cageyJG Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) Attention long-time friends, Vicers, and all: I really would love your help on cool places to stop and see something on a drive I'm making between Miami and Key West this summer. It's a very special trip, and just wondering if you know of any hidden vistas along the Highway ('cause the drive is half the fun) where I could stop and get a few pictures, or just live in the moment. HUGELY appreciate your help on this ; ) If you ever wanted to do me one favor, now would be a great chance to earn some karma. cagey Edited April 17, 2015 by cageyJG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airtommy Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 As you're driving, be sure to tell your passengers the story of the samurai Toshin! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadKarma Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) For a bite to eat, I highly recommend Sundowners, on Key Largo, Also, check out the Caribbean club, where some background and establishing shots were done for the movie Key Largo, and you can take a cruise of the canals on the African Queen. That's as far as I have been in the Keys. And with someone special, or not, a midnight stroll along the water from the Intercontinental, to Bayside along Bayfront park is always good. I know that's not the Keys, but it got the wife purring like a kitten, Edited April 17, 2015 by BadKarma 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miamijimf Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Haven't been to The Green Turtle Inn, Islamorada for years but probably still good. Try the Fla lobster, less expensive than it's yankee counterpart but just as tasty IMO. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 Great recommendations Jim ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted April 17, 2015 Report Share Posted April 17, 2015 (edited) A few years back I drove from Ft Myers Beach down to about half way through the Keys to place called Grassy Key. Dolphin Research Center is on that Key and was a lot of fun for a half day. They have dolphin and sea lion performances, and you can "swim with the dolphins" as part of the fun. And of course there are plenty of photo ops there with the Dolphins and surrounds.Their history goes back to the late 50s when some of their early dolphins were seen in the Flipper show:http://www.dolphins.org/ As to places to stay or restaurants, I'd check www.Tripadvisor.com for recommendations. Think I stopped on the way back in Key Largo but I'm not recalling the restaurant name. (might have been Sundowners) Edited April 17, 2015 by Sonny-Burnett 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted April 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 Gentlemen - THANK YOU. It's so interesting - the 3 to 4 hour drive - the "in-between" is such a cool thing in itself. The day I plan to be driving the 1 is an anniversary, so, you know... ahem. Yeah, that thing. Lots to figure out. Planning it has been fun. When we get down there (arrive at Key West), I plan to rent some kind of small boat and putt around for a few. So the next thing I'll be looking for is snorkeling spots and little places you can get to only by boat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted April 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 P.S. - Tommy - brilliant work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C Glide Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Favorite place to stop and eat by far, The Islamorada Fish Company on Islamorada at 81532 Overseas Highway. Beautiful spot and normally you can watch the Tarpon and Manatees as they frolic along the docks. If you are adventurous as I am you can drive old Rt 4A on Sugarloaf Key past the safe house from the Miami Vice movie and go to the dead end. park and continue on foot along the old road that is now blocked off. You wont likely see anyone else and have a large reserve to have fun in swimming, snorkeling etc. All along the drive there are spots to pull off and explore. Getting off on Big Pine Key and driving to No Name Key is always a nice side drive and you will see lots of deer. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt5 Posted April 19, 2015 Report Share Posted April 19, 2015 Favorite place to stop and eat by far, The Islamorada Fish Company on Islamorada at 81532 Overseas Highway. Beautiful spot and normally you can watch the Tarpon and Manatees as they frolic along the docks. If you are adventurous as I am you can drive old Rt 4A on Sugarloaf Key past the safe house from the Miami Vice movie and go to the dead end. park and continue on foot along the old road that is now blocked off. You wont likely see anyone else and have a large reserve to have fun in swimming, snorkeling etc. All along the drive there are spots to pull off and explore. Getting off on Big Pine Key and driving to No Name Key is always a nice side drive and you will see lots of deer. The "Miami Vice" Movie safehouse off Rt 4A on Sugarloaf Key in the Florida Keys would be tremendous to see 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 You guys are phenomenal. Thanks for coming through for me. I have all your recommendations open in separate tabs now. We are staying in Miami just for one night - having dinner with someone and then getting underway southbound early the next A.M. So about 1.5 days to putt around in Key West and get back to Miami to fly home, I think that's right. I think we'll go check out Bayfront Park B.K. mentioned, and spend some time on Sugarloaf Key, for sure. I'd like to rent a boat for a few hours in Key West, but I heard it was restrictive to sail around there. I don't know the specifics. Will hit my favorite bar or three, then have to find the ultimate "romantical" thing - I'm not highly trained in the mushy arts, but I hope I can make do with a nice end to the day. Ahhhh, going to be good.