Miami/Keys Trip Report

Why This Trip:

First, I rarely go someplace warm and sunny in the middle of winter so I figure I'd change that.  Birmingham's winter has not been especially cold so far but it has been more dreary and rainy than usual.  Ideally, I was looking at a place in which I could swim in the ocean without a wet suit.  If you've got to stick to the continental US, South Florida is your best option.  Water temperature is normally about 73 degrees, which is a bit on the chilly side for someone accustomed to the warm waters in the South but I found it to be chilly only for a minute or two.  I was perfectly comfortable once I became acclimatized.  It's also the dry season with an average rainfall of only 2 inches per month.  

In my case, it was also a bucket list item.  I had been to South Beach back in college for Spring Break but did not venture down to the Keys.  This time, I was going as far south as you can go.  Perhaps most significantly, this trip was supposed to be to celebrate closing on a new condo.  The loan process has been a royal pain in the ass and there was a last minute SNAFU that has put it in limbo.  Instead, I would go to get my mind off it and clear my head.  I thought about a race in Key West but decided against it because lodging combined with the entry fee would be over $500.  That proved to be a good call as I will explain later.  

One word of caution:  Miami is not immune to cold fronts.  Although average high temperatures in January are in the mid-high 70s, every winter, the city will see about 6 days in which it doesn't make it out of the 60s and maybe 1 or 2 in the upper 50s.  For this reason, I recommend waiting until early March if possible.  You are virtually guaranteed 80 degree weather and it's still the dry season.  I chanced it and for the most part, the weather cooperated.

Friday:

No issues on the flight and I landed in Ft. Lauderdale (20 miles north), picked up my rental car and was on the road on Hwy 1 by 10 AM.  I arrived to find crystal clear skies with a temp of about 78 degrees.  Plenty warm enough for a swim.  After a tasty burger and a pina colada, I took a nice long dip in the aptly named Sunny Isles Beach.  By mid-afternoon, I would hit the road again, this time down to the Keys.  

Sunny Isles Beach

When driving in and around Miami, US-1 MUST be avoided.  It will be stop and go traffic all the way.  I-95 is no picnic either.  You've got to bite the bullet and take the Florida Turnpike even though the distance is longer.  I chose not to stay in Key West that night.  Instead, I saved about $200 by staying in Marathon, which is about 50 miles away.  That was probably a good call.  I would have gotten in late and would have had to fight more bad traffic in Key West.  At any rate, I got to Sombrero Beach around 5:15 PM, took a quick dip and waited for the sunset.  Pictures don't do it justice.  After night fall, I stopped a bar/seafood restaurant called Herbie's.  Dinner was decent but the Key Lime pie for dessert was delicious.  

Sombrero Beach

As planned, I was up before the sun the next morning.  When it comes to travel, I am a strong believer in the getting there is half the fun philosophy.  That could not be more true than driving the Overseas Highway.  With a crystal clear blue sky and the sun just beginning to come up, I drove the famous 7 Mile Bridge out of Marathon towards Key West.  For much of the distance, I had nothing but beautiful blue water in view that was rarely interrupted by tiny islands poking above the sea.  

Upon entering Key West, the road ran right along the edge of the water with palm trees planted on the side walk.  I made sure to hit 2 important land marks.  One was the beginning/end of Highway 1 at Mile 0 and the other was the Southernmost point.  As I looked southward from the end of the road, there was nothing but the beautiful blue water and clear blue sky.  I was now closer to Havana, Cuba than Miami, Florida as the crow flies.  Amazing.

I really didn't spend enough time in Key West to do it justice but it was sufficient to check off a bucket list item.  I soaked up some rays for a bit on Smathers Beach but found that the beaches paled in comparison to Miami.  I did take a stroll down the famous Duval Street and found that even early in the morning, I could tell which places looked to be lots of fun.  I guarantee that you will find a place to your liking for dinner and for drinks.    

Smathers Beach

End of the Road

By mid-late morning, I was on my way to Miami (3.5-4 hours) with a quick lunch stop in Key Largo.  I took the FLA turnpike up to US-41 but would recommend getting off earlier at I-95 instead.  As it was, I drove through Little Havana and downtown Miami before driving across the Causeway to Miami Beach.  Parking was hard to come by and cost an arm and a leg but I was glad to have about 3.5 hours in South Beach.  The water color can vary depending on the sun and flow of the current from the nearby Caribbean Sea but generally, you will find a more aqua tint further south.  It wasn't quite as blue as this picture (stolen from Internet) when I was there but definitely different from the more emerald tint further north.  Still, the water is always clear enough to see your feet waist deep.  Saturday was by far my best body surf session of the trip.  Waves usually didn't break until close to the shore so that meant short rides with steep drops that end on the dry sand.  Pretty cool.  Unfortunately, the surf flattened as predicted by Sunday afternoon. 

South Beach

The next morning, I got up early again, this time to a breathtakingly beautiful sunrise on the beach.  Looking at the picture, it's hard for me to believe it's even real.  It looks more like a painting but even the pictures don't do it justice.  I chose to spend my nights in Mid-Beach away from the crowds at a much lower price.  Probably another good call.  I'm not much of a drinker nowadays and though the beach wasn't quite the same as South Beach, it was still awesome in its own right.  It's possible to take a cheap bus or trolley from Mid to South Beach to avoid the parking charges.  I've been to so many beaches in my life.  From Maine to Key West on the Atlantic and Sanibel Island to South Padre on the Gulf.  It's a close contest but my number one pick remains the Emerald Coast from Panama City, Florida to Gulf Shores, Alabama for its sugar white sand.  Then again, being able to swim in mid-January in Miami while much of the country is in a deep freeze?  Can't beat that.  I've yet to visit San Diego or Hawaii so that could change everything.  A storm hit, which probably hit Key West during the race but it was over quickly and it was sunny again by the afternoon.

Mid Beach

On Monday morning, I slept in a bit and found that it was too cold for a morning swim so I checked out of my hotel and took a ride down to Bayfront Park, which is a cool shopping center overlooking the Bay with views of the city skyline.  Miami does have a strong Latin American flavor and yes I was able to use my Spanish a few times, which was much appreciated.  I took a nice walk through the park and through the business district of downtown Miami.  It was then a relatively smooth ride up I-95 back to Fort Lauderdale for my return flight.

Downtown Miami