OUR MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP EXPERIENCE: BEST STOPS ON THE WAY

If you’re planning a Miami to Key West road trip, let me help you! The drive from Miami to Key West is one of the most beautiful road trips you can do in Florida, and the drive itself is just as exciting as the destination.

We did this road trip ourselves twice and stopped at several places along the way, including Rain Barrel Village, Robbie’s Marina, Key Largo, the Seven Mile Bridge, and Bahia Honda State Park. In this guide, I’ll show you the best stops from Miami to Key West, how long the drive takes, and what we did once we arrived in Key West!

MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP AT A GLANCE 👀

Distance	Around 160–165 miles (260–265 km)
Drive time	Around 3.5–4 hours without stops
Route	Overseas Highway / US-1
Best for	Beaches, scenic drives & exploring the Florida Keys
Recommended time	1 day minimum, 2+ days if you want to explore more
Best stops	Rain Barrel Village, Key Largo, Robbie’s Marina, Seven Mile Bridge & Bahia Honda

WHERE IS KEY WEST AND WHY DO A ROAD TRIP?

Key West is the southernmost city in the continental United States, located at the western end of the Florida Keys.It’s part of an archipelago made up of a chain of islands known as the Florida Keys. This lovely town is known for its relaxed atmosphere, historic architecture, culture, and beautiful beaches.

The reason why you need to do the road trip is because the Overseas Highway, which you’ll take to get to Key West, is a scenic route with beautiful ocean views. The drive takes around 3 and a half hours without stops, but I definitely recommend stopping along the way and exploring some, if not all, of the places in this blog post!

Both times we rented a car in Miami and made the most of our road trip. The first time, it was just a day trip, while the second time, we stayed for a long weekend!

BEST TIME FOR A MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP

The best time for a Miami to Key West road trip is generally between November and April, when the weather is warm and sunny. That way it’s much more enjoyable to spend the whole day driving and exploring the stops along the way. We did our road trip in November and had great weather, with warm temperatures and no little rain. December to April is also the busiest time of year, so you can expect more tourists and higher prices. May to October is hotter, more humid, and wetter, with a higher chance of storms, but the crowds are minimal and you get better prices.

BEST STOPS ON THE MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP:

1. Key Largo

Key Largo is the first and easiest stop on this route. It’s about an hour and 20 minutes into the trip, and it’s one of the first Keys where you can slowly start to experience what makes this part of Florida so special. While in Key Largo, I highly recommend visiting John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Florida’s state parks are amazing, and we really liked this one. The best thing to do here is go snorkelling, but we didn’t have time for that since we had several other stops planned. We did walk around the park, though, and really enjoyed it.

We also made another stop in Key Largo at Dolphin Life, where we got to see dolphins that aren’t able to live in the wild on their own and are being cared for there. We had a whole tour of the place and absolutely loved it!

2. Key Lime Pie Factory

Then we stopped at Key Lime Pie Factory in Tavernier. This was a really quick stop, but Key Lime Pie is just iconic in this part of Florida, and this is known as one of the best places to try it. We stopped for about 15 minutes and shared a slice of Key Lime Pie. We liked it, although it wasn’t our favourite at first. But honestly, the more you eat it, the better it gets!

3. Rain Barrel Village

Our next stop was another quick one, Rain Barrel Village in Islamorada. This colourful and fun artisan village is a popular stop with both tourists and locals, and we really enjoyed our time here. In front of the village, there’s a huge lobster named Betsy, which you’ll notice from a mile away. Betsy is a symbol of the Florida Keys, so don’t forget to snap a picture with her!

Once you’ve finished admiring Betsy, explore the boutiques and studios where you can find handmade crafts, clothing, and souvenirs. If you’re someone who looks for more than just a magnet as a souvenir, you’ll have a hard time choosing between all the awesome handmade creations here. We spent around 20–30 minutes here, but you can stay shorter or longer depending on what else you want to see on your road trip.

4. Robbie’s Marina

Another stop we made was Robbie’s Marina. This place has been featured on so many lists of things to do in the Florida Keys, so naturally, we had to stop and see what all the hype was about. Robbie’s Marina is famous for its tarpon feeding, where you can feed more than 100 tarpons right from the docks. You’ll need to pay $2.50 for admission to the docks and $5 for a bucket of fish. Then you need to just watch your fingers and have fun!

Honestly, we were a bit disappointed because the tarpons just weren’t interested when we visited. There were so many of them, and huge ones, but they weren’t jumping out of the water for the fish at all. There were also so many pelicans hanging around, waiting for you to leave your bucket unattended or even just dangle a fish over the water so they could snatch it. My boyfriend actually got bitten by one of the pelicans, so we ended up cutting our visit short!

Now, I’m not saying you shouldn’t stop here because it’s really not that scary, and our experience might have just been unlucky. There were almost no people there when we visited, so unfortunately, all the pelicans seemed to be focused on us. If you look up videos of Robbie’s Marina online, though, it actually looks like a lot of fun!

5. The Seven Mile Bridge

This isn’t really a stop, but it’s a prominent part of your trip which you’ll surely enjoy. The Seven Mile Bridge is one of the most scenic drives you’ll experience in Florida. This iconic bridge connects the Middle and Lower Florida Keys, giving you some of the most picturesque views of the ocean.

The views are just insane, and it always makes me wish we had a drone with us because the photos from the car just don’t do it justice. Seeing the bridge from the air and knowing that you’re somewhere down there on that road is just incredible.

