WHITE SAND BEACHES AND OCEAN ADVENTURES
4 days from white sand beaches to historical sights to high speed jet skis!
The Florida Keys offer travelers a variety of sights and activities whether you're seeking to relax on white sand beaches or thrilling activities in the pristine ocean waters or wandering historic sites.
Our trip was took place at the end of March which afforded mild weather and reasonable prices (just after spring break for colleges and before the local spring break for schools). With very little crowding, we were able to enjoy the beaches and sights at our leisure and make the most of our time.
An important tip for anyone planning travel to the area: bring your own electronic toll tag as this can save you money and time.
From white sand beaches to historical fortresses to high-speed jet skis, join us on this adventure!
Days
Day 1: Alligators and Key Limes
Transit and quick stops
Our first day was a transit day and we arrived early in Miami International Airport. One important tip: bring your own electronic toll tags or opt in to the tag if you are planning on staying in the Miami Metro area. There are a lot of tolls and taking the local routes is time consuming. From here, we traveled south and made a stop at Everglades Alligator Farm to check out the gator shows and take an air boat ride. The farm is well run and organized so you can easily get all the activities in without missing a beat. The shows are short but informative and offer an opportunity to get up close with the gators, even if you don't have the opportunity for the close encounter. Try the gator bites for a delicious snack (yes, it does taste like chicken but a bit more tender)! While in the area, be sure to try out the signature key lime pie!
Visit
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Everglades Alligator Farm
This is a great pit stop on your way down to the keys. The farm is extremely well run and scheduled. The "shows" are short but informative and fun for the kids. Even if you don't book a close encounter, you will have the opportunity to handle a juvenile gator. The airboat ride is also fun! -
Sombrero Beach
A sunset stop at this beach nearby our hotel right after checking in. Parking is free and there are changing rooms and a restroom right on the beach.
Eat
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Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory ®
Stop here for signature Key Lime pies. Whole pies are frozen so you can only order pies by the slice. Lots of snacks to pick up and a picturesque dining area. -
Publix Super Market at Marathon
Stop here to pick up supplies such as sunscreen, snacks, and even a quick meal from their sandwich and hot bar. -
La Isla Taco Grill
Local taco truck with a delicious variety of tacos to pick from!
Stay
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skipjack
A conveniently and reasonably priced resort on Marathon. The facilities are currently being upgraded (March 2024) so there's quite a bit of construction going on. Breakfast is included, but just OK. There is self-sign-out for beach chairs, beach towels, and other items so overall, not a bad value, but not look elsewhere for more upscale facilities.
Transit
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Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
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Miami International Airport (MIA)
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Dollar Car Rental - Miami Ap
Important tip: BRING YOUR EZ-PASS/TOLL PASS. The Miami area is very heavy in tolls so bring your own EZ-PASS (or your local flavor of electronic tolling) to save on costs! -
Miami International Airport (MIA) → Everglades Alligator Farm → Blond Gira
Estimated 3 hours by driving
Photos
Day 2: Bahia Honda and Historic Key West
Beach hopping to the tip of the continental US
Our second day start out with a stop at Bahia Honda state park. The park features both Gulf side and Ocean side beaches. On our visit, the high winds made the ocean side waters quite choppy while the Gulf side was much calmer. You can visit the historic bridge and read about the amazing engineering it took to build the original transit routes south from the mainland. From there, we drove south to Key West to visit Fort Zachary Taylor State Park where we wandered around the old stronghold and then hit the gorgeous beaches in the state park. This is a great destination as it offers a bit of everything including hikes. Note that while the beach sand is quite fine, you'll find that the footing in the water will have a high amount of coral and shells so we do recommend bringing water shoes for sensitive feet. Downtown Key West also offers many historical sights to visit as well as a wide selection of eateries. Be sure to stop at the end/beginning of US RT 1 and grab a selfie!
