One of the most scenic drives in the US is the drive from Miami to Key West through the Florida Keys. The road simply goes straight all the way through. It’s a beautiful drive and most people seem to drive straight through without stopping. That’s a mistake because there’s a lot of awesome things to see along the way.
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Midway Cafe
This colorful cafe is 80 miles from Miami and 80 miles from Key West hence the name Midway Cafe. It’s a great place for lunch or a cup of coffee to keep you going on your drive. If you’ve never had Keylime Pie before, this place does it great. Found at 80499 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, Florida 33036.
Overseas Railroad
Henry Flagler had a crazy vision to build what seemed impossible by many. It was going to be a 128-mile railroad that stretched from mainland Florida at Homestead to Key West. Built by 1912, a deadly hurricane in 1935 destroyed most of the railroad. It would have cost them millions of dollars to fix it so they decided to leave it as is. It was never used as a railroad again. Today it is seen as a human engineering achievement.
There’s an amazing viewing point of the railroad from Bahia Honda Key. You’ll see the railroad as you drive along the Seven Mile Bridge as well.
Bahia Honda Key
Voted by “Dr. Beach” Stephen Leatherman in 1992 as the #1 beach in the US. The white sand beach is small but offers amazing waters and lots of activities. You have kayaking, snorkeling, diving, camping, and cabins. See the Florida State Park website for more info. The costs are $8.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle. Found at mile markers 36-38.5
Seven Mile Bridge
After the hurricane that damaged most of the railroad in 1935, they needed another way of getting to the Florida Keys. They took part of what had been constructed by the railroad project into a highway usable by vehicles. It’s a narrow two lane road. If there’s ever an accident or broken down car on this bridge, it causes traffic for miles. You see nothing but water on both sides and the road in front of you.
Along the way you’ll also find a ramp that goes down into a small island called Pigeon Key. This was one of the main work areas used to build the Overseas Railroad. Great for a short pitstop on the history of Pigeon Key and the railroad.
Crane Point Hammock Museums & Nature Preserve
If you have a bit more time on your hands and looking for a good trail to hike, this is a great option. With a good tour guide, this is great for kids that enjoy nature. It’s like a small jungle. You’ll find all sorts of animals and plants within their 63-acre property. They run the Marathon Wild Bird Center rescuing injured birds from the wild and releasing them back into the wild. Some of the birds had missing eyes, wings, and legs. It was sad but nice to see someone rescuing the beautiful birds.
We were told they were in the works of building several zip-lines. See their website for more information on Crane Point Museum. Costs are $12.50 for adults and $8.50 for children. Found at 5550 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050.
World Wide Sportsman
If you forgot camping gear, need fishing supplies, or just need a break from the road, this massive sports shop is the perfect stop. While it’s also a huge store, they have a fancy restaurant upstairs, outdoor bands, and a bar to hang out. Outdoorsman from the area come here just to hangout at the marina bar. Found at 81576 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, FL 33036
[question]Have you been to the Florida Keys? Any other stops you want to add to the list?[/question]
[disclosure]I went to the Florida Keys as part of a media trip. All expenses were paid in exchange for coverage.[/disclosure]
