Fast Facts
- Population
- 26,444 (2020 census)
- Typical visiting season
- Dec–Apr (dry season, outside hurricane season)
- One Unusual Stat
- Overseas Highway: 106.5 mi, ~42 bridges
- Nickname
- The Conch Republic
- All-American Road
- Florida Keys Scenic Highway, 106.5 miles
What to Know Before You Arrive
Key West had 26,444 residents at the 2020 census, with a population density of about 4,723 people per square mile. By the 1830s, per Wikipedia's account, it had become the wealthiest city per capita in the United States, built on maritime trade, salvage operations and later cigar production. The city carries two nicknames: the Conch Republic and the Southernmost City in the Continental United States.
The Overseas Highway connecting Key West to the mainland spans 106.5 miles through the Florida Keys, linking Key Largo, Islamorada and Marathon along the way, crossed by roughly 42 bridges including the 6.8-mile Seven Mile Bridge. It was built largely on the right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, completed in 1912 and heavily damaged by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane; the state purchased the railroad infrastructure for $640,000 and completed the unified highway route on March 29, 1938. President Franklin D. Roosevelt toured the finished road in 1939, and the route is now designated a National Scenic Byway, the Florida Keys Scenic Highway.
Mallory Square in Old Town is a major tourist destination best known for its nightly sunset celebration, a tradition the city preserved even after opening a cruise terminal there in 1984 over objections from those concerned about disrupting the sunset-watching experience. Key West remains vulnerable to tropical storms; Hurricane Wilma in 2005 flooded 60 percent of the city's homes, and Hurricane Irma struck as a Category 4 storm in September 2017.
The Road Trip Stop
The Ernest Hemingway House, built in 1851 by marine architect Asa Tift, is where Hemingway and his wife Pauline Pfeiffer lived from 1931 to 1939, writing Green Hills of Africa, “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber” and To Have and Have Not. The French Colonial-style house sits on the second-highest point on Key West, with 18-inch-thick limestone walls; it opened to the public as a museum in 1964 and is described in Wikipedia's account as the most popular tourist attraction in Key West, drawing 600 to 800 visitors a day.
What the visit involves
- Pauline Pfeiffer bought the then-dilapidated property in 1931 and the couple made significant renovations, including a 1937 swimming pool that was the first in the Florida Keys.
- Roughly 59 cats currently live on the grounds, about half with the polydactyl six-toed trait; the property's own account notes the family has disputed whether Hemingway actually kept cats there.
- The house was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968, four years after opening to the public.
- Admission and hours, as listed on the house's own rates page: general admission is $19* for adults and $7* for ages 6 to 12, ages 5 and under are free, and a 3% fee is added to card and mobile transactions; the museum is listed as open daily, 365 days a year, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with tickets sold only at the main gate.
*Fees subject to change, please check hemingwayhome.com for updated information.
Neighborhoods
Old Town
The historic core of Key West, home to Mallory Square, Duval Street and the Hemingway House.
Mallory Square
The Old Town waterfront square known for its nightly sunset celebration.
New Town / Stock Island area
The newer section on the eastern side of the island, which Wikipedia's account says holds shopping centers, retail malls, residential areas, schools, ball parks and Key West International Airport; the city limits also take in the part of Stock Island north of U.S. Route 1, on the adjacent key to the east.
Truman Waterfront
Former naval station land conveyed to civilian control for redevelopment; Wikipedia's account says it now comprises the Key West Amphitheater, Truman Waterfront Park, residential redevelopment of homes and condominiums, and a portion of Mallory Square.
The Food Stop
Duval Street, which runs just over 1.25 miles between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, is described in Wikipedia's account as the location of many restaurants and bars. Restaurant listings and hours change, and no individual restaurant is named here because none could be confirmed from its own website, its own recent social page or a licence listing.
3 breweries within 10 miles of Key West, 2 of them brewpubs with a kitchen.
