Florida’s Overseas Highway. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Power down the car windows and power up the music . . . don’t always let your GPS be your boss . . . summer road trips are all about resting your mind and restoring your spirit. They are about driving down a narrow country lane just because it looks interesting, or pulling into a local flea market to discover a must-have treasure, or sampling some great regional cuisine in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. This is your chance to do things you don’t have time to do in your real life. Follow the yellow line to summer fun.
Florida: The Overseas Highway
Speed above the glistening blue waters that surround the Florida Keys, the chain of varied islands connected by U.S. Highway 1, on The Overseas Highway, which starts just beyond chic Miami and winds up in funky Key West. You could do the whole 113 miles in 3 1/2 hours, but why would you? Stop in Key Largo to snorkel in the John Pennekkamp Coral Reef State Park. Roll across the iconic Seven-Mile Bridge at Marathon. Catch tarpon in pretty Bahia Honda State Park. Wind up in party-hearty Key West to toast the sunset at Mallory Square Dock and catch some culture at Ernest Hemingway’s home.
Click ahead for the Blue Ridge Parkway and other inspiring drives.