A road trip to the Florida Keys is one of the most iconic drives in the United States, offering stunning beaches, quirky roadside attractions, and plenty of sunshine. With over 800 keys (or low-elevation islands) located along the southernmost coastline of Florida, it can be hard to know what to do and see with a limited period of time here. Here’s everything you need to know to plan your Florida Keys road trip, from when to visit to the perfect 6 day (or more!) itinerary. 

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Where to start a road trip to the Florida Key

Unless you live within driving distance of the Florida Keys, you’ll likely need to fly in and pick up a rental car for your road trip. 

There’s three major airports that you could theoretically fly into for a Florida Keys road trip— Miami International Airport, Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International, or the Key West International Airport. 

Here’s how long of a drive you’re in for (one-way), depending on where you fly into:

• From Fort Lauderdale to Key West: 3 hours and 50 minutes
• From Miami to Key West: 3 hours and 40 minutes
• From Key West to Key Largo: 2 hours and 10 minutes

I’d generally recommend flying into and out of either Miami or Fort Lauderdale, as airfare and rental car prices will likely be considerably cheaper than Key West and, in my opinion, it’s worth spending a few days exploring Miami and the surrounding area, like Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.

Be sure to check airfare into both airports, as we’ve often seen some really killer deals into Fort Lauderdale!

If  you’re short on time or you happen to find flight or rental car deals from Key West, though, you can cut off about an hour and a half of drive time if you start your road trip there instead!  

How many days do you need for a road trip to the Florida Keys?

To road trip through the Florida Keys, you’ll need to drive along the Over-the-Seas Highway, a 113-mile roadway with 42 bridges that connects 44 islands, all surrounded by vibrant aquamarine water.

If you’re driving straight from Key Largo, the northernmost key to Key West, the southernmost, it would take around three hours. However, what’s the point of a road trip if you don’t make plenty of stops along the way?

In fact, there’s so many things to do in the Florida Keys that I’d recommend budgeting at least six days for your road trip.

Honestly, though, you could easily fill two weeks (or more!) in the area. In fact, my husband, Justin, and I spent 10 days driving through the Florida Keys and still have tons of stuff left on our bucket list there! 

If you have a shorter period of time, not to worry—you can still definitely enjoy yourself in the Florida Keys!

I’d just suggest focusing on one area—like, Key West, for example—instead of trying to see everything along the way. That way, you won’t spend the entire time driving around in your car and will actually get to enjoy being in this magical corner of the country.

6 day road trip to the Florida Keys itinerary

For the purposes of this itinerary, I’m going to assume you’re flying into and out of either Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

If you happen to fly into and out of Key West, I’d recommend following this itinerary in reverse (but shaving off Day 1 in Miami!).

Day 1: Fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale

• Drive time: 50 minutes, if driving from Fort Lauderdale to Miami
• Stay the night in: Miami

Once you’ve arrived at the airport, pick up your rental car and spend the rest of the day exploring Miami.

While you may associate Miami with flashy night clubs and high-end plastic surgery, this vibrant city is SO much more than that, with unique architecture, a dynamic cultural scene, and beautiful beaches. Some of our favorite things to do in Miami include: 

Walking around the Art Deco Historic District

The Art Deco Historic District, located along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue in Miami Beach, preserves hundreds of colorful Art Deco buildings from the 1920s and 1930s. You can stop by the Art Deco Welcome Center for a map of the area so you explore the area on your own or, if you’re REALLY into architecture, consider joining a tour by the Miami Design Preservation League.

Enjoy South Beach

Along Miami Beach’s shores, there’s a gorgeous beach, with a two mile stretch of soft white sand, turquoise water, and colorful lifeguard stands.

Justin and I were pleasantly surprised by how quiet this beach was and how squeaky clean its water and sands were—definitely an awesome place to enjoy sunrise or sunset! 

Explore Little Havana

Miami’s Little Havana is a bustling enclave of Cuban food, history, and culture and is actually home to over half of the U.S.’s Cuban population! This neighborhood is one of the few places in the U.S. that feels like you’re in a totally different country—old men play dominoes on street corners, roosters roam about, and loud music blares from seemingly endless open air restaurants. Grab a Cuban coffee from La Colada Gourmet and a mojito (and some live music) at Ball & Chain! 

