Driving directions. US 27 to the Keys??

[underachiever]

How is this route from the Orlando area? Coming from Georgia, Plan to take I75 to Wildwood, get on the Turnpike for a few miles and pick up 27 down to Miami. Looks like there is a highway 997 that veers off of 27 near Miami. I am being a little cheap and not wanting to take the TP due to pulling a small trailer. 27 looks fairly open on a map but I'm sure that can be decieving.

Does anyone know the exit to get on US27 around Fruitland park. Sometimes these are not marked and one can get stuck on the TP. How is the 997 road headed south, just west of Miami? Hope to be getting near the Miami area mid afternoon.

Or how does this compare to taking 75 all the way to Miami?

thanks
Randy

[scubawes1]

just stick to I-75 if you don't want to do the turnpike "the better of the two " there are too many lights and road construction on 27.

[underachiever]

So how long does it normally take from the beginning of the turnpike (from Wildwood)to the keys?
1) taking the turnpike?
2)taking I 75?

and any opinions about Krome Ave to get to Fl. City?

thanks

[frogman_5]

Ditto on skipping the turnpike, but I'll take I75 to US 27 to FL 997 as long as it's not rush hour.

If you're going in daylight hours, I like I75 to Naples, US 41 to FL 997 then south, slower, but shorter and more scenic. Takes roughly about the same amount of time. The slower shorter route will also save you a little on gas.

[Tom Winters]

Krome Avenue is known as "Killer Krome" in the traffic reports due to the hellacious head-ons they have on it. Coming from Orlando, why would you go all the way down by Naples? Then you get hours of geezer traffic.
Just blast down the Turnpike to exit 152 in Fort Pierce, cut over to I-95, then blast down to Fort Lauderdale and cut over on 595... no wait - just blast south on the Turnpike the whole way and pay the tolls. Skip that 27 stuff - they bury lots of people there too.

[Matteo]

just suck it up and pay for the turnpike....I used to tow from Atlanta all the time before I got smart and decided to move closer to the Keys...the money you spend on gas taking alternate routes is comparable to the extra expense it will cost you to use the turnpike all the way and I can promise you that you will enjoy the time saved by doing it this way.....75 takes way too long, 95 is a total cluster, 27 is chock full of construction and traffic lights, and 41 crossing the glades is not great for towing, especially if you break down...good luck and whatever route you decide to use, I know you will have a great trip!!!!!!!

[OneBrightGator]

Man, if you're towing that's even more reason to use the Turnpike, taking surface roads would SUCK.

Taking the Turnpike the whole way to the Keys is about $25 paying cash (not Sunpass) with two axles.

Try using the Toll Calculator if you want to produce some numbers:
http://www.floridasturnpike.com/TRI/index.htm

As far as time is concerned, you can consider every mile of surface road taking twice as long as Turnpike/Interstate mile.