[ad_1]

KEY WEST, Florida — Meandering through Mallory Square as a jet flew  overhead, my daughter asked, “Is there an airport on Key West?” and  then, “Why didn’t we fly?”

Because, I told her, driving here is half the fun.

I’m not much into road trips, but driving along the Overseas Highway  (U.S. 1) through the Florida Keys is no ordinary wheels-on-pavement.

Ever since I first made this drive, back in 2012, I’ve been plotting a  return trip.

Yes, the islands are wonderful destinations by themselves — filled with  outdoor adventures, history, culture, dining, shopping and more. But  what I remembered most about that first trip is the drive south and  west, windows down, water on all sides, radio blaring,  sunshine blazing.

It’s a tricky thing, trying to replicate a previous magical vacation.  But upon learning that my two college-age daughters would be home for spring  break, I vowed to give it a try.

We flew south to Fort Lauderdale, rented a car, then headed south some  more. Time was limited — we were in the Keys for less than four days — so we couldn’t see it all.

I picked our favorite spots from our previous trip, added a couple of  new sights, and off we went. 

I kept my eye out for signs of damage from  Hurricane Irma, which raged through the Keys in early September 2017,  but didn’t see much.

Here’s a travelogue of our journey.

By Susan Glaser, Plain Dealer Travel editor

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

[ad_2]

Source link