This Florida Scenic Byway Is The Road Trip Of A Lifetime

Of the eight roads the US Federal Highway Administration has recognized in Florida, only two carry the top All-American Road designation, and the Florida Keys Scenic Highway is one of them. Its 106-plus miles of US 1 run through the tropical island chain of the state's southeast corner, out where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico. Watch for a native Great White Heron along the mangroves, and count on strong air conditioning in the summer heat and humidity. The occasional Florida squall of wind and rain can roll through, too, so keep an eye on the forecast while you drive. Most of all, take in the rich hues of turquoise and algae green as the road winds south past the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

Day 1: Key Largo to Islamorada

Start out on Florida's Dixie Highway near Manatee Bay, Bay Point, and the Cormorant Rookeries. About five minutes later, cross Jewfish Creek Bridge, a fixed span with 65 feet of vertical clearance, then pass Lake Surprise and curve into Key Largo. The Buzzard's Roost is a popular seafood restaurant here, worth a look for its island theme, tiki bar, and a Sunday lunch menu that comes with mimosas. Under 10 minutes past Jewfish Creek Bridge sit John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the neighboring MarineLab Undersea Park. This stretch is full of recreation: power boating, RV and tent camping, licensed fishing, picnicking, and, of course, plenty of swimming in the blue Atlantic Ocean. John Pennekamp also has an Environmental Education Visitor Center and Aquarium, where staff walk visitors through the coral reef and the wildlife and plants around it, from the mangroves to the manatees. At MarineLab Undersea Park, you will find snorkeling, tours, diving, and a museum devoted to marine life.

Twelve minutes down the Overseas Highway in Tavernier is the Florida Keys Wild Bird Center, a nonprofit that runs a sanctuary and rehabilitates injured birds, opening its work to the public. It is another good place to see the wildlife of the Keys up close. Next comes the History of Diving Museum in Islamorada, where the exhibits cover, well, the history of diving, along with diving helmets and US military history. Resort accommodations are plentiful along this section of the route, so you will not want for a place to rest after a full day among the sea life.

Day 2: Islamorada to Bahia Honda

Wake up at your seaside room in Islamorada and get moving for another busy day. First on the agenda is Indian Key Historic State Park, though as of April 2026 it is closed for dock repairs. The work was expected to run about six months, so it may be open again by the time you travel. These 11 acres of state land hold almost 200 years of history, dating to 1836, and the island is reachable only by boat, at a cost of $2.50 per visitor. It suits kayaking, swimming, fishing, and picnicking, and just 20 minutes away, Long Key State Park is good for the same kind of recreation. Note that primitive camping and the Golden Orb Trail were closed as of July. Spend a few hours at one or both parks and get out onto Florida's waters.

Half an hour on is Crane Point Hammock on Key Vaca, another refuge for Florida wildlife, with butterfly gardens and the boardwalk of the Hammock Trail. An onsite museum covers the invasive lionfish, and there is a kid-friendly lagoon as well. Cross Seven Mile Bridge over Pigeon Key, the longest bridge in the Florida Keys, and reach Bahia Honda State Park roughly 16 minutes later. More snorkeling, kayaking, and swimming wait here, along with waterfront RV and tent camping, a good place to spend the night before finishing the drive the next day.

Day 3: Bahia Honda to Key West

Start the morning on the beach at Bahia Honda State Park, then turn onto the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway toward Key West, the final stop on the Florida Keys Scenic Highway and almost 50 minutes away. The Key West Historic Seaport has surf shops, jewelry stores, and Cuban food, while the Key West Aquarium has welcomed families since 1935 with sea turtles and an interactive touch tank. For a classic Florida summer trip, Key West is hard to beat. The history runs deep, too. The Key West Lighthouse was completed in 1848 to guide ships past the surrounding reefs and stayed in service until 1969. The Hemingway Home and Museum marks the years the novelist Ernest Hemingway spent in Key West, from 1931 to 1939, when he wrote several of his best-known works. And every evening the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square draws artists, performers, and crowds together for a fitting close to the road trip.

One More Drive Down the Coast

If the island pace suits you, stay a while longer in the Florida Keys, or line up another Florida drive. The A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway, Florida's other All-American Road, follows the water up to St. Augustine, while the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway runs inland through the Ocala National Forest and its bear country. For anyone who loves the sea and the life around it, few states offer more shoreline to drive, and these federally designated byways put the best of it right outside the window.