon is about halfway at MM 50, Seven Mile Bridge starts at MM 42 , and Key West is, of course, at Mile Marker 0.
Buy gas in Islamorada or Key Largo; it gets more expensive the further south you go.
Once you get to Key West and check into your hotel or B&B, most people just walk or bike around town, and I highly recommend it. It’s cheaper and less of a hassle than continually trying to find parking, and once you’re in Old Town, the “downtown” area of Key West, everything is pretty much within walking distance.
If you do nothing else, plan to enjoy the sunset one night at Mallory Square, next to the cruise ship docks. Residents of Key West celebrate sunset every night with performers, performers, and applause as the sun goes down. It’s an “only in Key West” type of experience.
In fact, there is so much to do that I can’t fit it all into one article.
