A Florida Keys road trip leaves you feeling like you’re walking on sunshine! With year-round sunshine and daytime temperatures that rarely go below 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the Florida Keys are perfect for a getaway any time of year. If you love the idea of a road trip in paradise, your first thought might be about how to drive to the Florida Keys. All it takes is one magical highway.
While you know that you’re craving the type of sunshine-on-your-shoulders, warm-breeze-in-your-hair trip that can only be found on a sky-blue Florida bay, you may be unsure about how to plan a Florida Keys itinerary that brings you to all of the things you want to see. If you have your heart set on a Florida Keys road trip, the ride from mainland Florida is fairly simple. After landing at Miami International Airport, grab a rental car to begin the 60-minute journey to Key Largo to begin your journey toward the southernmost point in the continental United States. From there, you’ll be able to hop from key to key to explore incredible state parks, beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, and more!
If you’re planning to hit the Middle Keys as part of a Key West Road trip, you’ll simply follow the Overseas Highway that’s part of U.S. Route 1 (US 1) from the mainland all the way to Key West! One of the world’s longest overwater roads, the highway spans 113 miles. As you make your way down the full length of the route, you’ll pass over 42 bridges! At one point, drivers are suspended over water for several minutes while crossing the famed Seven Mile Bridge.
Get ready to discover the endless possibilities of a road trip to the Florida Keys with this ultimate guide!
1) Enjoy An Epic Boat Trip
After all that time in the car during your Florida Keys road trip, you’re going to be eager to finally get close to the water once you arrive. The problem with some of the public boat tours available is that you’re going from your cramped car to a cramped boat that’s packed with tourists. These tours also expect you to see everything you want to see from a passing ship instead of bringing you to sacred hideaways among the sandbars and mangroves. Skip all that by booking a more refined excursion with us!
Key West Boat Trips is the area’s premier excursion provider. Once our experienced captains bring you to a destination, you’re free to enjoy swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and sandbar hopping. We even offer excursions that pamper you with a sunset dinner cruise experience!
Of course, one of the reasons why most people add one of our cruises to a Florida Keys itinerary is that we can bring you to Florida’s best dolphin spots! Here’s what you can choose from:
Hopping Sandbars – See the mangrove trails of Mud Keys, play at Snipe Point Sandbar, and have the time of your life!
E-Foil Rides – Play on a cutting-edge electric hydrofoil surfboard as part of a tour experience while being coached by one of our experienced captains.
Sandbar Trips for Large Groups – Perfect for groups of six or more, this experience takes you out on the water in Hurricane 27-foot deck boats.
Sunset Cruise – Explore backcountry waters before anchoring at a sandbar where you can jump in water up to your waist to take once-in-a-lifetime photos.
Dinner Cruise – Be pampered by beautiful scenery and a fresh seafood dinner! You’ll be able to relax in the shallow water while your meal is being prepared.
Lunch Cruise – Drift through backcountry waters before docking at a sandbar where you can swim or snorkel.
Mud Key Mangrove Safari – Cruise through backcountry waters to reach Mud Key Sanctuary.
Boca Grande Island Time and Snorkeling – The perfect excursion for someone craving a remote island, this trip brings you to Boca Grande Key to unplug while snorkeling in shallow turquoise water. Excursions to neighboring Woman Key and Ballast Key are possible with this trip!
Only Key West Boat Trips has the pristine fleet and experienced captains to take you out on backwater adventures to some of the most beautiful spots in the Florida Keys! We promise you’ll make memories to last a lifetime. Book your cruise with us today!
2) Visit Bahia Honda State Park
Located right off of Overseas Highway in Big Pine Key, Bahia Honda State Park offers quintessential Florida Keys scenery! People mark this spot on the map for its sandy beaches, clear water, and gorgeous sunsets. The park is also famous for offering warm sea breezes.
Make a plan to rent snorkeling gear or a kayak if you can’t resist the call of the water! If you’re looking for something more passive, this Big Pine Key treasure is a top choice for observing shorebirds and wading birds.
3) Flutter Around At The Key West Butterfly And Nature Conservatory
Located on bustling Duval Street near downtown, the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory is home to nearly 60 different butterfly species from around the world. Guests step into a climate-controlled glass habitat to walk through a tropical paradise at this kid-friendly attraction. There are even two resident flamingoes hopping around the conservatory!
