Hey everyone,

My GFs brother and sister-in-law are expecting a baby in the spring. Since we'd be flying down from NJ, I'm thinking of surprising her with a few days in Key West as a vacation. However, she's claustrophobic and tunnels are bad.... some, very, very bad for her. We'd be driving from Boca Raton area and the 4 or so hour drive is probably pretty nice to do.

I think the drive to Key West is all above water. Can anyone confirm that? If there are tunnels, the approximate length time to get through them. There's a very big difference between a mountain pass in PA for 10 seconds as compared to the Holland Tunnel from NJ to NY that can take 5-10 minutes with traffic.

Also, I don't know much about the Keys. Are there other resort areas amongst the islands, or is Key West the place to go if you're going that direction?

Thanks!!

Gary

 

There are no tunnels, just bridges. Including the 7 mile bridge, so hopefully she likes bridges!

Islamorada is on the way and is pretty nice. There are nice spots to stay just about everywhere in the keys, but if you want night life, key west is where it's at.

 

Matt is right, no tunnels along the way to the keys as long as you stick to the highway. Pretty much the only tunnel on the way would be in downtown Ft. Lauderdale off Broward Blvd and Federal Hwy (US1) called the McKinney Tunnel. It's very short (about 5 seconds if driving at 40mph). Stick to I95 and you'll be fine!

 

Thanks!!!

 

As mentioned, no tunnels. Be sure stretches over water wont freak her out either


Everything up the Keys closes up kinda early but KW is where youll be entertained well into the evening. Duval St is where youll want to hit at least once.

Any questions about the place, let me know. Lived there for the past 11yrs until coming north this year.

 

The tunnel in Fort Lauderdale is a suspension tunnel - one of very few that exist. In other words the center of it does not touch bottom which freaks a lot of people out and many will not drive through it for that very reason.

Fortunately the road to the Keys is very good now for the most part, used to be a two lane highway that was extremely narrow at the bridges notably when the semi-trucks came through. Vestiges of the old bridge still exist and yes I am old enough to remember driving it. When you drive down that narrow bridge (I think to the west of you as you drive) is not a fishing pier but the old highway we used to drive.