The Personal Blog Of
Boston Motorcycle Lawyer

90 Miles to Cuba on the Key West Motorcycle Cruise
November 8, 2009

Florida is made for motorcycling. The sunshine state has fantastic weather for 12 months, beautiful scenery, and some of the best roads for cruising on a Harley or sport bike. More than any state, Florida has great places to ride all year long.

Of all the places to ride in Florida, there is one ride that is a pilgrimage. Every rider in Florida has to ride to Key West.

The motorcycle ride to Key West is not a technical ride. If you are looking for a ride to challenge your abilities to handle your motorcycle safely, this is not the one. The only real challenge is avoiding the sometimes chaotic traffic in Miami to get to the upper Keys.

Once arriving at the upper Keys, this ride is all about scenic views of water and wild life. This leisurely motorcycle cruise offers great places to stop and relax along the way. If you have a fear of bridges, then stay away from this ride. If not, the water views are spectacular; especially at dusk and dawn.

One of the great stops on the way to Key West is Gilbert’s on Key Largo. A favorite of boaters and bikers for years, Gilbert’s has a live band every night, great food and drink prices, and the type of atmosphere any biker would love. Key Largo has several hotels/motels for catching some sleep before continuing the trip.

Once at Key West, there are dozens of biker bars to meet up with fellow bikers making the trip. Sloppy Joe’s, Hog’s Breath Saloon, Hard Rock Café Key West, and the Rum Barrel are among some of the favorites of bikers and vacationers. Probably the most famous bar on Key West is Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.

Before heading back to the mainland, make sure to stop by the southern most point of the United States. Taking a picture 90 miles from Cuba while sitting on US soil is a great way to end your Key West adventure and commemorate a fantastic ride.

Whether you start from Orlando, Tampa, Naples, or the greater Miami area, this is a great ride with a pack of buddies or as a solo rider. Just make sure to map out the best course to avoid traffic, especially in Miami. Also, make sure to pick times/dates that do not coincide with major Key West event. Traffic to Key West can be very slow and make your motorcycle road trip painfully slow.