Sun, Surf and Seafood in the Sunshine State

One goal of my recent visit to the Florida Keys was to find an additional recommendation or two in between Miami and Key West, so that one could fashion a leisurely multiday road trip along the Overseas Highway. This iconic drive strings together mangroves, tropical forests, yacht-filled marinas, fishing boat-lined piers, plush resorts and charming old seafood shacks. The highway’s view routinely opens onto the shallow islet-dotted sea surrounding the Keys, its bottom of white sand, coral reefs and turtle grass flats creating a spectacular patchwork of blues ranging from deep lapis to almost iridescent turquoise. Causeways sometimes extend for miles between islands, and driving along them can be exhilarating — especially in a convertible.

It’s certainly possible to drive from Miami to Key West in a single day, but it does seem a shame not to pause once or twice to enjoy the extraordinary places in between. This would be my ideal 12-day itinerary.