Visit
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Bahia Honda State Park
A great morning pit stop on our way down to Key West. Be sure to arrive early as it gets crowded by mid day. The eastern beaches can get choppy on windy days, but the western beaches are nice! Walk up the old bridge to get an amazing view! -
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
This state park combines both history and nature in one. Stop here to visit the picturesque historical fort and then hit the beautiful white sand beaches! There's plenty of hiking if you're not planning on hitting the beaches. The line for entry can be quite long, but you can also park in the lot just outside of the park before the traffic circle and walk in (short, 10 minute walk). -
Monroe County Courthouse
Make a quick stop here to see the awe-inspiring Kapok tree! -
US Route 1 South End
The official start/end of US RT 1 which runs from Maine to Florida.
Eat
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The Courthouse Deli & Whit's Frozen Custard
Stop here for a quick frozen treat! -
Incas Restaurant
A local Peruvian spot to grab a quick meal. The Lomo Saltado was just so-so; not the best we've had, but good service.
Stay
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skipjack
A conveniently and reasonably priced resort on Marathon. The facilities are currently being upgraded (March 2024) so there's quite a bit of construction going on. Breakfast is included, but just OK. There is self-sign-out for beach chairs, beach towels, and other items so overall, not a bad value, but not look elsewhere for more upscale facilities.
Transit
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skipjack → Bahia Honda State Park → Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Par
skipjack → Bahia Honda State Park → Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Photos
Day 3: Turtle Hospital and Jet Skis!
High speed adventures!
We all needed a break in the morning and opted to start the day slow with some activities at the resort. The day started with some beach tennis, beach volleyball, and just relaxing. Our first stop of the day was the oceanfront Sunset Grille which features a pool in the outdoor dining area. From there, we walked up to the historic Old 7 Mile Bridge for amazing views of the surrounding ocean. After lunch, we visited the Turtle Hospital (reservations required) which features an educational introduction to sea turtle conservation efforts. This working hospital lets you get close to some of the treat-and-release patients as well as some of the long-term patients that can't be released due to the nature of their injuries. While our trip initially featured a day of diving in the reefs, the strong winds during the entirety of our stay meant that we had to change plans and instead ended up on a sunset jet ski tour! This was an amazing experience as well and we all enjoyed the ride.
Visit
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Turtle Hospital
This is a working hospital and a great place to stop to see first hand some of the challenges the sea turtle species are facing. The visit starts with ~30 minutes of educational introduction to sea turtles and the work of the hospital. Then you'll visit and feed some of the turtles in their care. -
Old Seven Mile Bridge
Accessible from Sunset Grille and Raw Bar's, you can walk up to get a great view of the surrounding ocean. Views are amazing and worth the short hike. The plaques along the way describe the historical significance of this bridge and definitely worth the read! -
Wakezone Watersports
Accommodating and really good with communicating. We originally planned a diving tour, but the high winds during our entire stay made this impossible due to small craft advisories and choppy waters. The team here kept us informed and ultimately arranged a jet ski tour instead. Everyone had a blast (our first time on jet skis!)
Eat
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Sunset Grille & Raw Bar
A beach-side eatery with a pool! Lots of options and priced reasonably for the area. Kids enjoyed a quick dip into the outdoors pool.
Stay
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skipjack
A conveniently and reasonably priced resort on Marathon. The facilities are currently being upgraded (March 2024) so there's quite a bit of construction going on. Breakfast is included, but just OK. There is self-sign-out for beach chairs, beach towels, and other items so overall, not a bad value, but not look elsewhere for more upscale facilities.
Photos
Day 4: Miami Beach
Bustling beaches
On our final full day, we returned to the Miami area to make our outbound transit more manageable. Our first stop was Miami Botanical garden which is a small, free-to-enter botanical garden featuring both native local specimens as well as unique tropical specimens from around the world! From here, there are numerous dining options nearby to choose from, but we recommend taking in the local Cuban fare as this is what the area is known for. After lunch, be sure to check out the namesake Miami Beach. The crystal azure waters are simply amazing and unreal. In late March, the water is perfect and the day time temps and humidity are comfortable. Our oceanfront hotel was quite affordable for the accessibility to the beach and the view was spectacular.
