Taking a Florida Keys street journey on the Overseas Highway from Key Largo right down to Key West is a basic American street journey. Sun in your pores and skin, wind in your hair, your street journey playlist jamming, cruising alongside this chain of islands — it’s a journey everybody ought to take of their lifetime, whether or not it’s with their household, mates, or on their very own.
This 113-mile journey travels via small vacationer cities, over Seven Mile Bridge (a Florida landmark), and previous glowing water in additional shades of blue than your common crayon field. It is without doubt one of the most scenic drives in Florida and if a Florida Keys roadtrip isn’t in your bucket record, it ought to be.
HOw Many Days Do You Need to Drive the Florida Keys?
Technically you may full a Florida Keys street journey in a day, because the drive usually takes about 5 hours with none lengthy stops. However, you need to actually attempt to embrace the relaxed angle of locals (or the “Conchs” as they name the locals in Key West) and take your time.
I’d advocate that you simply cease and keep a minimum of two nights someplace within the center keys, both in Key Largo or Marathon. This permits you extra time to get pleasure from a number of the actions and water sports activities, like kayaking within the Florida Keys.
There are 5 main areas within the string of small islands that make up the Florida Keys. From north to south these are: Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, the Lower Keys, and Key West. Each area presents a unique vibe and sights, so it is smart to discover a number of locations alongside the way in which. Otherwise, you would possibly as effectively simply skip the street journey and fly to Key West — however then you definitely miss a lot of the great things!
Getting to the Florida Keys
Getting to the Florida Keys is fairly simple, as you’ll find direct flights from throughout the nation to both Miami or Fort Lauderdale. From Miami International Airport to Key Largo takes about an hour, and it’s only slightly additional (1.5 hours) from Fort Lauderdale.
If you’re restricted in time, you could need to take into account driving a method and flying out of the opposite, simply remember the fact that you could incur some extra automotive rental charges for a one-way drop-off.
Best Time to Take a Key West Road Trip
Since Key West is the Southernmost level within the continental USA, a Florida Keys street journey could be a good way to flee the winter chilly, making December via May peak season. While the Florida Keys are well-liked with snowbirds, you may get pleasure from this enjoyable vacation spot year-round. Just remember the fact that the summer season months could be brutally sizzling and humid, so it’s best to plan water actions. You additionally have to be careful for afternoon thunderstorms.
The solely time to presumably keep away from is prime hurricane season from August via November, as you by no means know what to anticipate and evacuating on the Florida Keys could be difficult as there is only one street out and in of this island chain.
Where to Stay on a Florida Keys Roadtrip
Note: This publish accommodates affiliate hyperlinks. If you click on a hyperlink and make a purchase order, I could obtain a small fee. My current journey was hosted by The Florida Keys and Key West, and we acquired complimentary lodging, transportation, and a few actions. All opinions are my very own.
If you solely have an extended weekend, it is smart to hightail it right down to Key West for the length. Or, skip the lengthy drive and keep within the increased Keys like Key Largo or Islamorada. However, when you have 4 nights or extra on your Florida Keys itinerary, take into account splitting up your keep.
I just lately took a Florida Keys ladies’ journey with my podcast associate Kim, and we spent two nights in Key Largo at Baker’s Cay Resort. Located within the southern a part of Key Largo, it’s a nice jumping-off spot for exploring the close by Keys.
We additionally had dinner and a spa therapy on the Playa Largo Resort, a Marriott Autograph property, close by, which had an amazing pool and waterfront space for households.
On a earlier household journey to the Keys, we stayed at Hawk’s Cay Resort on Duck Key, which is a superb selection for households and nice for venturing into close by Marathon.
Once you arrive in Key West, you could have the choice of staying on the town or saving slightly cash by staying simply exterior of city on Stock Island. On our woman’s journey, we stayed on the Perry Hotel Key West on Stock Island, a boutique resort that provides shuttle service to the seashore and downtown.
Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo
Baker’s Cay Resort Key Largo is a part of the Curio Collection by Hilton. As with many Curio properties, this renovated property maintains the native character. The stunning public areas provide many areas to loosen up and hang around, from swings on the patio to the library and video games space off the foyer.