6. Bahia Honda State Park

My favourite stop on this road trip was Bahia Honda State Park. I already mentioned that I love Florida’s state parks, and this one is another incredible one. We really wanted a break from all the driving on our first trip down to Key West, and the beaches at Bahia Honda State Park seemed like the perfect place to relax. The admission to the park costs $4.50 per person, and there’s a huge parking lot where you can safely leave your car, as well as toilets and changing rooms.

We first took a walk and explored the surroundings of the old Seven Mile Bridge, which is no longer in use but is still an incredible thing to see. Afterwards, we went for a dip at the gorgeous Calusa Beach. It was such an incredible experience to swim just beneath the old bridge. It’s truly a place I won’t forget.

WHAT TO DO IN KEY WEST IN ONE AFTERNOON

After Bahia Honda State Park, you only have around 45 minutes left to Key West, so there’s no need to make any more stops. With some of these stops (we did all these in 2 different trips, don’t do all of them if you’re only doing a day trip to Key West!), we arrived in Key West in the afternoon. Since we didn’t have accommodation in Key West, we only had a few hours to explore, but we still managed to see quite a lot.

We started by walking along Duval Street, the heart of Key West, where you’ll find plenty of bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. We enjoyed walking around during the day, but also came back in the evening when all the lights made everything feel even more lively.

We then walked over to see the Southernmost Point, the famous colourful buoy marking the southernmost point of the continental United States, just 90 miles from Cuba. The queue was way too long when we visited, so we didn’t wait for a photo. We also stopped at Mile Marker Zero, the green and white marker showing the beginning of U.S. Route 1, which runs all the way from Key West to Fort Kent, Maine.

Later in the afternoon, we went to Mallory Square to watch the sunset. It’s one of the most popular places in Key West to watch the sunset, and there are also street vendors selling souvenirs, drinks, and food, which makes it a fun place to spend some time. We also visited Ernest Hemingway’s House, which is now a museum dedicated to the famous author and gives you a glimpse into his life and work.

Of course, we also had to stop at the iconic Sloppy Joe’s! The bar was originally established in 1933 by Joe Russell, a friend of Ernest Hemingway, and you can still find plenty of Hemingway memorabilia inside. We had a drink and tried the popular conch fritters, which was a great way to end our few hours in Key West.

If you have more than one afternoon, here’s my 2-day itinerary showing how we spent our second visit to Key West when we had more time and enjoyed it a lot more!

CAN YOU DO A MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP IN ONE DAY?

Yes, but it’s not going to be an easy one! We started as early as possible, at around 7 AM, and once you add all the stops you’ll want to make along the way, you most likely won’t arrive in Key West before 2–3 PM. Then you have the whole of Key West to explore, and if you’re doing a day trip, you’ll need to start driving back after sunset if you want to get back to your hotel in Miami at a reasonable time.

It was really tiring, especially for the person driving. We definitely preferred our second trip when we stayed for 2 days. Even just one night in Key West makes a huge difference in terms of comfort!

DO YOU NEED A CAR FOR A MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP?

Yes! Obviously, when we’re talking about a road trip, the whole point is the driving experience and being able to choose your own stops. This is a perfect road trip because there are so many different places to stop along the way, so you can easily choose the ones that interest you the most.

However, you can’t really get the same experience with an organised tour or bus, because you won’t be able to stop wherever you want. If you don’t want to drive, you could hire a private driver who can take you around and give you a similar experience, but that will be a LOT more expensive.

MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP FAQ

How long does it take to drive from Miami to Key West?

The drive takes around 3.5-4 hours without stops. However, I’’d allow a full day if you want to stop at some of the best places along the way. However, I’d say you need at least 7-8 hours for the drive if you want to stop at some really fun stops between the two.

How far is Key West from Miami?

Key West is around 160–165 miles (260–265 km) from Miami, depending on exactly where you start.

Is the drive from Miami to Key West worth it?

Absolutely! The drive itself is one of my favourite parts because you get to cross the Florida Keys and see some really beautiful scenery along the way. The stops are also amazing, and you’ll get to see much more of Florida than just staying in Miami.

Can you do Miami to Key West in one day?

Yes! We did it ourselves. It’s a long day, but it’s possible if you start early and plan your stops. I do have to say it’s quite tiring and I would recommend staying at least a night if possible.

What is the best stop between Miami and Key West?

My favourite was Bahia Honda State Park. It was the perfect place to stop, relax, and go for a swim after spending so much time in the car. I also really enjoyed Dolphin Life in Key Largo.

Do you need a car to drive from Miami to Key West?

Yes, I’d definitely recommend renting a car if you want to stop at different places along the way. It gives you much more freedom than taking a bus or shuttle.

What is the best time to drive from Miami to Key West?

We did our road trip in November and had great weather. Generally, the cooler and drier months are more comfortable for spending the whole day outdoors, so those would be November to April!

CONCLUSION: OUR MIAMI TO KEY WEST ROAD TRIP EXPERIENCE

Our Miami to Key West road trip was one of my favourite experiences in Florida, and I definitely recommend doing it if you have the time. The drive itself is beautiful, and having so many interesting stops along the way makes the journey just as enjoyable as getting to Key West.

We’ve done this road trip twice, once as a day trip and once as a longer stay, and I definitely preferred having more time in Key West. If you can, I’d recommend staying at least one night so you can enjoy the road trip without rushing and actually have enough time to explore Key West. However, if the option is a day trip or nothing, definitely do the day trip!