See all 3
- First Flight Island Restaurant & Brewery301 Whitehead St, Key West
- Waterfront Brewery LLC201 William St, Key West
- Bone Island Brewing1111 Eaton St, Key Westproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Tortugas National Park | 2–2.5 hr by ferry | 68 mi (water/air only) | estimated |
| About 68 miles west by boat or seaplane only — no road access: Fort Jefferson and coral-reef snorkeling. | |||
| Marathon | 1 hr 20 min | 48 mi | routed |
| Marathon lies along the Overseas Highway at about mile markers 47 to 61, beginning at the east end of the Seven Mile Bridge; mile markers count down to 0 in Key West. | |||
| Islamorada | 2 hr 5 min | 81 mi | routed |
| Islamorada lies along the Overseas Highway between Key Largo and Marathon; the Florida Keys tourism council's guide lists it at mile markers 90 to 63, with mile markers counting down to 0 in Key West. | |||
| Miamiguide | 4 hr 5 min | 160 mi | routed |
| About 3.5 hours northeast via the full length of the Overseas Highway. | |||
1 of these is a place the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer. Rows marked estimated are this guide’s own figure and have not been routed.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Aquariums Nearby
Within 60 miles of Key West, nearest first.
Key West Aquarium — some details below are unconfirmedKey West
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Adult from $20.99
* We could not confirm: hours/admission not captured. Check their site before you go.
Florida Keys Aquarium EncountersMarathon
- Hours
- 9am-5pm daily
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Adult from $30 (13+) · Child $20 (4-12)
The Turtle HospitalMarathon
- Hours
- Guided 90-minute programs daily every half hour, 9-4 (last start 4); gift shop daily 9-6
- Admission
- Adult $38 · Child $19
- Reservations
- tour only
Sea turtle rehab facility with guided tours; Visits are by guided program, which runs rain or shine. Reservations are highly recommended; call 305-743-2552.
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. None of these carry an accreditation we were able to confirm, which is not the same as none being accredited — we check against one register, and plenty of good municipal, state and university places are in no register at all. One entry is marked with an asterisk: we could not confirm part of what is listed, and the note under it says which part. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Historic Sites Nearby
15 near Key West, each checked against the operator or agency that runs it.
Audubon House & Tropical GardenKey West
- Hours
- Monday – Sunday: 9:30am – 4:15pm Gallery & Gift Shop: 9:30am – 5:00pm source
- Admission
- Adult $16 Students of any age $14 Children 6-12 $7.50 Children under 6 FREE source
- Season
- No seasonal schedule stated; admission page warns it may close early on some days for garden events.
An 1840s house built by a ship's pilot and master wrecker, furnished to show family life when shipwrecks on the reef fed a local salvage trade; it was saved from demolition in 1958.
- May close early on event days; admission page asks visitors to arrive before 3 pm or call ahead
- Ticket sales final and non-refundable
Run by Audubon House & Tropical Garden (site says the house was saved in 1958 by the Mitchell Wolfson Family Foundation; current operator not otherwise named)
Duval StreetPublic spaceKey West
- Hours
- Public street; no hours.
- Admission
- Public street; city document does not discuss fees.
- Season
- Not applicable.
Key West's fourteen-block main business street, running from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean inside the historic district; the city notes it is known for parades and nightlife.
- Source is a city procurement document (RFQ dated March 11, 2022), not a visitor page
- City document notes the street is known for nightlife
- City planned a street revitalization project; possible construction, status not checked
Run by City of Key West
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State ParkKey West
- Hours
- The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. The fort closes at 5 p.m. source
- Admission
- $6 per vehicle (up to eight people). A Monroe County surcharge of 50 cents will be added, per person. source
- Season
- Open 365 days a year per the page; no seasonal schedule stated.
A pre-Civil War brick fort with cannon and gun ports to walk past, plus a beach where people swim and snorkel; re-enactors give demonstrations on the third weekend of each month, and chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear and bikes can be rented.
- Fees are per vehicle plus a Monroe County per-person surcharge
- Fort closes at 5 pm though the park stays open to sundown
- Park menu links a 'FEMA Notice' page that was not read
Run by Florida State Parks (Florida Department of Environmental Protection)
Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower (Key West Gardens at Fort West Martello)Key West
- Hours
- Open daily 9:30am – 5pm Except Christmas & New Year’s Day source
- Admission
- Free Admission Donations Gratefully Accepted source
- Season
- Year-round apart from the two holiday closures; no seasonal schedule stated.