Stroll around the Wynwood Arts District

The Wynwood neighborhood was once an industrial area, full of warehouses and factories, but has now turned into Miami’s artistic epicenter. There are plenty of art installations that you can explore for free or, alternatively, you can check out Wynwood Walls, a street art museum with a whopping 35,000 square feet of murals and interactive sculptures from artists all over the world.

Day 2: Drive from Miami to Key Largo and explore Key Largo

• Drive time: One hour and 15 minutes from Miami or one hour and 40 minutes from Fort Lauderdale
• Stay the night in: Key Largo

Wake up and drive south to Key Largo, the northernmost of the Florida Keys. 

Grab brunch

Two of our favorite restaurants in Key Largo are:

• Key Largo Conch House, which dishes up fresh, homemade food in a colorful house (with its own resident parrot!) or 
• Mrs. Mac’s, a locals’ favorite with quirky Old Florida decor and fast, friendly service.

Snorkel or scuba dive at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

Kay Largo’s biggest claim to fame is that it serves as the gateway to the Florida Reef, the only living coral reef in the continental United States and the third largest coral reef system in the world! 

John Pennekamp, the country’s first underwater park, protects 70 nautical square miles of this reef and offers some of the very best snorkeling and scuba diving in the country, with crystal clear water, several interesting shipwrecks, and LOTS of wildlife. 

Unfortunately, the snorkeling that’s directly off-shore isn’t particularly exciting, so you’ll either need to head out on the reef with a friend with a boat (lucky you!) or join a scuba or snorkeling tour.

Justin and I went on this two tank scuba diving tour here with Silent World Dive Shop and saw SO much wildlife—a MASSIVE pufferfish, stingrays, and several sea turtles, in addition to countless tropical fish. If you’re not a scuba diver, there’s plenty of cool snorkeling tours to get you out on the reef as well, like this option or this option.

Hit the beach

Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing on one of the town’s beaches. 

Cannon Beach in John Pennekamp is my favorite beach in Key Largo, with calm, shallow water and a small stretch of sand that’s ringed with cannons from the 1800s. The park also has kayaks and stand up paddle boards to rent if you’re a bit too antsy to just lay in the sand and soak up the sun (*raises hand*).

Just remember to bring some hiking sandals, like my beloved Tevas, to walk around the beach—the sand here is a bit on the stabby side!

Insider tip: Most of the beaches along the Atlantic side of the Florida Keys have a high volume of sargassum, a smelly and unsightly seaweed, washing up on their shores during the warmer months, typically from May through September.  

I get into this further below in the Best time to road trip in the Florida Keys section, but, in a nutshell, I generally wouldn't recommend visiting during these warmer months anyway, due to the heat and the stormy weather. However, if you happen to be visiting during this timeframe, don't expect the beaches in the Florida Keys to look (or smell!) their best! 

Watch sunset at the Caribbean Club

A little before sunset, head to a Key Largo staple, the Caribbean Club. It’s one of the oldest bars in the Florida Keys AND was the filming location for the Humphrey Bogart film, Key Largo.

Inside, the bar is a bit on the dive-y side (cash-only!), but to understand its magic, head to its patio outback. There’s a wide stretch of sand along the water, with Adirondack chairs and picnic tables where you can enjoy your cocktails and a pier to go sit on, if you’d prefer to dangle your feet in the ocean. 

Justin and I enjoyed a spectacular sunset on the dock here, with the water reflecting the punchy pinks and oranges of the sky, as a pod of dolphins swimming just a hundred or so yards away. Pure Florida magic. 

Get dinner

There are plenty of tasty restaurants to choose from in Key Largo, but we’d recommend:

• Sal’s Ballyhoo’s Historic Seafood Grille, which has a wide variety of lighter and stick-to-your-ribs food made with fresh, local ingredients (and has been voted as having the best key lime pie in Key Largo!), or 
• Marker 88, which has a large patio overlooking the ocean with some hardcore tiki vibes.

