How to Have an Epic Florida Keys Road Trip

Although Miami is typically the go-to spot of South Florida, a Florida Keys road trip is a beautiful escape from the craziness of the city. Located only a few hours south of Miami, the Florida Keys offer a relaxed vibe, beautiful water and lots of outdoor activities.

A road trip down the Florida Keys is the best way to experience the area as there is so much to see. The trip itself is easy–there’s one way in and one way out via US-1. This means that traffic can get heavy but it also means that it’s easy to pull off the road and stop somewhere–perfect for road trip exploration!

Where to go on your Florida Keys road trip:

First of all, there are many, many Keys. Each island is a Key and there are really too many to count. But there are some main islands/Keys that help determine the area: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West. These islands are some of the most popular and where you’ll find some of the larger towns. But like I said, there are many Keys off shore or in between these main Keys, but this will help you determine the area a little bit better.

Another thing to note about the Florida Keys is that everything is referred to by its Mile Marker. Once you’re on US-1, the mile markers count down until you are at 00 in Key West. Because there’s only one main road, knowing the Mile Markers of your destination is an easy way to get directions. For someone who has zero sense of direction (me)–this is ideal!

How Long Do You Need

If you were to drive straight through from Miami to Key West, the trip would take roughly 3.5 hours. So it’s possible to come down on a weekend, especially if you aren’t driving all the way to Key West. But there’s a lot to see. Spending 3 to 5 days in the Keys is a good amount of time to relax and explore.

*Before you start

The Florida Keys are pretty quirky and artsy. Keep your eyes open along the way for fun photo ops with giant sculptures or murals!

But also keep your eyes open for good spots with turquoise water! You’ll see it from the car window but I like getting out along the way to get a better view!

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Key Largo

Key Largo is the largest of the Florida keys and is 30 miles from end to end. It’s the closest Key to the mainland and a popular spot for people to stop and stay. You can also find one of the best all-inclusive resorts here. Key Largo is a famous spot for snorkeling and diving since John Pennekamp is located here.

John Pennekamp is an underwater state park (the nation’s first!) that is 25 miles long and 3 miles deep. It’s well known for its reefs. You can snorkel, dive, take a glass bottom boat, etc. You can also see the Christ of the Abyss statue underwater that was cast from the original Italian mold.

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Islamorada

Islamorada is a great area to explore. It’s a pretty island with lot of good places to stop for lunch or just to stop and look around. It’s also very photogenic. You can find cute spots all around for photo ops. I’ve stayed in this area many times or just stopped here for lunch.

Robbie’s is a popular stop along the route in Islamorada. There’s a restaurant, fishing charters, boat rentals, you name it. But a huge draw is seeing the massive tarpon swimming and you can also hand-feed them! Buy a bucket of small fish and toss them to the tarpon or stick your hand through the netting to get close without the prying eyes of the pelicans. Beware, the pelicans are vicious thieves!

Anne’s Beach

(Mile Marker 73)

I didn’t know Anne’s Beach existed and had probably driven by it a few times. But one time, I saw people wading out really far into the ocean and they were only ankle-deep! We decided to pull over to check it out and it turned out to be an actual place people go.

Anne’s Beach is a huge shallow area/sand bar. You can walk quite a ways out into the water and not even be knee deep. Because it’s so shallow, it also feels like bath water!

They have picnic tables at pavilions and a newly constructed boardwalk taking you alongside the beach. The pictures are from two different trips and there has definitely been a difference visiting. The first two pictures are from before Hurricane Irma and the newly constructed platforms.

I’ve been a few times post-hurricane and it hasn’t looked the same as it initially did. It also doesn’t help that our dog went crazy and stirred up all the water. But it’s still a great place to go for shallow, warm water!

Long Key State Park

(Mile Marker 67.5)

For the longest time I thought there were only about 2 state parks in the Florida Keys–turns out there’s about 10! Long Key used to be a spot for the wealthy to visit, back in the Henry Flagler days (the man who put a railroad in from Miami which essentially opened up the keys. You can visit the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach). There’s a beach, nature walks and camping.

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Marathon

Marathon is another popular area and is comprised of many small islands and actually has quite a few other streets off of the main US-1. There are a lot of fun things to do in this centralized area and it’s a great place to stay. It’s also well known for diving and has shallow & deep reefs and wrecks to explore.

Curry Hammock State Park

(Mile Marker 56.2)

Another state park in the Florida Keys is Curry Hammock (not related to the picture above). It’s another beach spot with shallow water and a good place to pull out kayaks and paddle boards to explore the mangroves!

Sombrero Beach

(Mile Marker 50)

Another beach area that you can check out is Sombrero Beach. There’s a small sandy area with some palm trees you can lay under. It’s right next to a park area with picnic pavilions, volleyball courts and restroom facilities. There is a parking fee to come to this beach.

Turtle Hospital

(Mile Marker 48.5)

At the Turtle Hospital, you can get a tour of the facilities while learning all about turtles and the rehabilitation efforts for them. They rescue, rehabilitate and release turtles back into their habitat. To visit, you’ll need to join a guided educational program tour which are given throughout the day. You’ll tour the facilities and get to feed a turtle at the end.

Seven Mile Bridge

(Mile Marker 47)

The Seven Mile bridge is exactly what it sounds like. A 7-mile bridge over the open water. It runs alongside the old bridge that was built by Henry Flagler for the Overseas Railroad which was damaged by a hurricane in 1960. There is still a 2-mile section open to pedestrian traffic that leads to Pigeon Key and is popular for fishing.

