Miami to Key West: 25 Places to Stop Along the Way (Map + Photos)

In my opinion, driving from Miami to Key West is one of the most epic things you can do while visiting Florida! Sure, some people who want to visit Key West will just fly into Key West International Airport (EWY), but I don’t recommend this! Why? Because you are missing out on SO many incredible adventures.

160 miles make up the distance between Miami to Key West. Within those miles, you have the opportunity to cross over 42 bridges connecting 34 keys. How amazing is that?!

In addition, within those 34 keys are some epic activities, like snorkeling through a lighthouse, kayaking through mangroves, feeding tarpon, walking across an old railway, and driving across a 7-mile long bridge! And that’s all before even arriving in Key West!

In this post, I’ll go over the 25 incredible stops I recommend on a Miami to Key West road trip. Of course, you can’t do all of these in one day, but this will give you a great list to choose from as you plan your vacation! If you are interested in breaking up this drive into a week-long vacation, make sure to check out my Key Largo to Key West road trip itinerary.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link or book through an affiliate program, I receive a small commission at no cost to you! 

A Complete Guide on Driving from Miami to Key West: 25 Places to Stop

Frequently Asked Questions

Planning Your Drive

Renting a Car

If you are flying into Miami International Airport (MIA), you will need to rent a car before starting your journey from Miami to Key West!

I highly recommend RentalCars.com. They allow you to compare prices across all of the major rental car companies. Plus, they have a great cancellation policy (typically free cancellation up to 48 hours in advance). Oh, and they price match!

For your scenic drive from Miami to Key West, I recommend getting a car with good fuel economy to save money! If you are driving BACK to Miami at the end of your trip, that’s over 300 miles you will be driving! With gas prices the way they are, you are going to want to save where you can!

Tolls from Miami to Key West

As mentioned above, you may have to pay tolls in Miami depending on the route you take. The most common route for the first leg of the trip, from Miami to Florida City, is along the Ronald Reagan Florida turnpike, which is a toll road. However, there are other routes you can take to avoid tolls, but it will take longer.

Once you arrive in Florida City, the rest of the drive from Miami to Key West is solely along Highway US 1, which is not a toll road (yay!). After leaving Florida City, you’ll cross over “The Stretch”. This 30-minute portion of the drive is your first introduction into the Keys! It’s a two lane road (there are some passing zones), and it ends in the beautiful Key Largo!

Miami to Key West Map

To make your trip planning even easier, I’ve created the below Google Map, which has links to all 25 places I mention below. You can easily export this map into your own Google Maps so you can reference it throughout your trip!

A Complete List of Where to Stop Between Miami and Key West

#1. Explore Everglades National Park

If you are an adventure lover, the first stop on your road trip from Miami to Key West should be Everglades National Park! Did you know, in addition to being a National Park, the Everglades are also a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve?! How cool is that!

There are tons of things to do in Everglades National Park, like taking an airboat tour or kayaking through the mangroves! Keep your eyes peeled for gators, snakes, and more!

#2. Try Some Local Food in Little Havana

 I highly recommend checking out one of the awesome Little Havana food tours on GetYourGuide during your time in Miami. It’s an incredible way to experience the very prominent Cuban culture in the area!

#3. Experience John Pennekamp State Park

Once you make it out of Miami and through the “Stretch”, you’ll find yourself in the incredible Key Largo, the first out of 30 inhabited Keys in the Florida Keys archipelago.

My top recommendation for things to do in Key Largo is snorkeling in John Pennekamp State Park. This park covers 178 nautical square miles (3 miles into the Atlantic Ocean and 25 miles in length). There are many different tours offered throughout the park, including snorkeling, diving, glass bottom boat tours, paddle boarding, kayaking, and more!

GetYourGuide has some great options, but I personally recommend doing a snorkel tour to visit the legendary underwater Christ Statue. You can read more about this option in my Key Largo Snorkeling Guide!

#4. Mangroves and Manatees Kayak tour

If you haven’t noticed by now, my favorite types of activities are those out on the water! Another great activity to cross of your list while driving from Miami to Key West is a Mangroves and Manatees Kayak Tour.

The Florida manatee is one of my favorite animals, and they are very common in the Keys! On the above tour, you’ll kayak right through the mangroves and be on the lookout for these gentle giants, along with other wildlife!

Psst: If you are trying to decide which Key to visit, make sure to check out my Key Largo vs Key West comparison here!

#5. Go Shopping at the Rain Barrel Village

As you make your way from Key Largo to Islamorada, you’ll pass a GIANT spiny lobster on the side of the road. Her name is Betsy, and her home is Rain Barrel Village, a fun and quirky arts market.

Here you will find different boutiques, galleries, and storefronts. Rain Barrel Village is a great place to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and maybe buy some souvenirs!

#6. Try a Flight of Beer at Islamorada Brewing

Another great stop in Islamorada (my favorite Key!) is for a drink at Islamorada Brewing and Distillery. Islamorada Brewing opened in 2014 as a small brewery and have since grown into so much more, including lsamorada’s only distillery!

