Where Are The Florida Keys
The best way to answer “Where are the Florida Keys” is to say Mother Nature carved out some 1700 land masses in a hundred-mile stretch. The islands created a protrusion southwest from the bottom of the Florida peninsula. These islands are what we now call “The Florida Keys”.
There are 43 of these islands connected by bridges. We consider these accessible islands from the mainland. On these 43 islands, we have built cities like Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key, Key West and dozens more.
See the Florida Keys Map below for more specific locations with mile markers. The Map of the Florida Keys shows relative distances between the Keys. Our complete Guide to Florida Keys can provide vacation and travel information.
Key Takeaways
- How do you get to the Florida Keys?
- Which Florida Key is the best to visit?
- How do you travel to the Florida Keys?
- What Are the Best Beaches in the Florida Keys?
- What is the Best Time to Visit the Florida Keys
- What Do You Do in the Florida Keys?
- FAQS About the Florida Keys
- Latest Posts
- Travel Guides
How do you get to the Florida Keys?
For a step-by-step guide to get to the keys from Miami, we have it here. Plus, there is more information about traveling the Keys in the links at the end of this post.
Which Florida Key is the best to visit?
Read on for more comprehensive answers.
A Brief History of the Florida Keys
Historically, these islands were inhabited by the Calusa Indians, possibly as far back as 3000 BC. As the 16th century approached, the French and Spanish began the exploration of the Caribbean and the Florida peninsula.
They found the Calusa throughout southwest Florida with well-organized societies and a strong hierarchy.
Tribes inhabited the region from Sarasota to the Florida Keys with village leaders and a king to solidify governing. Explorers considered the Calusa fierce fighters and foes so formidable that many areas were not explored until several decades later because of the Calusa hostility.
Eventually, the Spanish influence brought more and more challenges for the Calusa, including constant war and disease.
By the 1700s, few Calusa were left in Florida. Today, you still see remnants of the Spanish attempt at dominance in some architecture, language, and heritage in the Florida Keys and south Florida.
The rumors about the Keys and pirates are just that. Yes, there were a few that shipwrecked here or came to find food, fresh water and shelter. Most stories about pirates, Florida islands, and treasure are legends that tourists love.
Most of the Keys were relatively free from the “privateers” operating for various governments in the Caribbean. These privateers were commissioned by countries to find ships of their enemies and pirate the cargo and sometimes the whole ship. Pirates and other mariners of the time knew the shallow reefs around the islands were dangerous to ships traveling near the Keys.
You can find more about Florida history here.
How do you travel to the Florida Keys?
A first-time traveler to the Florida Keys, you will soon find out that there is only one road in and the same single road out! US Route 1 in Homestead, Florida, going south is your only option. You have an 18-mile stretch of limited-access 4-lane highway that takes you straight to Key Largo, the first and largest of the Florida Keys.
Note; Check out Florida Travel Blog’s 2026 mile-by-mile guide – Mile Markers of the Florida Keys.
Keep in mind US 1 runs north all the way along the east coast of the United States to Maine, the northernmost state.
New visitors should understand that just about every location in the Keys is designated by mile markers along the side of the road. In Key Largo, your first mile marker (MM) will be about MM106. That means you have 106 miles to MM 0 in Key West.
From Key Largo to Key West, exceptional food can be found with some of nature’s best fish just off the islands’ shores. In every restaurant, you can find grouper, mahi, hogfish, and yellowtail snapper fresh off the fishing boats.
In July each year, the lobster season brings thousands of people to search for these “bugs” in the shallows around the Keys. Many lobsters end up on the menus throughout the Keys. First-time visitors to the Florida Keys must try the spiny lobster.
If you choose to fly to the Florida Keys, Key West has a busy International Airport. Marathon has a small regional airport.
You can also travel from Ft. Myers Beach and Marco Island on the Key West Express. You leave in the morning and arrive for lunch in Key West. Check out our post on Driving to the Florida Keys
Things To Do in the Florida Keys
What Are the Best Beaches in the Florida Keys?
The best beaches in the Florida Keys are actually at some of the Florida State Parks in the Florida Keys. Bahia Honda State Park, about 20 miles north of Key West, is a great place for families. In fact, my family learned much about sea life in the shallow reefs there.
John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo is a great place to learn scuba diving and relax on their beach. Long Key State Park is another option.
Key West beaches include Smathers Beach, the largest, Higgs Beach, and our favorite, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach.
Many resorts along the Atlantic coast have their own private beaches, like Three Waters Resort in Islamorada, Casa Marina Hotel in Key West, and Hawks Cay Resort on Duck Key north of Marathon.
