Key West & the Florida Keys

Key West is the small island city at the very end of the Florida Keys, about 160 miles from Miami by road, known for its walkable Old Town, conch houses, Mallory Square sunsets and the gateway to Dry Tortugas National Park. It is worth the trip, but the drive takes 3.5 to 4.5 hours each way, so we think it works best as an overnight rather than a rushed day.

How do you get from Miami to Key West?

You can drive, fly or join a guided coach tour. Driving the Overseas Highway (US-1) is the most popular option because the road itself is part of the experience; flying is fastest; and there is no scheduled ferry from Miami.

If you drive, break the trip in Key Largo, Islamorada or Marathon, and leave time for the Seven Mile Bridge. Our Florida Keys road trip guide lists stops mile by mile, and our car rental guide covers tolls on rentals. To skip the driving, compare day trips from Miami.

Parking: Old Town street parking is tight. The city's Old Town garage at 301 Grinnell Street charges $6 an hour or $48 a day plus tax, and most sights are walkable from there.

Is a Key West day trip from Miami worth it?

A day trip is doable but tiring: about eight hours of driving or riding for three to four hours on the island, usually leaving before sunset. It suits travelers with only one free day who mainly want to see the drive and Duval Street. Our Key West day trip planner has a realistic timetable.

With one or two nights, you can watch the sunset at Mallory Square, take the Dry Tortugas ferry and drive back slowly with snorkel stops. That is the version we would book.

What are the best things to do in Key West?

The best things to do in Key West are walking Old Town and Duval Street, watching the Mallory Square sunset celebration, touring the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, photographing the Southernmost Point buoy and, with a spare day, visiting Dry Tortugas National Park. Most of Old Town is compact enough to cover on foot or by bike.

Duval Street and Old Town

Duval Street runs about a mile and a quarter from the Gulf to the Atlantic, lined with bars, galleries and shops. The quieter side streets are where you see the wooden conch houses, gingerbread trim and tropical gardens that define Old Town.

Mallory Square sunset

Every night, the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square starts about two hours before sunset, with street performers, food carts and craft vendors on the waterfront. Arrive early for a spot near the edge. See our sunset spots guide for quieter alternatives.

Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum

The house at 907 Whitehead Street, where Hemingway lived and wrote in the 1930s, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $19 for adults and $7 for children 6 to 12 (under 6 free); card payments carry a 3% fee. Guided tours of about 20 to 30 minutes start every 15 minutes from 9:15 a.m., and the resident six-toed cats are part of the visit.

Southernmost Point

The striped concrete buoy at Whitehead and South streets marks the southernmost point of the continental US, about 90 miles from Cuba. It is free, and lines for photos can be long by midday; early morning is easiest.

Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas is a remote park about 70 miles west of Key West, built around the 19th-century brick Fort Jefferson and clear water for snorkeling. The Yankee Freedom ferry leaves 100 Grinnell Street at 8 a.m. and returns around 5:15 p.m.; day trips start from $260 and include the park entrance fee, snorkel gear and a guided fort tour. Seaplanes also fly out from Key West. Book weeks ahead in winter. Our snorkeling guide covers reef trips closer to Miami too.

Where should you eat in Key West?

Key West's food is casual and seafood heavy, with Cuban influence. Long-running favorites include:

• Blue Heaven in Bahama Village, an open-air courtyard restaurant famous for breakfast and key lime pie, with roosters wandering through.
• El Siboney, a neighborhood Cuban restaurant for roast pork, black beans and cafe con leche.
• Half Shell Raw Bar at the historic seaport, for oysters, shrimp and conch fritters by the water.

Hours change seasonally, so check before you go, and look for local pink shrimp and stone crab in season.

Where should you stay in Key West?

Stay in or near Old Town if you want to walk everywhere; guesthouses in restored conch houses are the classic choice, while larger resorts sit along the waterfront and on New Town's beaches. Rates peak from December to April and during events. Compare options in our Key West hotels list.

Practical tips for Key West

• Fill up on gas and snacks before the Lower Keys; services thin out between towns.
• US-1 is mostly two lanes, and one accident can stop traffic for hours. Leave buffer time for flights.
• Bikes and scooters are the easiest way around Old Town; watch for one-way streets.
• Bring reef-safe sunscreen and a hat. The sun is strong year-round.

When is the best time to visit Key West?

December to April is the best time for weather, with warm, dry days, but also the highest prices and most crowds. Late spring is a good balance. Summer is hot and humid, and hurricane season runs June through November, peaking from August to October, so watch forecasts closely if you plan the drive then.

Key West quick facts