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8 Day Southern Florida Family Road Trip

Dry Tortugas National Park
Blog Posts, Continent, Country, Family Travel, Florida, Road Trips, Travel Type, United States

8 Day Southern Florida Family Road Trip

Exploring Southern Florida with kids

When people think of a vacation to Florida, Disney and theme parks immediately come to mind. But, there is so much more to explore in the state including some amazing National Parks and beaches. Read on for tips for exploring Southern Florida in this 8 day road trip itinerary.

When to go:

Florida’s dry season is mid-October to the end of May. During this time, expect heat and humidity but less chances of storms. After June, expect rain, high winds and even a hurricane so be advised and have travel insurance if you venture in these months.

Getting around:

Sunrise in Key West in our 2022 Chevrolet Traverse

Sunrise in Key West in our 2022 Chevrolet Traverse

For those flying in, Miami (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale (FLL) are great choices to arrive and rent a car. We were loaned the 2022 Chevrolet Traverse and it was the perfect car for our family. We had room for 2 adults, 3 kids and lots of luggage and gear. The car’s 4G LTE wifi allowed the kids to use their devices on the 4 hour drive to Key West (can support up to 7 devices!) as well as lots of safety and driver assistance features. And my favorite was the hands-free power liftgate to open the back with a hands-free foot gesture under the rear bumper.

Suggested Itinerary

DAY 1:

Arrive in Miami or Fort Lauderdale and consider the city of Homestead as a homebase with easy access to both the Everglades & Biscayne National Park. Stay overnight at TownePlace Suites.

DAY 2:

Explore the Everglades! The park has three authorized vendors that offer airboat tours. We used Coopertown Airboats for a private tour and were happy with the experience. After your tour, consider exploring the park from one of the other entrances. For tips on what to do, I highly recommend this blog post from Big Brave Nomad.

DAY 3:

Be sure to reserve a day to explore Biscayne National Park which is 95% underwater. The Biscayne National Park Institute offers boat and snorkeling tours to see the park in-depth. Big Brave Nomad also has a detailed guide on this park, too! (Unfortunately, a cancelled flight ruined our plans for visiting this park on the arrival day so I would recommend dedicating a day to it if you’re able).

DAY 4:

Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida

Turtle Hospital in Marathon, Florida

Start the drive to Key West (nearly 4 hours, without traffic). To break up the trip, consider stopping at Bahia Honda State Park in Big Pine Key or schedule a tour at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The Turtle Hospital is a place that helps sick or injured turtles with the goal of returning them to the ocean. If they cannot live on their own, they have a huge tank fed with saltwater for them to live in. After the tour, check our Sparky’s Landing for lunch.
In Key West, we loved the Key West Villas. It is a small property with comfortable, spacious units including a 2-bedroom unit perfect for families. With a pool and hot tub, complimentary breakfast, evening happy hour, bicycles and parking (small additional fee), this spot is right off of Duval Street and walkable to most spots in Key West.

DAY 5:

Get acclimated to Key West by having a walk around to explore or consider renting a bike, golf cart or scooter. Additionally, there is the Duval Loop, a free hop-on hop-off bus, to get around town. Some ideas for things to do in Key West:

DAY 6:

Kayaking in the mangroves of Key West

Kayaking in the mangroves of Key West

Dedicate a day to exploring Dry Tortugas National Park. Located 70 miles off the coast of Key West, this unique park holds a lot of history and natural beauty. You have two options for getting there:

  • Seaplane – to get to/from the island in a little over 30 minutes, opt for the seaplane, operated by Key West Seaplane Charters. We opted for this choice for the experience of being on a seaplane and the speed of getting there. By taking the early seaplane departure (8am), you can get to the island well before the ferry arrives. The seaplane charter provides a cooler and soft drinks. There is a half day and a full day tour. The half day gives you about 2.5 hours on the island which is enough to explore the fort and snorkel. If you do the full day, ensure you pack lunch.
  • Ferry – the Yankee Freedom offers a more cost effective ferry journey that takes about 2.5 hours each way.

DAY 7:

Be sure to try your luck at spotting a manatee in the calm water of the canals and mangroves with a guided eco paddle with Lazy Dog Adventures. We did a paddle and, while we did not see a manatee, we saw nurse sharks, crabs, lots of birds and fish. Lazy Dog also rents gear if you prefer to explore on your own.

DAY 8:

Spend one extra day in Key West or head back to the Miami area to return home. The Diplomat Beach Resort is a great spot for families to end their trip with a lovely beachfront property with lots of pools (including a kid’s area), a luxe spa and lots of dining options.

COMMON QUESTIONS:

  1. Is Key West kid-friendly? Yes! While there are many activities and attractions geared towards adults, our kids had a blast! We tried to do one or two outings per day and allowed lots of down time for swimming, the beach and, of course, treats!
  2. Do I need a car in Key West? To get around Key West itself, you could easily do without a car. However, with kids, we liked having the car to get to the airport for the seaplane and to the kayaking dock (although they did offer a pickup service). To get it Key West itself, you could fly into the Key West Airport and use rideshare, bikes, etc. but we were excited to drive over the famous bridges on the Overseas Highway.
  3. What should I pack for a Southern Florida road trip? Thankfully, this a pretty casual place and it’s hot so lightweight, comfortable clothing is key. Aside from the usual stuff you’d bring (swimsuit, toiletries, etc), the must-haves were a hat and sunglasses for each family member (even kids) and lots of sunscreen! For Dry Tortugas, we did pack some small inflatable inner tubes for the kids to put under themselves to make snorkeling a bit easier.

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