If you need some ideas for your next road trip in Florida then go no further as I have prepared this nice article with great ideas based on my own road trip from Tampa to Key West along the Tamiami Trail!
What I did was fly into Tampa with British Airways for a conference and used it as a base to discover the surrounding area. I arrived in Tampa on a Saturday evening and picked up a rental car from Alamo at the airport.
Then I stayed at the Rodeway Inn in Ybor City followed by a day trip to Siesta Key, Sarasota and Fort Myers.
Driving along the Tamiami Trail you will visit many historic cities in Florida that have contributed to the economic development of this prosperous US state.
Given that it is one of the sunniest parts of the US, many rich and famous people have built huge mansions here which you will be able to check out along the Tamiami Trail.
The word Tamiami Highway actually stands for this: Tampa-Miami Highway, which has been merged to form Tamiami! Quite neat I would say – I only found out about this in the Sarasota Classic Car Museum (see below).
Anyhow, in this article you will find a lot of interesting videos and commentary about my Florida road trip ideas – so please check them out and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask in the comment section.
List Of Florida Road Trip Ideas
- Spend a couple of nights in Tampa
- Drive to Sarasota and visit the classic car museum
- Sunbath on Siesta Key Beach
- Visit the Edison and Ford Estate near Fort Myers
- Enjoy the sunshine in Naples, Florida
- Eat deep fried alligator in Everglades City
- Check out Islamorada in the Keys
- Spend a day walking around Key West
- Drive up to Miami Beach for a day
- Peek into President Trump’s Palace in Mar-O-Lago
Visiting Tampa, Ybor City and Siesta Key
I visited Tampa in Florida during a business trip, attending a fertilizer conference. The conference lasted three days from Monday to Wednesday and I decided to stay another couple of days to turn this visit to Florida into a leisure trip.
Tampa is on the Gulf Coast of the United States with a warm climate throughout the year. There are some spectacular beaches nearby within half an hour’s driving distance and the Orlando Disney World is only a couple of hour’s drive away.
The map below displays the route I took while I was in Tampa. For the first night I stayed at the Rodeway Inn in Ybor City, which is a district in Tampa. The Rodeway Inn in Ybor City is about 25 minutes drive away from the airport, near the main freeway of Tampa.
The Rodeway Inn had a swimming pool, a double bed and a 24 hour reception desk plus free parking, which is why I picked this location. It only cost $59 for the night so it was rather convenient.
Ybor City And Its Seedy Night Life
During my research I learned that Ybor City is known for its crime and bail bond businesses, so instead of turning and tossing from the jet lag I decided to drive around town in the middle of the night.
The only places open at that time were the strip club, the petrol station, the bail bond shops and McDonalds.
I decided to get a breakfast roll at McDonalds at 2006 N 50th St and then drive around the back streets of Ybor City and visit the car park at the local jail. This McDonalds is open 24/7 and their drive-thru customers have a reserved parking spot with the best views over the strip club the other side of the street.
The Drive to Siesta Key
Following the McDonals and the drive around Ybor City I went back to the Rodeway Inn by the casino and packed my bags to drive to Siesta Key, a beautiful beach south of Tampa.
Siesta Key is rated Number 1 by various travel booking sites for its white sands and almost year-round sunshine. I spent much of the day here after which I drove back to Tampa to prepare for the conference.
I was staying at the Courtyard by Marriott on East Cass Street. This hotel is more expensive than the Rodeway Inn but is also better quality. The next morning I walked down North Tampa Street towards the Marriott Hotel by the Waterside, where the conference took place.
Moxie’s And The Best French Toast
On the way there I stopped at Moxie’s in Downtown, a typical US style eatery and café. They offer table service but you can also buy at the till or order online while you are already in store.
I thought it was quite handy to order online to save yourself a bit of time but I did it the traditional way and ordered at the bar.
