The Florida Keys are a stretch of islands off of the southern coast of Florida. The islands are connected by road and in some stretches of area, a bridge. A few of the more popular islands include Key West, Key Largo, Marathon, and Islamorada. The drive through the Florida keys is one of the most beautiful drives in the United States and even more enjoyable with a top down or a roof off.
How to get to the Keys:
The best airports to fly into are Fort Lauderdale & Miami. Although they are a few hours drive from the keys, it is probably the most inexpensive & convenient option. The drive from Miami to Key West is one of the most popular Florida road trips with beautiful 360 views of the bright blue water & clear blue skies. There is also a Key West International Airport as well as the Florida Keys Marathon Airport. If money is no object, this might be your best option although the planes that fly in and out of these airports are small so you'd have to pack light!
Should You Rent a Car?
I fully recommend renting a car so you have the ability to enjoy the drive along the Overseas Highway. This was one of my favorite parts of my trip to the Keys. If you want to splurge a little on a rental car, get a jeep where you can take the top off or a convertible. We rented a brand new Jeep Wrangler from Turo & had a great experience.
Check out the Turo website for cheap car rental options!
Where to Stay in the Keys
Where to stay in the Keys depends on what type of vibe you are looking for during your stay. Each island along the keys has something different to offer. Do you want to be on a beach? Do you want to be where the bars & party scene is? If you want a more fast paced vibe, Key West might be the best option. Although there are not technically resorts that are beachfront, you have ocean views from almost every angle. Key West is definitely one of the most popular destinations in the keys and even if you do not chose to stay there, Duval St. is worth a visit even for just a day trip. Islamorada is a popular destination for water sports and fishing. Marathon is about halfway down the Keys and Overseas Highway. It has beautiful beachfront hotels & restaurants. This is where I chose to stay when I visited the keys and I found it to be the best location for the vibes we were looking for during our stay.
Check out the beautiful Isla Bella Beach Resort in Marathon which I highly recommend after my stay there. Even the cast of Jersey Shore stayed there on one of their more recent season of Jersey Shore Family Reunion. (Not sure if that's a good or a bad thing!)
What to do in the Keys
Check out the Southernmost Point in Key West. It is a popular photo-op destination for tourists and a bucket list item to say you have stood in the southernmost point of the continental U.S. While you're in Key West, take a walk down Duval street. It is a very busy street littered with shops, vendors, restaurants & bars. Marathon is typically known for it's boating activities like snorkeling, deep sea fishing, or even a sunset boat cruise. When we stayed in Marathon, we rarely felt the need to leave our hotel since it offered so many activities and areas to lounge in the sun. Key Largo is a popular destination for snorkeling and scuba diving. There are many coral reefs that can be explored under water or on paddle boards & kayaks as well. Another popular destination off of Key West is the Dry Tortugas National Park. It is about 70 miles off of Key West and only accessible by a boat or seaplane. Islamorada is known as the fishing capital of the world. There are a few popular breweries as well as coral reef state parks which are popular places to explore.
Here is a website that connects you to purchase tickets for the Dry Tortugas National Park via the Yankee Freedom Boat. This includes days trips & overnight camping trips as well.
From beachfront resorts to city night life, there's so many different vibes for the Florida Keys. Regardless of where you chose to spend your time, you will be (almost always) guaranteed clear blue water, humid warm air, and some sunshine!
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