If you are planning a trip to Key West or thinking about a Florida Keys road trip, you are probably wondering: Is the Florida Keys drive worth it?
My honest answer is yes, but with a few important warnings.
Driving through the Florida Keys is absolutely something I think is worth doing once, especially if you have never been before. The Seven Mile Bridge alone is iconic, and there are some really beautiful stretches where you feel like you are driving across the ocean.
But I also think the drive gets romanticized a little too much.
It is not constant turquoise water on both sides of the road for hours. It is still a real highway connecting real communities, so you will also pass neighborhoods, businesses, marinas, traffic lights, and sections that look fairly similar.
If you treat the drive as part of a bigger Florida Keys road trip, it can be a great experience. If you are only using it as transportation to get to Key West as quickly as possible, flying might make more sense.
If you already know you want to make a full road trip out of it, I would also read my Best Stops on the Drive from Miami to Key West because the stops are what made the drive much more enjoyable for me.
Yes, I think the Florida Keys drive is worth it once, especially if you have time to make stops along the way.
The drive became much more enjoyable once we stopped treating it like a straight shot to the next place and started building in time for parks, bridges, beaches, food, and roadside attractions.
Some of the highlights for me were John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, the Seven Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda State Park, and spotting the tiny Key deer on Big Pine Key.
Those stops helped the drive feel like part of the vacation instead of just transportation.
But I would not recommend doing the drive just because you feel like you “have to.” If your main goal is Key West and you only have a few days, I think flying directly into Key West is probably the better use of your time.
For a full Florida Keys road trip, I would compare rental car prices through Discover Cars before booking, especially if you are flying into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and driving down.
No. And I think that is one of the biggest misconceptions about driving the Florida Keys.
There are definitely scenic stretches, but it is not nonstop ocean views for hours. You will pass neighborhoods, businesses, marinas, gas stations, restaurants, shopping areas, and long stretches that look fairly similar.
The most beautiful parts are the bridges.
That is when the drive feels the most special. When you are crossing over the water and seeing blue in every direction, it really does feel different from a normal road trip.
But between those bridges, it often feels like a regular highway through coastal communities.
That does not make it bad. It just means expectations matter.
The Seven Mile Bridge, without question.
This was the part of the drive that actually lived up to the hype for me. It is genuinely more impressive in person.
Seeing water stretch out in every direction while driving across it is something I think every Florida Keys visitor should experience at least once.
It also gives you that classic Overseas Highway feeling that most people picture when they imagine driving to Key West.
If you only have time for one major scenic moment during the drive, this is the one. I also have a full guide to Driving the Seven Mile Bridge if you want more details on what to expect.
Honestly, the expectation that the entire Overseas Highway is one giant scenic overlook.
There are beautiful sections, but it is still a working highway connecting communities throughout the Keys.
If you are expecting nonstop turquoise-water views from Key Largo to Key West, you may be disappointed.
I am glad I did the drive, but I also think it helps to know what you are actually getting. The bridges are the highlight. The stops make it more fun. The whole thing is not a dramatic ocean drive every single second.
Very rude of reality, but here we are.
Traffic was not particularly frustrating on my trip, but this is not a drive where you are going to make up time.
There are limited passing opportunities, lower speed limits, traffic lights in some areas, and plenty of people slowing down to enjoy the scenery.
I would go into it expecting a slower, more relaxed drive rather than trying to get somewhere quickly.
This is especially important if you are driving all the way to Key West. The distance may not look terrible on a map, but the drive can feel longer once you add in traffic, stops, food, photos, and general Florida Keys distractions.
For me, the Florida Keys drive became much more worthwhile because of the stops.
If we had just driven straight through, I probably would have enjoyed the bridges but felt like the rest of the day was mostly car time.
These were the stops and areas that made the drive feel more like an actual Florida Keys road trip.
Save this for later on Pinterest so you don’t forget it.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is a good early stop if you are starting the drive from the Miami area.
It gives you a reason to pause near the beginning of the Keys instead of just pushing straight through. Key Largo is also one of the first places where the trip starts to feel like you are officially in the Florida Keys.
If you are planning a longer trip, this is an area where you could easily spend more time, especially if you want to snorkel, kayak, or explore the park more fully.
For beach and water stops in the Keys, I would bring reef-safe face sunscreen, spray sunscreen, and a dry bag if you are carrying your phone, keys, or camera gear near the water.
The Seven Mile Bridge was the most memorable part of the drive for me.
This is the section that really makes the Overseas Highway feel iconic. The water views are huge, open, and much more impressive in person than they look on a map.
If you are debating whether the Florida Keys road trip is worth it, this is probably the biggest argument for doing it at least once.
Bahia Honda State Park was another stop that made the drive feel more worthwhile.
It breaks up the road trip and gives you a chance to actually get out near the water instead of only seeing it from the car.
This is the type of stop I would include if you are trying to make the drive feel more like a Keys experience and less like a long transfer day.
Big Pine Key was memorable because of the tiny Key deer.
They are much smaller than regular deer, and seeing them in person was one of those oddly specific Florida Keys moments that stuck with me.
If you are already driving through this area, it is a fun stop to include. Just be careful and respectful, especially when driving through places where the deer are known to cross.
It depends on the type of trip you want.
If your main goal is simply to visit Key West, I think flying is the better use of time for most travelers.
