Key West From Miami: How to Make it a Day Trip

The Keys of Vulnerability

Before I took this day trip to Key West, Islamorada was the furthest south I had traveled. It was almost two hours away from the tip of the peninsula.

I came so close only to turn right back around. So I knew it was only a matter of time before I tried again.

Key West remained a mystery that I wanted to solve. I don’t know if it was the wanderlust in me but I imagined Key West like an abandoned pirate’s shipwreck.

I could see the wooden boards on the exterior. They were old and soft from exposure.

The paint was chipping all over and tourists flocked to it like expectant treasure hunters. Maybe that was my mind’s way of seeing it as a place to discover.

The driving distance was three and a half hours. There was no reason why I could not check it off my ‘have visited’ list.

Knowledge is Key

My existing knowledge consisted of key-lime pie and mental news footage of traffic jams before a storm. Because of The Key’s location, they were usually the most vulnerable during hurricanes.

The island is almost at sea-level, so they were the first to be evacuated. The “one way in, one way out” road system also contributes to the urgency.

One of the facts I learned, however, was that there were about twenty-three keys. Key West was the last one.

Whether you’re a resident or visitor, a day trip is a perfect opportunity to let someone else do all the driving. There’s a guide on board that gives educational and historical facts according to location.

Activate Solo Travel Mode

A little over a year after I traveled to D.C. for Justice or Else (Million Man March’s 20th Anniversary), the traveling itch began to stir. I started realizing that I was not taking full advantage of the beautiful and vast state that I lived in.

Millions travel to Florida each year. How could I live here and not familiarize myself with the whole state?

The Keys were beloved by your everyday fisherman to giddy newlyweds on their honeymoon. My curiosity dictated that I see it for myself.

Would you like to guess the first train of thought I had? If you said, “who will come with me?”, you are absolutely correct. First, I casually suggested the trip.

Keyword

Then I kept throwing hints to keep its memory fresh. My mind was filled with creative ways the trip could coincide with a birthday or holiday.

None of my ideas worked. The person in question kept stalling and making excuses.

One moment it was the dates, the other…mode of transportation wasn’t right. This was an early teaching moment in the school of solo travel.

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One day, I finally came to the realization that I was unhappy with not experiencing Key West. My goal was not to go “someday”.

Today; right now, was the day. I wanted a traveling partner but I also was afraid that if I went alone it would seem selfish, especially since I had shared the idea.

Thoughts like these, unchecked, would’ve kept me rooted and stuck.

Free your mind and the rest will follow. ~En Vogue

Unlocked

I made the decision that I would visit Key West purely based on my desire. I would not consider anyone else’s feelings or opinions.

Once ‘outsiders’ were taken care of, now I had to face the internal conflict. I began to fear the unknown.

The dialogue went a little something like “You don’t know anyone on the bus and no one in The Keys”. Or “it will look weird that you’re all by yourself”.

The big one out of them all, “what will people think about you”?

Squad Goals

These thoughts are prime examples of how negativity is mainly based on lies. I had taken two separate bus rides out of the state and they were much longer than this in-state one.

Additionally, I hadn’t known anyone on those trips either! In my Work with Me section, I document the timeline of my official solo journey.

Have you heard of the saying, “do it afraid?” I did just that.

My first blog The Naked Traveler explains how this website would not exist if I had allowed fears and insecurities to win mental battles. I had to learn to be confident in my solo travel journey and embrace that I AM my squad!

Google it

The first order of service: research. You will hear me speak of my bestie often: Google.

I found a motorcoach company called Xcursionsusa on Groupon. In my experience, I have found Groupon’s promotional offers and products to be legit as long as you abide by their terms and conditions.

The round trip ride was about $40. If you can’t find a similar deal on Groupon, there are so many other companies online that offer a similar service.

Or you can book directly with the source.

Take me There

Driving myself to Key West was not part of the plan, so the price was right and I selected my date. The bus boarded at Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami.

Bayside is a bustling waterfront shopping area filled with boat rides, restaurants, and live music. If you wanted to park on the premises’ garage, a full day flat rate was available.

Metered parking was a second option if you drove.

I had read somewhere that the bus stopped for breakfast but that was not the case. Please make sure to eat an ample breakfast because it’s a long ride.

Donkey of the Day

My empty stomach contributed to my grouchy mood as we approached.     

If you arrive earlier enough, Bayside does have a small food stand that serves to-go breakfast items, coffee, soft drinks, and snacks.

Don’t forget to pack your patience! As children do, I kept asking myself mentally, “are we there yet”?

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Key West is heaven if you’re into water sports or outdoor events of any kind. The next step is to book an excursion based on your liking.

My choice was a glass-bottom boat. I had missed a previous excursion on a cruise so I wanted to make up for it.

Keep in mind that you have about six free hours in The Keys, so make sure your activities mesh with that timeframe.

My booking was through Fury Keywest. No one outside of Jesus can guarantee fish appearing but I saw enough to appease my curiosity.

Blame it on the Alcohol

If you think Miami is humid, you haven’t been to The Keys. A rumbling stomach can ruin any trip so The Keys and I did not have the best start.

By the time the bus arrived, I was both thirsty and starving. I stopped at a conch shack by the same name with great reviews ( Conchshack ) and ordered an alcoholic drink with my food. Wrong move.

The humidity warranted a nice bottle of cold water. By the time the alcohol hit my bloodstream, I was even hotter and more irritated.

Pick your first drink choices wisely. Try the conch balls, they were quite tasty.

Hot Keys

I walked around and window-shopped, but the heat was a beast. I tried to see if anyone else was suffering and I wasn’t alone.

One guy riding a bike was bathed in sweat. It was a small consolation that I wasn’t going crazy.

This was the month of August by the way. You may want to choose a cooler month that falls at the beginning or end of the year.

The weather also played a role in my not going to the “southernmost point” of The Keys, which I found out was not geographically accurate. I wanted to be soaking up AC indoors, anything outdoors was not on the agenda.

No Monkeying Around

They have a trolly system but I was still not in the mood. Funny thing is, I was returning to The Keys on a cruise for the infamous picture, but we were detoured due to weather. Go figure!

All things considered, it was a good trip. On the return, unfortunately, your fellow riders may be drunk. Key West is known for it’s “turn up” and flowing alcohol.

So if you envisioned a long nap on the way back, your hopes may be dashed. After all of my fantasizing, The Keys did not blow me away at all, but some trips are valuable lessons.

In the future, at least, my experience would make it better. Whatever you do, don’t forget the bus’ meeting time and place because you will get left behind.

~Poof…Bee Gone

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