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Big Pine Key

Big Pine Key has lots of nature spots and good diving (including the Looe shipwreck). You won’t find as many streets here like in Marathon. But you will find one of the best state parks and even a wildlife refuge.

Bahia Honda State Park

(Mile Marker 37)

One of my favorite places to stop on a Florida Keys road trip is Bahia Honda State Park. It’s got some great beaches and access to the old bridge, which gives you the view from above!

The beaches are some of the nicer options in the Keys and there are some nice, shallow areas for families and swimming. It also has a campground near one of the other beaches if you want to stay in the park.

You also may or may not see a lot of seagrass. On my first visit, there wasn’t any seagrass on the shores but several years later, there were mounds all down the beach. It’s not removed since its important to the ecosystem.

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Key West

At the end of your Florida Keys road trip lies Key West and it is really its own place. This bigger island is eccentric, interesting and fun. Key West has a fairly large town (for an island) with shops, bars and museums. There’s lots of things to see and do here–easily a few days of exploration.

There are artsy shops, the bar street, several museums to explore and different beach areas to relax. It’s also a great place to get out on the water. There are many options to take snorkeling tours or sunset tours.

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park

Not only does this state park have a beautiful beach, it has a lot of historic significance. Fort Taylor played an important role in the Civil War and you can tour its corridors while learning about the history of it.

Ernest Hemingway’s House

Ernest Hemingway actually lived and wrote in Key West for about 10 years and his home is now a museum that you can tour. Possibly my favorite part is the cats. Yes, you read that right–cats. Apparently there are about 40-50 6-toed cats living there. Hemingway was once given a white 6-toed cat from a sea captain and some of the cats at the house are descendants of that one.

Mallory Square

It’s said that all roads in Key West lead to Mallory Square. It’s a famous gathering place in the evenings where restaurants are busy, street performers come out and people gather for the Sunset Celebration. There’s a Sunset Celebration every single night and I don’t think I’ve ever gone to Key West and NOT gone to Mallory Square for sunset.

Ships sail by and everyone hangs out and grabs drinks to watch the sun go down. It’s nice–I feel like watching the sun set is under appreciated and it’s just done right here.

Duval Street

This is probably Key West’s most popular street. Duval Street is lined with bars, some with interesting things to look at (like this bar covered with dollar bills) and lots of live music. You can party all night here if you want…well, until 4am.

Take a picture at the Southernmost Point

Probably one of the most famous spots to take a picture in Key West is at the Southernmost Point in the Continental US. As the landmark says–you’re only 90 miles from Cuba at this point! There’s usually a small line to take your picture here but it’s an iconic photo op.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Bonus points if you get to the Dry Tortugas. It’s the only National Park in the Florida Keys but it’s not easy or cheap to get to. This star-shaped fort is in the middle of the ocean with beautiful beaches and water. The ferry is a 2-hour ride over (4-hour round trip) and costs about $200 per person.

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What to eat:

To be honest, I don’t have favorite restaurants in the Florida Keys because a lot of places are very similar (locals don’t come at me). And by similar I mean that it’s a seafood haven. I haven’t quite been disappointed by anywhere I’ve eaten. So instead, here are some popular foods you should try!

Key Lime Pie

Key lime pie is a staple in the Florida Keys. At one point, key lime trees were found all over Florida and the keys. You can pretty much find key lime pie in any restaurant and even whole stores dedicated to key lime flavored things like candles and candies. It’s a must-try while you’re here!

Conch Fritters

Conch fritters are a popular dish in the Keys. They are usually fried and served with tarter sauce. I have a picture of a conch shell but you might not want to try them if you see the critter, but when in the Keys, try the conch!

Seafood

This is a very general suggestion. But you’re in the Keys–you have to order seafood. Shrimp, calamari, conch…and you really can’t go wrong with a fish sandwich. My favorite are the blackened Mahi Mahi or blackened Grouper sandwiches. (Always order blackened. Not grilled. Not fried, blackened. It has the best seasoning and most flavor!)

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Where to stay:

It depends on how much time you have and what your goals are. If your goal is to get all the way down to Key West and you only have the weekend, you’ll be staying in Key West. If you have 3-4 days and want to make it to Key West, you could easily stay on another Key on your way down to give you more time to explore the areas/take more stops. But, if you aren’t going all the way to Key West, Islamorada and Marathon are great central places to stay.

Key West is fun to experience, but my favorite thing is the stops along the way. So if you have the time, I’d definitely recommend staying mid-way down so you can explore without having to do a lot of unnecessary back and forth driving. (Anne’s Beach is an hour and a half from Key West and Bahia Honda is 50 minutes for instance.)

The rooms

I’ve stayed in Islamorada, Big Pine Key, Marathon and Key West and one thing is pretty consistent: you’ll be paying a lot for a mediocre place. In the peak season, you’ll be paying around $150 a night for a slightly run-down, pastel-colored boutique hotel room with mismatched bedding and a cockroach in the corner. There are definitely some nicer places to stay but you’ll be paying $250-450 per night during peak season (Dec-April).

The two photos above are from a place we stayed near Islamorada and it had a really cute outdoor area and great view. However, it was definitely one of those slightly run down, cockroach-in-the-corner type places inside. But when you spend most of your time outside anyway, does it really matter?

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I never get tired of going to the Florida Keys. It’s beautiful and a great place to go when you just want to relax and kick back. There are so many places to explore on your Florida Keys road trip but make sure you take your time! Don’t rush to see things because, after all, that’s what the keys are all about: just enjoying the easy life.

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