14 days Road Trip in Florida: Itinerary, Budget, Car Rental & Tips

We just finished our 2 weeks road trip in Florida. They were very intense but full of adrenaline and surprises.

We saw alligators, wild dolphins, polydactyl cats, saw a rocket take off, visited a huge miniature circus, got a tan on the most beautiful beaches of Florida, kissed Mickey and swam in hot springs.

Here is the itinerary that I propose to you (the program below is an optimized version of what we visited)

Part 1: Itinerary

Here is the link to the Google Maps map. To use this custom map (with different layers, day by day itineraries) on your smartphone, I have already shown here how to do it

Miami: 2 days (3 days if you have more time)

• Day 1: Arrival in Miami. Uber to Miami Beach. Rest. Swimming in South Pier Beach (the most beautiful of Miami Beach). Party in the bars on Ocean Drive. Night in Miami Beach. Ithaca of South Beach Hotel (Booking link) Read our travel diary here and here for more information
• Day 2: Oily morning. Visit of Wynwood Walls (by public bus $2.5/person). If you are motivated: take a boat tour of the millionaires’ houses (28$/person). Dinner at Joe’s Stone Crab. Night at Miami Beach see our travel diary

Les Keys – between 2 and 3 days

• Day 3: Leave early in the morning. Pick up the car. Snorkeling at Key Largo at 1:00 or 2:00 pm ($45). Night at Homestead: Hotel Redland (Booking link) (stopover not mandatory, instead of this day, you can spend 1 more day at Miami Beach or one day at Bimini in the Bahamas) cf. the Bahamas travel diary
• Day 4: Drive to Key West making several stops(Seven-Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda Beach). Visit Key West in the afternoon. Night in Key West: Douglas House(Booking link)
• Day 5: Snorkeling in Key West at 9am ($50). Visit Key West in the afternoon. Night next to Homestead: Hotel Redland(Booking link)

Everglades, dolphins, beaches and museum: 2 days

• Day 6: Departure from the hotel to Homestead. Boat tour to the Everglades (28$). Visit of Naples Pier (if you are lucky, you can see wild dolphins). Optional visits: Sanibel Island and Captiva Island. Overnight in Fort Myers: Comfort Inn & Suites Airport ( Booking link)
• Day 7: Visit the Ringling Museum in Sarasota ($25). Swimming at Siesta Key Beach (voted the most beautiful beach in the US) & Lido Key Beach. Night in Sarasota

Freshwater Springs and Theme Parks: 3-4 days

• Day 8: Visit of the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg (25$, visit not essential). Swimming at Ginnie Spring (15$/person) and eventually Devil’s Den (15$/person + 10$ of equipment). Outdoor cinema in Ocala (6$). Night in Ocala: Sleep Inn & Suites Ocala (Booking link) see our travel notebook
• Day 9: Disney’s Animal Kingdom ($123). Night in Orlando: Best Western Orlando Convention Center Hotel (Booking link)
• Day 10: Universal’s Islands of Adventure ($122) . Night in Orlando see our notebook & guide
• Day 11 (optional): Disney’s Magic Kingdom ($123). Night in Orlando see our guide

Space conquest + Beaches: between 2 and 3 days

• Day 12: Visit of the Kennedy Space Center ($47). Overnight in Fort Lauderdale
• Day 13: Swimming at Fort Lauderdale Beach (one of the most beautiful in Florida). Afternoon: Swimming in Hollywood. Night in Hollywood: Hollywood Beachside Boutique Suite(Booking link)
• Day 14: Drive back to Miami, return the car and go back to France.

Part 2: Budget

Total Expenditures

In August 2019, budget estimates for 14 days of Road trip for 2 people: $4,852

That is 4410€ = 157,5€/day/person ALL INCLUDED (plane, hotels double room, visits, car etc.)

1 euro = US$1.1 in August 2019

Note: Plane tickets represent a large part of the budget (30%) because the fares are high in August. Theme park tickets also represent 21% of the total budget because we went to 3 parks (at 122$/person/park, that’s a pretty quick figure). You can clearly optimize these budgets.

Type of expenses (14 days, for two people)	USD	EUR
Plane (Return) Paris – Miami	1 474$	1 328€
ESTA	28$	25€
Transportation + Parking	650$	590
Hotel	1 213$	1 102€
Food	476$	432€
Visits	1 004$	912€
Other (laundry, withdrawal fees…)	20$	18€
Total Expenses	4 852$	4 410€

