South Florida road trip: clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Question

We are flying in and out of Tampa 3rd week of March for 8D/7N (Sat to Sat) and have a rental car. We are looking at Southern Florida roadtrip and planning to cover Tampa, Miami, Keys and Kennedy Space center. I am trying to balance too much time on the road vs. the actual sight seeing. Considering that, which itinerary below makes most practical sense? Does one have any advantage over another?

-- Clockwise: Tampa (2N), Kennedy (1N), Miami Beach (1N), Key West (2N), Naples (1N). Back to Tampa by 8th day afternoon.

-- Counter-clockwise: Tampa (2N), Naples (1N), Key West (2N), Miami Beach (1N), Kennedy (1N) and back to Tampa.

Can we somehow leverage Key West Express ferry and/or the new Floridian Amtrak (Tampa-Miami) to optimize driving & allow more time at the destinations? thanks in advance!

Answer

For an 8-day, 7-night South Florida road trip flying in and out of Tampa, both clockwise and counter-clockwise itineraries are feasible, but the choice depends on how you prioritize driving time versus sightseeing and whether you want to front-load or back-load long drives.

Here’s a detailed breakdown:

Clockwise (Tampa → Kennedy → Miami Beach → Key West → Naples → Tampa):
- Pros: Starts with shorter drives from Tampa to Kennedy Space Center (about 2.5–3 hours). You then continue to Miami Beach (3–4 hours), and the long drive from Miami to Key West is done early in the trip while energy is high. Returns from Naples to Tampa are moderate (2 hours).
- Cons: The Miami to Key West leg is still a long drive (~7–8 hours including stops), so you’ll need to allocate a full day or an early morning departure. Your final day in Tampa is shorter and may be less relaxing if you have a late return flight.
Counter-clockwise (Tampa → Naples → Key West → Miami Beach → Kennedy → Tampa):
- Pros: Front-loads Naples, which is close to Tampa, allowing an easy start. Ending with Kennedy Space Center allows for a slower finish before returning to Tampa. The Miami to Kennedy segment (~3 hours) is manageable as the second-to-last leg.
- Cons: Early in the trip, you hit the longest drive (Naples to Key West) which can be tiring if you haven’t settled in yet. Also, Kennedy Space Center might feel rushed as the penultimate stop if your flight schedule is tight.

Regarding leveraging alternative transport options:

Key West Express ferry: This service runs from Fort Myers Beach or Marco Island to Key West. It can save you the long 7–8 hour drive from mainland Florida, but you would need to leave a car behind or arrange car rental/pick-up in Key West. This can work best if you’re doing a clockwise route (Naples → ferry → Key West → Miami) and are comfortable with limited vehicle access on Key West.
Floridian Amtrak (Tampa-Miami): This new service could allow you to skip the long Tampa-Miami drive, but it requires timing your itinerary to align with train schedules and arranging transport to/from stations. It’s more practical for a clockwise route, letting you spend more time in Miami and Key West without long driving days.

General recommendations:

If you want to minimize driving fatigue early, clockwise may feel more natural, front-loading shorter legs and putting the long Miami → Key West drive mid-trip.
If you want to save the more scenic and leisure-focused segments for later (Key West → Miami → Kennedy → Tampa), counter-clockwise is fine but requires tackling long drives early.
Using the Key West Express ferry can save a full day of driving, especially if combined with a clockwise plan, but you lose car mobility on Key West.
Amtrak can replace the Tampa → Miami drive, letting you rest or enjoy scenery, but it adds scheduling constraints.

Overall, most travelers find the clockwise option slightly more practical for pacing: start with moderate drives, hit long drives mid-trip, and end with shorter legs back to Tampa.

South Florida road trip: clockwise or counter-clockwise?

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