WHAT A CLASSIC RIDE!
From Key Largo to Key West – come experience the islands!
The Keys have a uniquely relaxed culture and mindset. Leave behind your ordinary life for a few days and come unwind in the sunshine and salty sea breeze. Our introduction to the Florida Keys, on the first morning of the tour, is a glass bottom boat ride to America's only living coral reef at John Pennekamp State Park. We will bike right from their parking lot to start our tour of the Keys. On our 100-mile ride we will cross 42 bridges including the 7 mile bridge.
We will have the opportunity to feed the pelicans at the Wild Bird center, see Humphrey Bogart’s boat the “African Queen”, visit the Hurricane memorial erected in memory of the 1935 hurricane that destroyed Mr. Flagler’s railroad, visit the Dolphin Research center, picnic in Bahia Honda St. Park, visit the Turtle Hospital and even stop in at the No Name Pub for a cold beer on its own No Name Key.
Then we arrive in the unique city of Key West. Here we spend two days and you are on your own with the opportunity to visit the “Little White House”, President Truman’s vacation home, the Hemingway House, sunset at Mallory Square (a must), or maybe a half day fishing or a snorkel trip or a day trip to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Whatever you do it will be a memorable time in the sun. Switch off your cell phone and don’t check your email; this change in latitude should definitely cause a change in attitude. This is 60% bike path and 40% road riding.
Tour Leaders: Jack Pettry & Maer Seibert
Included
- 6 overnight stays
- 4 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 3 dinners
- Area-knowledgeable and cycling expert tour guides
- Gratuities for included meals and accommodations
- In-ride drinks and snacks
- Van support (luggage transport and sag)
- Admission to the John Pennekamp State Park (Key Largo)
- Tickets for the John Pennekamp Glassbottom boat tour
- Admission to the Bahia Honda State park
- Admission to The Turtle Hospital tour (Marathon Key)
- Route navigation via free use of Ride With GPS smartphone app
Difficulty Level - Advanced
The riding on this tour is mostly level, with approximately 60% bike path and 40% road riding on the shoulder of U.S. Highway 1. Traffic noise on the road shoulder sections can be unnerving for some riders. There are 42 bridges and some of them are long. Most of them have a wide shoulder and some are separate bike bridges. The longest of all is the famous 7 Mile Bridge. Riders need to have good bike handling skills and be able to tolerate road riding for parts of this tour, or they can ride in our van for the sections that feature road riding, for example, the 7 Mile Bridge. Windy conditions are to be expected here. We categorize this tour as advanced due to the amount of road shoulder riding, particularly the bridges.
Itinerary
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Day 1 - Saturday
Meet in Key Largo for our introductory meeting and dinner. We’re in the islands now, with nearby tiki bars and restaurants. Let’s get this party started!
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Day 2 - Sunday
25 miles – We bike less than a mile northeast from our hotel to John Pennekamp State Park and begin the tour with a 2.5 hour glass-bottomed boat trip out to view the park’s coral reefs (included). Then we double back, biking from the park to our lodging in Islamorada, at the Amara Cay Resort. In the morning you'll want to try to watch the sunrise over the water.
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Day 3 - Monday
32 miles – We ride from Islamorada to Marathon. Along the way you may choose to visit the Dolphin Research Center (optional and not included). Today’s ride includes riding some bridges over the fantastic turquoise waters of the Keys. Our lodging is at the Courtyard Faro Blanco Resort, and dinner tonight is included at a nearby restaurant.
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Day 4 - Tuesday
29 miles - We start with a visit to The Turtle Hospital (included), have a picnic lunch in Bahia Honda State Park and ride on to Little Torch Key. You can add a 5 mile jaunt out and back to the No Name Pub.
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Day 5 - Wednesday
29 miles – The final leg out to Key West is on bike paths along the water and on to Southernmost Point, not far from our hotel. You have the afternoon to visit Key West. Our boutique hotel puts you right where the action is, near Duval and Truman, with excellent food, shopping and attractions.
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Day 6 - Thursday
The day is yours to explore Key West. You’ll have plenty of options to choose from: museums, beaches, fishing, snorkeling, a boat trip to the Dry Tortugas, the Hemingway Home and many more. Use your bike to get around – it’s the best transportation on this fun island.
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Day 7 - Friday
Get out and see the sunrise and maybe enjoy a Cuban breakfast. Your tour leaders will load luggage and bikes into the rig while you enjoy your last few hours in Key West. We depart by 10:00 AM to return to Key Largo.
Pricing
The cost of this trip is $3,500 or $3,530 per person (double occupancy) -- prices go up by the week in Key West!
- Single supplement fee is $1,150 or $1,180
- 50% of the total is a required deposit due upon registration.
- The remainder is due 60 days prior to departure date.
- You'll receive an email invoice for the balance due 90 days prior to departure date.
Trip Insurance and Cancellation Policy
Please review Senior Cycling's Cancellation Policy here.
Please purchase Trip Insurance. Especially at our age, even though no one expects or wants it, health issues arise and accidents happen. At Travelinsurance.com you can get quotes for coverage from several different providers and get all your questions answered about different levels of coverage, such as "Cancel For Any Reason (COFR)" polices and Pre-Existing Condition waivers. Allianz Travel Insurance and TravelGuard by AIG are also well-known companies with reasonable rates. Please check it out and protect your travel investment.
Your Travel Plans
This trip starts on Saturday, January 11th or 18th, 2025 and ends on Friday, January 17th or 24th.
If you are flying, the Miami, Ft Lauderdale or Key West airports are the most common choices. Use shuttle or ride-share services to meet us at our opening hotel.
If you are driving, meet us at our hotel on Saturday afternoon: Hampton Inn Key Largo
Some or our guests have used Key West's airport for their arrival and/or return trip, so you may want to consider this option. Several major airlines, including American, Delta and United have service to Key West. Car rental is available as well. Our hotel staff can recommend shuttle services that run from the airports to our hotel.
Non-Standard Bikes
If you plan to bring your own bike and it is a non-standard bike such as an E-bike, recumbent, tandem, or trike, you must to discuss its specific characteristics and transport issues with me before you register for this trip. We will strive to accommodate, but we may or may not be able to. Email: ned@seniorcycling.com
