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.

Open Florida Plan a trip

More: share, save offline, report a correction

Key facts · United States

Best months: Nov–Apr
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: US dollar (USD, $)
Language: English
Plugs: A · B · 120 V
Time zone: Six zones: UTC−5 to UTC−10

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

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.

Where to sleep

7 places in this region

Sleep base

Key LargoCity guide
Closest to Miami; diving and snorkelling on the reef.
Best Dec–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Key Largo →
IslamoradaCity guide
Middle Upper Keys; fishing, sandbars, easy run south.
Best Nov–Jun
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Islamorada →
MarathonCity guide
Mid-chain base; Seven Mile Bridge and Sombrero Beach.
Best Dec–May
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Marathon →
Key WestCity guide
Walkable old town, bars, ferry and airport.
Best Dec–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Key West →
Stock IslandCity guide
Cheaper beds 10 minutes from Key West.
Best Nov–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Stock Island →

Day trip

Big Pine KeyCity guide
Key deer refuge; slow down, they cross the road.
Best Dec–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Big Pine Key →
Duck KeyCity guide
Resort island between Marathon and Islamorada.
Best Dec–Apr
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Duck Key →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

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 to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

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
Stock Island	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	×	×	go	go
Big Pine Key	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	×	×	ok	go
Duck Key	go	go	go	go	ok	×	×	×	×	×	ok	go
Florida (country-wide)	ok	ok	go	go	go	–	–	×	×	ok	ok	ok

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

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

best: dry, mildok: workablewet: daily rainstorm: typhoon or flood risk

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.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

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

Verdict first

Florida State Park Pass

check

Covers 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

buy

Useful if you drive from Miami; rental cars often charge a daily fee for their own transponder.

Dry Tortugas ferry or seaplane

buy

The only way to reach the park; book weeks ahead in winter, it sells out.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

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

planned

US-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.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 5 bases
Day trips: 4, 10 min to 3 h 30
Nights suggested: 3–7 nights
Ways in: 6 listed
Best months: Jan–Apr, Nov, Dec (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open Florida Up to Florida

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialFlorida Keys & Key West — official tourism
officialKey West International Airport
officialFlorida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (NOAA)
officialFlorida State Parks
officialNational Park Service — Dry Tortugas
secondaryWikivoyage: Florida Keys, revision 5300986 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Ask about Florida Keys

Loading…

Was this useful?