Travel
How you choose to get to Key West depends on your desired travel time and whether or not you are looking for a bit of adventure along the way. We've outlined some of our favorite options below.
If you are joining us from Missouri, North Carolina, or the DMV area, you will need to take a flight regardless (sorry!)
Key West (EYW):
Keep it simple. The most common airlines that service Key West are American, Delta, United, and Jet Blue.
Flights from Kansas City typically cost $460-780 round trip.
Flights from the DC area typically cost $395-540 round trip.
Miami (MIA) or Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
Fly in to Florida and rent a car for a scenic trip on the Overseas Highway.
From KC: $335-720. From DC: $255-415.
Fort Myers (RSW)
Fly to Fort Myers then hop on the Key West Express.
From KC: $275-435 round trip.
From DC: $150-250 round trip.
Fly into Miami or Fort Lauderdale and rent a car or hop on a shuttle for a scenic 4 hour drive to Key West.
Once you’re in the Keys, U.S. 1 becomes the Overseas Highway, designated with little green mile-marker signs on the side of the highway. They begin just south of Florida City with number 127 and run all the way down to zero in Key West. Locals use them as address references — here’s a quick guide
Key Largo: Mile Marker 180-90
Islamorada: Mile Marker 90-63
Marathon: Mile Marker 63-47
The Lower Keys: Mile Marker 47-4
Key West: Mile Marker 4-0
Fort Myers to Key West
We used the Key West Express Ferry for our first trip to Key West back in 2014 and it made the trip so much more memorable. Casting off from the key at sunset was such a beautiful, bittersweet moment.
You can enjoy the 3.5 hour port-to-port cruise with AC and a movie in an airline style recliner inside, or soak in the sun and sea breeze on the deck. The best part is, there is a full service galley and BAR!
Ticket prices are generally around $150 round trip if you book at least 8 days in advance.
Boarding and Departure Times
Fort Myers to Key West- Boarding begins at 7:00AM
Key West to Fort Myers- Boarding begins at 4:30PM.
*We do recommend getting there early to claim your desired seat, it will fill up*
The island of Key West is relatively small, just 2 miles wide by 4 miles long. The Old Town area specifically is just 2 miles by 2 miles.
There are many ways to get around Key West, including: walking, bicycling, taxis, ride share, electric rental cars, mopeds, pedi-cabs, city buses, trolleys, and hotel shuttle.
We do not recommend renting a car.
The “Duval Loop”, a free bus system in the Old Town Area, has a total of sixteen stops (on Whitehead, Simonton, Caroline, and Fleming Street) -providing easy access to Duval Street, the Historic Seaport, the Southernmost Point, and numerous other points of interest. This is an excellent way to get around the historic quarter. Look for the round, pink Duval Loop signs marking the stops.
Schedule: The Duval Loop buses run every 30 minutes from 8am to 10am, every 20 minutes from 10am – 8pm, then every 30 minutes again from 8pm- 10pm.