It’s true: a Florida tour is always a rewarding experience for everyone. You just can’t resist the call of adventure? Don’t worry, Florida is home to the Everglades, with crocodiles and tropical forests. Do you love vacations in fashionable and overcrowded cities?
For you there is the seductive Miami: white beaches, nightlife, amazing architecture … but you like the idea of relaxing in a paradise of coral islands, surrounded by an emerald green sea? Here are the Florida Keys and the jewel in the crown, Key West with its incomparable atmosphere of a city on the edge of the world. 
Miami-Key West: these are the 2 destinations we are focusing on today. Whoever among your friends or acquaintances has been to Florida, will have told you about the priceless experience of driving down all the Florida Keys, until you reach the extreme point that overlooks Cuba and the Bahamas, and it certainly won’t be the (short) distance in miles that will put you off taking an itinerary like this. Yes, because the trip to Miami Key West takes just (!) 3.30 hours, with a total of 166 miles… and the journey, as you will see, will be anything but boring!
As always, there are 2 ways to travel this itinerary: the “do-it-yourself” solution, for those who love road trips in complete freedom, and guided tours, for those who prefer comfort or do not want to drive long distances. In my opinion, an organized tour can be interesting especially for those who have only 1 day at their disposal (I strongly advise against doing this route by car with so little time). So let’s look at both possibilities:
Contents
1. Miami Key West Road Trip: Do-It-Yourself Itinerary
Many of you will know, south of Miami a strip of land kissed by the Goddess of beauty stretches out: they are the Florida Keys, an archipelago of islands that stretches for almost 90 miles. In another article we talked about all the attractions that await you along the Overseas Highway, the road that runs all the way to Key West, passing through the Upper Keys of Islamorada, the Middle Keys of Sombrero Beach and Crane Point, up to the Lower Keys, where the beautiful beaches of Bahia Honda State Park and obviously our Key West, the small yet precious town where the greatest number of tourists is concentrated.
Faced with all these natural attractions, there never seems to be enough time, so much so that, although the distance to be covered is not so great, it is not uncommon to decide to travel the entire Overseas in a couple of days or even more, using Key West as a strategic base to find a hotel. On our website, we have published an in-depth article on where to stay in Key West, but if you want to extend your vacation in the Florida Keys, there is no shortage of places to stay in Key West. See the hotel selection options … read also our advice on where to stay between Miami and Key West.
Since you’ll be venturing out on a nice road trip, if you don’t have your own vehicle, I also suggest you read our guide on how to rent a car in USA.
How to get there
From Miami to Key West without busy traffic or stop-offs takes about 3 hours 10 mins (160 miles). The fastest way to travel is to use the Ronald Reagan Turnpike to Florida City and then from there it’s all on the Overseas Highway (US-1 S) to the southern tip of Key West.
Do you have to pay a toll?
If you drive all the way from Miami on US-1 S without ever taking the highway, it will only take you 20-30 minutes longer (154 miles), but you won’t have to pay a toll.
2. Miami Key West Tours
Here is an organized tour proposal for the Miami-Key West route in 1 day; the main reason of interest in this tour is the flexibility of customizing the route according to personal preferences, which is why we are going to illustrate it option by option.
Miami to Key West Day Trip – Basic Tour
This is the basic option, which includes pickup (at 6:30 am) and return to the hotel, with a total duration of about 12 hours. The Miami-Key West route is by bus, and gives you a chance to enjoy the Overseas Highway before arriving in Key West, where you will have some free time to visit the city’s attractions and do some shopping, before the return trip that will take you back to Miami around 9:30 pm.
Price: 49 dollars approx
Miami to Key West Day Trip + Options
Below you can find all the additional options to the basic tour:
- Day trip from Miami to Key West + Conch Train: this option provides all the advantages of the basic tour, but includes a useful service: as soon as you arrive in Key West, you can take advantage of the Conch Train, a small train that will take you to all the points of interest in the city, accompanied by a guide. Therefore, this option is ideal for those who want to know all the secrets of this fascinating town in detail.
Price: about 159 dollars approx. - Day trip from Miami to Key West + hop-on hop-off bus: this tour is ideal for those who do not want to give up the convenience of moving around on a hop-on hop-off bus. Transportation and sightseeing are guaranteed for the entire day, totally flexible as is usually the case with this type of service.
Price: about 159 dollars approx. - Day trip from Miami to Key West + snorkeling cruise: anyone who travels the Overseas Highway to Key West cannot help but feel the overwhelming urge to take a dip in the wonderful crystal clear waters of South Florida. This option includes, in addition to the basic tour, a 3-hour cruise on a 65 feet catamaran. In addition, with this package, you will also have the opportunity to snorkel (snorkeling equipment and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are included in the price). Don’t worry, the waters are warm all year round!
Price: about 149 dollars approx. - Day trip from Miami to Key West + transparent bottom boat cruise: after being picked up from your hotel in Miami, you will arrive in Key West, but your visit will not be an ordinary one: in addition to the sacred free time to devote to the city, you will have the opportunity to venture on the beautiful Florida sea aboard a transparent bottom boat. That’s right: a 2-hour trip with the coral reef just the palm of your nose, or rather “under your feet”!
Price: about 169 dollars approx. - Day trip from Miami to Key West + parasailing: and finally, for the more sporty, the more adventurous and unexpected Miami-Key West tour: in addition to the city tour, thanks to this package you can experience Key West from above, flying over the blue waters with your parachute, pulled by a state-of-the-art parasailing boat, capable of carrying up to 12 people. The activity is not permitted for children under the age of 6, and lasts 15 minutes total. The rest of the time can be spent strolling the city streets, before making the Key West Miami stretch in the relaxation of your bus.
Price: 186 dollars approx.