Detailed expenses

• Plane : Return Paris – Miami : 664€/person = 500€ + 164€/baggage in the hold. You can reduce these fees by leaving with only one hand luggage. This is quite possible because laundromats are available everywhere and you don’t need warm clothes.
• ESTA: 14$/person to ask on the official website (beware of fake sites that charge 10 times more)
• Transportation: 588$ (for two)
  • Car rental (12 days): $30.7/day x 12 = $369 at Hertz, insurance not included (we were counting on American Express insurance)
  • Miami Airport => Miami Beach : 25$
  • Gas: $140
  • Toll: $32
  • Bus to Miami: $7.5/person ($2.5/route)
  • Car wash: 5$ + 2$ per vacuum cleaner
• Parking: 62$ (for two)
  • Parking in the city: $12 in total (payable in Key West, Naples, Sarasota)
  • Parking at amusement parks: 25$/day
  • Parking at the Dali Museum: $10
  • Parking at the Kennedy Space Center: $15
• Hotel: $1213 for two, 13 nights: $93/night average taxes included, double room
• Food: $476 for two
  • 17$/meal/person on average (tips & taxes included). The program is very busy and driving is very tiring so you have to be very motivated to cook. We did not cook at all.
• Laundry: 2$ to 2,5$/machine. 1,25$ to 2$ the dryer
• Withdrawal of money: about1% of the amount withdrawn (if you have an international card)
• Visits: $502 per person => $1004 for two ( including $738 just for the 3 theme parks). You can reduce these expenses by going to only one theme park (we recommend Universal’s Islands of adventure), instead of 3 like us.
  • Wynwood Walls: Gratos
  • Boat tour of millionaires’ homes in Miami: $28/person
  • Snorkeling in Key West: $50
  • Hemingway’s house in Key West: $14 (cash only)
  • Everglades Safari Park: $28
  • Ringling Museum: $25
  • Dali Museum: $25
  • Ginnie Spring: $15
  • Devil’s Den : 15$ + 10$ of equipment
  • Theme parks: between $122 and $123/park
  • Kenney Space Center: $47

Part 3: FAQ

Plane tickets

As our program is circular, you can land either in Orlando or Miami. If you arrive in Orlando, you start your stay with the program on day 9 or day 12.

You can use Skycanner to slice between Orlando and Miami. You can also make a small effort on luggage to leave with only one carry-on bag and pay much less.

Taxi/Uber to Miami Beach from Miami Airport

You can opt for an Uber. The application clearly indicates where to go to wait for your car. Be careful, cars do not have license plates on the front. You have to look for the plate behind the car. The trip should cost you about thirty dollars, tip included.

Which hotel to choose in Miami Beach?

Miami Beach is too big to do everything on foot, and Ocean Drive is located in Miami South Beach, in the South.

We highly recommend that you stay between South Pointe Park and 11th Street, so that you have access to the most beautiful (and quiet) beach in Miami Beach at South Pointe Park Pier, and easy access to Ocean Drive, while paying a minimum fee.

One hotel we can recommend is: Ithaca of South Beach Hotel 140$ (Booking link) double room, not far from the beach, restaurants, Ocean Drive and free trolley bus

How to get around Miami Beach?

Miami Beach sets up free trolleys, running along South Beach to North Beach. So, during the 1st days in Miami beach, don’t rent a car, you will also save for the parking lots (which are expensive, 15$ a day on average).

On the other hand, if you want to go to Miami, you will have to take public buses (schedules on Google Maps) at $2.5/route. Payment in cash and you will have to make up the difference. If it’s too much effort for you to take a bus, just choose Uber.

A very pleasant alternative is the Citibike bike rental system that you can use by the hour, without subscription.

What to eat in Florida?

• The claws of the“stone crab” at Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami.
• The Lime Pie at the same restaurant, or all over Florida.
• Lobster roll (lobster hot dog), too good.
• The Cuban restaurants on site are excellent too.
• The BBQ is sacred in the US, it is absolutely necessary to have lunch in one of its steakhouses (there are more economic formulas when you come for lunch)

Unfortunately, when you choose the economical hotels on the way, the restaurants in the surroundings, it is often fast food and if you are very lucky, you will occasionally come across Asian restaurants: sushi, pad thai, spring rolls… cheap and more balanced.

What about tips?

Tipping is “mandatory” in restaurants in the United States.

In tourist places like Miami and Key West, tips are added directly to the bill: 18%. Take a good look at the bills before adding a 2nd time 18% (we got screwed once).

In other places (e.g. Ocala), you have to add your tips either by entering the amount you wish to give (if paying by card) or by leaving change. Count 18% tip.

What about renting a camper-van?

Gasoline isn’t expensive in the US, so why not. However, it is extremely hot in Florida in August, despite the rain in the afternoon/evening.

What to bring?

There is absolutely everything in the United States, so in case you forget something, you will find everything you need here:

• Sunscreen: choose the Sun Bum brand, which you can buy locally (e.g. at CVS)
• Mosquito repellent: it is better to buy locally, it is more adapted to local mosquitoes
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• 2 bathing suits
• Beach towels
• A range of
• A universal plug (to buy in France, cheaper than in the USA): I recommend the following universal plug with 4 USB slots(Amazon link)
• A smartphone (the old Nokia phone will not work in the US because of the different frequencies in America. You absolutely need an unlocked smartphone).
• For the car: phone holder, cigarette lighter charger.
• French + international driving license (see how to get it here)
• A biometric passport (with an ESTA application – 14$ – before your departure)
• A small vest (the air conditioning is on full blast here, you might get sick if you don’t)
• A poncho (or an umbrella) because it rains a lot in Florida
• All you need to take great pictures: drone, camera, smartphone, GoPro, external batteries, memory cards… let yourself go!

