Ok all you South Florida boys. The wife and i will be doing a Keys run this spring. I will be picking her up in Ft Lauderdale and staying one night there on the coast. My thought was to ride down A1A into South Beach, and across to Miami which i know a bit, then down Rt 1 to Card Sound road for lunch at Alabama Jacks. Is it worth it, what is A1A like in Lauderdale. Or should i just jump on 95?????????
Carl

 

What day are you picking her up, weekday or weekend, what time? A1A sucks but so does 95. If you must see the beach head down A1A, visit South Beach, I personally like hanging at Jonny Rockets for a burger and a chocolate coke, then head to the causway to 836 west (follow airporty sign you will go right by it) to turnpike south to Fla city and Cardsound Road.

If you never been to South Beach you need to see it once, unique in America, dont party just watch, like TV.

 

thanks master.
at this point i will be picking her up on a thursday, hopefully late morning early afternoon on April 30th.

 

Traffic should be okay at that time, still crappy compared to N.H. but okay for here, you really want to be on 836 west by 3 or you will be screwed until 8 PM. Bring rain gear.

 

Great info, i am hoping to be well into the Keys by 3pm. I have rain gear but hope not to need it.

 

just a consideration...did you mean from ft lauderdale to south beach by way of a1a?
that would be a very long ride with a tremendous amount of lights.
1-south beach, you may wish to park on the west end of lincoln road by the stores
they turn 1 meter car space into 2 meter motorbike spots or park right in front of jonny rockets if you are eating for free..table next to your bike.
2-consider a nice ride thru coconut grove..start at downtown side and go WEST on south shore drive?/bay shore drive? and stop behind Merci hospital for great view "FREE"
you can drive by the front of "Rockies" old house "free" and see were madonna lived "FREE" and have a nice drive thru coconut grove and then catch OLD CUTLER ROAD south until you come out at the end..go thru BLACK POINT MARINA and come out to either US#1 or west to krome..whatever and then continue south to keys..
3-consider card sound road alabama jacks loop $1 toll after alabama jacks..
the upper keys have two "Free" viewing spots...look up the carribean club and also island queen from Bogart films..the little boat is holding together because of the dust on it..behind holiday in? at pier.. out of water "free" and the carribean club is just a nice view..and thats it....further into the keys is the isla morada fish company (right side going south)on about mile marker 82 "very good place to eat" outside paper plates..about $20 per person with 1 drink/ store next door "outdoor world?" very cool inside free stuff to see "hemming way boat/ fish tanks" and clean bathrooms...further south is Robbies (about 6 or less miles south/right side going south)..find huge tarpon..$1 per person and $3 for bucket of fish to feed tarpon..
4-for your return consider us#1 to krome north to US#27 north then holiday park on your left at griffin road... to were ever.. 595 or turnpike or 95

 

avoid as posted being near the palmetto #826 or #836 any time between 3 and 8pm..
you will hate it and it will be very very dangerous..and many people do not carry insurance or a drivers license

 

I lived in So. Fla for 33yrs... 95 is insane. I personally never rode it. If I had to ride a Hwy., it would be the turnpike.

If you do the A1A thing, you will run into a million lights. But hey, you are in So. FL.

Here in TN, although really rural, I have some of the best riding in the country.

I actually gave up riding for the last few years while in So. FL....I would go stop light to stop light for a measly 20 miles. Here I can ride one of my "loops" of 60 miles plus, and never see a light.

Have fun in the Keys and be safe on the roads. So. FL is very, very, very congested.

 

+1 for Robbie's Dock. Sounds silly but you'll never forget seeing hundreds of trophy tarpon right at your feet. Fish House in Key Largo is good if you get hungry just after entering the Keys. Islamorada has lots of places to eat and stay at Holiday Isle. You can sit at a bar on the beach and eat cheap seafood.

 

NO NAME PUB, find it n the lower keys.