A guide to a food-filled road trip from Miami

Why should climate and terroir get in the way of wine production? Schnebly Winery in the Redland certainly didn’t let it, using what it had (humidity and sandy soil) to make fruit-based vino. Varietals such as passionfruit, avocado and lychee are available to sample during one of the guided tasting tours or to purchase by the bottle at the winery’s gift shop. Schnebly also makes its own tropical-inspired beers like a coconut ale and a lychee blonde, as well as more straight forward brews under its sister label, Miami Brewing Company.

South Florida’s most famous produce market lures visitors from all corners of the state. The humble tourist attraction started in 1959 and grew from an old-timey fruitstand into a massive emporium of exotic fruits and tropical vegetables. Not all of what’s on sale is grown locally but most of it is. And even the stuff that’s not is rare and unusual to find anywhere else but Robert’s. If you see a line forming outside, it’s probably for the milk shake bar. Don’t be discouraged. It goes fast and it’s worth standing in for a fresh-fruit concoction of your own. There’s also a petting zoo out back and a general store selling artisanal items like honey and soaps. The lovely farm setting is the cherry on top.

Fall is wonderful for many reasons, one of which is the return of Knaus Berry Farm. Open November through mid-April, the strawberry farm and bakery is one of the Redland’s top seasonal experiences. Visitors have the opportunity to pick their own fruit, take home jars of housemade jellies and—the reason you really drive to Knaus—stock up on freshly baked cinnamon rolls. People line up for hours and you’ll know why after just one bite.

Some people take the detour to Card Sound Road to avoid the traffic on the Overseas Highway, but we take it for Alabama Jack’s. The waterfront, roadside dive is home to some of the best conch fritters around. Rather than fried poppable bites, theirs are big, doughy cakes filled with conch meat—like a seafood funnel cake. Sound good, huh? This and the supremely fresh seafood and affordable drinks are why so many overlook the ramshackle digs and lackluster service. It’s cheap, fun and oozes charm.

Views are as much a part of the Keys’ dining experience as the food, and Sundowners offers both. The sunsets here are spectacular and so are the local specialties, including the stone crabs, hogfish and Florida lobster, which you can have cooked to your liking and topped with the sauce of your choice. The raw bar is stacked with oysters, shrimp and more fresh options that were just plucked from nearby waters.

Once you’ve gotten your fill of the morphing candy-colored skies and seafood at Sundowners, drive another five minutes south for dessert at the Fish House. This local institution makes the best Key lime pie in the region with the ideal tart-to-meringue ratio. And we should know because we’ve tasted plenty. You could get a slice but the move here is to order an entire pie to-go. It’ll keep for a few days in the fridge, with the meringue intact too, though we’re sure you’ll polish it off before that anyway.

The original Holiday Isle Tiki Bar opened in 1951 and was, sadly, swept away by Hurricane Irma in 2017. But the frozen cocktails are still flowing at the shiny new throwback that replaced it in 2018. You’ll find excellent rum runners—which the Tiki Bar is credited with creating—ample waterfront views and festive tiki totems to remind you that you’re on vacation. It’s easy to overdo it on the refreshing slushies so you’ll want to plan ahead and book a room at the adjacent Postcard Inn. Sleep off the hangover from the tasty sugary drinks and do it all again the next day.