metoo

AAA says take Tamiami (Rt41).
Street Atlas says take Alligator Alley (I-75).

Help, please.
What are the pros and cons of each?

keysmom

Are you in a hurry or do you want to "stop and smell the alligators?"

metoo

A little of each?

We have to get from Punta Gorda to Downtown Miami in no more than 7 hours.

AustinTraveler

It's been a long time, but I remember Tamiami Trail being more scenic than Alligator Alley.

keysmom

If you have 7 hours, take the Tamiami Trail. If you just drove it, you could make the trip in 2.5 hours or so. But, you should make a couple of stops. There's Clyde Butcher's Gallery. He's the "Ansel Adams of the Everglades" and does large black and white photos. www.clydebutcher.com You'll pass by the Shark Valley entrance to Everglades National Park but the 2 hour tram ride may not be feasible for you. The visitor center for Big Cypress national preserve is on the trail - you'll likely see alligators there. You can always take an airboat ride.

cd

Alligator Alley is a 4 lane highway and much faster but not as scenic. Tamiami is a 2 lane with alligators laying in the ditches along side the road. I don't remember it being a 7 hr drive but maybe because we enjoyed it so much.

weimer

Take 75. 41 is not scenic enough to be in the car for an extra hour or so.

Ackislander

Weimer says "Take 75. 41 is notscenic enough to be in the car for an extra hour or so."

Your mileage may vary. I would take 75 from Punta Gorda to Naples, then 41. If you drive at any reasonable speed on 41, you will see fabulous birds, trees, flowers, landscapes, and, yes, lots and lots of gators. Well worth going slowly. We used to go several times every season when we still owned a condo in Naples -- just for the trip!

Be aware that both 75 and 41 may dump you into traffic hell in the Miami area -- 75 on the main N-S route and 41 near the airport. I have several times spent more than an hour going the last 20 miles by both routes.

birder

We really liked taking 41. We saw so many birds & gators - that's the way we would definitely take.

TheWeasel

Ackislander - I'd be interested in what routes you suggest to avoid MIA traffic. I'm staying at hotel close to the airport in 1.5 weeks, and I'll be coming from Rt. 41. The hotel is right off 826 at Doral Blvd. I'll need to get to it from 41, and probably get from there to the zoo the next day. Any suggestions?

I'm thinking 41 to 826 and head north to the hotel. To get to the zoo, I'd take Doral west to the 821 tollway and head south. Does that seem like I'd be able to avoid traffic/congestion?

metoo

We did exactly as Ackislander suggested above and took 75 from Punta Gorda to Naples and then 41 across to Miami. Along the way across the Everglades, we pulled in at the H.P. Williams Roadside Park where we were able to see lots of birds, fish, gators, and turtles right from the boardwalk. We also drove a mile or two along the river on 839, the scenic road that starts at the park and saw even more alligators. Thanks to Fodorites, I went to bed happy that night.

Once we got into Miami, we left 41 and jogged up to 836 for a faster route past the airport and on to our downtown hotel.

ufgator

I agree with others about taking 75 down to Naples and then taking 41 to Miami. I've seen alligators on 75 in the morning, but you're driving so fast that you just see them for a second. I've seen tons of alligators and other animalsjust off 41.

Neopolitan

By the way, they just announced that there were more traffic fatalities on Alligator Alley (I-75) last year than any other stretch of highway in Florida.

Take the scenic and "safer" route, Tamiami Trail (US 41).