Skip to search.
Created by easyCar
27 people liked this trip

Florida Keys Driving Holiday

A trip to Miami, Key Largo, Miami Beach, Islamorada …
Florida is one of the USA’s most popular destinations and for … More  
Florida is one of the USA’s most popular destinations and for a great car hire holiday, you can fly to Miami and then down through the Florida Keys.

The Florida Keys lie to the south of Miami and are made up of more than 1,700 islands, with the main islands being linked by US Highway 1.
Trip Tags:Autumn, Beach, car hireMore  

Trip Tags

Added by easyCar
Autumn, Beach, car hire, car rental, Couples, Driving holiday, Family, holiday car hire, Honeymoon, Museums, open road, Outdoor Activities, Road Trip, Romantic, Sightseeing, Spring, Summer, Winter
Added by others
Trip Tags
Add Tags
Custom
Cancel

View:One entry at a time | All entries

Miami to Key Largo

ImageIt will take you just over an hour to drive from Miami to the first of the main islands, Key Largo, in your Miami hire car. Key Largo is the largest of the Florida Keys and is particularly well known for being a great place to go diving or snorkelling, as you will find the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park just off of its coast.





Image
This vast underwater sea park includes the bronze Statue of Christ of the Abyss, shipwrecks such as the World War II Benwood Wreck, and a vast array of marine life, including tropical fish, crabs, lobsters and sea urchins. 


Key Largo is also home to The Caribbean Shipwreck Museum, where you can see items recovered from the wreck of the Henriette Marie slave ship, and movie lovers can see the boat used as the set for the African Queen (1951), which is now outside of the Holiday Inn Key Largo.


Islamorada to Marathon


ImageContinuing south from Key Largo, the next of the main sections of the Florida Keys that you’ll come to is Islamorada. It will take you about half an hour to drive to Islamorada from Key Largo.

Islamorada, known as the Village of Islands, is a group of six islands: Plantation Key, Windley Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Lignumvitae Key and Indian Key. Nicknamed the “Sports fishing capital of the world”, you’ll find plenty of places offering fishing trips.

ImageHighlights of Islamorada include Robbie’s of Islamorada, a boat rental firm, store and tour organising company, where you can buy food so that you can feed tarpon at the end of the dock, and Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park. You can also visit the Florida Keys History of Diving Museum, see dolphins, sea lions and parrots at the Theater of the Sea, or take a boat trip to Indian Key Historic State Park.

Once you’ve explored Islamorada, you can jump into your rental car and head south to Marathon, known as “the heart of the Keys”. Marathon is a ten mile long city and it will take you about 50 minutes to drive there from Islamorada.


ImageKey attractions in Marathon include Crane Point Museum, Nature Center and Historic Site, where you can follow nature trails, visit the historic Adderley House, or visit the Museum of Natural History of the Florida Keys. You can also tour Marathon’s Turtle Hospital, visit the Dolphin Research Center or see old buildings at the Pigeon Key Foundation on Pigeon Key Island, which you can get to by riding the Foundation’s train trolley.


Key West back to Miami

Image

If you continue to drive south from Marathon in your rental car, you’ll end up at Key West, one of the most popular islands in the Florida Keys. It will take you about an hour to get to Key West from Marathon.

There is plenty to see in Key West, so it’s worth spending a few days there. Attractions include the Key West Aquarium, the Key West Tropical Forest and Botanical Garden, the Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum, and the Heritage House Museum and Robert Frost Cottage.

Image

You can also visit the multi-sensory Pirate Soul piracy museum, take a ghost tour, or relax on one of Key West’s beaches. Key West is also known for its nightlife, and you’ll find many clubs, bars and restaurants to choose from.

If you don’t want to stop off anywhere on your way back, it will take you about three and a half hours to drive from Key West to Miami. You can then finish your USA car hire holiday with a few days in Miami before flying home.


View:One entry at a time | All entries
 
Talk about this trip (4)
great post. great pics
Report Abuse
Hotel ,Travel , I-Travel , Airlines , Tour, Trip , Motel , Cruise , Last Minute , Online Booking , Holiday , At Travel , Cheap Travel , Budget holiday
Most Trusted online Booking on the web
http://www.bookholiday.org/
Report Abuse
Hi there , great post , anybody any ideas as to where to stay on this trip , hotels ??
Report Abuse
Done it some years ago and one of the best holidays ever. Fantastic place and the keys are all beatiful with great atmosphere. Take a drink at Sloppy Joe's in Key west. Fabulous. So much to see and do all over Florida but like the keys and the Gulf coast best of all. Fort Lauderdale is amazing but didn't like Fort Myers. too up themselves.
Report Abuse


Planned Activities
Day 1 - Miami, Key Largo, Miami Beach
Town
Day 3 - Islamorada
Day 4 - Marathon
Day 5 - Key West
Unscheduled
County
 
 
Average rating (a bunch):
All reviews
 
 
 
Add to Trip:
There are no trips found Why not create one?