There are two eating places on the property, in addition to a seashore bar that serves up complimentary champagne at sundown, and a meals truck and bar on the pool.
The rooms at Baker’s Cay have been refreshed, however the constructing nonetheless maintains out of doors corridors. There are two wings of the resort, one fronting Hammock Beach, which is a tiny seashore tucked beneath the mangroves, and the opposite close to sundown seashore, which is the principle seashore that includes the dock and water actions.
Keep in thoughts that the seashores within the Florida Keys are comparatively small, lined with palm bushes and some rows of seashore chairs. The actual attraction of the seashore space is the clear water and out of doors actions.
You can ebook all types of excursions and water sports activities from the resort, together with wave runners and paddle boarding. Kids additionally love the problem of the resort ABC scavenger hunt, with letters scattered all through the property.
Perry Hotel Key West
The Perry Hotel is positioned on Stock Island, an up-and-coming space roughly 20 minutes exterior of downtown Key West. This trendy, boutique resort caters to younger households, teams, and {couples}.
Even although the resort isn’t inside strolling distance to downtown, they do provide scooters for hire for $45 a day, or free shuttle service on the hour from mid-morning via the night.
Of course, you may at all times hang around on the resort. Rent a cabana across the pool, hand around in a hammock, get pleasure from an tour from the marina subsequent door, get pleasure from oysters on the pool bar, or expertise fabulous sea-to-table eating at Matt’s Stock Island Kitchen and Bar.
The rooms are as tastefully embellished as the general public areas, many providing balconies overlooking the pool. The Perry Hotel Key West is a superb selection for these searching for good, reasonably priced luxurious who need to keep out of the hustle and bustle of downtown.
More Key West Hotel Options
Places to Stop on a Florida Keys Road Trip Itinerary
While you’re staying within the Key Largo space, take a while to discover. It is understood for its fishing and scuba diving, and close by Islamorada is without doubt one of the cutest small cities in Florida. Other sights embody:
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
The underwater playground of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a must-visit and a great first cease in your Key West drive. This undersea park covers 70 nautical sq. miles, whose coral reefs could be explored by glass-bottom boat, scuba, or snorkeling expedition to see marine life and tropical fish. Upland areas provide mangrove swamps, strolling trails, picnic tables, swimming, and a customer middle.
Lunch at Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen
Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen is a long-time favourite of locals and vacationers, as you may inform from the license plates lining the partitions. Try the crab truffles or the conch fritters, simply you should definitely save room for some key lime pie.
See extra recommendations on the place to eat in Key Largo!
Robbie’s of Islamorada
Robbie’s Marina is without doubt one of the hottest locations within the Keys and a should cease in your Florida Key street journey. Most guests cease right here to feed the tarpon fish, buying buckets of fish and paying an entrance charge to entry the docks. However, there’s additionally a restaurant and bar on web site referred to as the Hungry Tarpon. Just be sure to arrive early as a result of the parking zone fills up quick.
Robbie’s additionally presents all types of water excursions, together with snorkeling, parasailing, scuba, kayaking, paddle boarding, and fishing charters. We took a snorkeling tour from Robbie’s out to Alligator Reef (don’t fear, there aren’t any alligators, though you may even see a nurse shark!) It was fairly uneven on the day we went out, so should you get seasick you could need to inquire about circumstances earlier than you board.
Boat Tours
You might also need to take into account a glass-bottom boat tour or sundown cruise with Key Largo Princess. The glass-bottom boat tour will assist you to see the underwater world of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary with out going beneath the water!
If you’re taking my recommendation and spend a few nights in Key Largo earlier than heading right down to Key West, you’ll nonetheless have fairly a drive in entrance of you. The journey from Key Largo to Key West took us practically 5 hours, with a number of stops alongside the way in which.
For extra stops in your Florida Keys street journey, try these choices.
Marathon
If you’re getting hungry whereas driving via Marathon, plan to cease for lunch at Island Fish Co. and Tiki Bar, which is a superb spot to catch the sundown too. Or head off the freeway to go to Burdine’s Waterfront Marina. Both have a scrumptious fried key lime pie, however Burdine’s is fairly distinctive and served chimichanga model.
While you’re there, cease and go to the ocean turtles at The Turtle Hospital, with rescues, rehabilitates, and releases injured turtles. Just remember the fact that reservations are beneficial.