Day 3: Drive from Key Largo to Key West

• Drive time: Two hours
• Stay the night in: Key West

Today is a true road trip day, with LOTS of stops at some of the smaller Florida Keys as you make your way south to Key West. 

I’m listing several of my favorite things to do in the Florida Keys below, in order of their mile marker. You probably won’t have time to do all of them, so pick and choose which ones sound like the most fun to you! 

Mile 92: Get breakfast at Blond Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory (Tavernier)

If you don’t mind a bit of a sugar rush in the morning, stop in Blond Giraffe for a slice of key lime pie (arguably the best in the Florida Keys) and a cup of coffee, which you can enjoy in their lush garden. 

Mile 86: Get a photo with Betsy the Lobster at Rain Barrel Village (Islamorada) 

The Rain Barrel Village is a collection of quirky open-air boutiques and galleries that’s worth stopping at in and of itself, but something is usually a bigger draw—Betsy the Lobster! 

Betsy is believed to be the largest lobster in the world, at 30 foot high and 40 foot long. The fiberglass spiny lobster was meticulously crafted to be biologically accurate and is now the second most photographed attraction in the Florida Keys, after the southernmost point marker in Key West. 

Mile 91.5: Florida Keys Brewing (Islamorada)

I’m kind of a beer snob and, in my opinion, the only two breweries in the Florida Keys that are worth visiting are in Islamorada. 

Florida Keys Brewing really leans into the Keys vibes, with a colorful patio that’s full of swaying palm trees, live music, and a SOLID Mexican food truck. Plus, their beer is quite good and inventive, with fun names like “Death by Mermaid” and “Iguana Bait”.

Insider tip: If it’s a wee bit too early for you to start imbibing on your drive down, consider hitting a brewery on your drive back up to Miami instead!

Mile 83: History of Diving Museum (Islamorada)

This small, but charming not-for-profit museum is enjoyable for divers and non-divers alike, with an impressive collection of vintage diving helmets and machines, a scavenger hunt for kiddos, and cool interactive displays.

Mile 82: Islamorada Beer Company (Islamorada)

Islamorada Beer Company is the only brewery and distillery in the Florida Keys, with a friendly staff, a lovely patio, and tons of beer that you can try as flights. Don’t miss the Key Lime Pie Cocktail—it’s DANGEROUSLY good!

Mile 78: Robbie’s (Islamorada)

Robbie’s is a marina that has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Florida Keys. It’s known for the MASSIVE tarpon, which can weigh up to 150 pounds, and resident pelicans that hang out around its piers. 

Admission to the pier is $2.50 per person and, if you’re a brave soul, you can actually buy a bucket of bait fish to feed to the tarpon for $5 a piece.

Beyond the pier, there’s also an open air market that sells quirky souvenirs, fresh coconuts, and Charli’s Shave Ice, the best shave ice joint in the Florida Keys, served out of a cute ol’ Airstream trailer. 

Mile 50: Sombrero Beach (Marathon)

In my opinion, this is hands-down the best beach in the Florida Keys, with soft white sand, swaying palm trees, and turquoise waters. The facilities here are also impressive, with a picnic pavilion, playground, two volleyball courts, restrooms, and showers.

If you wade in the water here, just be sure to keep a lookout—while we were here, we saw two stingrays gliding right past the beach! 

Mile 48.5: Turtle Hospital (Marathon)

If you’re an animal lover like we are, this non-profit organization, which has rescued and rehabbed over 3,000 injured sea turtles, is a great way to spend a few hours.

It’s a little on the pricier side, if you ask me ($35 per adult), but the money directly supports the hospital’s important work AND you’ll get to receive a guided tour around the facility. Along the way, you’ll learn tons of things about turtle conservation and get to observe the rescue work the facility does, from seeing surgeries on these magnificent creatures to getting to watch a release back into the wild. 

Be sure to book tickets for tours online ahead of time—this is a popular stop and it’s unlikely you’ll be able to join a tour unless you’ve reserved tickets in advance.