I recommend stopping here for a snack (or lunch) and a flight of local beer (make sure to try the Queen Conch and Sandbar Sunday!). This spot is kid and dog friendly, as they have an outdoor beer garden with games and food trucks!

#7. Snorkel at Alligator Reef Light House

If you are open to spending more than a few hours (or overnight) in Islamorada, I HIGHLY recommend taking a snorkel trip to Alligator Reef Light House.

This iconic spot is one of my favorite places in the world, for good reason! This light house must be visited by sea; however, once you arrive, you are greeted with the most incredible turquoise water and tropical fish! The best part of visiting is you get to snorkel THROUGH the light house!

To get here, you can rent a boat for the day or book a private a tour like this one!

#8. Feed the Tarpon at Robbie’s

Made famous by their tarpon feeding activity, Robbie’s of Islamorada may be the most popular stop on the drive from Miami to Key West these days!

For less than $10, you can partake in this fun activity with the whole family. In addition, Robbie’s now has a small market on property where you can buy souvenirs. They also have a yummy restaurant on site, The Hungry Tarpon! I recommend stopping here for a Bloody Mary, a fish sandwich, and some tarpon feeding!

#9. Relax at the Islamorada Sandbar

My last recommendation for Islamorada is spending a few hours relaxing at the Islamorada Sandbar! Less than a mile offshore, you can get here by boat, paddle board, jet ski, or kayak!

The Sandbar is a popular spot among tourists and locals! The water is about waist-deep, so many people bring their floating chairs and coolers and spend the afternoon unwinding here!

#10. Visit the Marathon Turtle Hospital

As you continue along on your drive from Miami to Key West, the next major Key you will hit after Islamorada is Marathon! Marathon is a very popular Key and a great place to spend an extended period of time if you have little ones.

One of the top rated activities in Marathon is visiting the Turtle Hospital! Opening their doors in 1986, the Marathon Turtle Hospital focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured sea turtles! They also have a passion for educating the public about turtles, which is exactly why you should visit.

Admission is $30 for adults and $15 for children, and reservations are highly recommend!

#11. Interact with Dolphins Ethically

A fun activity to do in the Keys is to swim with dolphins. After all, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are extremely common in the waters of Florida! However, I recommend doing your research before swimming with dolphins in the Keys.

One place that I DO recommend is the Dolphin Research Center in Grassy Key (just north of Marathon). The DRC was founded as a non-profit organization in 1984 and has grown to be a world-renowned research facility.

Today, they maintain their promise that “the health and well being of Dolphin Research Center’s dolphins holds absolute precedence over all other interests. DRC will undertake no program or activity that compromises this basic commitment.” That is very important!

#12. Swim at the Beautiful Sombrero Beach

A common misconception about the Florida Keys is that there are miles of beautiful white sand beaches. However, this is simply not true!

White sand beaches are actually quite rare in the Keys. There’s only a handful, and one of the best ones is Sombrero Beach in Marathon! This beach is great for picnics, volleyball, snorkeling, or just relaxing. The park is open daily from 7:30am to dusk and is a great spot to stop on your drive from Miami to Key West!

Note: If you visit Sombrero Beach from April-October, you may get to see loggerhead turtles! During this time, portions of the beach are blocked off to human activities to protect turtle nesting!

#13. Walk or ride along the Seven Mile Bridge

Did you know there are 42 bridges in the Florida Keys? The most famous one is the Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually two bridges next to each other!). The more recent bridge (the one you drive over) connects Knight’s Key to Little Duck Key and is actually seven miles long! You’ll cross this bridge right after leaving Marathon.

The old Seven Mile Bridge, which you can no longer drive over, was built in the early 1900s per direction from Henry Flagler as part of the Florida East Coast Railway’s Key West Extension. The cool part is, there is a 2 mile stretch of this bridge that was recently reconstructed. You can walk, ride bikes, or rollerblade over it!

#14. Explore Bahia Honda State Park

Just south of Marathon right after you cross the Seven Mile Bridge lies Bahia Honda State Park! Here, you’ll find more sandy beaches (again, a rarity), plus beautiful blue water and an old railway bridge you can walk up to.

It costs $8 per car to enter, and you can also rent kayaks and paddle boards to explore the protected waters around the island. I recommend stopping here to stretch your legs and swim if you skipped Sombrero Beach!

#15. Visit the National Key Deer Refuge

Another unique and fun thing to do on the drive from Miami to Key West is visit the National Key Deer Refuge Nature Center on Big Pine Key!! As you start getting further south in the Keys, you may start seeing these little guys on the side of the road. Key deer are the smallest deer species in North America and only live in the Florida Keys, so you won’t be able to see them anywhere else!

The Key Deer Refuge Nature Center on Big Pine Key has some helpful information and a few trails nearby where you may be able to see some of these tiny animals up close and personal! However, you can also see them by driving (slowly) around No Name Key and Big Pine Key.

