Island-hop the Overseas Highway
This is leg 2 of 2, the final leg.
Travel leg · Florida Keys Adventure
Key Largo to Key West
Key Largo and Key West sit about 147 km (91 mi) apart in a straight line, with Key West to the south-west. It is leg 2 of 2 on our Florida Keys Adventure itinerary, a 4-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 147 km · 91 mi
- Est. road distance
- 176–206 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h 45 min – 3 h 15 min
- Direction
- Heading south-west
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Florida Keys Adventure itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 176–206 km (110–128 mi) of road and 1 h 45 min – 3 h 15 min behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Most travelers rent a car in Miami and take the Overseas Highway all the way to Key West, enjoying the views as they go. Traffic can be slow at times, so leave extra time. Some people fly into Key West or take a shuttle for part of the trip.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends, plus 6 places near the straight-line path.
When you arrive in Key West
Give Key West two days: Old Town sights by bike in the morning, beach afternoons and Mallory Square at sunset.
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
Hemingway's 1930s home with guided tours and dozens of six-toed cats.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
Civil War fort with the best swimming beach in town and shade under pine trees.
Blue Heaven
Bahama Village garden restaurant with roosters underfoot; famous for breakfast and tall key lime pie.
Kermit's Key West Key Lime Shoppe
Key lime pie on a stick (chocolate-dipped, frozen) and key lime goods.
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Nightly sunset gathering on the harbor with street performers and food carts.
Captain Tony's Saloon
The original Sloppy Joe's location (1930s), with a tree growing through the roof and live music.
Near the way
These places from our other itineraries sit within about 22 km of the straight line between Key Largo and Key West. The road may not pass them directly, so check how far off your route they are.
Old Seven Mile Bridge
A 2.2-mile walk or bike ride on the restored old bridge from Marathon out to Pigeon Key.
Bahia Honda State Park
A wide sandy beach on clear, shallow water, about 40 miles up the Overseas Highway from Key West.
Old Bahia Honda Bridge
A section of Flagler's 1912 railroad bridge inside the park, with a walkway on top that looks over the channel.
No Name Pub
A pizza and beer stop on a back road of Big Pine Key, its walls covered in signed dollar bills.
Blue Hole
A freshwater pond in an old quarry in the National Key Deer Refuge, where small Key deer and alligators are often seen.
Looe Key Reef
A shallow coral reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, reached by snorkel boats from Big Pine and Ramrod Key.
Before you leave Key Largo
Spend a day here for reef snorkeling at Pennekamp, a bird sanctuary stop and a bayside sunset dinner.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
First undersea park in the U.S., with snorkel and glass-bottom boat trips to the reef.
Dagny Johnson Key Largo Hammock Botanical State Park
Largest tract of tropical hardwood hammock in the U.S., with easy trails.
Key Largo Fisheries Backyard Café
Working fish house serving lobster rolls and fresh hogfish at waterside tables.
On this curated route
Where Key Largo → Key West sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Key West to Key Largo is the same 147 km in a straight line, heading north-east. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
Average daytime highs at both ends stay within 1°C of each other all year, so you can pack the same way for both. Over a year, Key Largo gets about 180 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key Largo high | 23° | 24° | 25° | 26° | 28° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 30° | 28° | 26° | 24° |
| Key West high | 23° | 23° | 24° | 26° | 27° | 29° | 30° | 30° | 29° | 28° | 26° | 24° |
| Key Largo rain | 34 | 39 | 35 | 64 | 118 | 188 | 166 | 184 | 197 | 115 | 55 | 42 |
| Key West rain | 33 | 34 | 26 | 44 | 96 | 157 | 127 | 156 | 177 | 116 | 49 | 39 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Key West month guides.
Key Largo to Key West: questions travelers ask
How far is Key Largo from Key West?
Key Largo is about 147 km (91 mi) from Key West in a straight line, with Key West to the south-west. By road, we estimate 176–206 km (110–128 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Key Largo to Key West?
An estimated 1 h 45 min – 3 h 15 min, assuming 176–206 km of road at average speeds of 65–95 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
What is there to see between Key Largo and Key West?
Near the straight-line path we have 6 places from our curated guides, including Old Seven Mile Bridge (Bahia Honda & the Lower Keys), Bahia Honda State Park (Bahia Honda & the Lower Keys), Old Bahia Honda Bridge (Bahia Honda & the Lower Keys), No Name Pub (Bahia Honda & the Lower Keys). The road may not pass them directly, so check the detour.
Which itineraries include the trip from Key Largo to Key West?
Our Florida Keys Adventure itinerary includes this leg. Florida Keys Adventure runs about 4 days across 3 stops, best in Dec – May.
Onward from Key West
- Everglades to Key West 120 km
Getting to Key Largo
- Miami to Key Largo 79 km
Guides for both ends
- Key Largo travel guide
- Key Largo weather best time to visit
- Key West travel guide
- Key West weather best time to visit
Key West by month
Plan Key Largo → Key West with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.