Experiencing Florida’s Key West

Experiencing the Key West in A Day ! Wild, but possible!

Some of the most beautiful beaches in the US are found in a group of islands off the coast of South Florida known as “The Keys”. Connected to the mainland by the 100 mile National Highway 1, these islands offer the whole gamut of conventional and unconventional tourist activities.

The Keys are logically and geographically divided into 3 segments – the Upper Keys which form the northernmost group of islands famous for their reefs; the Middle Keys most famous for the Seven Mile Long Bridge and the Lower Keys synonymous with a hip town of  Key West.

The only way to travel is by the scenic Route 1 or by taking a boat. Kapil and I are not really water people, so by road it was. Now 100 mile does not seem to be a really long distance, but with a 45 MPH speed limit ( which is strictly enforced) and the glorious view of the Atlantic which tempts various impromptu stops at view points across the way will, this drive may easily take up to 6 hours.

There are many ways to explore the Keys. One can stay in one of the hundred beach side resorts, which range from affordable to ridiculously luxurious, snorkel, canoe from island to island, bird watch, swim in the ocean, enjoy a beer at tiki bars and enjoy the sand and the sun.

Our itinerary, unfortunately allowed for only one day. We started late from Miami and it was already noon by the time we reached our first stop at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The water was predictably lovely, and there were several non-crowded spots. However, given We only walked around and took a few snapshots of the  water and were soon on the road again.

Stop By  The Various State Parks

The Keys are spotted with few state parks, each with an entrance fee of around 4-10 USD per car. We recommend picking one or two to stop by based on the activities you want to do.

There are several viewpoints on the road and smaller parks off Route 1 where you can park your car and step into the water. There are quite a few dining options around the road that offer excellent seafood, or you could pack a picnic and enjoy a meal by the water.

One of the most anticipated sights on US Highway 1 is the Seven Mile Bridge. This man made wonder can be truly appreciated from an aerial view. From the ground, it looks like, well, a really long road! There is a place to get off the road before the start of the bridge,  which we  missed, as there was no big sign with an arrow stating “Seven Mile Bridge Here!”. We got off at the end of the bridge at the Veteran’s Memorial Park and took some photos.

Another state park that we stopped at was Bahia Honda State Park. If there is one place, you must stop for a long time, it’s this. Declared as the best beach in Florida, it boasts almost a 3 mile long coastline of baby soft sand and shallow water. I would love to go back to the Keys just to lounge around in this place.

An Evening in Key West

We reached the town of Key West by sunset. There is a lot to do here, and it’s a very popular tourist destination. I was really fascinated by the shops and one-man acts at Mallory Square and Sunset Pier. I loved the whole carnivalesque atmosphere of Duval Street and the very European feel of the place. There is a long list of things that I would have liked to have seen and done here , including the cemetery, Earnest Hemingway’s house and the golden sunset off the coast. We caught the sunset, but the clouds took the fun out of it.

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