A free tropical garden laid out among the remains of a Civil War-era fort beside the sea, kept up by volunteer members of the local garden club.
- Operator page uses promotional language ('garden paradise')
- Gardens are rented for weddings and events; no closure detail given for event days
Run by Key West Garden Club (501(c)(3), member volunteers)
Key West Historic Seaport (Key West Bight)Public spaceKey West
- Hours
- Open waterfront district; the site gives no general hours (individual businesses set their own).
- Admission
- No general admission mentioned; not stated as free either.
- Season
- Site describes year-round shops and excursions; no seasonal schedule.
A twenty-acre stretch of harbor waterfront with a walkway lined by restaurants, shops, museums and boats leaving on water trips.
- Hosts large events (e.g., powerboat races in early November) that can crowd the area
- (Key West Bight) is the same place
Run by City of Key West
Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's QuartersKey West
- Hours
- Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.) source
- Admission
- Adults: $17 ( $15.50 online ) Senior/Local/College ID/Retired Military: $13 ($11.50 online) Youth (Ages 7-18): $9 ( $7.50 online ) Children (Under 7): Free source
- Season
- Page gives one daily schedule and says nothing about seasonal changes or holiday closures.
A lighthouse that opened in 1848 with a woman as its keeper; visitors can climb 88 steps to the top of the tower, and the keeper's house shows the belongings and photographs of the keepers and their families.
- Tower climb is not wheelchair accessible: page says the property is ADA accessible 'with exception of the tower'
- Online tickets cost less than at the door
Run by Key West Art and Historical Society
Key West Shipwreck Treasure MuseumKey West
- Hours
- Open everyday 9am to 5:30pm, final entry 5pm. source
- Admission
- No prices in the visible page text; the tickets page's structured data lists online prices (Adult 18.90, Child 9.00 USD) but these were not shown as text and were not checked in a browser.
- Season
- No seasonal schedule stated; page links a 'possible schedule changes' notice that was not read.
A museum about Key West's shipwreck-salvage trade, told with actors, films and objects from an 1856 wreck; visitors can climb a 65-foot lookout tower and lift a real silver bar from a Spanish galleon.
- Ticket prices only in structured data, not visible text
- Site cross-sells trolley packages and links out to the list's source domain; those links were not followed
Run by Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum (operator company not named in the text read)
Old Town Key West (Key West Historic District)Public spaceKey West
- Hours
- District; no hours.
- Admission
- District; no fees stated.
- Season
- Not applicable.
The island's historic core, which the city describes as the largest historic district in Florida; Duval Street and sites such as the Truman Little White House are within it.
- Source is a city procurement document (2022), not a visitor page
- City superlative ('largest Historic District in the State of Florida') is quoted as the city's claim
Run by City of Key West (historic district)
See the other 7
Seven Mile Bridge / Old Seven Mile Bridge (walking and biking path to Pigeon Key)Public spaceMarathon
- Hours
- Neither page gives hours for the bridge path.
- Admission
- No fee stated for the bridge path; Pigeon Key itself requires paid admission (price not read).
- Season
- Not stated.
Beside the highway bridge, the restored Old Seven Mile Bridge is open to people walking, running and biking, with parking near mile markers 47 and 48 in Marathon; stepping onto Pigeon Key at its end requires a paid ticket.
- In Marathon, well outside Key West (about 45 road miles; not measured)
- The highway Seven Mile Bridge itself is a drive-over, not a stop
- Marathon reopening page is undated (says 'Wednesday, Jan. 12'); Pigeon Key page is the current-status source
- Pigeon Key admission and train tour are ticketed (prices not read)
Run by Not stated on pages read (City of Marathon announced the reopening; Pigeon Key is run separately and charges admission)
Southernmost Point (Southernmost Buoy)Public spaceKey West
- Hours
- City page gives no hours (open public street corner).
- Admission
- City page does not mention fees.
- Season
- Not stated.
A concrete buoy the city put up in 1983 to mark a corner 90 miles from Cuba; during seawall and road repairs a stand-in buoy has been at the south end of Duval Street since September 2025.
