The Overseas Highway (US 1) runs 113 miles from Miami to Key West. Water stays on your left the whole way. In 7 days you can work your way down, spend 3 nights in Key West, hit the Dry Tortugas, and come back slowly. This is that plan.
Estimated drive time (no stops): 3.5 hours Miami → Key West. With stops: 5–7 hours.
Day 1 — Arrive in Key West
Drive down from Miami. Stop once in Key Largo for a coffee and a look at the water, then push through to Key West. You'll arrive by early-to-mid afternoon.
- Mallory Square sunset — Get there 30 minutes before sundown. Street performers, food vendors, the whole scene. It's the single most Key West thing you can do.
- Walk Duval Street — The full length, from the harbor to the southernmost point. Get a feel for the neighborhood.
- Hemingway Home — Book tickets online before you go. The cats alone are worth it. Morning is better than afternoon.
- Southernmost Point marker — 90 miles to Cuba. Take the photo. It's an actual 30-second stop but people treat it like a major destination.
Overnight: Key West. Stay in Old Town or the Truman Waterfront if you want parking and space; stay on Duval if you want to walk everywhere.
Browse Key West day tours on Viator →
Day 2 — Snorkel or Sail
Pick one: backcountry / sandbar or reef snorkeling. Both are excellent. A half-day leaves your afternoon free.
- Danger Charters backcountry — Shallow-water sail + snorkeling in the backcountry mangroves. Leaves from Key West harbor. Typically a half-day morning trip. Best for small groups and people who want to get off the beaten path.
- Reef snorkel — Either a dedicated snorkel boat heading out to the reef (20 minutes from Key West harbor) or combine with a sandbar stop. Several operators on the harbor — Fury, Sebago, any of them are fine.
- Afternoon: Walk around Key West. Eat. Nap if you need it. This is vacation.
Browse Key West snorkel tours →
Day 3 — Dry Tortugas Day Trip
Full day. No skipping it. If you only do one thing on this trip, this is it.
- Yankee Freedom ferry — Book 6+ months ahead in peak season. Leaves Key West at 8am, returns ~4pm. Round-trip includes: 70 miles of open ocean crossing, two snorkeling stops (moat wall at Fort Jefferson and Texas Rock), a guided fort tour, and time on Loggerhead Beach. You will be tired and sunburned and it will be worth it.
- Fort Jefferson — The largest brick fort in the Americas. Built in 1847, never completed, used as a prison during the Civil War. The scale is hard to comprehend until you're standing inside it.
- Snorkeling — The moat wall is the highlight — coral formations and large fish in relatively shallow water. Texas Rock has different species and different conditions; both are good.
- No seaplane available? Check Key West Seaplane Adventures — sometimes has last-minute slots when weather cancels flights. More expensive but faster (25 min each way vs 2.5 hours on the ferry).
Book the ferry now: Dry Tortugas ferry on Viator →
Alternative: Florida Straits fishing charter. If the Dry Tortugas ferry is sold out, spend Day 3 fishing the blue water outside Key West harbor. Same day-long commitment, different payoff. The catch is completely different — you'll be offshore targeting mahi, wahoo, or tuna depending on the season.
Day 4 — Drive the Upper Keys
Leave Key West mid-morning. Drive north on US 1, stopping your way up through the Lower Keys and into the Upper Keys. End the day in Islamorada for sunset.
- 7 Mile Bridge viewpoint — Stop at the pedestrian pull-off on the old bridge (near MM 40). One of the most photographed spots in the Keys. Walk a few hundred feet out for the iconic shot.
- Big Pine Key — Look for key deer (endangered, about the size of a large dog). They're most active early morning and around dusk. The National Wildlife Refuge has a short nature trail; the loop is about 0.5 miles.
- No Name Pub (MM 28.5, Big Pine Key) — Classic Keys burger stop. Cash only. Good pizza. Worth the detour for lunch.
- Bahia Honda State Park (MM 86.8) — Best beach on the Keys. White sand, good snorkeling off Calusa Beach, the old bridge for photos. $8 per car. Arrive early if you can — by 9am in season the park can be at capacity.
- Islamorada sunset — Morada Bay or The Butterine for a waterfront dinner. Both are on the water, both are good. Book dinner ahead in season.
Overnight: Islamorada or continue to Marathon. Islamorada has better restaurants; Marathon is more convenient if you're heading back toward Key West the next day.
Day 5 — Marathon and the Middle Keys
Work your way back toward Key West through Marathon. Family-friendly stops, good beaches, and one of the most underrated attractions on the Keys.
- Sombrero Beach — Free, free parking, clean, good sand, shallow water for kids, and a playground. One of the best free public beaches in the Keys. MM 49.5.
- Turtle Hospital ($38 adults) — Working sea turtle rehabilitation facility with tours every 45 minutes. See the turtles in treatment, learn what's killing them (boat strikes, fishing hooks, red tide), watch healthy ones being released. It's not a zoo — it's a real hospital. Allow 1.5–2 hours. MM 45.5.
