Two and a Half hours will get you there. One hundred and fourteen miles, it’s a short drive from Key Largo to Key West, but sometimes you just want to take it slow. Grab your sunscreen and bring a hat, you are going to want the wind in your hair on this trip. With the taste of the salty seas on your lips, the Atlantic Ocean rolls in from the east as the Gulf of Mexico washes the shores on the west. Your journey across the water over the forty-two bridges and causeways will wind you through the Florida Keys. The mile marker count down begins now.
Upper Keys
At MM 107 – Key Largo: Best start, explore the marine life of the Keys at John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park- this park is mostly underwater so take a ride on the Glass Bottom Boat …see living coral, sponges, shrimp, lobster, crab, turtles and 600 + species of fish.
At MM 81.5 Visit the Hurricane Monument – this monument honors those who died in the Labor Day hurricane of 1935.
At MM 74 – Islamorada: Take a break in Islamorada the Sport Fishing Capital of the world. Even if you are not here to fish you will enjoy the walk around the town- taking in the shops and the art galleries. Feed the tarpons at Robbie’s Marina. Visit the History of Diving Museum.
Middle Keys
At MM 50 – Marathon: Take a picnic break at Marathon- Find your favorite picnic foods and head for Sombrero Beach. There’s plenty of shade with pavilions, grills and restrooms. An Atlantic side designated Turtle Nesting Beach. From April-October the Loggerhead Turtles cross the beaches at night to lay their eggs. Watch for areas closed off to protect these nesting areas.
At MM 47-The Seven Mile Bridge – Rising 65’ above the water with an unobstructed 360* panoramic view of the water is the 6.79-mile bridge connecting the Middle Keys at Marathon to the Lower Keys at Little Duck. The older bridge completed in 1912 is a great place to get out and take a walk.
Lower Keys
At MM 30- Big Pine Key: ‘The Natural Keys’. Visit the National Key Deer Refuge – This refuge is home to the Key Deer; the miniature white-tailed deer found only in the Florida Keys.
At MM 36.8 – Bahia Honda State Park: On the Bahia Honda Keys stop and play on the award-winning beaches. This 500-acre state park is a fun spot for dolphin watching or beachcombing. These beaches offer the best snorkeling and kayaking. Rent your equipment at the park.
MM 0 – Key West: Old Town and seven square miles of fun and funk to explore. Take in Mother Nature’s performance of Sunset at Mallory Square – enjoy the crowd and sip a drink on the square. Next up the Southernmost Point Buoy…. This buoy is located offshore at the corner of South and Whitehead Streets and marks the most southern point of the US. You’re here! This is the end of the line so take a moment to stop, smile and wave at the 24/7/365 live webcam.
Copyright © 2017- Molly Cox
Member International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance