The best five Miami fly-drives

Twinning Miami with Key West gives you a taste of two very different cities. An amazing key-hopping drive takes you down from Miami to the very tip of Florida.

Miami to Islamorada and Key West

Experience Miami’s nightlife before you head down to the Florida Keys. Miami’s clubs are expensive, glamorous, and attract the likes of Beyoncé. However, if their strict dress codes leave you cold, seek out a dive bar instead and order a Miami Vice (half strawberry daiquiri, half pina colada). Once you’ve recovered, head down to the Keys for a different kind of nightlife. The Florida Keys are a quirky string of islands joined by the Overseas Highway, culminating in Key West. On your journey down, swap driving time for diving time – the scuba here is renowned. Then, at night, be prepared to party.

In Key West there’s a permanent holiday atmosphere. Hemingway loved it here, and his house is now the residence of a colony of six-toed cats. The house tour is more of a who’s who of the feline world, but afterwards you can celebrate the great writer with Daiquiris. The street parties, including Fantasy Fest, are raucous affairs, and involve the whole town from tanned grannies to spring breakers.

Stay at Circa 39 in Miami: its colourful rooms and boutique charms will set the tone for your totally tropical journey south. Stop half way down the Keys at Islamorada to break up your journey and treat yourself to a smart suite in classy Casa Morada. In Key West, colourful Ocean Key Resort has big, breezy rooms filled with charming Floridian décor.

Read our Florida Keys Island Guide

The beautiful beaches on Florida’s Atlantic side are miles and miles long. This ‘Gold Coast’ extends from Fort Lauderdale through Boca Raton and on to the Palm Beaches, including Delray Beach and upmarket West Palm Beach.

Miami to Fort Lauderdale and the Palm Beaches

Drive north from Miami to discover the best of the rest of the coast. At Fort Lauderdale’s elaborate inland canal system, you’ll see gardens on the waterfront full of strange sculpture and well-dressed residents sipping drinks on their verandas. For waterfront dining, stop for food at Coconuts seafood restaurant. This popular local hang out is laid back and great for seafood treats.

At Delray, enjoy a growing town with over twenty art galleries and a lovely beach. The retro ice cream parlours on Atlantic Avenue add to the fun-loving atmosphere here – and the area is known for its parades and festivities. Head north to the sunny, chic environs of West Palm Beach and you’ll still feel like everyone’s constantly in holiday mode – especially on Thursday nights when the popular Clematis Street hosts weekly live music.

Make this trip as stylish as possible: first off, book into The Biltmore in Miami. It’s close to the airport and has complimentary parking – a road trip essential – but you’re actually here for the food: the on-site Palme d’Or restaurant has a fancy tasting menu. When you arrive in Fort Lauderdale, stay right on the beach in your own little bubble of calm at Pelican Grand Resort, then once you hit Palm Beach, book in at Eau Palm Beach: it’s well equipped for water sports and, again, right on the beachfront.

The Gulf Coast cities provide a series of stops with vastly different characters. Classy Naples, sporty Fort Myers and the beaches around Sarasota make for a drive with plenty of variety.

Miami to Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota and Tampa

After a few days admiring Miami, drive the two hours it takes to cross Florida, arriving in Naples. This classy city is set on a series of quays and marinas and has plenty of good places to stay – and places to eat. Navigate straight to 1500 South Restaurant and Bar for dinner. Art Smith, former personal chef to Oprah Winfrey, opened this restaurant in 2016 to reinvent Southern cuisine – think specialities like chicken and waffles with pickled peaches.

Drive on to Fort Myers, where outdoorsy types flourish. A visit to the Edison and Ford Winter Estates, homes of two of American’s great inventors, is a bright idea – but not as good an idea as bringing the motor car to the American people. See old cars, laboratories and wander the sun-soaked gardens.

On to Sarasota, where the Ca d'Zan mansion is a must see – a Venetian-style palace owned by John Ringling, who was known as the ‘circus king’ of Sarasota. The area still has a rich creative scene and is home to many artists – and many lovely beach hotels. From here it’s easy to reach the Tampa Bay area. Lovely Tampa’s charming culture, up-and-coming food scene and recent redevelopment make it worth stopping for a few lazy days at the end of your trip before flying home. Take a sedate stroll along the Tampa Riverwalk, followed by a trip to historic Ybor City and dinner at the shiny new Sparkman Wharf, where a rotation of pop-up restaurants keeps things fresh. You can fly out of Tampa at the end of your trip.

Discover flights to Tampa

Place yourself in Naples’ shopping district at The Inn on Fifth, then discover a veritable waterworld playground at Fort Myers from Hyatt Regency Coconut Point, which is set in protected waters and comes with its own island. Heading up the coast, the Waterline Marina and Beach Club is a great introduction to the pretty beachfront at Anna Marie Island, and then once you get to Tampa you can park up at Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel & Marina, near the Tampa Riverwalk.

If you’re travelling to Florida with kids, or you’re just keen on coasters and large doses of theme park fun, then you’ll need to visit Orlando. Base yourselves in nearby Daytona so you can enjoy the beach, and make day trips to the surrounding theme parks.

On your drive from Miami to Tampa, make a stop and take a guided land tour of the Everglades. Watch out for gators and learn about the US’s largest tropical wilderness. Everyone knows that Orlando is dominated by amazing resorts, including Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando^® Resort, but did you know you can also stop at LEGOLAND, on your way across from Tampa? Stay in Daytona over Orlando for the famous speedway, and from here you can pop in on the theme parks of your choice.

End your trip by staring into space: from Daytona it’s an hour’s drive to Cape Canaveral and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Here you can see moon dust preserved on astronauts' space suits and real space craft. Kids will love the shuttle launch simulators and the rocket garden – an outdoor space where real-life rockets as tall as trees have been ‘planted’ for all to see.

The lovely food at the Epicurean Hotel in Tampa is more than reason enough to stay, but the hotel also has a great wine cellar and a welcoming atmosphere. Once you reach Daytona, make the most of the coast by staying right on the beach at the Hard Rock Hotel Daytona Beach.

Florida’s Everglades are just forty minutes outside of Miami. Drive across them to reach Florida’s west coast, where the natural beauty of Sanibel and Captiva’s island beaches will take your breath away.

Plan your perfect Miami multi centre

Miami to the Everglades, Fort Myers and the Tampa Bay islands

Head out of Miami and dive into the natural beauty of Florida’s state parks. The Everglades National Park nurtures a truly special natural phenomenon – don’t let anyone tell you they’re just swamps. Watch as the sun sets over the sawgrass, or flee as tropical downpours sweep across the land at an exhilarating rate.

Fort Myers is a natural stop after the Everglades, with its laid-back feel and chances to explore the beautifully wild islands of Sanibel and Captiva. On towards Tampa Bay, Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Park where you can hike the trail to the beaches. You’ll find perfectly preserved banks of pale, washed up shells. Watch night herons pick their way along the shore, while, in winter, orange and black monarch butterflies migrate along the sands.

Where to stay: South Seas Captiva Island is in prime position for enjoying the natural splendour of the islands, parked as it is on the very edge of one.

Read our guide of the top ten things to do in Miami