Mile 37: Bahia Honda State Park (Big Pine Key)

Home to some of the best beaches in the Florida Keys, Bahia Honda State Park offers three different stretches of sand to choose from, each which offer stunning views of the crystal clear, turquoise water. 

We visited Sandspur Beach and its calm waves and white sand make this a perfect option for travelers looking to relax and sunbathe. There’s also a kayak and snorkeling rental shop onsite if you’re more of an active beach bum!  

Mile 30.5: No Name Pub (Big Pine Key)

Dating all the way back to the 1930s, No Name Pub is a Florida Keys institution. 

There’s all kinds of quirky things about this dive-y bar—it’s believed there’s more than $90,000 of dollar bills stapled to its walls;  it served as a 1930s brothel; and it’s one of the best places in the Keys to spot Keys deer, the smallest (and endangered!) subspecies of white-tailed deer.  Plus, you’ve GOT to get one of their pina coladas and a basket of fries! 

Mile 30.5: Blue Hole Observation Platform (Big Pine Key)

This wildlife platform is worth a quick stop, given that it’s one of the best places to see wildlife in the Florida Keys.

During Justin’s and my visit, there were two alligators happily sunning themselves here and a couple of Key deer meandering about (although we kept missing them somehow!).

Mile 0: Key West

You made it!

Check into your accommodations for the evening and head out to dinner. Some of our favorite restaurants in Key West are:

• Kaya Island Eats: This restaurant dishes up a fusion of Florida Keys favorites and Pacific Island cuisine. 
• The Cafe: This laidback restaurant serves a mixture of Florida Keys staples, like fish tacos, with globally inspired cuisine. This is an awesome option if you’re dining out with gluten-free, vegetarian, or vegan friends, with plenty of clearly-labeled options for everyone.  Don’t miss the key lime sangria!
• Moondog Cafe and Bakery: This bustling spot is housed in a charming cottage with a nice, little patio to relax on, and serves up a mixture of comfort classics, like pizzas and burgers, with local favorites. We got key lime pie here more than we care to admit during our stay in Key West!

Day 4: Explore Key West

• Drive time: 0 hours
• Stay the night in: Key West

I don’t think I’m alone in saying that Key West is my FAVORITE of the Florida Keys, with tons of things to do and plenty of fun bars and restaurants to try. 

Get breakfast

My favorite place to get breakfast in Key West is the Cuban Queen, which has three locations around town.  

They have the BEST Cuban coffee and some of the most delicious breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever had, made with fresh, homemade Cuban bread. 

Kayak in the mangroves

Mangroves are a really important part of the ecosystem here—in fact, more than 1,800 miles of shoreline of the Florida Keys are lined with these hardy trees and shrubs! 

Key West offers some of the most beautiful mangrove creeks on the planet. I’d highly recommend kayaking through the narrow mangrove channels here, which are an excellent place to spot wildlife, like stingrays, small sharks, and manatees.

We went on this two-hour tour with Lazy Dog Adventures and LOVED it—we learned so much about the geology and the ecology of the Florida Keys and saw a bunch of tiny sharks and stingrays.

Grab a quick lunch 

We’d recommend Mac’s Place, a waterfront tiki bar with tacos I still dream of and plenty of tropical cocktails. 

Tour of the Hemingway House

If you’re anything like me and LOVED reading Ernest Hemingway as an angsty teen (anyone else?), this Spanish colonial style residence is a fun stop to learn about the author’s life and time while he lived in Key West from 1931 to 1939. 

Even if you’re not a Hemingway fan, it’s interesting to hear about the life of Key West’s most famous boozer and womanizer—and, more importantly, get to hang out with his famed menagerie of six-toed cats. In fact, the house is currently home to almost 60 polydactyl cats.

Pssst… Key West is steeped in Hemingway lure and there's plenty of his old hangouts to explore, from Captain Tony’s Saloon, his favorite watering hole, to Blue Heaven, which once was the spot where he officiated boxing matches. If you’re super into Hemingway, I’d consider joining this evening Hemingway walking tour, where you’ll get to visit his old haunts and learn local legends about the beloved author. 