What should I check when booking a hotel in the US?

There are 3 things to look at absolutely:

• feedback on the presence of bed chips. Florida is infested with them. A little research on the name of the hotel + bed bugs should reassure you (or not) on the presence of these fleas in the hotel you have chosen.
• Note: all the hotels we recommend in this article passed this test with flying colors in August 2019.
• in the US and South Korea, we are more confronted with the risk of having hidden cameras inside the rooms. It only takes you 5 minutes to check for possible hidden cameras, JB has shown you how to do it here
• the prices on the hotel sheets may not include taxes + service charges. So be very careful, especially in Orlando, the Bahamas and the Keys

Recommended hotels

Here are the hotels where we stayed and that we recommend. Rooms in the USA are generally very large. They often have rooms with 2 double beds. By being at 4 per room, you pay only 50% more (vs. a double room). In almost all hotels, near the beverage vending machines, there is often an ice machine (free of charge). Take advantage of it!

• Miami Beach: Ithaca of South Beach Hotel $140 per double room, close to the beach, restaurants, Ocean Drive and free trolley (Booking link)
• Homestead
  • Hotel Redland(Booking link) $69 per double room in an old American-style house, breakfast and welcome drinks included
  • WoodSpring Suites Miami Southwest(Booking link) $73.61 per double room, unlimited coffee & tea
• Key West: Douglas House(Booking link) $149 per double room in a charming old house, coffee & tea at will
• Fort Myers: Comfort Inn & Suites Airport ( Booking link ) $84.35 per double room. Laundry area.
• Sarasota: a motel that I do not recommend $53
• Ocala: Sleep Inn & Suites Ocala (Booking link) $84 per double room, breakfast included, close to the outdoor movie theater. Laundry area.
• Orlando: Best Western Orlando Convention Center Hotel (Booking link) $88 per room for 4 people. Breakfast and shuttles to the parks included (Disney shuttles OK but the shuttle to Universal leaves a little late at 9:30 am)
• Hollywood: Hollywood Beachside Boutique Suite $69(Booking link)

Car Rental & Driving in the US

• At least 3 months before you leave, apply for your International Driving Permit
• We rented a car from HERTZ and were upgraded from a simple compact to a Chevrolet Cruz: very simple process, very professional. Nothing to report
• Florida is huge and with the above program, you will have to drive between 2 and 3 hours a day (minimum).
• The roads are straight, too straight even, be careful not to fall asleep.
• We recommend the excellent podcast One hour before the break, very funny, which will help you to stay concentrated while driving
• Beware Americans tend to overtake on the right and do not flash when changing lanes.
• The red light is on the other side of the road, you must stop before the light and not at the traffic light
• If the road has a left turn lane (left arrow on the ground), at the red light, onlyturn when you have a green light to turn left.
• In Florida, if the light is red, you still have the right to turn right after stopping (unless otherwise indicated)
• Between Miami and the Keys, the toll is paid automatically via the rental system, JB tells you more here
• Gasoline isn’t expensive in the USA, but you have to be able to pay for it. JB explains you how to do it here

I have 3 weeks vacation, where can I go for the 3rd week?

You can take advantage of it for :

• Do the same itinerary but travel at a slower pace (the above program is very intense)
• or spend a week in the Bahamas
• or spend a week in New York City.
• or make a stopover (free of charge for up to 7 days) in Iceland (on your way to or from the airport) if you pass by Icelandair. In this case, you will have to land in Orlando, and rent a car from Orlando. More info here

Have you written any additional guides?

Yes, of course. Here are the additional infos for a successful trip to the United States :

• Interrogation at the U.S. ImmigrationOffice
• More about ESTA
• Withdrawal of money in the US
• Gasoline: prices, practical advice
• SIM card in the USA
• Toll system in Florida
• CitiBike in Miami Beach
• How to store and transfer photos on the iPad
• Guide to Disney Parks in Orlando
• Guide to Universal Parks in Orlando
• Cosmetics to bring back from the USA

Our Florida travel diaries day by day

• 3 days in the Keys (USA) : Snorkeling in Key West, Dream beaches – Road trip in Florida #1
• Wild dolphins in Naples, The Ringling, Siesta Key Beach, Dali Museum (USA) – Road trip in Florida #2
• Ginnie Spring, Rainbow Spring (USA) – Road trip in Florida #3
• The Drive In experience, the outdoor cinema in the United States – Road trip in Florida #4
• [Practical Guide] Disney parks in Orlando (USA) : Top Attractions, where to stay, Fast Pass : Road trip in Florida #5
• Universal Islands of Adventure in Orlando (USA) : Our favorite theme park – Road trip in Florida #6
• Kennedy Space Center, Hollywood Beach – Road trip in Florida #7
• Attend a rocket launch at Cape Canaveral (USA) – Road trip in Florida #8

You can find all our articles in the USA here and on our YouTube channel: all our vlogs in the USA are available here (yes yes it’s new, we’ve just started vlogging. They are all subtitled in case you want to watch them silently in the hihihi subway)

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