United States / Florida / Key West & the Florida KeysKey West & the Florida Keys
The Overseas Highway to the Southernmost Point
The Overseas Highway hops 42 bridges, the Seven Mile Bridge among them, down the coral islands of the Keys to Key West, closer to Havana than to Miami: Duval Street, the Southernmost Point buoy, Hemingway's house and its six-toed cats, and the nightly sunset crowd at Mallory Square. Snorkelling trips go to the only living coral reef in the continental US, and boats and seaplanes go to Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas. About 4 hours' drive from Miami. Rooms are dear in winter; the Keys are exposed in the hurricane season (June to November, peaking in August to October).
Highlights
- Drive the Overseas Highway and Seven Mile Bridge
- Sunset at Mallory Square
- Southernmost Point buoy
- Hemingway Home
- Reef snorkelling trip
- Dry Tortugas by ferry or seaplane
- Bahia Honda's beach
Things to do
- Reef snorkelling tripMorning · 4h
- Old Town, Hemingway Home and the Southernmost PointAfternoon · 3h
- Mallory Square sunset celebrationEvening · 1h 30m
- Dry Tortugas day trip by ferryMorning · 10h 30m
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: December – May
Worth knowing
Peak Hurricane Season
⚠️ Mid-August to mid-October is the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. A storm can close airports, cancel flights and, in the Keys and on the Gulf coast, bring evacuation orders. Buy refundable bookings and travel insurance that covers hurricanes, follow the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) in the days before, and leave when officials say so.
Heads up
Hurricane Season
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November; storms are less likely at its ends than in August to October, but afternoon thunderstorms are near daily in summer. Watch the National Hurricane Center's outlook before you travel.