You’re standing at the top of the Florida Keys. Key Largo is the "Diving Capital of the World," but you’ve got that itch to keep moving south. You want to see the sunset at Mallory Square. You want a slice of that neon-yellow pie. So, you check the map. The raw distance from Key Largo to Key West FL is exactly 98 miles if you’re measuring from the center of each island.
It sounds short. Under two hours, right?
Wrong.
If you treat this drive like a standard highway run, you’re going to end up frustrated, stuck behind a slow-moving boat trailer, or worse, missing the entire point of the Overseas Highway. This isn’t a commute. It’s a 113-mile stretch of concrete—starting at Mile Marker 106 and ending at Mile Marker 0—that behaves more like a living organism than a road. Honestly, the "distance" is better measured in mood shifts and bridge spans than in mere miles.
The Mile Marker Math and Why It Matters
In the Keys, we don’t really use street addresses for anything outside of the main downtown grids. We use Mile Markers (MM). The distance from Key Largo to Key West FL starts roughly around MM 102 (the heart of Largo) and finishes at MM 0.
Here is the thing: the speed limits are erratic. You'll be cruising at 55 mph, feeling the salt air, and suddenly you hit a town like Islamorada or Marathon. The limit drops to 35 or 45 mph instantly. Local police are famously vigilant here. If you think you can "make time" by speeding, you're just asking for a very expensive souvenir from the Monroe County Sheriff's Office.
The road is mostly two lanes. One lane down, one lane up. If a garbage truck is doing 30 mph in a 50 mph zone, you are doing 30 mph too. There are passing zones, sure, but they’re short and often congested. On a heavy Friday afternoon when everyone is escaping Miami, that 98-mile trip can easily balloon from two hours into a four-hour test of patience.
The Seven Mile Bridge: The Psychological Halfway Point
You haven’t truly felt the distance until you hit Marathon. This is the gateway to the "Lower Keys." Once you cross the Seven Mile Bridge (which is actually 6.79 miles, but who’s counting?), the vibe changes.
The Seven Mile Bridge is a marvel of engineering, a replacement for Henry Flagler’s original Florida East Coast Railway bridge. When you’re driving it, you’re surrounded by nothing but turquoise water. It’s breathtaking. It’s also the point where many travelers realize they’ve still got about 40 miles to go.
Why the Lower Keys Feel Longer
South of the bridge, the landscape flattens. The islands like Big Pine Key and Sugarloaf feel more remote. There’s less commercial sprawl. You might see a Key Deer—a tiny, endangered subspecies that lives only here. If you see one, slow down. Seriously. They have no road sense, and the speed limits in the Big Pine area are strictly enforced at 45 mph during the day and 35 mph at night to protect them.
Hidden Stops That Make the Distance Worth It
If you just blast through, you’re doing it wrong. To truly appreciate the distance from Key Largo to Key West FL, you need to break it up.
- Robbie’s of Islamorada (MM 77): This is the tourist cliché that actually holds up. You pay a few bucks for a bucket of bait and hand-feed massive tarpon. It’s chaotic. Pelicans will try to steal your fish. It’s pure Florida.
- Anne’s Beach (MM 73): A great spot to stretch your legs. The water is shallow for hundreds of yards. It’s a natural break before the long stretches of bridge work ahead.
- Bahia Honda State Park (MM 37): This is widely considered one of the best beaches in the United States. If you have an hour, stop here. Look at the old truss bridge. It’s the most iconic photo op in the Keys.
- No Name Pub (Big Pine Key): You have to veer off the main road for this one. It’s a dive bar covered in over $750,000 worth of signed dollar bills stapled to the walls. It feels like the "old Keys" before the developers arrived.
Practical Logistics: Fuel, Food, and Timing
Don't wait until your tank is on E to look for gas. While there are plenty of stations in Largo, Islamorada, and Marathon, the stretches in between can be sparse. Also, gas prices tend to climb the further south you get. Fill up in Key Largo or Marathon to save a few bucks.
Timing is everything. If you leave Key Largo at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday, you'll have a dream drive. If you leave at 4:00 PM on a Friday, you'll be crawling. Similarly, heading north out of Key West on a Sunday afternoon is a recipe for gridlock. The "Manatee" (a nickname for the heavy traffic flow) moves slow.
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The "Card Sound Road" Alternative
When leaving Key Largo to head north later, some locals take Card Sound Road. It’s a toll road that bypasses the "Stretch" (the 18-mile run from Florida City to Key Largo). It doesn't save time, but it offers a stop at Alabama Jack’s for conch fritters and a more scenic, swampy view. For the trip south to Key West, though, you’re pretty much locked into US-1.
Breaking Down the Real Travel Time
Let's be realistic about the clock.
A straight shot with no stops and light traffic takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
A typical tourist run with one bathroom break and a quick lunch takes 3 to 4 hours.
A "scenic" run where you stop at Bahia Honda and grab a coffee in Islamorada? That's a 5-hour day.
Most people underestimate the fatigue. Driving over water for hours is visually stunning but mentally draining. The glare off the Atlantic and the Gulf can be intense. Buy a good pair of polarized sunglasses before you start. It’s not just for style; it helps you actually see the colors of the water and reduces the "road hypnosis" that happens on the long bridges.
Navigating the End of the Road
As the numbers on the Mile Markers drop into the single digits, the excitement builds. You’ll pass the gated communities of Stock Island, and then, finally, the "Welcome to Key West" sign.
But here is the final hurdle: parking.
The distance from Key Largo to Key West FL ends at the intersection of Whitehead and Fleming Streets. Finding a spot for your car in Old Town is notoriously difficult and expensive. If your hotel offers parking, take it and don't touch your car again until you leave. Rent a bike or a scooter. Key West is only about 4 miles long and 1 mile wide; you don't need a car once you've covered the distance.
Essential Action Steps for Your Drive
To make the most of this iconic American road trip, follow this checklist:
- Check the Florida Keys Overseas Highway (US 1) traffic reports before you leave Largo. An accident on a bridge can shut down the road for hours since there are no alternate routes.
- Download an offline map. Cell service is generally good, but there are "dead zones" in the Lower Keys where GPS might lag.
- Sync your stops with the Mile Markers. Use a physical or digital MM guide so you don't overshoot the hidden entrances to parks or restaurants.
- Hydrate, but plan your stops. Public restrooms are available at state parks and large gas stations, but they aren't every mile.
- Respect the 35 mph zones. These aren't suggestions. They are strictly enforced revenue generators and safety measures for local wildlife.
The drive is more than just a transit route. It’s a transition from the mainland hustle to the "Conch Republic" mindset. Take your time. The distance is short, but the experience is meant to be long.