The Conch Connection

Turn a Familiar Florida Drive Into an Unforgettable Adventure

A Florida road trip does not have to be a race from one hotel to the next. The most memorable itineraries mix scenery, wildlife, waterfront stops and different ways of traveling. That is what makes a road-and-ferry trip so appealing: you can explore at your own pace, park the car in Fort Myers Beach and finish the journey to Key West across the Gulf.

This flexible route works for couples, families, friends and solo travelers. Begin wherever your Florida plans take you, add one or two natural stops on the way to Southwest Florida, and then let Key West Express turn the final leg into part of the vacation. Instead of spending another long stretch behind the wheel, you can move between climate-controlled seating and open-air decks while the island gets closer.

Healthful Key West

The Duval Crawl has its allure for visitors in need of a wild and crazy live on the edge experience. Bars and pubs and parties and music, adult silliness and shenanigans.

Ask someone for the best time to visit Key West and you'll probably get a different answer depending on who you ask.

For one traveler, it's a warm January afternoon while much of the country is shoveling snow. For another, it's the energy of Fantasy Fest in October. Families may love summer on the water, couples might prefer a quieter fall escape, and music lovers can build an entire trip around one of the island's festivals.

That's the beauty of Key West.

Year round weather makes Key West an ideal vacation spot for outdoor adventure enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies alike. This special little island offers an abundance of opportunities for every indulgence and thrill seeker. Planning ahead allows you to get the most out of your Key West excursion. For your convenience, we have included a selection of details on a variety of heart pumping activities.

Back in 2012 a few industrious and rum loving folks had the wondrous idea to make a new rum and distill it right here in southwest Florida, Cape Coral to be exact.  Utilizing Florida's very own sugar cane crops and other locally sourced ingredients, all of their rum is small batch, handcrafted using an American copper still pot.  Rums are then placed into American Kentucky whiskey barrels and aged anywhere from 3 to 14 years. Wicked Dolphin is one of the most awarded craft distilleries in the USA and it's right here in southwest Florida!

Grab the kids and getaway!

Here in Florida, anytime is the time to plan a vacation.  Key West is the ideal getaway filled with activities and adventure to make smiles and memories for any and everyone!

Some places happen to have good fishing. In Key West, fishing is part of the island’s personality.

Walk around the Historic Seaport early in the morning and you will see captains loading bait, anglers carrying rods and boats slipping away from the docks. A few hours later, those same boats return with stories—some about the fish they landed and plenty about the one that got away.

That's the fun of fishing in Key West. You can stalk bonefish across glassy flats, drop a line near a busy reef or head offshore in search of something big enough to make the reel scream. You don't have to be an expert, either. Pick the right trip, listen to your captain and prepare to get hooked.

How long does it take to get to Key West from Southwest Florida? Aboard Key West Express, the trip from Fort Myers Beach takes approximately 3.5 hours from port to port.

Driving from Fort Myers takes a little over five hours without lengthy stops—and that does not include traffic delays, rest breaks or finding parking after you arrive.

With Key West Express, those hours are spent relaxing across the Gulf instead of watching the highway. You can enjoy the onboard amenities, take in the views and arrive within easy reach of Old Town.

Every March, Key West trades a little of its tropical color for shamrock green. The island's original St. Patrick's Day Bar Stroll is not a newly invented pub crawl or a generic ticketed party dropped into Old Town. It is a homegrown Key West tradition with roots stretching back to 1979, a collectible shirt, a changing route and more than four decades of stories.

For visitors from Southwest Florida, Key West Express makes it possible to begin the celebration with a Gulf crossing instead of a long drive. Because the stroll continues into the afternoon and participating venues change from year to year, an overnight stay is the most relaxed way to enjoy it without watching the clock.

With all the different options that  you have for a Key West Vacation, what should you do and see on your trip to paradise?