How long does it take to drive through the Florida Keys?

You could drive the 113-mile stretch in a little over three hours, but why would you want to? Road trips, especially one as iconic as this, are all about the stops along the way. So put the top down and cue Jimmy Buffet. Here’s our guide to the best the Florida Keys has to offer.

How big is the Florida Keys?

Where do the Florida Keys start and end?

The Florida Keys are a series of islands extending from the southeastern tip of Florida. They begin about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of Miami and extend out toward the southwest and then west toward the Gulf of Mexico and the uninhabited Dry Tortugas islands.

How long is the Florida Keys highway?

Where: The Florida Keys Highway starts at the southern tip of Florida near Miami and continues from Key Largo to Key West. Length: 106 miles.

Which Florida key is the biggest?

Key Largo
Largest of the keys is Key Largo, about 30 miles (50 km) long and formerly known for its plantations of key limes (used to make key lime pies). John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which contains large living coral formations, is the first undersea park in the United States.

Are there alligators in the Keys?

American Alligators are very rare in the Keys since they do not like high salinity water. They are generally limited to the few islands here with permanent freshwater lakes such as Big Pine Key where the fresh/brackish water blue hole is, but our canals and beaches are too salty for them.

How long is the bridge from Florida to the Keys?

The Seven Mile Bridge is a bridge in the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, United States.
Seven Mile Bridge
DesignPrecast segmented box girder bridge
Total length35,719.2 feet 6.765 miles (10.887 km)
Width38 feet (12 m)
Longest span135 feet (41 m)

Can you drive through the Florida Keys?

From mainland Florida and Miami International Airport you can reach the Florida Keys by driving along the US 1 highway. The highway goes directly from Miami through the Everglades National Park to the most northerly key, Key Largo.

Can you see Cuba from Key West?

Key West Island – You Can Almost See Cuba From Florida

Key West and the other Florida Keys is located in the Strait of Florida within the US state of Florida. The island extends over a land area of 4.2sq mi and is on the southernmost end of the US.

How deep is the water under the Florida Keys bridge?

18 to 22-ft. deep
deep; the Seven Mile Bridge below Knight’s Key over water 18 to 22-ft. deep; the Bahia Honda Bridge, slightly more than one mile long over water from 20 to 30-ft. deep; and the bridge at Boca Chica slightly more than one-half mile long (5).

What is the coldest month in Key West?

January
The cool season lasts for 3.0 months, from December 7 to March 6, with an average daily high temperature below 77°F. The coldest month of the year in Key West is January, with an average low of 66°F and high of 74°F.

How deep is the water in Florida Keys?

Ocean depths from the shoreline to the reef rarely reach 20 feet. The reef lives in waters as shallow as five feet and as deep as 50 feet. Most Keys reef divers log a maximum depth of 20 to 30 feet. Shallow diving offers two immediate benefits.

Can you walk across the 7 mile bridge?

Visitors can now use the reopened section of the Old Seven Mile Bridge to walk, bike, roller blade, and more. Henry Flagler’s Florida Keys Overseas Railroad was a marvel in its day, a feat of engineering connecting mainland Florida to the country’s southernmost point 90 miles away in Key West.

How long does it take to drive across the bridge to Key West?

Today, you can leave the Florida mainland and travel the entire length of the Overseas Highway, through all the Keys to Key West, in less than four hours.

How many bridges are in the Florida Keys?

42 bridges
A modern wonder, the 113 miles of roadway from Key Largo to Key West incorporates an astonishing 42 bridges leapfrogging from key to key in a series of giant arches of concrete and steel over the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

How old is the original 7 Mile Bridge?

The old Seven Mile Bridge was built 71 years ago by Henry Flagler, as the longest — and most astonishing — link of his Florida East Coast Railway. Regarded as the marvel of its age, it was built from 1908 to 1911 and linked the Lower Keys to the mainland for the first time.

Can you bike the Florida Keys?

The Overseas Heritage Trail has over 90 miles of paved bike path, allowing you to experience the Florida Keys from the seat of your bicycle. Biking the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail is not only a great way to exercise but also a great way to reduce stress.

What bridge was blown up in True Lies?

Seven Mile Bridge
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred in a film called “True Lies” that was shot partially in the Keys, involving a sequence of helicopter stunts and an explosion on the iconic Seven Mile Bridge.

Can you drive to Cuba from Florida?

Yes, the driving distance between Florida to Cuba is 495 km. It takes approximately 6h 14m to drive from Florida to Cuba.

What is the longest bridge in Florida?

Seven Mile Bridge
Main list
RankBridgeLength (feet)
1Seven Mile Bridge35,867
2Sunshine Skyway Bridge21,875
3St. George Island Bridge21,542
4Mid-Bay Bridge19,267

Who first settled Key West?

Ponce de Leon first discovered Key West in 1521 during his expedition to Florida in search of the Fountain of Youth. He named the island Cayo Hueso, which means Bone Island in Spanish, for the bleached limestone rock formation of the island.

Can you swim from Florida to Cuba?

On September 2, 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad becomes the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the use of a shark cage for protection. Nyad completed the 110-mile swim from Havana to Key West, through the jellyfish-and shark-infested waters of the Straits of Florida, in approximately 53 hours.