Fancy a road trip from Miami to Key West? Read these juicy tips on what to do, what to eat and what to see to enjoy this 150 mile drive at its fullest.
Driving down through the beautiful Florida Keys from Miami to Key West is the classic American road trip. This route is also referred to as the “Highway that Goes to Sea”, how fun is that? Mike and I did a lot of googling before deciding where we were going to stop. There are tons of places to go, so do your research before hand and have a game plan! We always plan ahead when we go on trips that way we can make the most of it. We chose the ones that seemed most interesting and budget friendly to us, so now you don’t have to spend too much time researching! 😉 Our destination was Key West, which is the southernmost point in the US, so on this trip you’ll pass through all the major keys until you get to the very bottom.
This post contains our top 4 must stops along the way, and they are in the order that they occur. Bonus tip: if possible rent some type of convertible or jeep wrangler for your drive. If not, roll the windows down, put on some old school tunes, and cruise! So here’s what you can expect on the journey..
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen (Key Largo)
This was our first stop on our epic road trip to Key West. I’ve heard so many good things about this place so we decided to stop here to eat! It did not disappoint. Everything about this little diner is so interesting. It’s covered in license plates from the floor to the ceiling, giving it an insanely retro feel. If you’re looking for some good old fashion home cooking, then you need to stop here.
Scenic Views + The Old 7 Mile Bridge
The scenic views are all around on this adventure and oh so beautiful! There are so many scenic overlooks and spots to pull over and just take it all in. It really just gives you a little taste of whats to come (like amazing crystal clear water)! You’ll also drive past the old 7 mile bridge which was destroyed by a hurricane in the past, and is now closed down, but it’s really cool to see.
Robbie’s (Islamorada)
Ok you guys, this stop is a must must must! I think this was personally my favorite part of the drive there. Robbie’s is such a unique and fun place to visit. They have food, drinks, shopping, boat rentals, and tarpons! Yes, tarpons. You can buy a bucket of fish to feed them and it’s so much fun, after I finally got past my fear of touching the dead fish of course. Mike on the other hand went all in, literally, his hand ended up inside one of the tarpon’s mouths! haha. It costs $2 per person to go on the dock and $3 for a bucket of fish .. so it cost $7 for an awesome experience for us and a funny story to share with everyone.
Bahia Honda State Park (Big Pine Key)
Our last and final stop before arriving to Key West was Bahia Honda State Park. There’s so much you could explore here! There is a beach you can swim at, trails you can hike, and so much more. You can also snorkel here if you bring your own mask, which is what we did. It does cost a few bucks to get in, but it was really beautiful and worth it.
After our last stop our road trip from Miami to Key West came to an end as we arrived at the infamous mile marker 0. You could always take a smaller plane and fly into Key West directly, but then you miss out on all the fun along the way. Be on the look out for a post about our time in Key West in the near future! But for now, here are some questions:
Did you ever take this road trip?
What are some stops you made on it?
Would you feed the tarpons?
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