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Jacksonville - Key West

Will09

Member
Just looking for advice or ideas. My friends and I are planning a spring trip, April, from Jacksonville to Key West. What should we avoid or what should we not miss. Is the A1A to slow, is Miami to busy? any help would be great! should we stay inland? thanks!
 
Others from FLA will chime in with very specific advice but overall, I would say avoid the interstates as you get further south. I took the beltline around Jacksonville and then south to Daytona and it was VERY busy. I've driven Orlando to Miami and, again, VERY busy once you get close to Ft Lauderdale/Miami area.

Only heard stories but it's supposed to be pretty monotonous riding out to Key West - bridge after bridge after bridge and mostly two lane all the way so high potential to get stuck behind someone poking along. Then again, spending a few hours on a sunn, 80 degree day looking at that beautiful water can't be all bad, can it?
 
You can take US1 and A1A most of the way down the coast. Unfortunatly as was stated once you get past Ft Lauderdale it gets ugly. Definatly make it a point to stay clear during busy times.
 
west palm south is normally heavy traffic, I would hop on 27 in the central fl. area and take that thru to the turnpike in west miami, A1A will take you for ever, I like the keys in the summer, all the snow birds gone and traffic not too bad, it's a great early morning ride while the sun is rising
 
get on the turnpike as soon as you can and get a sun pass for the tolls. Once you hit West Palm, your entering the danger zone on a bike.
 
Hey thanks - looks like we will leaving Miami out of the loop...is Hwy 27 in good shape, we are thinking of heading up the west coast for the trip back - any issues on that side? - Can hardly wait! - my 09 Ultra only has 60 miles on it...(I don't know who is more eager!)
 
I was looking into a trip to Key West from Volusia County (where Daytona is). I drive down 95 from Daytona to Vero Beach alot and there is alot of construction in Brevard County. Then once you get to West Palm and south, man it's a ton of crazy drivers on 95.

I was thinking of Hwy 27 through the "middle of FL". Then take 997 to Hwy 1. You might be able to go on Florida DOT website and see if there are any construction zones on the roads you plan on taking.

Here is some info on Hwy 27.

Florida Motorcycle Roads

http://www.motorcycleroads.us/roads/fl_us27s.html

HistoricOld27.com
 
Wife and I with our ridding buddies.... 4 bikes... did this last summer. Our goal was to get to Key West quickly and from there to ride around the gulf coast. From Charlotte we rode to Jacksonville and stayed the first night and Miami the next day arriving Key West on the third day about 900 miles from home. Glad we saw Key West but saw nothing there to bring me back.. other than being the farthest point south less than 100 miles from Cuba, do not understand what the big deal about Key West. Beaches are not pretty and much better bridges up around the Tampa area. We headed back north to Homestead and across the everglades to the gulf coast. Rode the gulf coast all the way around to Louisiana and back to NC via Louisiana, Ala, Ga and SC. If you want to ride some pretty bridges the Tampa bridges are prettier and longer than any bridge you cross going to Key West.
 
WHM1 is right, keys a nice place to visit once, I've been there atleast 25 times, don't care if I go back, killer fishing in Islamorada and lots of good bars, the whole place is a real tourist trap, I would reccomend going there at least once, as far as the west coast, lots of construction on I75 around Ft. Meyers, my favorite place to visit on the wests coast is captiva island west of Ft. Meyers, this place is old florida at it's best, no chain resturants all local place to eat, food there is great, tween waters inn is a great place to stay, they have everything from rooms to cottages, great tiki bar (ask for Brenda) and the crows nest bar has live music every night, they have always had great bands everytime I was there, crab races every thurs-fri-sat, everything is right there, you don't have to drive anyplace if you don't want to, manatees and sea otters normally at the marina there, this place is layed back and real relaxing, walk across the street and your at the gulf.
 
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