#16. Scuba Dive a Ship Wreck

Scuba diving is one of the most popular activities in the Florida Keys, and for good reason! Since getting certified in 2020, I’ve been scuba diving in the Keys many times, and I can personally vouch for how incredible it is!

Did you know the Florida Keys are home to 9 different ship wrecks, referred to by some as “The Wreck Trek”?! These sunken shipwrecks are spread from Key Largo to Key West, so you can really choose to go scuba diving anywhere in the Keys! Below are a list of the wrecks, but you can read more info on the Wreck Trek here!

1. Spiegel Grove – Key Largo
2. Duane – Key Largo
3. Benwood – Key Largo
4. Eagle – Islamorada
5. Thunderbolt – Marathon
6. Adolphus Busch Sr. – Lower Keys
7. Cayman Salvager – Key West
8. Joe’s Tug – Key West
9. Vandenberg – Key West

#17. Snap a Photo with the Southernmost Point Sign

As you continue your journey south, you’ll eventually find yourself in the last, and most famous, Key in the chain – Key West!!!

Make sure to check out my blog post for a full list of things to do in Key West, but for this purpose of this post, here are a few of my favorites!

One of the most popular things to do in Key West is taking a picture with the famous Southernmost Point Buoy! If you want to avoid the crowds, I recommend getting here as early as possible 🙂

#18. Make the Journey to the Dry Tortugas

In my opinion, visiting Dry Tortugas National Park is one of the most adventurous thing you can do in the Florida Keys! Why? Because this National Park lies about 70 miles west of Key West in the middle of the ocean!

To get there, you can take this ferry boat from Key West, which takes approximately 3 hours. If money isn’t a factor for you, you can also take a private sea plane to the park, which is definitely on my bucket list! 

Within the National Park is Fort Jefferson, an old military base that was used in the Civil War. The fort was actually never finished, but it is super cool to walk around and learn about the Florida history. Plus, the water around Fort Jefferson is GORGEOUS, and it’s great for sunbathing, snorkeling, etc. 

#19. Watch the sunset at Mallory Square

Another very popular activity in Key West is to watch the sunset at Mallory Square. So popular, in fact, there is a nightly sunset celebration at this square at the end of Key West. Each evening, you’ll find street vendors, performers, and lots of people here as you watch the sun sink into the ocean!

Like most activities in Key West, if you want to beat the crowds (and have a front row seat for the sunset), get there early!

#20. Take a Jet Ski Tour Around the Island

Jet skiing in the Keys is fun no matter which Key you choose! However, it’s extra fun to do in Key West because there is so much to see around the island!

The below tour from GetYourGuide is the perfect option and is pretty reasonably priced. It also includes a stop at a sandbar and a chance to see the Southernmost Point sign from the sea!

#21. Indulge in a Slice (or Two) of Key Lime Pie

Again, you can pretty much do this anywhere in the Keys. However, I saved the topic of eating Key Lime Pie for Key West because they have the most options! One of my favorite places to go is Kermitt’s Key Lime Pie Shoppe, located right outside the harbor on Elizabeth and Greene Street.

At Kermitt’s, you’ll find so much more than pie, including key lime juice, candies, cookies, nuts, and my personal favorite, key lime pie on a stick.

#23. Visit Ernest Hemingway’s Home

Key West has had a lot of famous residents over the years, but the most popular (and most interesting!) might just be Ernest Hemingway. Luckily, there is a whole Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum in Key West, where you can learn about his life and his work! Admission starts at around $18 for adults, $9 for children.

#24. Go on a Sunset Cruise

Watching the sunset from Mallory Square is great, but my preferred way is to watch from a sunset cruise! You’ll get the chance to sail on a catamaran around the island, listen to live music, and maybe drink a rum punch as the sun dips into the sea.

This is a very popular activity in Key West, so there are many different vendors to choose from! To help you narrow it down, make sure to check out my full guide on the Best Sunset Cruises in Key West.

#25. Go On An Island Adventure Tour

Last but not least, this Island Adventure Tour is a super fun activity to do while in Key West! It includes kayaking through the mangroves and relaxing on a sandbar and is the perfect way to end your trip to the Florida Keys!

Make sure to check out my 3 Day Key West itinerary for even more information on visiting the most famous Florida Key!

Where to Stay in the Florida Keys

For a detailed list of places to stay throughout the Keys, make sure to check out my Ultimate Florida Keys Travel Guide! In this guide, I provide a breakdown of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Keys, including the best places to stay in each area for different types of travelers!

No matter which hotel you choose, I highly recommend reading reviews on TripAdvisor.com before booking!

Final Thoughts

Thank you so much for reading this Miami to Key West Guide! If you couldn’t tell, the Florida Keys have a special place in my heart, and there are so many incredible activities and great restaurants to choose from in this slice of paradise! I hope this guide helped you in some small way.

Don’t forget to check out my other Florida Keys blog posts to help plan your trip!
Key Largo to Key West One Week Itinerary
Best Time to Visit the Florida Keys
Best Hotels in Islamorada, Florida