Are you planning a Miami to Key West road trip? Maybe you need some itinerary inspiration to help you plan your journey? Look no further!
If you’re planning a Miami to Key West road trip, you couldn’t have picked a better route. The Miami to Key West road trip itinerary is full of the most beautiful views and stop-off points.
Close your eyes and imagine a road...
A thin stop of highway cutting through the turquoise ocean, skipping bridges under a high blue sky void of clouds, and the sun a pinnacle of white light hovering at the apex of the sky.
The Miami to Key West road trip itinerary is so scenic – we know you’re going to love it.
The road from Miami to Key West is 165 miles long, and if you drove straight there it’d take you a little under 3.5 hours. But what’s the fun in that?
Stopping off along the way is all part of the experience of the Miami to Key West road trip itinerary.
My Miami to Key West road trip itinerary…
We’ve made you a Miami to Key West road trip itinerary that takes 2 days and allows you to see some of the gorgeous sights that Florida has to offer!
This Miami to Key West road trip itinerary will show you places to stop off, places to enjoy, amazing views, the works.
The trick to doing a Miami to Key West road trip right is that if you see something you want to stop and have a look at, stop the car. Get out, walk around, soak up the views, and talk to people. Take a few photos!
That’s the best part of the Miami to Key West road trip itinerary, it really is! The fun of a road trip is enjoying every second, taking your time and exploring at your own pace – hopefully this Miami to Key West road trip itinerary will help you do that!
Read more Florida travel tips: Where to find the clearest water in Florida (10 amazing beaches!)
Day 1: Time to get driving!
Ok, the first part of this Miami to Key West road trip itinerary, is breakfast! We’ll start with Breakfast in Miami – to fuel up before the big trip. I recommend breakfast at Green Street Cafe.
It’ll set you up for a long day of driving and exploring, and you definitely won’t regret filling up on their amazing American breakfasts! Stop by at a supermarket on your way out of Miami to pick up a picnic for lunch.
After that, get onto US1 the highway that leads you from Miami down to Key West, this is the first day of your Miami to Key West road trip – and it’s time to get excited!
Read more about Miami: 31 things to do alone in Miami
Day 1: Stop off 1: Everglades National Park
On your way out of Miami stop at this gorgeous national forest. The Everglades National Park is the largest tropical wilderness in the USA, and the largest wilderness of any kind east of the Mississippi, so it only seemed right to include it in this Miami to Key West road trip itinerary.
It’s a a protected site in order to preserve the fragile ecosystem that the trees support. You’re going to spend most of your morning here, and you can eat your picnic in the shade of these gorgeous trees.
Back on the road for US1. This is where you’re going get your first glimpse of “ocean highway” cutting through the water like rainbow road on MarioKart.
Day 1: Stop off 2: Key Largo
Famous mostly because of Humphrey Bogart, a golden age movie star, and the movie of the same name, Key Largo is a gorgeous place to stop for the afternoon (or a couple of days if you’re doing this road trip at a super slow rate). This is the next stop on my Miami to Key West road trip itinerary.
Stop a little before you get to Key Largo for John Oennekamp coral reef state park. It’s home to North America’s only Coral reef and is a great place for scuba diving and snorkelling if that’s your jam. There’s also spiegeleisen grove ship wreck to scuba at which is quite a sight to see too!
Dinner: eat at the Fish House. It’s a must stop place on this road trip and the food is fresh as anything. The conch salad and the mahi mahi are amazing choices!
Read more about visiting Key West: Key West weather in December: Everything you need to know!
Day 1: Stop off 3: Plantation Key
You can choose to stay at Key Largo overnight if you like, or you could hit foot it over a little further and stay at Plantation Key. You can watch the sunset from the beach and bar at mile marker 88, with a cocktail in one hand!
And that’s the end of day 1 of your Miami to Key West road trip itinerary. Sit back, enjoy the scenery and the sunset, and get ready for Day 2 of the Miami to Key West road trip, tomorrow!
Now it’s time for Day 2!
On day 2 of your road trip from Miami to Key West, it’s worth a little double back on yourself for breakfast in Tavernier at Over Easy – which is a classic little breakfast place and perfect for getting lots of energy for the day.
It’s only about 20 minutes back up the road, but it’s 100% worth the trip!
Day 2: Stop off 1: Marathon
Next stop on my Miami to Key West road trip itinerary it’s Marathon. Here you’ll find the Dolphin research centre and the turtle hospital!
There’s honestly kids to do in Marathon from shopping to cultural keys museums. We’d recommend dipping your toes in the water at tranquility bay – it’s necessary for stripping all the stress from your bones!
Get lunch at King Seafood Market and Restaurant. With fresh fish, and Cuba flavours, this restaurant is not to be missed on your road trip from Miami to Key West!
Day 2: Stop off 2: The seven mile bridge
And of course, one of the final stretches before reaching Key West on this Miami to Key West road trip itinerary, it’s the amazing Seven Mile Bridge.
This iconic feat of architecture is HEAVENLY, and will make your insta look fire 🔥 in some spots it’s so long and so straight that you can’t see the end of it. The Seven Mile Bridge is one of those ‘you have to see it to believe it’ places on earth, and luckily it’s a key part of the Miami to Key West road trip.
It looks like a road to nowhere, or a road to everywhere, and is one of the most poetic and beautiful sights to be seen in the belting Miami sunshine.
Stop your car after the bridge at pigeon Key foundation to take pictures and to walk along an old section of the bridge that used to be a railway and is now pedestrianised.
Day 2: Stop off 3: Bahia Honda State Park
Located in the middle of the Seven Mile Bridge, the beautiful Bahia Honda State Park, is a must-see and definitely worth stopping off at! The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year, and costs $8 per vehicle to enter.
It’s a beautiful place to stop off and enjoy the incredible views, as well as do a bit of bird watching, nature spotting, and just staring off dreamily into the incredible views.
Definitely worth squeezing into your Miami to Key West road trip itinerary if you can!
Day 2: Stop off 4: Square Grouper Bar and Grill
If you’re feeling hungry by this stage, there’s a fantastically reviewed restaurant called ‘Square Grouper Bar and Grill’ to stop off at before reaching Key West. This is a fab little place full of delicious option for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
Get to Key West in the evening and you’ve made it!
Settle in for however long you’re staying! Literally almost all restaurants in Key West will do you for amazing places to eat, and you cant go wrong with most of the hotels. Our top recommendation is the Marquesa Hotel. If you want to know more about spending time in Key West, check out these useful facts about Key West!
It’s a gorgeous place to stay and the in-house restaurant Cafe Marquesa serves up award winning, life ruining food. You’ll never want to eat anything else ever again.
Hopefully this Miami to Key West road trip itinerary has been helpful and given you lots of inspiration!
Remember – you don’t need to make all the stops I’ve suggested here, and likewise, you don’t need to limit your Miami to Key West road trip itinerary, to only the stops I’ve suggested.
If you see something along the way you want to take a closer look at – go for it! The best things about the Miami to Key West road trip is how much there is to see!