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Up above: my favorite little [dive? not really] bar, Willie T's. Just used to play the jukebox in there when I was there for work for awhile. Wanted to mention before - if we had several days, I'd really want to go see Dry Tortugas. It's 70NM west of Key West, from what I can see. I remember during my last flight from the Bahamas to West Palm, I had seen a few little scattered islands, just wondering, "Am I the only one who's seeing these?" Then I read articles on that very flight about remote outlying islands, population 2 kinds of places. Really piques curiosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 (edited) Up above: my favorite little [dive? not really] bar, Willie T's. Just used to play the jukebox in there when I was there for work for awhile. Wanted to mention before - if we had several days, I'd really want to go see Dry Tortugas. It's 70NM west of Key West, from what I can see. I remember during my last flight from the Bahamas to West Palm, I had seen a few little scattered islands, just wondering, "Am I the only one who's seeing these?" Then I read articles on that very flight about remote outlying islands, population 2 kinds of places. Really piques curiosity. There's supposed to be good snorkeling at Dry Tortugas, a cool fort, and I saw a fishing show some time ago that also noted great fishing there. And you've probably seen this already but in case not....http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g34340-Activities-Florida_Keys_Florida.html Edited April 20, 2015 by Sonny-Burnett Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted April 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Yeah, I get the feeling Dry Tortugas ranks close to being a bucket list-worthy kind of excursion. To help everyone non-Floridian to get in the mood, here's a map, which I should've posted up top. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny-Burnett Posted April 21, 2015 Report Share Posted April 21, 2015 Good map...yep, looks like I made it about half way through the keys to Grassy Key. Next time I need to make time to go all the way to Key West, or else boat my way down from Ft Myers. The snorkeling in the Keys is also supposed to be fantastic. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cageyJG Posted June 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2015 I. Live! Nothing better than that drive. Hit up all my favorite bars in the Keys and a few restaurants from when I once worked down in KW. The chickens are still out running around. Experience in Miami was a lot different. Very nerve-wracking driving around. Yes, take the rental car damage/loss agreement, don't decline it. Drivers are crazy. 70 in a 50 is too slow for flow of traffic. Saw 3 Lambos and a bunch of other sweet cars, one or two Caddies a la Tubbs. Saw Star Island for the first time. It's real! Oh, and accidentally drove through Little Haiti on the way to dinner. Lots of music came to mind, Afrika Bambataa, Tale of the Goat's songs, Bob Seeger's Miami, The Fixx, mostly darker stuff for some reason. Crazy guy came into the bar we were in (still Miami) at the end of Ocean Drive. He stripped off most of his clothes and started yelling demonic chants at the bouncers from the middle of the street. Left and came back about 4 times. Bar manager came out with a collapsible baton and the bouncers came out with tonfa. Guy STILL kept coming back and we took a taxi out of there, wanted to stay for the finale but maybe some other time. Stayed in Art Deco district at Breakwater Hotel. I had no idea that "the strip" was so crazy. We walked in the more low key direction where it was quieter (southbound). So much neon-drenched awesomeness. Anyway, at the Breakwater it was a snazzy place, but a disaster in the end. Morning of departure, we're still out of it from the night before, and all at once, couldn't open sink drain; couldn't turn on room light, shower temp was scalding and couldn't figure out how to turn it to cool since it was so "uber-modern", I guess I wasn't cool enough to understand the sophisticated Miami shower knob. Cut my finger with shaving razor, bloody mess. But - character building! And good memories. Thanks again for all the recommendations above. Couldn't get to all of them, but it felt good with you Vicers having my back. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daytona365 Posted February 26, 2020 Report Share Posted February 26, 2020 (edited) On 4/17/2015 at 7:50 AM, airtommy said: As you're driving, be sure to tell your passengers the story of the samurai Toshin! Part I (told during the car ride) There's a special story I'd like you to know. The story about the samurai, Toshin. Toshin was the greatest swordsman of his clan. And all the other samurai revered him very much. And the shogun became jealous. The shogun ordered Toshin... to murder all the people of a little fishing village as a test of his loyalty. Toshin refused, of course, to do something so wrong. It would have destroyed his honor. He became an outcast to his clan, which turned against him and he lived with the wild animals in the mountains with his family. The clan sent assassins to try to kill them all... but none of them ever came back. Toshin knew that one day they would kill him and his family. That not even he could win all the time. That his time would come. Part II (told on the island hideout) Finally, the clan sent his best friend. A man closer than a brother to him. It was this man's duty to obey the clan. Toshin came down off the mountains onto the beach... to meet his old friend. They faced each other with drawn swords. They loved each other very much. As they both struck with their swords... Toshin, the master, was a little quicker... but he only touched his friend's neck. Touching it but not cutting it. His friend could not stop in time. He struck Toshin once, killing him. Toshin died in honor. It is the way of the bushido, the way of the warrior. Toshin knew that his family would now be safe. But his friend's heart was broken. Edited February 26, 2020 by daytona365 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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