Miami to Key West ROAD TRIP:
This road trip has been on my bucket list for years! I’m so happy Greg & I were able to get away for an adults-only😉 trip! The Florida Keys have breathtaking beaches, clear water, never-ending water activities, and some of the most stunning scenery in Florida.
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The Keys run 200 miles from the southern end of Florida to the Dry Tortugas. They’re connected by a series of 42 bridges. As you drive across the Overseas Highway, stop along the way and do some exploring.
7-Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive, stop in Key Largo, stay in Islamorada
Day 2: Stop at Robbie’s of Islamorada, drive to Key West
Day 3: Key West
Day 4: Key West
Day 5: Depart, Everglades National Park, drive to South Beach
Day 6: South Beach
Day 7: Depart
Islamorada
Day 1: Arrive in Miami… the drive from Miami to Key Largo will take about 1.5 hours.
📍Key Largo: Your first stop in the Keys (island), is Key Largo, known as the diving capital of the world. John Penneskamp Coral Reef State Park is a must-stop for diving, snorkeling, and spending time on the beach. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park costs $8 per vehicle and park hours are 8 a.m. until sunset.
Things to do at
📍John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park:
•Snorkel to Christ of the Abyss- Take a plunge and explore the Christ of the Abyss statue, shipwrecks, and coral reefs.
•Powerboat rentals
•Kayaking & paddleboarding
•Camping
•Swimming
•Fishing
•Visit the Visitor’s Center’s aquarium: Which features large saltwater aquariums full of sea creatures. It was more impressive than I was expecting.
•Trails: They have three different short nature trails. We enjoyed the Grove Trail that ended in a historic fruit grove. They also have the Mangrove and Wild Tamarind Trails.
The Moorings Village Spa- AKA
The Rayburn’s House in Bloodline
📍Islamorada: Tonight stay in Islamorada. If you’re a fan of the Netflix original series Bloodline, it was filmed in Islamorada. They have a boat tour you can take to see film locations.
•For dinner get pizza at the Italian Food Company. It’s delish!
Day 2: Depart for Key West and stop at Robbie’s of Islamorada:
📍Things to do at Robbie’s:
•Hand-feed the massive tarpon at Robbie’s. This is a crazy experience you won’t want to miss. Buy a bucket of bait and hand-feed the Tarpon from the dock. These massive fish jump out of the water wrapping their mouths around your hand while the pelicans and manatees are also fighting for the fish. Tarpons grow up to 8 feet and weigh over 200 pounds. Be careful!
Indian Key Historic State Park
•Visit an Island ghost town. It takes 30 minutes to kayak to Indian Key Historic State Park from Robbie’s (you can rent a kayak there). It was once home to a community of wreckers in the early 1800’s. The Florida Straits were a heavily used shipping channel during the 19th century. Many ships ran aground on the shallow reef system that dots the coastline. Wreckers would keep a watchful eye on the reefline looking for ships in distress. The wrecker’s job was to rescue the crew and salvage the ship and its cargo. Today, the island can be explored through a series of walking paths that recreate the streets of the Housmans community. We loved our kayak ride and loved learning about the history of this island!
•Don’t miss kayaking to the nearby Islamorada mangroves from Robbie’s. We enjoyed seeing all of the wildlife.
•From Robbie’s you can rent a boat and visit Alligator Reef Light House.
•A great place to stop for lunch or dinner and shop for souvenirs.
📍Marathon: If you are traveling with children stop at the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. They rescue, rehabilitate, and release sea turtles. You’ll learn through tours and exhibits how turtles are nursed back to health. You’ll also have a chance to feed the turtles.
•Sombrero Beach is one of the top beaches in the Keys.
📍7 Mile Bridge:
•After you leave Marathon Key you go over The Seven Mile Bridge. This is the longest bridge in the Keys and a spectacular sight with turquoise waters and picturesque views. From 1978 to 1983 the original Overseas Highway was replaced with the current Overseas Highway which runs parallel. The Old Highway still has 23 bridges, some of which have been converted to fishing bridges. The Old Seven Mile Bridge stretch between Pigeon Key and Marathon was converted to a 2.2-mile walking and biking path.
Day 3-4:
📍Key West:
Key West is home to the only living barrier reef in the continental United States! The Florida Reef is found about 6-7 miles offshore of Key West.
We took a full-day tour of the Key West National Wildlife Refuge. We sailed, then went on a guided kayak tour of mangrove islands. Then finished with a snorkel tour of backcountry reefs. 💦 🤿 🐠 Our tour included an all-you-can-eat buffet and cold drinks. We loved this tour! To book, click here.
