Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a chain of low-lying islands and islets off the southern tip of Florida stretching roughly 120 miles to Key West. The region includes a mix of developed islands, state parks, and extensive marine habitats tied to a living coral barrier reef.

Attractions include world-class sport fishing, coral reef snorkeling and diving, scenic driving along the Overseas Highway, and island communities with dining and lodging. Notable infrastructure includes long crossing bridges such as the Seven Mile Bridge that link the larger keys by road.

The Keys offer a range of visitor experiences from protected marine parks and dive sites to resort towns and historic neighborhoods, with boating, fishing charters, and water-based recreation widely available. Development is concentrated on a handful of larger keys while many smaller islets remain undeveloped or protected.

Settlement and maritime use date back centuries, with development accelerating in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A major transportation milestone was the Overseas Railroad built in the early 1900s and later damaged by the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane, after which sections were converted to highway use and expanded.

Stretching southwest from the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula, the Keys form an arc over coastal waters of the Straits of Florida and are connected to the mainland by the U.S. 1 Overseas Highway.

• Length and count: The chain extends about 120 miles from the southeastern tip of the Florida peninsula to Key West and comprises roughly 1,700 islands and islets, many of which are uninhabited.
• Reef and marine access: The offshore coral reef system is the largest living barrier reef in the continental United States and offers extensive snorkeling and diving opportunities.

What to See #

• Key West: An island at the southern end of the chain and the westernmost incorporated municipality in the contiguous U.S., known for historic sites, nightlife, and as a cruise terminal and flight destination.
• Middle Keys: A group of middle keys including Islamorada and Marathon that provide sport fishing, diving access, and bridge crossings including the Seven Mile Bridge that connects larger keys.
• Key Largo: The northernmost and often first stop when driving into the Keys from the mainland, known for reef access and dive/snorkel operations along nearby coral formations.