Key West Airport is incredibly convenient, and you can be in Old Town within about 10 to 15 minutes of landing. That is hard to beat, especially if you only have a long weekend or a short vacation.
If you are comparing flight prices, I would start with Skyscanner and look at both Key West and Miami. Sometimes the cheaper flight is not actually the better deal once you add in rental car costs, drive time, gas, parking, and your own patience.
If you fly directly into Key West, you can spend those extra hours walking around Old Town, going to restaurants, visiting sunset spots, and actually enjoying the island instead of sitting in the car.
I also have a Key West Airport Guide for First Time Visitors if you are trying to decide whether flying into Key West makes more sense for your trip.
But if you are interested in exploring Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, beaches, parks, bridges, and roadside attractions along the way, then the drive becomes part of the experience. That is when I think driving makes the most sense.
Yes, but not in every situation.
If you have never driven the Florida Keys before, I think it is worth doing once. The Seven Mile Bridge alone is iconic, and it is a fun way to see multiple islands in a single trip.
I am glad I did it, and I understand why people talk about the drive so much.
That said, I would not plan it as a quick little add-on from Miami unless you are prepared for a long day. As a day trip from Miami to the Seven Mile Bridge? Probably not.
I really enjoyed it, but between the driving and stops, it turned into a full-day adventure. If I were staying in Miami again, I would only make the drive if I had enough time to continue all the way to Key West and spend at least 3 to 4 days there.
If that is your plan, my Key West 3 Day Itinerary for First Time Visitors would be a better next step than trying to cram everything into one long driving day.
I would absolutely drive portions of the Keys again while staying in the Florida Keys.
That is actually how I think the drive works best. Instead of trying to cram the whole thing into one exhausting day, I would rather stay in the Keys and explore sections at a slower pace.
Driving the Florida Keys makes the most sense if this is your first time visiting, you have enough time, and you actually want to see more than Key West. It works best for travelers who want to stop at parks, try local food, see different islands, cross the famous bridges, and make the road trip part of the vacation.
If your goal is Key West and your vacation time is limited, I would fly directly into Key West and use those extra hours on the island.
If your goal is to experience the Florida Keys as a whole, drive it at least once.
If you end up booking anything for your trip, using my affiliate links helps support my blog at no extra cost to you. I spend a lot of time researching and writing these guides, so I really appreciate the support.
For a Florida Keys road trip, compare rental car prices through Discover Cars before booking.
If you are deciding between flying into Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Key West, I would compare flights on Skyscanner before committing to the drive.
For hotels, you can compare options on Booking.com or Hotels.com, especially if you are splitting your trip between different areas of the Keys.
For this type of trip, I would bring a Brita Water Bottle, reef-safe face sunscreen, a quick-dry towel, and a dry bag if you plan to stop at beaches, parks, or snorkel spots.
For more help planning your trip, read my Key West Travel Guide for First Time Visitors, Key West FAQs: 25 Questions First-Time Visitors Always Ask, Best Things to Do in Key West, and What Areas to Stay in Key West.
I planned to spend maybe an hour at a cheese farm outside Amsterdam and left several hours later with an engraved clog birdhouse, way too much cheese, and a strong opinion on 1.5-year aged Gouda.
Clara Maria Cheese Farm near Amstelveen does a free cheese and clog demonstration that was genuinely one of my favorite things from the entire Netherlands trip. The farm is over 160 years old, the people running it are wonderful, and the tour guide Delo was hilarious in a way I was not prepared for.
A few things that surprised me: Dutch cheese gets its golden color naturally from beta carotene in cow’s milk. The entire cheese-making process is still done largely by hand pressed, flipped, salt-soaked, and hand-waxed before aging even starts. And Americans (myself included) have been pronouncing Gouda wrong our whole lives. It’s closer to “HOW-da.” I understand this now and will still panic and say it wrong anyway.
We tried about ten cheeses ranging from fresh to 20 years aged. The 20-year was aggressively pungent, think concentrated smelly feet... but the 1.5-year was perfect. We also met the cows. Honestly the whole thing was a lot more personal than I expected from a tourist stop.
Full review with what to know before you go, link in bio. 🧀
There’s a little cottage tucked inside a forest just south of Amsterdam that serves giant Dutch pancakes, and somehow I ended up there on a bike ride with no plan and left completely obsessed. 🥞
Boerderij Meerzicht is inside Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam’s massive outdoor park full of biking trails, canals, deer, and families spending the whole afternoon outside. It doesn’t feel like a tourist spot. It feels like something locals actually go to, which is exactly why I liked it.
Dutch pancakes are nothing like American pancakes. They’re huge, thin, somewhere between a crepe and a flapjack, and the toppings cover the whole thing. The honest caveat: the ordering system is slightly confusing at first because pancakes are ordered separately from everything else. Watch one other table do it and suddenly it all makes sense.
I got the apple pancake with cinnamon and powdered sugar, and it was exactly what I wanted. Also got the savory bacon, apple, and syrup combination, which sounds wrong and tasted very right.
Full review with the ordering process breakdown, what we ate, prices, and a tip for navigating there without getting lost | link in bio.
The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos don’t capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they don’t know they’re in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But that’s also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. 🌷
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. 🌷
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes I’ve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Here’s what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
Café Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davie’s Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (it’s not ketchup, and it’s better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what I’d skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
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