The Florida Keys.

[jiacinto]

I am about to go there. It is overcast, but who cares? Now how do I get there?

What I plan on doing is taking Florida's Turnpike to the southernmost point and driving from there.

Can I get there in two hours? I live in North Dade County.

[ForrestGump]

1. Should be able to get there in two hours

Remember, though, if you're heading for Key Wierd it's 100 miles from Key Largo and the traffic is SLOW. The road's narrow and tourists slow it to a crawl, but even if you could go fast, don't, because Monroe Country Sheriffs are extremely uptight about even minor violations of the low speed limit.

Have fun! Wish I was there, too......

[Wickster]

13. Drove down in May

Two to three hours is about right (maybe a little longer depending upon traffic). But since there is only one road in and one road out, it can get really boring. The police are indeed EXTREMELY uptight about their speed limits. But all, in all, worth the trip. Wish I were there, too.

[KG]

2. try maps.yahoo.com

type in your zip and make you destination key west.

really, carlos, you got a computer with internet access, all the information you need to explore the world is at your finger tips.

[seafan]

3. Yes, take the turnpike....

all the way to its end in Florida City. Then you'll be on US 1. You'll hit the causeway, as it's called, after about 3 or 4 miles; then it's about 15-20 miles (estimate)to Key Largo.

Keep drivin' all the way to Key West for an enchanting trip. Stop at Mile Post 77 to feed the tarpon fish! By the way, Mile Post "O" is smack dab in the middle of Key West. Enjoy!

B-)

[ForrestGump]

4. I forget the road numbers, but if you zip down the series of turnpike

routes that skirt the western edge of metropolitan Miami, that's the fastest way to Florida City and points south. Only a few tool booths, too, but ther're a couple of interchanges that are tricky - you need to stay alert so that you don't get sucked along the wrong road.

[bandy]

14. its the

Sawgrass exit around Miami isn't it?

[ForrestGump]

15. That rings a bell

IS there a Palmetto Expressway thereabouts, too, or am I thinking of the wrong place?

[ForrestGump]

16. Felt compelled to Google up a map, even though

you're probably already in Islamorada by now. :-)

You take the 821 south all the way to Florida City then stay on US 1, taking the causeway option rather than Card Sound bridge. I echo the others - be careful on that causeway, especially with all the drunken day-trippers likely to be on it today.

I don't know where exactly you live, but you might need to cut across to the 821 via the 836 or whatever else East-West is handy to you

[jiacinto]

17. I found it

The 7 mile bridge was scary.

[Gato Moteado]

5. yeah, turnpike to US 1

US 1 (or "useless 1" as we used to call it) will take you all the way to key west. i imagine the traffic is going to really be bad on the holiday weekend though, because everyone and their brother will be at the keys today. and because there's only 1 road going in and one road going out, congestion will probably be horrible. you probably don't want to try to get down to key west today because it will take you hours and who knows how long to get back.

[GalleryGod]

6. Go SOUTH Youngin'! Need BUFFETT on the Stereo,though!

:smoke:

[Touchdown]

7. They don't allow Honda Elements on the bridges.

Just kidding.:-)

[1monster]

8. Are you sure you want to go there right now? Fabian

has winds of 140 miles per hour at this time and is moving mostly westerly but with an occasional tilt toward northwest... It is currently at 18.9 N and 56.8 W, 335 ENE of the Northern Leeward Islands traveling at 12 miles per hour.

Sigh, time to start watching the weather channel regularly and battening down the hatches. And also start praying that this one by passes all land formations. It's gonna be bad where ever it hits.

[mrbill]

9. love these travelogues

du needs more of them.

[1monster]

10. Okay, Fabian may not come anywhere near Florida, but I

evacuated when Floyd was making its nasty way up the coast a few years ago. Traffic was bumper to bumper everywhere. The average speed on I-4 was zero to five miles an hour. It took us seven hours to go 125 miles.

If Floyd had struck as predicted, millions of people would have been on the road trying to evacuate, and untold numbers of those would have been killed.

I hate to see anything that hurts tourism in Florida (heck, we make our living with tourism), but when traveling in the Southeast coastal area in late August, September, and early October, one must take into consideration the possibility of a hurricane landing somewhere in the area. And one must also understand that evacuation is not smoothe or easy.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

11. I haven't been to Key West since I was thirteen

but I remember it as being my favorite part of Florida.

Everyone is right about the drive down there being narrow. After all, you're island hopping, and there are only so many places to put a road.

What I remember most are the amazing colors of the ocean water, the lush palm trees, and the distinct "tropical New England" architecture of the houses.

[Zorba607]

12. major wreck

on US1, it's going to be slow going for awhile

[jiacinto]

18. It was easy for me

I drove easily.

[Wonk]

19. Carlos, just curious, but are you doing all this touring around Florida

alone in your SUV that you really really needed to haul all your stuff just one time?

[jiacinto]

20. yes

why do you care?

[Wonk]

26. For the same reason all good people should care.

[Cheswick2.0]

22. he needed it for moving

did you expect him to buy a 2nd car for driving around?

[Wonk]

27. He could've rented a van and bought a car when he got there.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=115&topic_id=900

[Best_man23]

21. Did you take a day trip?

Wish I knew earlier, would have suggested some local places for good, affordable eats.

[jiacinto]

23. I went to a place on Key Largo

I forget the name, though. It was called Snappers, I believe.

[HalfManHalfBiscuit]

24. Don't expect too much

Most of it is pretty cheesy. Even Key West.

Try some fishing from Islamorada.

[jiacinto]

25. I need more than a day to see it

I will probably go back for a weekend at some point.

[davsand]

28. I loved Key West when I was there.

It was as close as I've come to being in the US and feeling like I was in another country. We talked seriously about renting a place for a vacation down there in the Keys, but never managed to make it down last year. Maybe if I'm working again by winter we'll be able to do it this year...

Any suggestions for which Key would be the best for a family vacation? I doubt that Key West is really the place for our six year old, but a lot of the Keys seemed pretty quiet. Those of you that live down there--Where would YOU suggest a family vacation?

Laura

[Wonk]

29. A kick for for the guy who thinks that every thread is about him

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=265563&mesg_id=266188&page=

May as well kick one that actually is so he can stop pretending that other threads are...

[kixot]

30. Forget the Turnpike

Take I-95 south until it ends and turns into US-1. That's it. Just take US-1 down into the keys, over seven mile bridge, and into Key West.

p.s. If you like steak, there's this place OFF the main road (I think it's Duvall) down what looks like an alley where you can get a 32oz Black Angus filet mignon. Soooo goood. Just ask around where you can get the biggest filet and the locals will know. It's called something like "bubba bill's" or something stupid like that.

[greatauntoftriplets]

31. Ever been to Alabama Jack's

on Card Sound Road? LOL, what a great place watching the herons.

[kixot]

32. No, but I will now that you've mentioned it.

I also like to get a fresh cigar from the local cigar factory there every time I go.

[greatauntoftriplets]

33. Terrific sleazy bar,

if you are into sleazy bars.

[kixot]

34. Hey, if the bar carries scotch and there are good happy hour specials...

Any bar is ok IMO!