- Dolphin Research Center — Also in Marathon if you're traveling with kids. It's not a tourist show — it's a research facility with a public tour component. MM 52.5.
- Seven Mile Bridge viewpoint — If you didn't stop on Day 4, this is your last chance. Pull off at the Marathon approach.
Overnight: Marathon or back to Key West. If you head back to Key West for night 5, you've done the big drive and can spend the last two days not worrying about moving.
Day 6 — Key West Beaches and Water
Back in Key West. Take the morning slow — you've earned it. But the afternoon has options.
- Fort Zachary Taylor — Best snorkeling beach in Key West proper. The water off the beach has more coral and more fish than anywhere else in Key West. There's also a Civil War fort to explore. Beach entrance fee applies; usually less crowded than Smathers.
- Smathers Beach — Longer stretch of sand, good for swimming, less snorkeling. People-watching is excellent. No fort, just beach. Free.
- Jet ski rental — Several operators on the Key West waterfront. A 30-minute rental gives you enough time to ride down to the southernmost buoys and back. Not cheap, but it's a different view of Key West from the water.
- Kayak or paddleboard — Key West harbor or Stock Island. 2-hour rental is plenty. The backcountry kayaking near Key West is one of the quieter experiences in an otherwise busy town.
Day 7 — Final Day
Whatever you skipped. Whatever you want to repeat. Final morning coffee on Duval, then drive back to Miami.
- Fishing charter — If you didn't fish on Day 3. Half-day or full-day out of Key West harbor. Early morning is best for reef fishing; offshore trips typically leave at 7am.
- Kayak eco-tour — Quietwater or any mangrove tour operator. 2 hours paddling through mangroves, birding, the occasional manatee. Completely different pace from Duval Street.
- Final sunset sail — One more Mallory Square sunset, or get on the water one last time for a sunset sail. Either way. Don't skip the sunset on your last day.
- Drive back to Miami — 3.5–5 hours depending on stops. Stop at Robbie's of Islamorada for tarpon feeding and a fish sandwich on the way back. The detour to Anne's Beach (MM 73) is worth 20 minutes if you haven't been.
Key Stops Reference
113 miles from Miami to Key West. Water stays on your left. 42 bridges. Speed traps are real — particularly between MM 88 and MM 90.
MM 106–90. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park — the first Keys snorkeling stop from the mainland. Mrs. Mac's Kitchen for breakfast on the way in.
MM 90–70. Anne's Beach (local favorite, shallow water, free). Morada Bay and The Butterine for waterfront dining. Robbie's of Islamorada at MM 77.5 — tarpon feeding and fish sandwiches.
MM 70–47. Sombrero Beach (free, family-friendly, playground). Turtle Hospital Tour ($38, book ahead). Seven Mile Bridge viewpoint on the approach.
Key deer spotting — endangered, dog-sized. Best at dawn or dusk. No Name Pub (cash only, good burger) at MM 28.5.
MM 86.8. Best beach on the Keys. Calusa Beach, old bridge for photos, snorkeling off the beach. $8/car. Gets full by 9am in season.
MM 0. Mallory Square sunset, Duval Street, Southernmost Point (90 miles to Cuba). Fort Zachary Taylor for snorkeling, Smathers Beach for swimming.
Book the Dry Tortugas Ferry
The Yankee Freedom leaves Key West at 8am and returns around 4pm. It's the highlight of most Keys trips — book early.
Browse Dry Tortugas Tours on Viator →Common Questions
How many days do you need for the Florida Keys?
Minimum 4 days for a rushed trip, 7 days to do it right. With 7 days you can drive the full Overseas Highway, spend multiple nights in Key West, do the Dry Tortugas day trip, and not feel rushed. A 3-day version gets you from Miami to Key West and back but you'll be driving too much and missing the point.
How far is it from Miami to Key West?
About 160 miles / 3.5 hours via the Overseas Highway (US 1). But the drive is a destination itself — 42 bridges, stops every 15–20 miles. With stops, plan 5–7 hours. Keep water on your left.
What's the best beach on the Florida Keys?
Bahia Honda State Park (MM 86.8). White sand, clear water, old bridge for photos, snorkeling off Calusa Beach. $8 per car. Get there early in season — it fills up by 9am.
Should I book the Dry Tortugas ferry in advance?
Yes. Book the Yankee Freedom ferry at least 6 months ahead between March and August. It sells out. Round-trip takes about 7 hours (leaves Key West at 8am, returns around 4pm) and includes snorkeling, Fort Jefferson tour, and Loggerhead Beach. If it's sold out, seaplanes sometimes have last-minute slots.
What should I not skip on a 7-day Keys trip?
The Turtle Hospital in Marathon ($38 adults). It's a working sea turtle rehabilitation center — genuine, educational, the staff are passionate. Allow 2 hours. Combine with Sombrero Beach next door (free, family-friendly, great shallow water).