The ultimate Miami to Key West drive

  • Post last modified:May 28, 2023
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The ultimate Miami to Key West drive takes you through some of the best parts of tropical Florida. After leaving Miami and passing Everglades, you exit the mainland and enter the Overseas Highway. The impressive highway takes you from key to key until you reach the Southernmost Point of both the Miami to Key West road trip and the continental USA.

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  • Total distance: 164 mi / 264 km
  • Total driving time: 3.5 h

Related reading: Also bookmark our ultimate Florida Keys guide.

1. Miami – The stunning Miami to Key West drive begins

The starting point of the tropical South Florida drive delivers a beachy big city vibe. In Miami you can enjoy white beaches during daytime and party the night away on Ocean Drive until the morning arrives.

But Miami is also a lot more than beautiful beaches and a fun nightlife scene. Little Havana and Wynwood offer versatile cultural experiences, and Everglades is just a short trip away.

White beach and blue water in Miami
Miami Beach.

Enjoy culture in Little Havana and Wynwood

Little Havana is a great place to increase your understanding for the Cuban heritage in Florida. Maybe the neighborhood even is where the city’s real heart is.

In Little Havana, home to many Cuban exiles, you get a taste of old Cuba. Neighborhood highlights include trying Latin American food, listening to live music and, of course, watching games of outdoor domino.

Another Miami neighborhood with a lot of soul is Wynwood. Eye-popping in vivid colors, Wynwood’s murals is what once made the area famous.

Nowadays visitors come to Wynwood to stroll around, take in the street art and capture that perfect picture for their social media accounts. A top Instagram place in Miami, the Wynwood neighborhood certainly is a fun place to explore before you take off on the Miami to Key West road trip.

Alligator painted on wall
Mural art in Wynwood.

See alligators in the vast Everglades

A visit to South Florida is not complete without a stop to check out the unique wilderness in the Everglades. The area represents the wild and untamed side of Florida, and there are many reasons to visit Everglades.

In the incredibly large wetland you find birds, lizards and alligators. Nature lover or not, it’s a must to see the Everglades as you take the Miami to Key West trip.

Exploration of Everglades can be done as a day trip from Miami, or as a stop on the drive from Miami to Key West.

Ernest Coe Visitor Center of the Everglades is just a small detour away on the Miami to Key West road trip. Close by, the Anhinga Trail offers great chances to see alligators in the wild in the Everglades.

Sunset of the Everglades
Sunset in the Everglades.

Route info: Everglades National Park has as much as five different visitor centers. Among these, Ernest Coe Visitor Center is the most convenient one for the Miami to Key West road trip. The Ernest Coe section of the park, which is its southern portion, is famous for its alligator-lined trails.

2. Key Largo – The first miles on the famous Overseas Highway

  • Driving distance: 67 mi / 108 km
  • Driving time: 1.5 h

Key Largo is the first major upper island of the Florida Keys. As indicated by its name, the island is at 33 miles (53 km) long the largest segment of the Keys.

In Key Largo the famous Overseas Highway and the Florida Keys adventure begins. Water activities are very appreciated all over the Keys, and Key Largo is certainly no exception.

Entering the Overseas Highway on the Miami to Key West drive

From Key Largo the Miami to Key West road trip continues on one of the most spectacular roads in the world, the Overseas Highway.

The Overseas Highway is a breathtaking road that takes you on bridges from key to key until you reach Key West. To enter it from the mainland, you can just continue on US Highway 1 until it becomes the Overseas Highway as you’re about to reach Key Largo.

As soon as you reach the first key on the Miami to Key West drive, you feel that the stress of the mainland disappears. Instead you embrace the laid-back Florida Keys vibe.

Boat on blue water
Life on water in the Florida Keys.

A Miami to Key West stop at the first undersea park in the US

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is known as the first undersea park in the United States. It’s an exciting place for a stop on the drive from Miami to Key West.

In the park you really get to see how rich the Keys are in natural beauty. The park is home to coral reefs and an impressive marine life.

At John Pennekamp you can explore the corals from a glass-bottom boat, or by diving and snorkeling. So it’s totally up to you how active you want to be when you visit on the Miami to Key West road trip. If you don’t want to, you don’t even need to dip your feet in the water when you explore John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

Peaceful time on quiet canals with the African Queen

Another nice way to explore the waters of the Florida Keys and to learn some movie history on the Miami to Key West trip is to take the African Queen on the canals. The steamboat got famous through the 1951 movie with the same name with stars such as Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.

The African Queen canal trip is extra interesting if you have seen the movie. But even if you haven’t seen it, the boat tour is a pleasant stop to make on the Miami to Key West itinerary. The Key Largo canals are incredibly peaceful.

Boat at dock in Key Largo
Quiet Key Largo canal.

Where to stay

It’s early on the Miami to Key West road trip, but you find some quintessential lodging already in Key Largo. The stunning Key Largo resorts show that you don’t need to go deep into the Florida Keys to find some real gems.

