New Years in Miami and the Florida Keys ...continued
With my dive course behind me Juliet and I had more time to spend hanging out and enjoying the warm weather. We decided to jump in the car and head further towards Key West. The drive from Key Largo to Key West treats the traveler to amazing views of the warm, blue Carribean waters. We decided to stop and lay on the beach at a place called Bahia Honda State Park at Mile Marker 37. The park features a really nice beach, great views and a wide array of water sports. Also, the trail leading up to the old highway one gives you some great views of the whole key. The place was so nice that we ended up staying longer than expected and decided to skip heading on to Key West. I guess that's the beauty of vacation, you can do whatever pleases you most.
Our time in the Keys seemed so short but before I knew it we were headed back north to the Fort Lauderdale area. I felt it would be a bit more relaxing to spend the night near the airport and then get a fresh start the next morning with a good night's sleep. Of course staying near the airport doesn't mean you need to stay in some dumpy chain hotel next to the terminal. I found a gem of a hotel called the California Dream Inn located right across from the beach in Dania Beach which is only ten minutes from the airport. The hotel wasn't the newest and fanciest place but it was clean, right next to the ocean and had a 1960s charm that seems to be a rare find these days. And to top it all off the rates were very reasonable.
A few minutes after checking in we walked the fifty or so steps to the beach and enjoyed the seventy degree weather. The air was warm and the ocean looked inviting so I dove into the water which turned out to be quite cool. Still, it was nice for a New York guy like me to be swimming in the ocean in January. After spending some time on the beach we walked a mile or so north to the Dania Beach fishing pier. I paid the $1 per person fee and we walked out about the ocean. surrounded by large pelicans who were anxious to pick off the fisherman's scraps. If you want to get up close to the pelicans then this is the place to be since they are constantly landing around you and waddling along the pier's wooden planks.
After dinner we drove around the area a bit and it seemed a bit run down, like the area's heyday passed a few decades ago. That seems to be the case as the Miami area, particularly South Beach, has become wildly popular. The commercialization of the keys surely affect things in this part of Florida as well.
The next morning we rose while it was dark and made the ten minute drive to Fort Lauderdale airport. Staying near the hotel turned out to be a good move since we were able to get an extra hour of sleep which made the morning trip that much more bearable. As our flight took off I reflected on what turned out to be a nice trip without a whole lot of planning. Follow my advice and you may be able to enjoy the same.