What is the Best Time to Visit the Florida Keys
The best time to visit the Florida Keys for most people is probably when it is cold up north. However, the crowds are at their peak from January through May.
We travel to the Keys year-round since we live in Florida. Many people go when various seasons and events are in full force. Events like the Superboat Races in Marathon and Key West. Big-money fishing tournaments in Islamorada and Key West attract thousands.
Annually, in July hoards of people travel to the Florida Keys for lobster season. They head out in the shallows of Florida Bay and try their hand at snorkeling for spiny lobsters.
From June through September, the temperatures reach the low 90s, but the breezes on the islands temper the heat.
What Do You Do in the Florida Keys?
So, where is the Florida Keys? Hopefully, you have an idea of where they are and how to travel the Florida Keys, and what to expect when you arrive.
Now, here is a list of things to do in the Florida Keys:
- Key Largo Things To Do
- Islamorada Things To Do
- Marathon Things To Do
- Big Pine Key Things To Do
- Key West Things To Do
Check our complete travel guide from Key Largo to Key West.
FAQS About the Florida Keys
Where are the Florida Keys?
The Florida Keys are a long chain of islands off the southern tip of mainland Florida. They extend southwest from the Miami-Homestead area toward Key West, between the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay/Gulf waters.
Are the Florida Keys part of Florida?
Yes. The Florida Keys are part of the state of Florida and are connected to mainland South Florida by U.S. 1, also known as the Overseas Highway.
What part of Florida are the Florida Keys in?
The Florida Keys are in the far southern part of Florida, below the mainland and stretching out into the water between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf side of the state.
Are the Florida Keys near Miami?
Yes. The northern end of the Florida Keys is relatively close to Miami. Key Largo, the first major key, is about 60 miles south of Miami.
How far are the Florida Keys from Miami?
That depends on which part of the Keys you mean. Key Largo is about 60 miles from Miami, while Key West is about 160 miles from Miami by road.
Where do the Florida Keys start?
For most travelers, the Florida Keys begin at Key Largo, the first and northernmost major key reached when driving south from the mainland. The broader island chain continues all the way to Key West.
Where do the Florida Keys end?
The Florida Keys end at Key West, the southernmost major island in the chain and the end of the Overseas Highway drive.
Are the Florida Keys islands or part of the mainland?
The Florida Keys are islands. They are a chain of more than 1,700 islands and keys, although only a fraction of them are inhabited or easily accessible by road.
How long are the Florida Keys?
The island chain stretches for roughly 180 miles from the southern tip of mainland Florida to Key West. The scenic Overseas Highway portion from Key Largo to Key West is about 113 miles.
What are the main places in the Florida Keys?
The main destinations most travelers know are Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine Key and Key West. These are the best-known stops along the Overseas Highway.
Can you drive to the Florida Keys?
Yes. The Florida Keys are connected by U.S. 1, the Overseas Highway, which links the major islands by a series of bridges.
What is the Overseas Highway in the Florida Keys?
The Overseas Highway is the famous stretch of U.S. 1 that connects the major Florida Keys. It runs from Key Largo to Key West and crosses dozens of bridges over open water.
How many bridges are in the Florida Keys?
Official Keys tourism describes the Overseas Highway from Key Largo to Key West as incorporating 42 bridges, while some Florida tourism pages describe the Keys as connected by 43 bridges. The commonly cited travel takeaway is that the drive crosses dozens of bridges linking the islands.
Are the Florida Keys closer to the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico?
They are between both. The Keys are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean on one side and Florida Bay/Gulf waters on the other, which is part of what makes the region so distinctive.
Are the Florida Keys the same as Key West?
No. Key West is one part of the Florida Keys, but the Florida Keys are the entire island chain that includes Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Key West, and many other islands.
Is Key Largo in the Florida Keys?
Yes. Key Largo is the first and northernmost major key in the Florida Keys and is often the starting point for a Keys road trip.
Are the Florida Keys worth visiting?
Yes. The Florida Keys are popular for scenic drives, snorkeling, diving, boating, fishing, beaches, wildlife, and destinations such as Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, and Key West.
What is special about where the Florida Keys are located?
Their location is special because the islands stretch far from the mainland across tropical-looking water, creating one of Florida’s most distinctive road trips. Their position between the Atlantic Ocean and Florida Bay gives visitors easy access to reefs, boating, fishing, and open-water views almost the entire way.
What is the best way to get to the Florida Keys?
For most travelers, the easiest and most popular way is to drive from mainland South Florida on the Overseas Highway. That lets you stop along the island chain from Key Largo to Key West.
Florida Keys Map of the Islands by Google
More About the Florida Keys
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