In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Islamorada
Islamorada, Village of Islands
Give Islamorada 2 nights with a car: it is a string of keys on US 1, not a walkable town, and the diving, fishing and sunsets need a full day.
Islamorada is a village of islands strung along US 1 between Key Largo and Marathon: Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper and Lower Matecumbe. It bills itself as the sport-fishing capital of the world and backs it up with reefs, wrecks and backcountry flats. There is no real downtown; you drive between marinas, state parks and waterfront restaurants. Two nights is the useful minimum, three if you dive.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Islamorada, Village of Islands
- Best months
- Nov–Apr (dry, mild); May–Jun good for diving
- Avoid
- Aug–Oct (hurricane season peak, hot and humid)
- Stay
- 2–3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $120–180 excl. bed · Mid $180–320 excl. bed · High $320+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Breakfast plate | $12–20 |
| Fish sandwich or grouper plate | $18–32 |
| Draft beer at a waterfront bar | $7–12 |
| State park entry (per vehicle) | $4–8 |
| Snorkel or dive boat, half day | $60–150 |
| Gasoline, per gallon | $3.50–4.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MIA · Miami International
- Drive south on US 1, roughly 1 h 45 min to Islamorada; rent a car at the airport.
- FLL · Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International
- About 2 h by car; Card Sound Road (toll) is a slower but quieter alternative to the US 1 stretch.
- EYW · Key West International
- About 1 h 45 min north on US 1 if you fly into the far end of the chain.
Typical fares
- MIA → Islamorada by rental car
- about 1 h 45 min, fuel and tolls only (check)
- Greyhound/FlixBus to the Wendy's stop, MM 82
- book ahead; limited daily departures (check)
- Snorkel trip from a local marina
- $60–150 half day (check)
Get around
A car is effectively required: US 1 (Overseas Highway) is the only road, addresses are given as mile markers, and buses are infrequent. Greyhound/FlixBus stops at the Wendy's lot at 82201 Overseas Highway (MM 82), and Miami-Dade Metrobus 301 stops at MM 74, but neither gets you to the reefs or beaches. Taxis and rideshare exist but are thin; book dive and fishing boats with pickup in mind.
See and do
Known for
- Sport fishing and backcountry flats
- Snorkel and dive reefs (Alligator, Davis, Pickles)
- The Eagle wreck and Conch Wall
- Sunset dining and tarpon feeding
- Theater of the Sea
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Key Largo | Drive north on US 1 | About 30–45 min |
| Marathon, Florida | Drive south on US 1 | About 1 h |
| Duck Key | Drive south on US 1 | About 30 min |
| Big Pine Key | Drive south on US 1 | About 1 h 15 min |
| Key West | Drive south on US 1 | About 2 h |
| Stock Island | Drive south on US 1 past Key West | About 2 h 10 min |
Sleep
- Upper Matecumbe Key (MM 81–84)
- The closest thing to a centre: most restaurants, marinas and resorts sit along this stretch.
- Lower Matecumbe Key (MM 74–77)
- Quieter, closer to Anne's Beach and Robbie's; good if you want water access without the traffic.
- Plantation and Windley Key (MM 85–90)
- North end, nearest the state parks and the drive from Miami; a few resorts and marinas.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the marina? | Where is the marina? |
| I have a reservation | I have a reservation |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| How far is it in miles? | How far is it in miles? |
| Is the water rough today? | Is the water rough today? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Hurricane season runs Jun–Nov, peaking Aug–Oct; watch forecasts and know your evacuation route north on US 1.
- US 1 is a two-lane highway with heavy traffic and few passing places; a 10-mile hop can take 30 minutes in season.
- Mosquitoes are serious near the water at dusk, especially at waterfront restaurants: bring repellent.
- Sun is strong year-round; reef-safe sunscreen is expected on the water.
- Some beaches are small and rocky; Anne's Beach has no chair or kayak rental, bring your own.
Islamorada is a low-crime resort area; the real risks are US 1 traffic, strong sun and currents on the reef, and storms in season. Lock the car, keep valuables out of sight at trailheads and beaches, and check the marine forecast before any boat trip.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Islamorada yet. Suggested stay: 2–3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sport fishing and backcountry flats
- Snorkel and dive reefs (Alligator, Davis, Pickles)
- The Eagle wreck and Conch Wall
- Sunset dining and tarpon feeding
- Theater of the Sea
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Florida State Parks — Indian Key Historic State Park: www.floridastateparks.org/park/Indian-Key
- Florida State Parks — Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park: www.floridastateparks.org/park/Lignumvitae-Key
- Florida State Parks — Long Key State Park: www.floridastateparks.org/park/Long-Key
- Florida State Parks — Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park: www.floridastateparks.org/park/Windley-Key
- Greyhound — Islamorada bus stop: www.greyhound.com/bus/islamorada-fl/islamorda-bus-stop
- Miami-Dade Transit — Route 301: www.miamidade.gov/transportation-publicworks/routes_detail.asp?route=301
- Wikivoyage: Islamorada, revision 5115305 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5115305
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
IslamoradaIslamorada, Village of Islands
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in the Keys; consulates are in Miami. US visitors: your own country's consulate in Miami is the contact point.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/islamorada). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.