Hello crew,

I'm flying down from Wisconsin later this month to spend a week on Hutchison Island. I've rented a Sporty out of Stuart for a couple days and now am poring over maps. I'm a nature lover, not a bar-hopper and don't want to go anywhere near the Miami area on HWY 1 or I95, so am thinking about doing a loop around Lake Okeechobee, dropping down on the west side (hwy 29?) and back east on 41. Stay in Florida City, head through the National Park to Flamingo, then back and north on 27.

I'm not thinking about heading to the Keys.

Do you have any suggestions? Things to see, roads to avoid? Will I be eaten by an alligator? Sounds like I should eat lunch at Cafe 27. Appreciate any local advice, thanks. Looking forward to seeing more of the state than the beaches.

 

No worries about alligators!

Riding around Lake Okeechobee is pretty boring I hate to say and it'll be hot this time of year, summer started this week. If you're a nature lover, you might enjoy Shark Valley down off 41, you'll get up close to some alligators there, you can walk out to an observation point or take a tram.

You should do an airboat ride as a nature lover, I like the rides from Everglades Holiday Park which is across from Cafe 27. They have an alligator show that's included in your ticket price and sometimes you see the Gator Boys crew there actually releasing an alligator (pretty rare but I live nearby so I go there a fair amount and I've seen them). You can go slogging out into the swamp if you feel like getting wet on the backside... did that with my kid's class on a field trip last year, that was a lot of fun.

Everglades National Park is down by Shark Valley, I've gone there and enjoyed the tour an walking on the board walk - it's been a while.

Spend a few minutes googling these places and if you have any questions pipe up, happy to help any way I can.

The everglades is a whole lot of nothing going by at 65 mph but if you stop, walk around, listen and investigate, there's plenty going on if you love nature.

 

I knew Joe G would be in to tell you what to see and do.

A cool place on 41 is Joanies Blue Crab Cafe http://joaniesbluecrabcafe.com/ very laid back and out in the boonies, you can get gators walking up on the bank.

Be sure and hang out at Cafe 27 on Sunday for all the bikes and a band and pretty reasonable food.

 

OP

I'd stick what Joe G, Lauren and the other Florida Crew members advise. I just came back from there and they pointed/showed me the way.

As mentioned, Cafe 27 is a neat place for watching bikes/people.

US 27 is a good road but you can't really see the lake as the sides are leveed.

41 is neat and is pretty rural for south Florida.

I would consider the Keys. There's no need to get around Miami to do it. You can take 997 south from 41 or 27. Card Sound Road on Key Largo is a nice ride to US 1 or you can hit 1 straight out of Florida City. The ride on US 1 will be something you'll always remember. If nothing else, ride a little ways down and stay the night at Popp's Motel in Key Largo.

Whatever you do, if you have an opportunity to meet the folks on the forum down there, do it. They have a good group of people down there.

 

^^^ Nomad is right, do consider riding into the keys until you see water on either side... maybe 7 mile bridge and back at least. I enjoy that ride and need to do it again one of these days.

Nomad your pics from Popp's looked great!

Oh and do let us know when you are coming and if you'd like to meet up, meeting Nomad and making a new friend was truly a joy so we'll see if we can make it happen!

 

Thanks everyone - sounds like I might have to add another day to the rental! I really should at least get to Key Largo, as long as I'm down there. Looks like there's some chance of thunderstorms next week, but it's better than where I am now, with highs in the 40s all week. It will feel good to be hot.

 

It's not really that far to go all the way to Key West. If going to Key Largo at least go a little further to Islandmorada and hit up Robbies and feed the tarpon.
Not much to see or do in Key Largo other than eat some good seafood.

 

Bring rain gear lol

 

Sound advice. It's supposed to be dry season (no rain unless a front is coming through) here until mid May, but, this is an el Nino year and the weather has been screwy and extra rainy. But, the last few weeks have been great (well except for last Sunday I dodged raindrops and this Sunday looks like a washout).

But good idea to have gear with you.

 

Well, sure enough, got hit by a nice big thunderstorm in Port Mayaca, but the rest of the ride was fine. Highway 27 was not very interesting, but I loved the cruise down 9336 from Florida City to Flamingo. Everybody and their grandma was headed down to the keys - I'll have to come back some time when it isn't spring break.

40 degrees and rainy here right now - lows in the 20s predicted. It'll be a couple weeks before I'm on two wheels again.