Their French Toast is most definitely the best French Toast in the whole world. I’ve never had anything like this before, the inside was soft and fluffy but the outside nice and cruncy! Yum!
The Marriott Hotel by the Waterside was another 10 minutes walk away from Moxies. Along the way I stopped to read various signs displaying the city’s history.
It turned out that Kennedy’s penultimate visit was to Tampa, after which he was shot dead in Dallas, Texas!
The signs also commemorate the 1909 car race here, various generals and other important dates in the city’s history.
The Marriott Waterside Hotel is a typical high rise building by the convention center where I spent the next three days networking with other business people.
If you happen to come to Tampa for business, you can walk around the city center or do what I did and walk down the path along the river. If you are lucky you might even be able to see some dolphins swimming up river!
The Tampa River Walk
The riverside walk in Tampa, also known as River Walk is a new development by the city council. They wanted to regenerate this area and also to preserve the natural habitat of the river.
The council seems to have achieved this as dolphins are regularly spotted in the river and various birds and other animals now also call this area their home.
If you walk up north along the river you will find various museums and the university. The Tampa Museum of Art and the Glazer Children’s Museum are well worth a visit after which you can walk across the old Steel Railroad Bridge to check out the buildings on the university campus.
This Tampa Downtown walk will take you from the north end of Downtown to the waterside on the south. You can do two or three different routes: one along the riverside walk or down North Tampa Street, crossing Lykes Gaslight Park.
An alternative is to walk along North Florida Avenue but then you will miss Moxie’s Downtown Cafe. I would highly recommend a visit as they serve the best Caramelized French Toast in the WORLD!
Along the Riverside Walk – Video
The Tampa River Walk is a pretty walkway along the Hillsborough River. Whether you are in Tampa for business or pleasure, you should definitely walk along it to take in the sights and city scenery.
I was staying at the Courtyard by Marriott on Cass Street and I had business at the Marriott Waterside. So instead of walking through town two mornings I went along the river walk.
Tampa’s Dark Side – The Ybor City Rodeway Inn
I visited Tampa and Ybor City where I drove around in a loop at 5AM in the morning. I couldn’t sleep and decided to go somewhere quirky. I was also hungry so I hit the road to the nearest McDonalds.
While I was eating in the car park I heard the sound of train horns and I started driving in that direction.
I went north on North 50th Street then down past the Bail Bond shops. After this came the prison then back towards the Rodeway Inn in Ybor City. Wa
Sarasota Classic Car Museum on the Tamiami Trail
The Sarasota Classic Car Museum has some amazing exhibits, including Katherine Hapburn’s last car.
The museum is the second oldest continuously operating antique car museum in the the entire United States.
As you stroll through the museum, you will travel back in time and into the future of man’s greatest invention, the automobile!
The easiest way to get there is to drive on the Tamiami trail from Tampa or from Miami. The museum will be on your left if you come from the north. The entrance fee is just under $13 and I spent about one hour there.
Siesta Key Beach – Tripadvisor Number 1 Beach In The US
Siesta Key Beach is one of the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen in the entire world – and I am not joking! The sand is white as snow, soft as silk and the waves are amazing.
Most importantly, there only seem to be hot people on the beach – everyone was super fit.
There is a huge car park right outside the main entrance and various shops sells food and gear. Siesta Key Beach is the US’s #1 beach according to Tripadvisor, making it America’s favorite beach.
Here you can stroll through a smart village of colourful bungalows, shops and restaurants, or rent a bike. If you have the time, you can ride down the island and enjoy the Florida sun – but make sure to use suntan lotion! I got a really bad sunburn…
Daytrip to Naples on the Tamiami Trail
Naples in Florida is an upmarket town filled with lots of Mercedes, Jaguars, Mustangs and Range Rovers! I visited in March 2017 and spent two nights in a motel near the I-75.
My biggest interest was in the nearby nature reserves such as the Myakka River State Park and the Corkscrew Swamp. That’s not to say I didn’t go to see the stunning beach in Naples though.
My food recommendation is to eat at Brooks Gourmet Burgers, it is #6 on Tripadvisor’s best restaurant list. The beach is a short drive from here. Parking is very easy and free in most parts of town.
Each street has an entrance to the beach where you can visit the pier or just soak in the sun. You can use Naples as your base if you are planning to visit the area. For example, the Edison Ford Winter Estate is just a short drive away.
The Edison Ford Winter Estate – Fort Myers
The Edison Ford Winter Estate covers over 20 acres of botanical gardens, nine historic buildings, including Edison’s Botanic Research Laboratory and the Edison Ford Museum.
The museum contains an impressive collection of inventions, artefacts and special exhibit galleries.
The Edison Ford Estate offers a variety of tours or if you choose you can walk around on your own. The cost of the audio tour is $25 which includes entry to all areas. The estate is truly stunning with various plants, a large park as well as benches along the waterside.
The Corkscrew Swamp in Florida
A visit to the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary will take you into the heart of the Everglades ecosystem. Here you can discover the rugged beauty of this famed natural area.
The park’s famous 2.5-mile boardwalk will take you through pine flatwoods, a wet prairie, a marsh and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America.
The park is about 30 minutes east of Naples. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is where hundreds of alligators, otters, white-tailed deer, and red-bellied turtles live.
If you are lucky and there are no noisy crowds, you might even catch a glimpse of a wide variety of wading birds, songbirds, raptors and the fabulous Painted Bunting. Photo opportunities are at every turn of the boardwalk trail.
Day Trip to The Myakka River State Park
The Myakka River State Park is one of the oldest and largest state parks in Florida. It protects one of the state’s most diverse natural areas, where alligators and other wild animals reside.
The Myakka River, designated as a Florida Wild and Scenic River, flows through 58 square miles of wetlands, prairies, hammocks, and pine lands.
Visitors can enjoy wildlife viewing from a boardwalk that stretches out over the Upper Myakka Lake, then take to the treetops with a stroll along the canopy walkway. I visited the park in March, which is the dry season.
Tamiami Trail from Naples to Key West
The Tamiami Trail is essentially highway 41 from Tampa to Miami. I took the road from Tampa all the way to Miami and then down to Key West. The road trip detailed in the video below will take you through the following places:
- Naples
- Everglades City
- Ten Thousand Islands Nature Reserve
- Dade Corner Truck Stop
- Down the State Road 27
- Islamorada
- Marathon
- And finally Key West
Key West Day Trip in March
Key West is where Hemingway lived and it is also the end of the Overseas Highway. Most people visit these two places, as these tend to be the most important sights in town.
There are also various museums and some amazing beaches as well as the port area and the old town to see.
Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades and Drawbridge
Fort Lauderdale Port is a fascinating sight as you come across the bridge towards the beach.
The A1A road hugs the beach after this bridge so if you are driving up the east coast you won’t miss it. As you drive through the bridge the big ships will be on your right.
The airport is right next to it so you will see plane landing just behind the ships. The bridge is a draw bridge so you might find that traffic builds up at times. For the best photo opportunities, park up underneath the bridge and walk up to the viewpoint.
President Trump’s House in Mar-a-Lago on A1A
On my way back to Tampa Airport from Key West I decided to drive along SR-826 and A1A, avoiding Miami. I did this because I didn’t want to go back the same way I came.
Also, I didn’t want to be in the Miami gridlock either. But, the most important reason was this: President Trump’s house is next to the A1A in Mar-A-Lago!
There was already a big crowd when I arrived, all supporting Trump. The Blacks for Trump, the Proud Deplorables and a campaigner of Defend Jerusalem. I must admit he has a really nice house, with a private beach, right next to the golf club.
I wasn’t invited in for dinner unfortunately. Never mind, I still had good fun talking to Bob from Shalom International in Fort Lauderdale. From here I drove straight to Tampa airport to end my journey in style!