Adventure Cycling Association

We’ll gather in bright and lively Fort Myers, a tourist gateway to southwest Florida that was once the winter respite of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and other influential Americans. If you arrive early enough, you’ll have time to see the sights named for these famous folks before gathering with your tour group and preparing for the ride ahead.

We’ll roll out down Estero Boulevard, soaking in the sea spray as we hop from coastal island to coastal island before turning slightly inland toward Naples. Known for its world-class shopping, sophisticated dining, and wealthy country clubs, we’ll bask in the town’s upper-crust radiance before settling down to camp for the evening.

We kick off today’s ride on Route 41, also known as the Tamiami Trail. The Tamiami is a beautiful stretch of pavement that travels through various forest preserves, including Big Cypress. We’ll witness the wonderful charm of old-world Florida that is Everglades City, an interesting juxtaposition from Naples. Continuing on the Tamiami through Ochopee, we’ll rest at a campground in the heart of Big Cypress National Preserve.

Didn’t get enough of the lush envelopment on Tamiami? You’re in luck! The first half of today will remain in the warm embrace of this natural area before we turn south. Our travels then take us through agricultural areas with fresh produce stands and orchards until we end the day in the outskirts of Miami.

Can you hear that Beach Boys tune yet? It’s our first day in the Keys! We’ll enter through North Key Largo, with Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park to your left and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge to your right. You’d do well not to get those confused lest you want to become dinner!

Welcome to your rest day! Take some time to soak up the local color and explore as you give your body some needed R&R. Your leaders will fill you in on the abundant activities in the area if you wish to take time away from life maintenance. Enjoy the respite while you can!

Today we’ll ride across relatively new, bike-friendly bridges that link the Keys together. The Overseas Highway leads us through Islamorada, Indian Key, and Long Key, and we’ll finish the day at Curry Hammock State Park. Highlights include the History of Diving Museum and the Theater of the Sea in Islamorada, where you can swim with dolphins, sea lions, and rays.

Today’s the day you’ll tackle the iconic Seven Mile Bridge to Big Pine Key. Be sure to keep an eye out for Windsurfers and consider stopping at the Turtle Hospital for a guided tour. Where else can you casually swing into a turtle rehabilitation center on a ride?

From Big Pine, we’ll continue to Key West, which has been likened to a more laid-back version of New Orleans. Originally known as Cayo Hueso, Spanish for “bone key,” it’s said the island was so named because early European visitors found it to be littered with human skeletons. There’s so much to see and do in Key West that just one night doesn’t do it justice. Still, you can give it your best shot. There’s Mel Fisher’s Treasures (exhibits from shipwrecks discovered by the famous treasure hunter), the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, the Harry S. Truman Little White House, the Key West Lighthouse, the Half Shell Raw Bar … you get the picture. Tonight we’ll have our celebration dinner.

Today we’ll say goodbye. Though we’ve only biked around the tip of Florida, we hope you’ll return to the mainland with plenty of stories and an island state of mind. Enjoy one more morning in Key West before boarding the ferry as a group to return to the mainland.