Enjoy Smathers Beach

I’d argue that Smathers Beach is the second most beautiful beach in the Florida Keys, with a half mile stretch of white sand; tall, skinny palm trees; and calm water. 

The sand on the beach is nice and soft, but, if you wade in the water, the floor can be quite rocky. So I’d recommend bringing along some water shoes or hiking sandals to provide some extra protection and support if you plan on getting in the water. 

Head out on sunset tiki boat ride

We’ve spent several days in Key West, but our favorite thing we’ve done here was going out on a sunset tiki cruise. 

Essentially, you head out on a boat that’s been retro-fitted to look like a little tiki hut and get driven around the shores of Key West by a professional captain (you can either buy tickets by the seat or rent out a private boat for your group).

While you’re out on the water, you can enjoy your favorite adult beverage (it’s BYOB, although the cruise company provides cups and ice) and keep a lookout for wildlife—we went in December and didn’t see anything, but our captain said it was pretty common to see dolphins and manatees in the warmer months.

Plus, if you go on one of the Key West tiki boats for sunset, you’ll be taken out in front of the iconic Mallory Square to watch Mother Nature’s spectacular show, without all of the crowds!

Get dinner

Check out one of the restaurants we suggested for Day 2 of this itinerary, like Kaya’s Island Eats, The Cafe, or the Moondog Cafe & Bakery.

Bar hop on Duval Street

Duval Street is the main drag of Key West, with tons of shops, pubs, and restaurants to choose from. Even if you’re not a huge nightlife person (that would be us!), it’s still 100% worth moseying around, people watching, and stopping in a bar or two that catches your interest.

Some of our favorites include:

• Sloppy Joe’s: A historic bar, dating back to 1933, that was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway. This is one of the most popular stops for visitors in Key West, so you can expect a buzzing atmosphere, loud music, and cold drinks!
• Captain Tony’s Saloon: This bar was actually the original site of Sloppy Joe’s, from 1933 to 1938, when it moved to its current location. Accordingly, Captain Tony’s Saloon also claims to be one of Hemingway’s favorite haunts. Either way, there’s awesome live music, dive-y yet fun decor, and strong drinks!
• The Green Parrot: For a slightly less touristy vibe, this watering hole is a favorite of locals and offers nightly live music.
• World’s Smallest Bar: An itty bitty 72 square foot bar (essentially the size of a jail cell) that’s worth a quick stop for the photos and key lime pie shots!
• General Horseplay: If you’re looking for something a bit more upscale, this bar has some hardcore date night vibes and excellent hand-crafted cocktails.

Day 5: Visit Dry Tortugas National Park

• Drive time: 0 hours
• Stay the night in: Key West

Did you know that Key West is home to one of the least visited U.S. National Parks? 

Well, kinda sorta.

Dry Tortugas is located about 70 miles west of Key West (and is actually closer to Cuba than the mainland U.S.) and consists mostly of open water and a handful of small islands. 

Most visitors here primarily explore its Garden Key, which is home to Fort Jefferson, a Civil War-era building that holds the impressive title of being the largest brick masonry structure on the entire western hemisphere.  Besides the fort, the park is known for its crystal clear turquoise waters, excellent snorkeling, and its abundant bird and marine life.

There’s only two ways to get to Dry Tortugas—by boat or by plane.

Insider tip: Regardless of which way you’d prefer to reach the national park, I’d strongly recommend booking well in advance, as they frequently sell out. Justin and I visited Key West around New Years and both of these options were unfortunately sold out for MONTHS in advance!

Getting to Dry Tortugas National Park by boat

Unless you have a friend with a boat that’s capable of cruising 70 miles to a remote island, you’ll need to take the Yankee Freedom Ferry, which costs $220 per person. This includes complimentary snorkeling gear, breakfast and lunch, and an optional hour and a half guided tour of the fort.

This trip is an all-day affair, totaling 10 hours—two and a half hours on the ferry each way, plus four hours to explore Dry Tortugas.