- Temporary relocation: stand-in buoy at 1499 Duval Street since 2025-09-04; city page does not say when the original returns
- City page calls it 'the southernmost point in the continental United States'; do not repeat that as fact without checking
- Popular photo stop; no hours or fee information on the city page
Run by City of Key West
The Artist House (Artist House Key West guest house)Outside onlyKey West
- Hours
- Guest house; no public visiting hours stated.
- Admission
- No public admission; lodging only.
- Season
- Not applicable.
A Victorian guest house on Eaton Street that was the first home of Robert the Doll, made in Germany in 1904; the doll itself is now on display at the East Martello Museum.
- Operates as a bed and breakfast; interior for guests only
- The doll is NOT here: it is at Fort East Martello Museum (Key West Art and Historical Society), which is not on this list
- Ghost-story subject matter (operator calls it 'the Most Haunted Doll in the World')
- Guest house has a nightly happy hour; children 5+ may stay
Run by Artist House Key West (bed and breakfast)
The Ernest Hemingway Home & MuseumKey West
- Hours
- Museum is open daily, 365 days a year 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. source
- Admission
- Adult Rates General Admission - $19 Group rate available through our contact page Office 305.294.1136 Child Rates General Admission - $7 (6-12 yrs old) 5 and Under Children 5 and younger are FREE source
- Season
- Page says open 365 days a year; no seasonal schedule. Home page notes a one-off early 4 pm close on Saturday, December 5, 2026.
The author's former home, seen on a 20-30 minute guided tour; cats live on the grounds, some descended from a six-toed cat Hemingway was given. Tickets are sold only at the gate, with no reservations.
- 3% fee added to card and mobile payments
- One-off early closing (4 pm) on Saturday, December 5, 2026, per home page
- Cats roam the grounds (relevant for allergies)
- Street address shown in visible text on the contact page; home page carries it only in structured data
Run by Hemingway Home & Museum (legal name in the site's own structured data)
The Southernmost House (historic hotel)Outside onlyKey West
- Hours
- Hotel; no visiting hours. Exterior is seen from the public street.
- Admission
- Not applicable for an exterior view; no public admission offered.
- Season
- Not applicable.
An 1897 Victorian mansion on the ocean at the far end of Duval Street. It is now an adults-only hotel, so a family can only see the building from outside.
- Adults-only hotel (guests 18+; 21+ to book); interior and pool are for registered guests only
- Exterior only for families
- Hotel page says enhancements are 'underway' (possible renovation)
Run by The Southernmost House (hotel operator; company not named in text read)
The Truman Little White HouseKey West
- Hours
- MUSEUM OPEN DAILY 9:30AM-5PM source
- Admission
- Ticket prices are not in the page text; they load in a booking widget. Not checked in a browser.
- Season
- No seasonal schedule stated; header links to 'possible tour changes' notice that was not read.
The house where President Truman spent 175 days living and working between 1946 and 1952, seen on a guided tour that includes his living quarters, original furniture and the rooms where he met his military chiefs.
- Ticket prices not in page text (booking widget)
- Page header links a notice of 'possible tour changes' that was not read
- Structured data on the same page lists closing as 16:30 while visible text says 5 PM; may reflect last tour
- Site cross-sells trolley and shipwreck-museum packages and links out to the list's source domain; those links were not followed
Run by Truman Little White House (site names a supporting Foundation; owner/operator not stated in the text read)
Truman Waterfront ParkPublic spaceKey West
- Hours
- Hours M - F 7:00 AM — 11:00 PM Sat 7:00 AM — 11:00 PM Sun 7:00 AM — 11:00 PM source
- Admission
- City page does not mention admission or parking fees.
- Season
- Not stated.
A city waterfront park at the end of Southard Street with a playground, a splash pad, picnic tables, restrooms and paths for walking and biking, open 7 am to 11 pm.
- City calendar shows events held in the park (event notices), which may limit access on those days
- Hours claim in note comes from the hours object
Run by City of Key West
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. Opening times and prices here are quoted from each operator’s own page on the date we read it, and both change without notice. Where this list says an operator does not publish their hours or their price, that is what we found on their page — 7 of these publish no hours and 10 state no price. A blank is not “free” and not “always open”, so ring ahead where it matters. Every name above links to that page.
