Driving Ft. Lauderdale to Key West
 

Any recommended tourist stops on the way to Key West from Ft. Lauderdale? 4 adults spending one night in key west - suggestions or must sees while there?
Thanks,
jbr

Stop and have lunch at one of the tiki bar type places. Either the Lorelei in Islamorada, City Fish Market in Marathon, Seven Mile Grill at the east end of the Seven Mile bridge.

Stop at Robbies and feed the tarpon on the west end of the bridge exiting Islamorada. Pass Bud n Mary's across Indian Channel Cut, on the north side of the road immediately after exiting the bridge.

Walk the pedestrian bridge at the Seven Mile. Pass Seven Mile Grill, turn right on the old bridge. There is a parking lot before the bridge. A couple miles to Pigeon Key and back, but you always see marine life on the flats around Pigeon Key.

The World Wide Sportsman is an enormous watersports store in Islamorada with a nice restaurant.

A nicer restaurant is Mangrove Mamas near mm 21. Beautiful outdoor setting in the mangroves.

If you have time, take the Card Sound Rd. from the Homestead area to Hwy. 905 for bird-watching (it rejoins Hwy. 1). This will also take you to the John Pennekamp State Park, where you can snorkel or tour the park. No Name Key's Key Deer population is making a comeback, and if you are lucky to see one, you will remember it forever (keep your camera ready). You can rent a simple-to-operate motor boat at Robbies' to get you to an island on the east side of Hwy. 1 not otherwise accessible. Stumpworks73 makes an excellent suggestion to feed the tarpon there too, and check the restaurant there for a HUGE permit (fish) on their wall. Try this link as a starting point: http://www.ecofloridamag.com/askedit...snorkeling.htm. Enjoy!

I should have also mentioned that two swim with the dolphins spots are popular with some. Theater of the Sea on the south just before Islamorada. Another is just before Marathon, and I can't recall the name.

You're driving from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West for just 1 night? Does no one else think that's.....a lot of driving for just 1 night? Do you realize you can fly?

To me, it'd be WAY too short a trip to Key West - count on 4 1/2 hours each way if everything is perfect without wrecks. We stay two weeks in Key West and that doesn't seem long enough!

It does seem a little goofy.

If you stop to do any of the things you have asked about and to eat lunch, the trip will take about 6 hours each way, minimum. That gives you about three hours each in day 1 and day 2 to "see" Key West, about like cruise ship passengers, and to eat dinner and breakfast.

What do people do in Key West?

1. Walk down Duvall Street. Think of it as Bourbon Street.

2. Walk through the historic neighborhoods admiring the cottages and gardens.

3. Take some kind of water trip, either a sail or glass bottom boat.

4. Sit around in a bar all day drinking.

5. Ditto in a restaurant eating.

My suggestions (to add to Ackislander's) of things to do in Key West:

6. Rent a bike your last morning (the Key West way!) and cycle past historic homes and cottages or to the cemetery, and go all the way east along the southern shore of the island.

7. Snorkelling at Fort Zachary Taylor Beach.

Daniel, isn't the area around the cemetery a bit seedy? I've only been to Key West once, but DH and I were driving around and saw the cemetery and then continued on and suddenly I thought things didn't look so good anymore. We had to drive down a very narrow street with several people hanging around in the road and we felt very uncomfortable. Not trying to scare anyone, just my experience that once (about 2 years ago.)

My husband and I are also going to Key West for the first time. Does anyone have an opinion of the Eden House? Also, we will be driving the keys back to Miami and plan to stay 2 nights along the way. Need help where to stay . We want beach, tiki bar and music. Looking at Islamorada or Marathon..Any suggestions?

I've walked around the cemetary and not only does it NOT look seedy, but it has some very nice houses across the street and in the general vicinity.