Getting to Dry Tortugas National Park by seaplane

If you want to spend less time in transit or have a bit more flexibility in your budget, I’d recommend taking a seaplane to the national park instead. The flight is a lot quicker than the ferry option, lasting only about 40 minutes one-way.

The plane flies low throughout your journey from Key West, providing absolutely spectacular views of the water. In fact, the turquoise water is so clear, you can actually see stingrays, sea turtles, and sharks swimming below from the plane! Additionally, if you take the first flight of the day, you’ll usually get the entire park to yourself for a few hours, given that the ferry doesn’t arrive until later in the morning.

There’s only one operator that is allowed to land in Dry Tortugas, Key West Seaplane Adventures.

Unfortunately, it’s definitely not a cheap excursion—you can either choose from a half-day tour, which costs $466 per adult, or a full-day tour, which costs an eye-watering $819 per adult. This only includes the flight itself and the use of a cooler and ice so you can bring whatever food and drink you’d like along with you. 

Alternative to Dry Tortugas National Park

If visiting Dry Tortugas is a bit out of your price range or just not your thing, there’s still plenty of things to see and do in Key West, like: 

• Hitting the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic Site. It’s beautiful, but a bit on the rocky side, so bring hiking sandals or water shoes! 
• Taking a free(!!) tour at the Key West First Legal Rum Distillery—their pina coladas are SO good!
• Heading out on a dolphin-watch and snorkeling cruise to enjoy Key West’s abundant marine life
• Checking out one of Key West’s many museums, like the Harry S. Truman Little White House or the Key West Shipwreck Museum (pssst… if you happen to be visiting when it’s really hot, museums are a great way to beat the heat!)
• Joining the daily gathering to watch the sunset at Mallory Square
• Learn about Key West’s spooky and sordid history on one of its nightly ghost tours, like this adults-only option

Day 6: Drive from Key West back to Miami

• Drive time: Three and a half hours if you’re driving to Miami or three hours and 40 minutes if you’re going to Fort Lauderdale
• Stay the night in: If you can’t find an afternoon or evening flight home, stay in Miami or Fort Lauderdale

Sadly, it’s time for your Florida Keys road trip to come to an end! 

Make the drive back to the airport, hitting any of the stops, listed above in Day 3, that you didn’t initially have time for. 

9 day road trip to the Florida Keys itinerary

If you have a few extra days to add to your road trip, I’d recommend spending a day at both Biscayne and Everglades National Parks. 

Here’s the itinerary I’d recommend, which is generally the same as the one suggested above through Day 6.

Day 1: Fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale

Day 2: Drive from Miami to Key Largo and explore Key Largo

Day 3: Drive from Key Largo to Key West

Day 4: Explore Key West

Day 5: Visit Dry Tortugas National Park

Day 6: Drive from Key West back to Homestead

• Drive time: Two hours and 45 minutes
• Stay the night in: Homestead

Start your drive from Key West but get accommodations in Homestead, a suburb of Miami that serves as the gateway to both Biscayne and Everglades National Park. 

Day 7: Explore Biscayne National Park

• Drive time: Most tours for the national park depart from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, which is about 20 minutes from downtown Homestead.
• Stay the night in: Homestead

Biscayne National Park is home to over 40 shipwrecks, including the world-renowned Maritime Heritage Trail; vibrant coral reefs; dense mangrove channels; and picturesque keys.

It’s a fairly large national park, sprawling over 270 square miles, but is actually 95% water. And the 5% of the park that is technically on land is almost all impenetrable mangroves.

Accordingly, the only way to REALLY experience the park is by getting out on the water and kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, scuba diving, or snorkeling (seems to be a theme around southern Florida, eh?!).

There’s only one approved operator in the park, the Biscayne National Park Institute, a non-profit that focuses on providing eco-conscious tours of the park.