Take your photo at the Southernmost Point and Mile Marker Zero. Very touristy but you gotta do it!
Climb the Key West Lighthouse: This lighthouse opened in 1848 with women as its Keeper, which was unheard of during the 19th century. Climb the 88 steps to the top of the lighthouse for beautiful views and learn about it’s Keepers.
Tour the Hemingway Home:
Ernest Hemingway lived in Key West from 1931-1940. You'll learn about his life as a writer, fisherman, and cat lover. You can go on a tour of his home and museum or walk through on your own. His first kitten, Snow White, had six toes. You will meet descendants of Hemingway’s famous 6-toed cats. Today about 60 six-toed cats are wandering the grounds. They were everywhere, and my favorite part of my visit was trying to count their toes. They were PURRFECT!
Mallory Square:
Sunsets are something to make time to celebrate in Key West. Mallory Square is home to the nightly Sunset Celebration with street performers, musicians, and artisans. The entertainment begins about two hours before sunset. Everyone gathers and claps as the sun goes down.
Another great spot to watch the sunset is Fort Zachary Taylor State Park and from the Southernmost Beach Cafe.
Tour: Watch the sunset over Key West from the deck of Schooner America on a 2-hour Sunset Sail.
Duval Street: Packed with bars, Victorian Mansions. and brightly painted wooden shops. Duval Street is known for its nightlife! Stop and listen to live bands playing Salsa, Cuban, or Jazz music.
Take a food-tasting tour:
•Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tour: Sample 6 local hidden gems with great views… small group tour.
•Southernmost Food & Cultural Walking Tour: Discover Cuban and Caribbean influences—small group tour with 5 stops.
Famous bars:
•Sloppy Joes: This was Ernest Hemingway’s favorite hangout.
•The Green Parrot Bar
•Learn Key West history as you make your way to 5 pubs, on a 2.5-hour Pub Crawl on Duval Street.
Eat Key Lime Pie:
It originated in Key West! Authentic Key Lime Pie is yellow, not green. We loved Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe... The Coconut Key Lime was 😋!
Join a Guided Bicycle Tour to see iconic attractions in historic Old Town, and enjoy Key Lime Pie at the end of the tour.
Take a Day Trip to Dry Tortugas National Park. The park preserves Fort Jefferson, a former U.S. military coastal fortress, and several Dry Tortugas Islands. This is accessible only by boat or seaplane, You need to book a tour months in advance!
Day 5: Depart Key West
📍Everglades: Stop at Everglades National Park on your drive back toward Miami. This is not part of the Florida Keys, but you will pass right by it. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is located just off US Highway 1. The Everglades has coastal mangroves, pine flatwoods, and marshes. It’s home to the leatherback turtle, Florida panther, West Indian manatee, and alligators.
•We took an airboat tour and saw alligators and the highlight was holding a baby alligator. Our Everglades Airboat Tour was through Coopertown, The Original Boat Tour. They have large boats which means: more people. If you prefer fewer people look for a company that has smaller boats.
Drive to Miami. We stayed in South Beach in a boutique hotel.
📍Day 6: Miami
Check out South Beach: Famous for its soft white sand, stunning water, and views of the city skyline. Take pictures of the 36 uniquely designed lifeguard towers along the beach.
We ordered a few extra meals so we could sample everything!
Little Havana: About four miles west of downtown Miami is home to Cuban and Latin American immigrants. This neighborhood is filled with colorful murals and Latin music. We went to the famous Cuban restaurant, Versailles. This is our second visit and it is so delicious. 😋
Biltmore Hotel Coral Gables: Since it opened its doors in 1926, it has been one of Miami’s top luxurious resorts. After being abandoned for many years the hotel reopened in 1987. The hotel has free 45-minute guided tours of the property on Sundays from 1:30-2:30 p.m. The Mediterranean design is fabulous… I also love the architecture of the beautiful homes in the area. Drive around and get lost!
Day 7: Depart
Best time to visit:
The Keys have a tropical climate, with warm, humid summers and mild temperatures in the winter. The best time to visit Key West is March through May, The winter crowds taper off, and hotel rates are reasonable. Wintertime is the busiest and priciest time (This is when we visited). Summer months see the fewest tourists and the best hotel rates, but this is hurricane season, which starts June 15- November 30. The worst storms hit between August 15 and October 1.
Hope you enjoy your stay in the Sunshine State!
