Explore the Florida Keys: Weekend Scenic Florida Road Trip from Miami to Key West
If you’ve been following our travels for a while then you know, the Florida Keys is just about my favorite place on earth. Anything with pristine water, good food, and lux resorts…count us in! Our first time traveling to Key West was on our cruise (Click HERE to see how we spent our 10 hours) but this time, we decided to take the scenic road trip from Miami to Key West on a short weekend trip. Keep reading to follow us on our 72- hour scenic Florida road trip. Find out what we ate, where we stayed and the sites and activities we encountered along the way!
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Mitsubishi Motors USA, Newman PR and the Monroe County Tourist Development Council. However, all opinions are my own! For more information on our policies click HERE.
Florida Road Trip with Mitsubishi’s Outlander
First thing’s first, one of the most important aspects of a road trip is the vehicle. Sure, snacks and good music are important but the vehicle is the glue that hold it all together. For this road trip, we enlisted help from our friends as Mitsubishi. I had never ridden in a Mitsubishi before so this was the perfect time to take it for a spin. We had the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander for 7 days, 3 of which would be on the road.
Miami to Key West is not a super long road trip but we decided to make this an epic scenic road trip that involved stopping in Stock Island for a night then Key West for the other. There were a few things that I really appreciated about the Outlander.
The Outlander has 7 seats or 3 Rows to utilize. We didn’t need that many so we ended up folding the last row down for more luggage storage in the trunk. Honestly, I think it functions better this way.It also had great gas mileage which is perfect for a road trip. In the 7 days, we probably traveled around 500 miles and I can only recall filling up on gas once which is AMAZING!
Back to the road trip music mentioned above, the car has Apple Car play which was super convenient for the driver (My husband) and we got to listen to good music from our Spotify playlist along the way. My last favorite feature is safety. We all know how important safety features are, especially when traveling with precious baby cargo. The Outlander has Blind spot warning and lane change assist. We didn’t end up using these features too often but on a longer road trip, I’m sure these features come in handy.
Florida Road Trip: Food
The Florida Keys is notorious for a few things but glorious food is amongst the top rated. All around the Florida Keys, you’ll find flavorful foods with an Island twist and ton and tons of Key Lime Pie. Below, you’ll find a list of some of the most notable restaurants during our trip.
Mac’s Kitchen – Key Largo, Florida
Mrs. Mac Kitchen is the Quintessential Mom and Pop restaurant. Mrs. Mac’s Original restaurant is COZY so get in where you fit in and enjoy some awesome dishes. I made it mission to get to Key Largo just in time to catch Breakfast and we were STARVING! Apparently, I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of my food but I did capture the inside of the quirky little restaurant. You’ll find license plates, dollar bills and pops of color EVERYWHERE. DO plan on stopping just for the experience.
Galley Grill- Summerland Key, Florida
Out stop at Galley Grill was a pleasant surprise. What didn’t look like much on the outside turned out to be another “Hole In the Wall” Hit. This small diner in Summerland Key, Florida offers breakfast, lunch and dinner with fresh catch of the day options served in 3 ways! It’s super cost friendly, the staff is friendly and its certainly worth the stop.
Hogfish Bar and Grill- Stock Island, Florida
Hogfish Bar and Grill is hands down our favorite Florida restaurant. This open air, water side restaurant packs a flavorful punch and was featured in our story about exploring Stock Island, Florida (Click HERE to read more). If you can only make one stop in the Florida Keys, this should certainly be on your list.
Banana Café’- Key West, Florida
This adorable French inspired café’ called Banana Cafe’ is the perfect place for Breakfast or Bruch. We had the pleasure of dining here on day two and enjoyed wonderful breakfast options like French crepes with fruit, sausage croissants and pancakes. This is another place I highly recommend for the food and the experience. It’s the cutest crepery right on Duval Street.
Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Restaurant – Key West, Florida
Although we’re usually against “Chain restaurants” on vacation, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that Margaritaville and Key West go hand and hand. I was so happy that I finally got to see what all the hoopla was about. The food was AWESOME! I enjoyed the crispy fish tacos and they were so yummy. I may have drooled a little bit while typing this. If you go around dinner time, you’ll also get to enjoy live music which we stuck around to enjoy a bit.
Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe- Key West, Florida
If you’ve been following me for a while then you know, Kermit’s is my guilty pleasure. I first tried his Key Lime Pie during a cruise port day (Click HERE to Read that Story) and since then I’ve been hooked. Hooked as in my husband payed an outrageous amount of money to overnight a Pie to me for my birthday last year since we couldn’t make it to Key West. Kermit is the one place that I refuse to leave Key West without and if you try it, you’ll see exactly why. Not only is their Pie to die for, they also have tons of other foodie heaven items to love like Sauces, Salsas, Limeades and Ice Cream.
Florida Road Trip: Where to Stay
The Distance between Miami and Key West is only 161 miles so many people choose not to seek accommodations. However, I highly suggest breaking the trip into two days and taking in the beauty of some of the world’s most renounce ocean front accommodations.
Oceans Edge Resort and Marina- Stock Island, Florida
This Brand- New Stock Island resort is jaw dropping beautiful. With 100% ocean view rooms, 6 pools, dining options and luxurious suites; this resort will quickly still your heart. For a full review of this resort, click HERE!
Casa Marina Key West, A Waldorf Astoria Resort- Key West, Florida
This nearly 100- year- old resort has charm and picturesque views to die for. Casa Marina boasts a private beach resort that spans 1000+ feet, luxurious spas, a host of amenities and much more. For more information about this Key West Oasis, click HERE!
Florida Road Trip: Activities
One thing The Florida Keys is not short on is activities. Around every corner, there is something to get involved in whether you’re a fan of relaxation and taking in the views or water sport adventures. Below you’ll find a list of our favorite activities in each of the larger Keys.
Key Largo: Pennekamp State Park- Glass Bottom Boat Tour & Scuba Tours
Key Largo is famous for its amazing snorkeling and the beautiful Pennekamp State Park. For the water enthusiast, there are tons of guided Scuba Diving tours where you can get up close and personal with beautiful coral reefs and wreckage. If you’d still like to see the reefs but stay dry, we suggest choosing the glass bottom boat tour. Who doesn’t love ocean views, frozen drinks and coral reefs! For more Key Largo activities click HERE!
Islamorada: Fishing and Theatre of The Sea
Islamorada has beautiful blue waters, perfect for boat chartering or fishing. After all, it is the fishing capital of the world! This is your chance to get out there and bring home a big one.
If you’re traveling with a family like we are, then you may enjoy theatre of the seas. Here you’ll find marine life encounters and show. We haven’t gotten a chance to visit yet but we are making it a priority. For More Islamorada activities click HERE!
Marathon: Fishing and Relaxing
Marathon is similar to Islamorada in the fact that they share great fishing in common. The island is super laid back and you can find tons of great restaurants, swim with dolphins or charter a boat to watch the famous Florida Keys sunsets. For more Marathon Activities click HERE!
The Lower Keys: Nature at its Best
The Lower Keys are wonderful because they are very much in their natural state. Here, you’ll find tons of wildlife, marine life, animal sanctuaries and uninhabited islands. If you’re looking for a place to disconnect from the outside world through camping or RVing, this is where you want to be. For more information on the Lower Keys, click HERE!
Key West: Island Paradise with Jam Packed Fun
Key West is our final Key on the ultimate Florida Road trip. Just 90 miles from Cuba, its charm is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Key West is the balance struck between quaint and vibrant; small island and touristy. Here you’ll find endless activities to immerse yourself in but our favorite is Fury Key West. You can spend 3 ours on the water having the experience of a lifetime. They offer activities like parasailing, jet skiing, banana boating, paddle boarding, water trampoline parks and more. To find a complete list of Key West activities, click HERE!
Thanks for sticking around to read this super long post about the Scenic 72- Hour Florida Road Trip from Miami to Key West. If you’re headed on this road trip yourself, I hope this guide helps you plan an amazing weekend vacation to remember. If you’re just reading to get travel inspo, I hope the Florida Keys has been added to your travel bucket list!
Until Next Time…
To read MORE posts related to The Florida Keys, Click HERE!
Thanks for the great manual