Some of the most popular things to do in Biscayne include:

• Stopping at Boca Chita Key, an island with a picturesque lighthouse from the 1930s, like on the Boca Chita Key Heritage Cruise
• Snorkeling amidst the park’s famed shipwrecks or reefs, like on the Snorkel and Island Visit from Coconut Grove
• Paddleboarding around the mangroves, which are a great place to see stingrays and sharks, like on the Jones Lagoon Eco-Adventure

Day 8: Explore Everglades National Park

• Drive time: Around three hours and 20 minutes
• Stay the night in: Miami or Fort Lauderdale (near whichever airport you’re departing from on Day 9)

The Everglades is the third largest U.S. National Park in the Lower 48, sprawling 7,800 square miles. It offers the only ecosystem of its kind on the planet and, accordingly, has a stunning level of wildlife and other biodiversity to explore. 

Justin and I spent two weeks camping in the Everglades earlier this year and absolutely LOVED it! There’s so many cool things to do in Everglades National Park, but, if you only have one day, I’d recommend:

Start your morning at the Anhinga Trail

The Anhinga Trail is a 0.8 mile, flat pathway that winds around and over the lush wetlands of the Taylor Slough. 

It’s an approachable trail for almost all visitors and one of the best places in the park to see alligators, turtles, and dozens of species of wading birds, including white ibises and anhingas.

Grab a smoothie from the Robert is Here fruit stand

This locally-owned fruit stand has become something of an institution around Southern Florida, selling run-of-the-mill fruits, like oranges and tangerines, plus more exotic ones I’ve never heard of before, like mamey, sapodilla, black sapote, and canistel.

You can just grab some pieces of fruit for a quick breakfast here or, alternatively, pick up to three fruits to mix into one of their famed smoothies or milkshakes. They’re SO good and incredibly refreshing in the sticky Florida weather!

Bike the Shark Valley trail

My favorite experience in the Everglades was the Shark Valley bike ride, where you can rent bikes and pedal along a 15-mile flat pathway that winds through the wetlands. Along the way, you can also stop at the Shark Valley Observation Tower, which is actually the tallest point in the Everglades at 70 feet tall.

During our ride here, we saw DOZENS of alligators, as well as other wildlife, like wading birds, turtles, and even an American crocodile!  

Insider tip: If you won’t have bikes of your own with you during your road trip, I’d highly recommend reserving a rental bike online ahead of time, given they frequently sell out.  There are a handful of bikes that are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, but in our experience, there can be a pretty long wait for these if you don’t arrive first thing in the morning. 

You’ll need to arrive before 12 PM to be able to pick up your reserved bike, so I’d suggest hitting the Anhinga Trail bright and early! 

Go on an airboat tour

End your day by heading out on an airboat tour, which is a great way to see parts of the park that are otherwise inaccessible. This also one of the best ways to spot alligators in the Everglades’ wetlands—plus, it’s pretty fun to just zoom through the swamp on the airboat!

There’s only a handful of operators that are approved to operate within the national park— Coopertown, Everglades Safari Park, and Gator Park. 

Day 9: Head to the airport and fly home

Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to this magical corner of the United States, so head to the airport and catch your flight home! 

Best time to road trip to the Florida Keys

The best time to visit the Florida Keys is from December through April, when the skies are mostly clear and sunny; the temperatures are more moderate; and the mosquitoes are at their least annoying. 

During our last trip to the Keys, we visited in late December and early January. While the weather was absolutely perfect during our visit, we dealt with lots of things being sold out or crowded, so if you’re visiting over the winter holidays, be prepared for it to be busy. 

In the future, I think we’d try to plan a Florida Keys trip for one of the later winter months, like February or March, when the air and water temperatures are just a touch warmer, and the area is a bit quieter (and cheaper!). 

I would not recommend visiting from June through September. During this time period, the weather is insufferably hot and muggy, with the heat index regularly exceeding 100 degrees, and tropical storms and even hurricanes are quite common. Additionally, if you plan on visiting the Everglades, it’s the worst time of the year to spot wildlife here, especially alligators, who tend to burrow in the mud to escape the oppressive heat.

That being said, if you don’t mind sticky weather and rolling the dice with storms, you can usually find much cheaper hotel and airfare here and will have a much easier time booking popular tours that otherwise sell out. 

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Whew, there you have it! Everything you need to know to plan a road trip to the Florida Keys! Do you have any questions about planning this epic road trip? Let us know in the comments below!