A tropical road trip from Miami to Key West
A tropical road trip from Miami to Key West.

3. Islamorada – Going deeper into the Florida Keys on the Miami to Key West road trip

  • Driving distance: 17 mi / 27 km
  • Driving time: 0.5 h

After a first taste of Florida Keys in Key Largo, the road trip from Miami to Key West continues further down in the Keys. It’s time to explore the fun things to do in Islamorada as you travel from Miami to Key West.

Islamorada is packed with opportunities to fully take in the beautiful environment of the Florida Keys. The area is known as the sport-fishing capital of the world, and water activities are in abundance.

Explore the forgotten Indian Key

The Indian Key Historic State Park is a unique stop on the drive from Miami to Key West. The state park is located within sight of the Overseas Highway. However, it’s offshore and only accessible by boat when visiting on the Miami to Key West journey.

Indian Key has an unexpectedly rich past: This humble island became the first county seat of Dade County in 1836. Wrecking ships was big business, and the founders wanted to compete with Key West.

In the end it didn’t work out for them, and a long time has passed since anyone lived on the key. But a visit to the island is both historically interesting and a great chance to see some exceptional marine life on the Miami to Key West road trip.

Fish feeding at Robbie’s when driving from Miami to KW

Another option on the drive from Miami to Key West is to go to Robbie’s.

People from all around the world go to Robbie’s for the opportunity to feed tarpons. The place has become like an institution along the Overseas Highway in Florida Keys.

The massive silver giants wait at Robbie’s dock for food. And they aren’t shy when you dangle fish on the surface. The tarpons love to snatch it out of your hands, and down in their stomachs it goes.

Where to stay

Islamorada is halfway from Miami and a superb base on the Miami to Key West road trip. You can’t stay on Indian Key nowadays, but there’s plenty of tempting Islamorada lodging to choose from.

Blue water, white sand and green palm trees
A relaxing vibe in Islamorada.

Isn’t this Miami to Key West road trip pretty? Its tropical ocean views makes it one of the best road trips in the USA.

4. Marathon – The Miami to Key West drive reaches the heart of Florida Keys

  • Driving distance: 30 mi / 48 km
  • Driving time: 0.5 h

As you leave Islamorada, you have passed the halfway point between Miami and Key West. In Marathon you’re instead about halfway to Key West from the start of the Overseas Highway.

When the Florida Keys Overseas Railroad was built in the early 1900s, the stakes were high and the efforts put in by the workers enormous. They worked day and night to finish the project on schedule.

As they worked the men said that “this is getting to be a real marathon”. Hence the name for the local station and later city was born.

Houses and palm trees at sunset of Miami to Key West drive
Marathon in the Florida Keys.

Relax on Sombrero Beach on the Miami to KW road trip

It’s almost impossible to not long for a beach to relax on when you travel from Miami to Key West in the endless summer season of Florida Keys. And in Marathon find one of the most popular beaches in the Florida Keys, Sombrero Beach.

At Sombrero Beach you find a sandy shoreline, calm waters and palm trees that give shade for the moments when the direct sun feels too strong. The beach with its shallow water is ideal for a day of unwinding, sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling on the Miami to Key West road trip.

A turtle sanctuary in the heart of the Keys

From April to October it’s nesting season in the Keys for loggerhead turtles. Turtles just love the warm Florida waters.

On the Miami to Key West road trip a great way to learn more about them is to visit Florida Keys Turtle Hospital in Marathon. The turtle hospital rehabilitates injured sea turtles and return them to their natural habitat.

If you book a guided tour, you get to learn about turtles and the hospital’s efforts to save them. A visit is a rewarding experience both for adults and younger travelers on a Miami to Key West family road trip.

The turtle hospital in Marathon
The turtle hospital in Marathon.

Where to stay

The heart of Florida Keys is a true island oasis. Marathon has a lot of great places to stay to really make the most of the time in the central Florida Keys area.

7 mile bridge to Key West
The Seven Mile Bridge west of Marathon.

5. Big Pine Key – Lazy days in the Lower Keys on the Miami to Key West road trip

  • Driving distance: 21 mi / 34 km
  • Driving time: 0.5 h

Now the Miami to Key West road trip is getting really deep into the Florida Keys. The Lower Keys is the area of the Keys after the Seven Mile Bridge. That includes every key from Bahia Honda Key and Big Pine Key until you reach Key West.

The old Seven Mile Bridge
The old Seven Mile Bridge.

Another great beach stop on the drive from Miami to Key West

Spending time in Florida Keys is as much about unwinding as it is about seeing things.

Sombrero Beach higher up in the Keys is always mentioned as one of the best beaches in the Florida Keys. Another famous beach not to miss on the Miami to Key West road trip is located in the Lower Keys, Bahia Honda Beach.

In Bahia Honda State Park you find a picturesque beach for perfect days in the sun.

The beach is beautiful with crystal clear water and lots of shoreline to explore. In addition its shallow water also makes it a great place to stop for families on the Miami to Key West drive.

