My Bro and I are planning a trip to Key West in June '11, meeting and leaving just south of Nashville, TN. We thought about picking up US 1 in Augusta, GA and riding it to mile marker 1 in Key West. BUT, looking at the map, US 1 could turn out be a 3rd gear trip down the FL coast, close towns and a lot of traffic. Would it be better to pick up US 1 at Homestead? We are expecting a lot of traffic and slow going thru the Keys. Stop and go could make a dream trip a nightmare for us.

 

US 1 will be stop and go with lots of traffic and local businesses etc. Would be better to take 95 or the Florida turnpike to Miami (or Homestead) an then pickup 1. FYI - Lots of traffic to Key West on Friday's and Back from Key West on Sunday afternoons and remember Route 1 is only 1 lane in each direction the entire 100+ miles through the Keys. Great ride though and Key West is fabuloso!!!! Be sure to do the Duval crawl (Hit all the bars on Dubal Street) Also, Mile Marker to hit on 1 is Mile Marker "0" right downtown in KW.

 

hey ss377 . pagan48 is right that's the best way .be carefull running. do the speed limit. i do the run alot. beautiful ride it gets cold at night

 

Agreed Take I-95 down and it bottoms out into US1 around Coconut Groves. You will have to claw your way down thru a few small towns until you get to Homestead then it opens up. They are correct, it's two lane all the way to Key West, the speed limit is 45mph and strictly enforced. Check out the Southernmost point. Have a couple of bills with you and the locals will gladly get a good shot of you and the bike. The Mangrove house across the street is a "must see".

 

stop and have a beer here, last bar on US1. Reasonably priced drinks and some good music at nite. Just park your bike on the sidewalk..

 

US1 in Miami & Homestead is ugly. Id save the hassle as suggested and take the Turnpike right down to the end at Florida City. Then its a nice new road (if they ever finish it) along the 17 mile stretch to Key Largo.

Once in the Keys you run the gauntlet with just about every law enforcement agency you can think of and they will all happily give you a ticket for speeding. FHP, State Troopers, local Sheriff Dept, Fish & Wildlife, Border Control, etc, etc.

Some cool stops in the Keys:

Mrs Macs Kitchen & The Caribbean Club (Key Largo)
Robbies Marina (feed the Tarpon) and Annes Beach in Islamorada
Woodys In Islamorada
Bahia Honda State Park & the Seven Mile Bridge

 

Say hello to Castro when you get there...

 

No thanks.

 

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like we'll be avoiding the coast hiway, at least some of it. Thinking about May or April after pondering lo-rider's comment.

 

Take highway 27 through the center of the state. It's a great ride and a divided highway. Then pick up 1 south of Homestead.