Having arrived in Miami, you will need to find the Florida Turnpike. At the moment there are still lots of roadworks in the area of the airport, so when you have collected your car follow the directions, which they should give you, out of the depot, and keep looking for signs for the Florida Turnpike North.
If you are collecting your car from Dollar then turn left out of the compound into NW South River Drive. You will cross over a Railroad Track and should turn immediately left. This will bring you to a junction with Lejuene Rd/42nd Ave. The George T. Baker School of Aviation is on the right hand side, with aeroplanes sitting on the concrete. Turn right onto Lejeune Rd and follow the signs to Highway 112 East (Airport Expressway)/Ft. Lauderdale. The road will divide just after you pass the Embassy Suites, a huge peach coloured hotel on your right, but make sure you do not take this exit. Stay over to the left hand side.
There is a toll booth soon after this and you will need 75c.
Highway 112 runs into the Interstate 95. Keep looking for signs to Fort Lauderdale. Quite soon after you join the I95 you will see the HOV lane on the left hand side. If you see it in time then join this lane. It has a diamond painted on the road, and is a special fast lane for those cars with more than 2 passengers, (particularly between peak hours when only such cars may use it), but it always seems less busy. The HOV lane is much quicker and detours away form the main I95 on a high level stretch of road. Don’t worry about this, it is still part of the I95 but you will be able to look down and see all the traffic below you as you sail past – hopefully. If you miss the HOV lane, don’t worry, just carry on with the normal road. It will lead you to the same place. Just look out for it on your return journey, it can save you a lot of time.
The only part which may be a bit confusing is just north of Miami when the Florida Turnpike rejoins its spur at Exit 48 (Junction 12 of the I95). Just keep following the signs Florida Turnpike North (Orlando). You will need everyone to concentrate at this point, especially as you have just come off a transatlantic flight and may be feeling a bit weary – plus you have had to adjust to driving on the right. Don’t make a mistake and take a left onto the Palmetto Expressway.
This is where the western section of the Florida Turnpike joins the short section from the East, which is accessed from Miami via the I95. The two roads merge and become one. From this point you will be on the Florida Turnpike, which will take you directly to Orlando. Once you have passed Fort Lauderdale, and reached Boca Raton, around Mile Post 75 you will find the traffic thins out dramatically, and you can start to relax and enjoy the journey, which will take you along the eastern side of Florida, before veering off in a more central direction, just past Fort Pierce. It is very sparsely populated, but it is wonderful to drive up the Turnpike, with the sun shining, and the wetlands on either side, as you drive towards your hotel or villa, and the start of your holiday in Orlando.