Bahia Honda State Park
Even although the Florida Keys aren’t recognized for its seashores (see this record of the finest Florida Beaches), Bahia Honda State Park is claimed to be some of the stunning seashores within the nation. It makes a great cease for a day or simply some seashore time at Bahia Honda Key.
Big Pine Key
Just after Bahia Honda State Park, you’ll enter Big Pine Key. This is house to the National Key Deer Refuge so be sure to drive slowly via this space and hold your eyes peeled for the native key deer. These tiny creatures are fairly lovely and never too exhausting to seek out.
Stop for lunch or a drink on the No Name Pub. It appears like a neighborhood joint however regardless of being off the freeway, loads of vacationers have already discoverd it. No Name Pub is generally recognized for his or her rooster wings and the a whole lot of greenback payments that hold from the ceiling and partitions.
Things to do in Key West
Soon you’ll arrive at your closing vacation spot…Key West…the Conch Republic. You can simply spend per week having fun with Key West, particularly should you get pleasure from getting out on the water. Be positive to plan to remain a minimum of two or three nights to get an actual style of the Keys. Just be careful you don’t get “Keys disease” and find yourself shifting down there like so lots of the folks you’ll meet down there.
In addition to purchasing on Duval Street, trying out the Key West Aquarium, stopping on the Butterfly Conservatory, visiting Ernest Hemingway’s home, and getting a photograph opp on the Southernmost Point within the Continental United States marker, listed here are another enjoyable issues to do in Key West. And when you have the time, I’d advocate a day journey to Dry Tortugas National Park.
Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square
Key West sunsets are well-known, as are the Sunset Celebrations at Mallory Square. You will discover meals carts and all types of road performers from fireplace jugglers to tightrope-walking cats. Just you should definitely line up on the water’s edge early to get a main spot for watching the sundown.
The Sunset Deck on the Margaritaville Key West Hotel is a main sundown viewing alternative. If you may’t discover a seat there, or if a cruise ship is obstructing your view, head over to Sunset Pier and stake out a rail-side desk. Of course, the very best place to see the sundown can be over at Latitudes at Sunset Key.
Sunset Catamaran Cruise
Don’t miss a sundown when you are in Key West. After having fun with one night in Mallory Square, get out on the water for an unobstructed view. There are many various kinds of sundown cruises, from main get together boats with dwell music and disco lights, to smaller catamaran cruises.
We picked a sundown catamaran with Sebago Key West. There was loads of room to maneuver across the catamaran and the crew was very attentive. The cruise included an open bar of wine and beer, together with 4 programs of sunshine bites together with cheeseburger sliders and key lime tarts.
I’d additionally advocate the two-hour sundown cruise with Wild Dolphin Adventures or the sundown and snorkel combo sail with Sunset Sail Key West.
Island Adventure Tour
Key West has a number of seashores, however to expertise the Keys, you’ll want to spend time on the water. You can discover each kind of water exercise, however one which we cherished was the Island Adventure Eco-tour from Fury Key West.
This half-day tour included breakfast and lunch. It began with a brief snorkel time in a coral backyard, the place we noticed loads of sponges. Next, we headed out to Woman Key for an eco-kayaking tour alongside the mangroves. We additionally had loads of time to hang around on the sandbar and paddle board.
On the way in which again we even lucked out by recognizing a pod of dolphins alongside the facet of the boat. This was such a enjoyable tour, however you should definitely deliver loads of reef-safe sunscreens and a great solar hat as a result of the solar is robust out on the water.
Key West Food Tours
If you’re a foodie, make certain to enroll in an tour with Key West Food Tours. They provide a seafood tour, Cuban tour, and cocktail tour. We took a seafood tour with Rose, who was an incredible information and former chef and he made the tour so fascinating.
We sampled meals in 5 totally different areas and ended our day at a brewery. If you’re searching for extra meal recommendations, you should definitely try my suggestions on the place to eat in Key West.
And that wraps up your Florida Keys street journey. If you’ll want to reduce your time brief, you may at all times ebook a one-way automotive rental and fly again from Key West. Otherwise, use your return journey to hit a number of the locations you could have missed in your drive down.
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