Region
Florida Keys
Sleep in one Key, not three. Drive US-1 once; Key West 2 nights or the Upper Keys 2 nights, not both in a short trip.
Key facts · United States
- Best months
- Nov–Apr
- Currency
- US dollar (USD, $)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- A · B · 120 V
- Time zone
- Six zones: UTC−5 to UTC−10
Rules in force · 9Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
- Florida ↗Most Florida toll roads are cashless: rent a transponder or you pay the rental company's admin fee per day.
- Florida ↗Hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November; peak August–October. Flexible bookings beat cheap non-refundable ones in those months.
The Keys are a 180 km chain on one road, US-1, with addresses given as mile markers (MM) that rise from 0 in Key West to 127 at Florida City. Changing hotels costs you the drive twice. Sleep in Key Largo or Islamorada for diving and a Miami arrival, in Marathon for the middle, in Key West for the town itself. Day-trip the rest along the way.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- Stock IslandPlanned
Cheaper beds 10 minutes from Key West.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- Duck KeyPlanned
Resort island between Marathon and Islamorada.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Key Largo or Islamorada 2 + Key West 1 (drive down, fly out of EYW)
- 5 nights
- Islamorada 2 + Marathon 1 + Key West 2
- 7 nights
- Key Largo 1 + Islamorada 2 + Marathon 1 + Key West 3, with a Dry Tortugas day
- Key West and Key Largo in one short trip means 3–4 hours of driving each way on a two-lane road.
- Hurricane season runs June to November; the Overseas Highway can close and ferries stop.
- Reef moorings are mandatory in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary; anchoring on coral is illegal.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key West | Marathon | 60 min | unknown | Drive is about 50 min; parking in old town fills by mid-morning. |
| Bahia Honda State Park | Marathon | 20 min | unknown | Beach and old bridge views; entry fee plus the county tax. |
| Dry Tortugas National Park | Key West | 210 min | unknown | Ferry or seaplane only; a full day, book ahead. |
| John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park | Key Largo | 10 min | unknown | Snorkel and glass-bottom boat trips leave from here. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding on the Keys; you drive your bags. Pack once and keep the car boot organised.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | × | × | ok | go |
| Islamorada | go | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | go | go |
| Marathon | go | go | go | go | go | × | × | × | × | × | ok | go |
| Key West | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | × | × | ok | go |
| Big Pine Key | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × | × | × | × | ok | go |
| Florida (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | – | – | × | × | ok | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper and Middle KeysKey Largo to Marathon | best | best | best | best | ok | wet | wet | wet | storm | wet | best | best |
| Lower Keys and Key WestBig Pine Key to Key West | best | best | best | best | ok | wet | wet | wet | storm | wet | best | best |
- Upper and Middle Keys
- Warm and dry December to April; afternoon storms and heat June to September; hurricanes possible August to October.
- Lower Keys and Key West
- Slightly drier and breezier than the Upper Keys; winter is the peak season, so beds and rates rise.
Best months are December to April, which is also the crowd peak: book Key West beds and Dry Tortugas seats weeks ahead.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIA (Miami International) | Key Largo | Rental car on US-1 | ~60 min | Most travellers rent in Miami or Fort Lauderdale and drive; the road is two lanes and slow on weekends. |
| FLL (Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood) | Key Largo | Rental car on US-1 | ~90 min | Often cheaper flights and cars than MIA. |
| MIA (Miami International) | Key West | Greyhound bus | ~4 h 30 | Two departures a day, stopping at Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and Big Pine Key; check current fares. |
| MIA or FLL | Key West | Door-to-door shuttle | ~4 h | Shared vans run airport to hotel; book ahead, price is per person. |
| MIA (Miami International) | Key West | Flight to EYW | ~1 h | Small planes; skips the drive but you still need a car or taxi in Key West. |
| Fort Myers | Key West | Passenger ferry | ~3 h | Catamaran service; seasonal, check the schedule before booking. |
Regional passes
Florida State Park Pass
checkCovers state park entry but not the US$0.50 Monroe County tax added at Keys parks; worth it only if you visit several parks.
SunPass / toll transponder
buyUseful if you drive from Miami; rental cars often charge a daily fee for their own transponder.
Dry Tortugas ferry or seaplane
buyThe only way to reach the park; book weeks ahead in winter, it sells out.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Key lime pie | Everywhere; Key West and Islamorada bakeries | Born in the Keys; recipes range from very tart to very sweet. has: egg|milk veg: ask |
| Conch fritters and conch chowder | Key West, Islamorada | Conch is a large mollusk; fritters are fried breading and conch, a standard starter. has: seafood|egg veg: no |
| Stone crab claws | Key West and Marathon | Season runs roughly October to May; sold by weight, so prices move daily. has: seafood veg: no |
| Fresh snapper or grouper sandwich | Waterfront shacks along US-1 | Grilled or fried; ask what was landed that day. has: fishstock veg: no |
| Cuban sandwich | Key West | Pork, ham and cheese pressed on Cuban bread; a cheap lunch. has: pork|egg|milk veg: no |
Go next
Florida
US-1 north to Florida City, then the turnpike
Miami and the Everglades are the natural next stop.
Everglades
plannedUS-1 to Florida City, ~2 h from Key Largo
Planned. Pair an airboat or Shark Valley stop with the drive home.
Greater Orlando
US-1 to Florida City, then Florida's Turnpike, ~5 h from Key Largo
Theme parks; a long drive, better as its own leg.
Palm Beach County
US-1 to Florida City, then I-95 north, ~3 h from Key Largo
Breaks the drive up the east coast.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source