Practical Road Trip Info
Dry Tortugas National Park has no road access; visitors reach it only by the Yankee Freedom III ferry or by seaplane from Key West, and should bring their own food and water since on-site supplies are limited.
The Overseas Highway is the main road through the Keys, and the Florida Keys tourism council says traffic can build during peak travel times; the same council notes that speed limits on Big Pine and nearby islands are reduced at night because deer often cross or gather along the roadside. Wikipedia's route description has the highway alternating between two-lane and four-lane stretches, including four lanes through Marathon. Florida 511, the state's official source for real-time traffic information, lists current road conditions, and the official Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
Ernest Hemingway House general admission is $19* for adults and $7* for ages 6 to 12 (ages 5 and under are free), and the house lists daily hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 365 days a year, on its own rates page.
Key West sits within an active hurricane zone; current storm outlooks and any evacuation advisories should be checked seasonally before travel.
*Fees subject to change, please check hemingwayhome.com for updated information.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
Ernest Hemingway House
A walkable historic house museum with garden grounds and dozens of resident cats.
Mallory Square sunset celebration
A free, nightly outdoor gathering on the Old Town waterfront.
Dry Tortugas National Park day trip
A ferry or seaplane excursion to Fort Jefferson, with swimming and snorkeling around Garden Key's coral reefs; the Yankee Freedom ferry's listed day-trip itinerary runs from an 8:00 a.m. departure to a 5:15 p.m. arrival back in Key West (times may vary with weather), and the operator says the trip is very popular and sells out weeks in advance.
Plan Your Visit
Ernest Hemingway House
- Address
- 907 Whitehead St, Key West, FL 33040
- Hours
- See official site for current hours
- Price
- See official site for current admission
We checked fees, operating status, seasonal opening, opening hours and closures on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with hemingwayhome.com, drytortugas.com, fla-keys.com, nps.gov, nhc.noaa.gov and fl511.com the week you travel.
Sources — 22 claims, 21 checked against the source on 2026-09-22
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Key West population 26,444 (2020 census), density approximately 4,723 people per square mile; by the 1830s the wealthiest city per capita in the United States driven by strategic location, maritime industries, salvage operations and cigar production; nicknamed the Conch Republic and Southernmost City in the Continental United States; Mallory Square in Old Town a major tourist destination known for its sunset celebration, cruise terminal opened there in 1984 over opposition; Hurricane Wilma (2005) flooded 60% of homes in Key West; Hurricane Irma struck as a Category 4 storm in September 2017; Overseas Highway completed 1938 on former Overseas Railroad right-of-way, railroad destroyed by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane | Key West, Florida — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Overseas Highway spans 106.5 miles through the Florida Keys; Seven Mile Bridge is the longest bridge on the route at approximately 6.8 miles between mile markers 40-47, crossing Moser Channel; route links Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon and terminates in Key West, crossing dozens of smaller keys connected by approximately 42 bridges total; built largely on the former Overseas Railroad right-of-way (completed 1912, heavily damaged by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, infrastructure purchased by the state for $640,000); original highway opened in two disconnected segments January 25, 1928, unified route opened March 29, 1938; designated the Florida Keys Scenic Highway National Scenic Byway; tolled until April 15, 1954; President Franklin D. Roosevelt toured the completed road in 1939 | Overseas Highway — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Ernest Hemingway House built 1851 by marine architect Asa Tift, French Colonial style with 18-inch-thick limestone walls, located at 907 Whitehead Street on the second-highest point in Key West; Hemingway and wife Pauline Pfeiffer lived there 1931-1939, writing Green Hills of Africa (1935), 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro' and 'The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber' (1936), and To Have and Have Not (1937); Pauline purchased the dilapidated property with funds from her Uncle Gus for $8,000; couple added a 24-by-60-foot swimming pool in 1937, the first in the Florida Keys; approximately 59 cats currently live on the property, about half polydactyl (six-toed), legend traces them to a cat named Snow White given by a sea captain, though family members have disputed whether Hemingway owned cats there; opened as a public museum 1964, designated National Historic Landmark 1968, described as the most popular tourist attraction in Key West with 600-800 visitors daily | Ernest Hemingway House — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Dry Tortugas