Florida Keys Road Trip: 6-day itinerary & map
Miami to Key West over 42 bridges
US-1 island-hops 113 miles from the mainland to Key West on the Overseas Highway, crossing 42 bridges, including the Seven Mile Bridge. You can drive it in under four hours, but three or four days lets you snorkel the reef, walk the old railroad bridges and watch a Mallory Square sunset.
When to go: December–April: dry season, with lower humidity and outside hurricane season (June–November).
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Route line and mileage from OSRM over OpenStreetMap roads. Open this route in the planner to change the stops.
Day-by-day Florida Keys & the Overseas Highway itinerary
- Start
Miami
Leave via Homestead; Everglades' Anhinga Trail is a short detour.
Pass through - 62 mi · about 1 h 30 min from Miami
Key Largo
Snorkel or take a glass-bottom boat out of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
1 night here - 17 mi · about 30 min from Key Largo
Islamorada
Feed the tarpon at Robbie's and visit Indian Key or the History of Diving Museum.
1 night here - 33 mi · about 48 min from Islamorada
Marathon
Visit the Turtle Hospital, then walk or bike the old Seven Mile Bridge out to Pigeon Key.
1 night here - 18 mi · about 30 min from Marathon
Big Pine Key
Look for the tiny Key deer and stop at Bahia Honda State Park's beach.
Pass through - 29 mi · about 48 min from Big Pine Key
Key West
See the Southernmost Point, Hemingway's house and sunset at Mallory Square. The ferry or seaplane to Dry Tortugas leaves from here.
2 nights here
Before you drive
- Mile markers (MM) run from about MM 127 in Florida City to MM 0 in Key West. Addresses in the Keys use them.
- During hurricane season, follow the Monroe County emergency management site and the National Hurricane Center.
- Parking in Key West is tight. Many visitors park at the hotel and use bikes.
Fuel for this trip
At 28 mpg and $3.50/gal, 160 miles costs about:
$20
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Florida Keys & the Overseas Highway FAQ
How long does the Florida Keys & the Overseas Highway road trip take?
This itinerary takes 6 days and covers about 160 miles, or roughly 4 hours of driving without traffic or stops. You can drive it faster, but the nights listed leave time for the sights.
When is the best time for a Florida Keys & the Overseas Highway road trip?
December–April: dry season, with lower humidity and outside hurricane season (June–November). Check official road status before you go.
What is the longest driving day?
Miami to Key Largo: about 62 miles, or 1 h 30 min of driving before stops. Leave early that day.
Where should I stay overnight?
The overnight bases in this plan are Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Key West.