Bahia Honda State Park in Florida Keys
Bahia Honda State Park.

A heaven for the tiny Key Deer in Big Pine Key

On Big Pine Key you find the National Key Deer Refuge. It has been established to protect the local Key Deer and other wildlife in the Florida Keys. It’s a fun place to visit on the Miami to Key West road trip for anyone who likes nature and animals.

The Key Deer is the tiniest member of the North American white-tailed deer family. So you might be surprised about how small it is. The refuge is about 9,000 acres and there the tiny deer lives side by side with other species, such as the Lower Key marsh rabbit and the silver rice rat.

Where to stay

The Lower Keys area is quiet and certainly far away from the buzz. But that just makes it the the most perfect place to unwind before you reach the quirky Key West.

6. Key West – The quirky end of the spectacular Overseas Highway

  • Driving distance: 29 mi / 47 km
  • Driving time: 0.5 h

After an impressive road trip on the Overseas Highway it’s time to round off the journey. In Key West not only does the Overseas Highway end but also the continental United States.

Ernest Hemingway called Key West his home for some of the most fruitful time of his writing career. When you visit the island on the Miami to Key West road trip, it’s easy to fall in love with the place. It’s one of the most unique Florida Islands.

Key West is famous for its endless summer, sunset celebrations and unique quirky vibe. In Old Town of Key West you have the best of times. And most of the best things to do in Key West are centered around the two main streets, Duval and Whitehead Street.

Blue water and green palm trees in Key West
Key West at the end of the road.

Explore Duval and celebrate on Mallory Square

Duval Street is packed with fun stores, tasty restaurants and bars that can cool you off even on the hottest of Florida days. When you arrive at Duval on the Miami to Key West road trip, you are guaranteed to find something to do.

A popular place to visit is the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. There you are welcome to walk in a garden full of butterflies. It’s peaceful, fun and educational. It’s a great stop no matter if you travel solo, as a couple or take a family road trip from Miami to Key West.

And don’t forget that in Key West every day ends with sunset celebration on Mallory Square. As the sun starts to set on the horizon, hundreds of people gather and quirkily celebrate the sunset.

Finish the Miami to Key West drive with slower pace on Whitehead Street

Next to Duval on Whitehead Street you find a much slower pace. There the setting is ideal to indulge in Key West history at the Ernest Hemingway Key West House and Key West Lighthouse & Keeper’s Quarters Museum.

More iconic places and splendid photo opportunities on Whitehead Street are Mile Marker 0 and the Southernmost Point. The latter marks out the Southernmost Point of the continental United States. Both are perfect spots to round off your amazing Miami to Key West drive.

Buoy standing at dock in Key West
The Southernmost Point of the continental US.

Where to stay

After a scenic Miami to Key West road trip it’s nice to not have to rely on your car for a while. From Key West hotels in Old Town you have most attractions and things to do within walking distance.

Red sunset in Key West
Sunset in Key West.

Additional stops: If you want to extend the road trip, you can start in Orlando instead of Miami. That way you make it an Orlando to Key West road trip and get to see some more of the beautiful South Florida.

Use the booking tool below to find the perfect places to stay for your road trip from Miami to Key West. Browse the map for options in various areas, or click on the search button to start with hotels in Miami.

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The ultimate Miami to Key West drive FAQ

Here you find the answers to some frequently asked questions about the drive from Miami to Key West.

How far is it to drive from Miami to Key West?

It’s 164 miles (264 km) from Miami to Key West, which takes about 3.5 hours to drive. However, to fully enjoy the drive it should be taken over multiple days.

Where should I stop between Miami and Key West?

The main stops included on the ultimate Miami to Key West road trip are Miami, Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Lower Keys and Key West. In each area along the way you find several appreciated Miami to Key West road trip sights to explore.

What is halfway between Miami and Key West?

Islamorada is located halfway between Miami and Key West. Therefore Islamorada is the ultimate location if you want to stop somewhere around the middle of the road trip from Miami to Key West.

Where is the midway point of the Overseas Highway?

Marathon is located midway between the start of the Overseas Highway and Key West. That’s also why the Marathon area is called the heart of the Keys.

How much time do I need to take the Miami to Key West road trip?

The relatively short driving time and distance means that you easily can take the entire Miami to Key West road trip in just a day. But to see the stops and attractions on the Miami to Key West itinerary it’s recommended to spend at least a few nights on the way down to the southernmost Key West.

When should you do the road trip from Miami to Key West?

With an endless summer climate th Miami to Key West drive can be done at any time of the year. However, in the middle of summer the temperature can be very hot and the conditions humid. So outdoor activities on the itinerary along the way to Key West are more comfortable in spring, autumn and winter.

What are fun stops if I start in Orlando instead of Miami?

Great additional stops on a road trip from Orlando to Key West are Clearwater Beach, Sanibel Island, Naples and the Everglades before you continue on the Miami to Key West itinerary.

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