Key Lime Pie alert: Don’t miss the chance to enjoy some of the best Key Lime Pie while hanging around on Duval Street after your butterfly adventure by dipping into Kermit’s Key Lime Shoppe!
4) Spot Key Deer And More Wildlife At National Key Deer Refuge
Established in 1957 to protect and preserve Key deer and other wildlife in the Lower Florida Keys, this refuge and habitat houses more than 20 endangered and threatened plant and animal species. The landscape consists of pine forests, tropical hardwood hammocks, wetlands, salt marshes, and mangrove patches.
Visitors are free to explore wilderness areas and trails inside the refuge. The best time for spotting deer is early in the morning. Approved activities include:
Ranger-led tours
Walking and hiking
Birding
Photography
On-leash dog walking
Geocaching
Nature Sketching
Biking on most rustic trails
Motorized and nonmotorized boating in shallow waters
Fishing
Snorkeling
Diving
You won’t want to skip this attraction if you’ve always wanted to see the Florida Keys wilderness!
Calling all nature lovers: If this excursion is right up your alley, you can also consider a visit to Long Key State Park in Monroe County in the Florida Keys to enjoy a 965-acre Florida State Park. Home to the Golden Orb Trail, Long Key State Park often treats kayakers to views of loggerhead and green sea turtles.
5) Visit The Dolphin Research Center On Grassy Key
This dolphinarium on Grassy Key is a research and rehabilitation center housing a number of bottlenose dolphins. In addition to learning everything there is to know about dolphins, visitors to the center can even swim with dolphins!
Don’t miss the educational and interactive spot if you have always wanted to be near dolphins!
6) Experience the Wonder Of Dry Tortugas National Park
Dry Tortugas National Park is a 100-square-mile park consisting of seven small islands and open water. In fact, less than 1% of the park is dry ground!
Visitors who come here to enjoy Fort Jefferson and tour the grounds of the national park can only access the park by boat or seaplane. However, the journey is more than worth it if you love the idea of touring a fort from the 19th century and catching glimpses of the vibrant marine life teeming in coral reefs.
It goes without saying that this national park is one of the best snorkeling and diving spots in the country!
7) See Where Turtles Are Saved
The Turtle Hospital in Marathon, FL is a rehabilitation and educational center dedicated to rehabilitating injured sea turtles in order to release them back into their natural habitat. The center also offers public tours to help educate the public.
More than 3,000 sea turtles have been helped by the hospital over the decades!
While visitors are welcome, you must sign up to be part of a guided tour in order to visit the facility. Booking reservations ahead of time is highly encouraged.
8) See The Key West Lighthouse
The Key West Lighthouse has been standing tall as a beacon over the southernmost point in the continental United States since 1848! While the tower has undergone several renovations over the years, visitors can feel like they’re stepping back in time while walking up the 88 steps to the top of the light! The lighthouse also has photographs and memorabilia on display to help visitors rekindle a forgotten way of life!
9) Enjoy Key West’s Nightlife Scene
Every road trip to Florida Keys ultimately has to end at Mile Marker 0 which signifies the southernmost point of U.S. Route 1. After finding the Mile Marker located at the corner of Fleming Street and Whitehead Street, plan for a night of fun and celebration. Start with the famed Mallory Square sunset celebration that draws in street performers, street vendors, and crowds to partake in a nightly party that’s been happening since the 1960s!
Next, head to Old Town Key West to enjoy some of the best bars and clubs in paradise. The list of the most popular nightlife attractions includes:
General Horseplay
Green Parrot
Sloppy Joe’s Bar
Of course, you’ll have no trouble seeing all of the vibrant bars and clubs that make up the neighborhood if you simply start on Duval Street after dark.
Plan Your Florida Keys Road Trip
When you take a road trip to Florida Keys, there’s no telling what can happen! The voyage from Miami to Key West, Key Largo, Pine Key, and beyond is filled with blue skies, turquoise water, and friendly locals who are always eager to tell you about the best national park or coral reef to explore.
Here at Key West Boat Trips, we’re ready to do more than just tell you about the best spots in the Florida Keys. We’re ready to take you there!
No boat tour company in the Florida Keys offers such incredible access to remote attractions under the care of experienced captains. Every moment of your excursion will be perfectly timed and planned to ensure that you get the best views and conditions for taking once-in-a-lifetime photos.See the Florida Keys the way few people ever do! Book your trip for your group with us today!
The post Get Ready For A Florida Keys Road Trip With These 9 Hot Spots first appeared on Key West Boat Trips.
