Overseas Highway to Key West

The Overseas Highway follows the old Overseas Railroad across the Keys, with water on both sides for most of the drive. Key Largo has the main snorkelling and dive parks, Marathon has the Seven Mile Bridge and Pigeon Key, and Bahia Honda is the best state-park beach. Traffic is slow in high season, so start early. It suits couples, snorkellers and anyone who wants a short, easy trip.

The stops

1. Start

   Key Largo, FL

2. Town

   Key Largo

   Start of the Keys at about MM 106.

3. Beach

   John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

   America's first undersea park; snorkel and glass-bottom boat trips at MM 102.5.

4. Historic

   Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park

   Old railway quarry with a short fossil-reef walk (MM 85.5).

5. Beach

   Long Key State Park

   Quiet beach and paddling trail (MM 67.5).

6. Town

   Marathon

   Mid-Keys base with seafood and the Turtle Hospital.

7. Historic

   Pigeon Key

   Small railway-worker island reached by ferry or by walking the old Seven Mile Bridge.

8. Beach

   Bahia Honda State Park

   The Keys' best sand beach, with an old railway bridge to climb (MM 37).

9. Park

   Big Pine Key

   Home of the tiny Key deer; slow down at dusk.

10. Viewpoint

    Southernmost Point

    Painted buoy marker in Key West; expect a queue for the photo.

11. Town · Overnight

    Key West

    Old Town for walking, Duval Street and sunset on Mallory Square.

12. Finish

    Key West, FL

Where to stay

• Night 1

  Islamorada / Marathon

  Long Key State Park campground · Marathon motels and resorts

• Night 2

  Key West

  Bahia Honda campground (book early) · Key West guesthouses

• Night 3

  Key Largo

  John Pennekamp campground · Key Largo resorts

When to go

Dec–Apr for dry, cooler weather; Jun–Nov is hurricane season

On the road

Mostly a single lane each way; weekend and holiday traffic backs up. Mile markers (MM 106 to MM 0) are used for every address. Hurricanes can close the highway.