Key West: Should I Drive, Ferry or Fly?

It may seem like a stupid question, "What's the best way to get to Key West?"  But take my word for it, it's not!

There are basically three extremely different ways to get to this very isolated location.  One is to drive to Miami and head south on Highway 1.  I have taken this drive and while it seems like a short distance on the map, it is not.  You will see a number of signs around Key West that say, "Havana 90 miles, Miami 151 miles".  Key West is literally closer to Cuba than it is to Miami.

The drive would not be bad except for a couple of major reasons: two lane road/bridges and a very slow speed limit.  Don't fall into the trap of, "but the cost to fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale is so much less than flying into Key West".  Yep, you're right.  And then you stand in line and rent a car and hit the crowded Dade County roads headed south.  Baggage in the trunk, headed to Key West.  You are excited and can't wait to get there.  The only problem is that you're going to wait.  Patience while traveling the Florida Keys is a must.  The speed limit for the drive will range from a high of 55 MPH (if not behind slow and dense traffic), down to 45 and 35 MPH when going through the few towns along the way. 

I remember the first time I went to Key West for a day trip, I left Fort Lauderdale headed south.  Just over four long hours later, I arrived in Key West with the knowledge that I would have to turn around and make the same trip over again later that day.  It did not make for an enjoyable day trip.

I have heard more than a dozen or so people complain about the trip from the mainland and through the Keys.  So, as you can see, I'm not that excited and do not recommend traveling to Key West by car unless that is your only option.  If so, just be patient and know that at the end of Highway 1 at Mile Marker 0 is Key West.

I know I have been very disparaging about driving to Key West but somewhere around 2009,  Highway 1/the Overseas Highway was named an All-American Road.  I have found one link from tripadvisor.com that as of this writing has 1129 reviews that are all mostly positive.  It will be your call, but as I have stated before, my advice would be to travel to Key West another way.

The second mode of travel is the one that I am least familiar with.  It is the Key West Express, the ferry to Key West.  The ferry travels from Fort Myers Beach year-round and Marco Island seasonally.  They advertise that "Getting there is half the fun".  A video link on YouTube for Key West Express shows the ferry ride and gives good information.

The time of travel from port to port is approximately 3.5 hours in each direction if the weather and marine conditions are good.

Of course, the last way for the masses to travel to Key West is by air.  It is by far, my favorite.  The Key West International Airport (KWIA) looks like something you would see in a Central American country.  This two
story small airport with the words, "Welcome to the Conch Republic" emblazoned on the entryway from the plane to the airport puts you in the mood that you are somewhere different.

A short cab ride later ($16 plus $4 tip) puts you at your hotel in downtown Key West.  When you step foot from the cab into the downtown area of Key West, if you are a reasonably healthy person, then you will never need transportation again until it is time to go back to the airport. Almost everything that you will want to see or do is within walking/strolling distance.

A number of airlines fly into KWIA.  As of 2013, American Airlines, Cape Air, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, U.S. Airways, and Delta Airlines all provided service to Key West.  I have always flown Delta Airlines from Atlanta which travels down the western coastline of Florida.  If the weather is good and you have a window seat, you will see the bend from the panhandle to the peninsula as well as Tampa Bay.  At that point, you know you are not far away.

A couple of things to remember as you start to close in on Key West by air.  First, the KWIA runway is the shortest in the US at 4801 feet in length.  Your pilot will probably advise you of this and let you know that the plane will be coming down hard and stopping quickly.  As a passenger, I have never had any discomfort in this.  Also, when you arrive, you see the "quaintness" of the airport as you walk down the stairs from the plane onto the tarmac and make your way to the entry to the airport.

It is your choice as to how you get to Key West.  I simply recommend that you go.  It is a wonderful, beautiful, relaxing place.

UPDATE:  Although I am not a great fan of the "road trip" from Miami to Key West, the following December 2018, New York Times story makes it sound very interesting with the exception of traffic cops:  GREAT NEW YORK TIMES "ROAD TRIP" STORY (I still like to fly!)


**I am an avid tourist of Key West, FL. The purpose of my blog, Southernmost Point, is to give an honest observation from a tourist perspective, not a "Chamber of Commerce" or merchant's perspective. I will give honest and helpful information.