The Florida Keys are something to behold with its foot-above-sea-level landscaping, mangroves encompassing the islands dotting the horizons, sea grapes along the side of the road, and, if you get low enough, Key Deer winding their way through the underbrush. Most people believe, I think, that once you leave Miami that it is mere miles before you hit the ruckus of Duval St. and the cats Hemingway’s house. But don’t be fooled. There is a lot of real estate between South Beach and the southernmost tip of the United States.
One thing that is not something to behold is the traffic filing its way towards the parties of Key West. It can brutal, especially near the top of the Keys as there is only a two-lane road. (Last time I was down there, they were working on widening those snail lanes.) Thus, what better way to get to a margarita in Key West than to walk. That’s right, hike it. You can do it on the Keys Overseas Heritage Trail. And according to Florida Hikes, Florida just just allocated another 19 million to finish the entire hike by 2013. Sweet.
And then once you’re done hiking the Conch Republic, you can do the Florida Trail, then the East Coast Trail by way of the Appalachian Trail. See you’re on your way to hiking the country