Visit
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Miami Beach Botanical Garden
A free to access botanical garden boasting some of the amazing local specimens as well as international specimens. Quite small, but a great stop and worth the stroll. -
Miami Beach
The namesake beach with crystal azure waters and white-sand beaches.
Eat
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Juicy Gyros
We grabbed dinner here as it is conveniently located across from the hotel and service was fast for pickup. -
Havana 1957 Cuban Cuisine Espanola Way
Offering Cuban fare at reasonable prices. Drink selection is fun with mocktails for the kids!
Stay
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Sherry Frontenac Oceanfront Hotel
Reasonably priced oceanfront hotel that's been recently renovated. Some parts of the hotel still have the charm of the yesteryear while the rooms and bathrooms are reasonably modern. The rooms facing the beach offer amazing views of the sunrise in the morning (too cloudy on our last day here!). The included breakfast is just so-so, but there are many nearby eateries with better options. -
skipjack
A conveniently and reasonably priced resort on Marathon. The facilities are currently being upgraded (March 2024) so there's quite a bit of construction going on. Breakfast is included, but just OK. There is self-sign-out for beach chairs, beach towels, and other items so overall, not a bad value, but not look elsewhere for more upscale facilities.
Transit
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skipjack → Miami Beach → Sherry Frontenac Oceanfront Hotel
skipjack → Miami Beach → Sherry Frontenac Oceanfront Hotel
Photos
Day 5: Return Day
Heading back home
Our final day! There are numerous gas stations near the airport so no need to worry when returning your rental car. Be aware that toll roads abound! Again, we recommend bringing along your own electronic toll tag or opting to rent a tag if you plan on traveling heavily in the Miami metro area. Plan an extra 15-25 minutes to return the car and take the Miami Mover back to the terminal.
Transit
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Dollar Car Rental - Miami Ap
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Miami International Airport (MIA)
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Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Checklists
Checklist: Packing List
- Long sleeve coverups to reduce usage of sun screen
- Sunglasses and hats
- Eye wear restraints for any water activities
- Electronic toll tags (EZ-Pass) to pay the local tolls instead of paying the daily rate for Sun Pass
- Water shoes; the beaches have a lot of coral and shells making them a bit rough in some areas
FAQ
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Should I bring water shoes when visiting the Florida Keys?
Yes, we strongly recommend bringing along water shoes as many of the beaches will have shell and coral fragments which can be rough on your feet. Water shoes are a good choice if you intend to spend any time in the water or any of the water sports like jet skis.
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Should I opt for the Sun Pass when renting a car from Miami AIrport?
There are a LOT of tolls in the Miami metro area. While it is possible to get around it. using local, toll-free roads, this will significantly increase your transit time. If you are traveling internationally or you do not have an electronic toll tag, we recommend opting in to the included tolling with your car rental. Otherwise, bring your own electronic toll tag instead and save money!
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How can I eat on a budget when visiting the Florida Keys?
Food can be quite expensive in the area so we recommend picking up snacks and meals at the local super markets. Publix features a sandwich and hot bar where you can pick up a quick bite at reasonable prices and it is a good option for families traveling with picky eaters. Take advantage of this for some meals to save time and money.
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How much should I budget for meals each day when visiting the Florida Keys?
Second only to your hotel, your daily meals will likely be your highest expense when traveling with a family. Dining out can easily cost anywhere from $40 to $100 (with tips) for a family of 4. Your best bet is to take advantage of local super markets and pick up groceries and prep your own meals (if you have a kitchen at your rental) or grab some meals from the hot bars which can save not just money, but also time.
Summary: Florida Keys and Miami Beach
The Florida Keys and Miami beach offer visitors an amazing assortment of adventures from laid-back relaxation on the white sand beaches to high speed adventures on jet skis to visiting the coral reefs in the pristine azure waters.
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