Brief Summary
Place : Miami Beach and KeyWest
Location : Florida
Distance : 983 miles from Richmond
Group: 4 members.
Transport : Kia Sportage(Silver)
Duration: 4 days.
Team : Ajit, Amit, Deepak and me
Set Off
we have taken the rental car (KIA Sportage) from Budget at Richmond aiport on 2nd April around 6:30 pm. It is a mid size suv and was just driven 406 miles. We got ready and started our journey around 8:48 pm. Had dinner at Hyderabadi Biryani. Then went to Walmart to buy food supplies for our journey.Then set off to our destination Miami Beach around 10:06 pm. Total distance is around 983 miles and estimated time as per GPS is 14 hours and major part of the route is on I-95 South. The journey was good the route was bit boring with not much good views along the way. Around 7:15 am on friday(3rd april) while we are on way to Miami beach our car AC was having a problem and cool air was not blowing out of the AC vent. Climate was hot outside in florida and with no AC we started feeling suffocated and decided to change the car and dialed Budget Rental Car. It was few miles away from our location and they are ready to repair or provide another car. All of a sudden AC started to work normally and we felt releived and continued our journey. Climate is very hot as we were reaching Miami Beach. We reached finally Miami Beach around 1:40 pm.
We booked a hotel on wednesday itself at Best Western Atlantic Beach Hotel in Miami North for two days 3rd and 4th April and need to check out on 5th April before 11 am. The cehck in time was 4:00 pm on 3rd April. Eventhough we reached early to Miami but rooms were not available until 4:00 pm. We took the pass from the hotel to access the parking, pool and boardwalk at the hotel. We parked the car and decided to have lunch. There is Subway just opposite to the hotel, had lunch over there and waited until room is available. Finally we got the room but it was not Ocean facing room though we can see a glimpse of it from the balcony. Room was ok with not much great features. We took rest in room until 6:00 pm. Then got ready and went to beach which is just on the backside of the hotel. By 6:30 pm we were on beach. The beach was very beautiful, clean and with Ocean waters having shades of green, blue it gave a wonderful view. we spent some time enjoying and relaxing on the beach with cool breeze blowing. Then walked until Guru Indian Cuisine 2 miles away from our hotel. On the way checked into local shops and bought sunscreen lotion to protect ourselves from the scorching heat. Miami roads were well crowded and flooded with flashing and expensive cars like Ferrari, Mustang, Camaroe etc and splendid bikes. Reached the hotel and had dinner around 8:40 pm. Overall the food was ok except for the starter. We took a taxi and reached home after dinner around 10:08 pm. Again went to the beach and walked on the boardwalk for sometime and returned to room around 11:28 pm. We took rest for sometime and two of us went to explore the downtown. The downtown was very good to watch and it was still crowded during late night. The roads were looking amazing amidst the lakes and cruises and ships anchored on the lakes. we reached room around 2:00 am.
Next day(on 4th April - Saturday) we woke up around 9:00 am(some of us got ready and had one round at beach already by then) and then got ready and went to beach behind the hotel around 10:06 am. The beach was calm with not much crowd. We walked on the beach for an hour and then returned to room and left for Haulover beach which is 5 miles from our hotel. This was much bigger beach and huge crowd was there. Took sometime to find parking and then set out to the beach. It was a very long beach coast and I was walking on the path way observing various cooking styles, dishes made by people from various countries. We had lunch at Copper chimney restaurant around 3:10 pm and reached home by 5:00 pm. We took rest for half an hour and went to Disney beach which is 4 miles from our hotel. This beach was much crowded and has various volleyball courts along the side of the beach. We walked on the beach for couple of hours. We saw a huge spectacular cruise ship going to Bahamas. It was well lit ship. We reached home around 8:20 pm. Took rest for half an hour. I went to beach behind hotel and relaxed at the beach. Others went to the nearby hotel adjacent to boardwalk. Being full moon day, with reflection of moon on the ocean waters it was very scenic view. Then went to Subway to have dinner around 10:15 pm. Reached home around 11:10 pm and decided to go to KeyWest next day and slept.
On 5th April(Sunday) we got up around 5:00 am, got ready, checked out the hotel and started for Key West which is 168 miles from Miami Beach around 6:30 am. The road to Keywest was very good covered with green blue shade mix Ocean waters on both side. Around 10:10 am we reached KeyWest. We went to SunSet Water Sports and booked 11:00 am slot for JetSki. We reached the Hyatt hotel where the water sports are held by 10:40 am. we took two JetSki and total time for the ride is 1 and half hour. The JetSki were looking great and it was first time for all of us. I couldnt drive it for first time and JetSki was moving in zig zag way around the water but we didnt fell off it. In my second attempt was able to drive the JetSki and it was a great experience driving through the waters with full throttle and water splashing. By 1:oo pm we came to the shore. Had lunch at subway, 2 miles from Hyatt hotel. Started our retun Journey from KeyWest to richmond around 1:55 pm. On the way to return we just stopped for gas and reached home around 8:00 am on 6th April(Monday). Returned the Rental car at aiport around 6:00 pm. Overall had a wonderful and memorable trip. Glad to have such a good company. All is well !