National Park sits approximately 68 miles west of Key West in the Gulf of Mexico; centerpiece is Fort Jefferson, described as the largest brick masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere, built from over 16 million bricks, construction began 1847 and remained unfinished, served as a Union stronghold during the Civil War and later as a prison until 1874; no road access, visitors arrive by seaplane or boat including the Yankee Freedom III catamaran or authorized private charters; park encompasses approximately 64,701 acres, over 99% water; limited on-site supplies, eight primitive campsites on Garden Key; features colorful coral reefs and the only nesting colonies of sooty tern, brown noddy, magnificent frigatebird and masked booby in the contiguous United States; received 89,355 visitors in 2025, averaging approximately 63,000 annually in recent years | Dry Tortugas National Park — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Ernest Hemingway House general admission: $19 adults, $7 for ages 6 to 12, ages 5 and under free, 3% fee added to card and mobile transactions; tickets sold only at the main gate | Ernest Hemingway House — official rates page | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Yankee Freedom III day-trip itinerary to Dry Tortugas: 8:00 a.m. departure, 5:15 p.m. return to Key West (times may vary with weather); operator says the trip sells out weeks in advance | Yankee Freedom III — official site | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Marathon, Florida: city limits run from the east end of the Seven Mile Bridge (mile marker 47) to mile marker 61 on the Overseas Highway | Marathon, Florida — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Islamorada, Florida: village on the Overseas Highway between Key Largo and Marathon, listed at mile markers 90 to 63 by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council | Visit Florida Keys (Monroe County Tourist Development Council) — Islamorada and Getting Here pages | Checked |
| Drive distance and time from Key West to Miami via the Overseas Highway | Miami — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Duval Street in Key West: just over 1.25 miles long, location of many restaurants and bars (no individual restaurant named) | Duval Street — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Truman Waterfront: former naval base land conveyed to civilian control, now the Key West Amphitheater, Truman Waterfront Park, residential redevelopment and part of Mallory Square | Key West, Florida — Wikipedia (naval base paragraph) | Checked |
| Official Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30; NHC issues current storm outlooks and advisories | National Hurricane Center (NOAA) — climatology page | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Ernest Hemingway House open daily, 365 days a year, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; tours start every 15 minutes, first tour 9:15 a.m. | Ernest Hemingway House — official rates page (hours) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| New Town, the newer eastern section of Key West island (shopping centers, residential areas, schools, ball parks, Key West International Airport); the city also includes the part of Stock Island north of U.S. Route 1 | Key West, Florida — Wikipedia (article page) | Checked |
| Marathon at Overseas Highway mile markers 47 to 61; Overseas Highway mile markers run from 127 near Florida City to 0 in Key West | Visit Florida Keys (Monroe County Tourist Development Council) — Marathon and Getting Here pages | Checked |
| Driving time from Key West to Marathon (and to Islamorada) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Florida 511 is the state's official source for real-time traffic information (road conditions) | FL511 — Florida Department of Transportation traffic information | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Traffic can build on the Overseas Highway at peak times; mile markers run from 127 to 0 in Key West; highway crosses 42 bridges | Visit Florida Keys (Monroe County Tourist Development Council) — Getting Here | Checked |
| Speed limits on Big Pine and nearby islands are reduced at night because deer cross the roadside | Visit Florida Keys (Monroe County Tourist Development Council) — FAQ | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Overseas Highway alternates between two-lane and four-lane stretches (four lanes through Marathon) | Overseas Highway — Wikipedia (route description) | Checked |
| Dry Tortugas National Park transportation is by a concessionaire-operated ferry and seaplane based in Key West; Garden Key coral reefs | Dry Tortugas National Park — National Park Service FAQ and Basic Information | Checked monitored · 2026-10-13 |
| Designated an All-American Road by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation; 106.5 miles in FL; FHWA suggests: Four hours; fees: There are no fees to travel the byway. (checked 2026-10-29) | Federal Highway Administration: Florida Keys Scenic Highway | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Key West, not drive time.
- Key West International (EYW) — 1 mile
- Florida Keys Marathon International (MTH) — 47 miles
- Ocean Reef Club (OCA) — 108 miles
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map