Getting Here

PLANES   The Florida Keys have two airports capable of handling "commuter-sized" planes: Key West International Airport and Marathon Airport. Several national carriers service Key West from gateway cities in South Florida such as Miami, Tampa and Ft. Lauderdale. Marathon, unfortunately, offers only limited regularly scheduled services into and out of the Keys.

TRAINS   There hasn't been train service in the Keys since Flagler's railroad was destroyed by the great Labor Day 1935 hurricane. But there usually are ferries as well as charter bus services in operation. Ferry and bus operators tend to come and go, so be sure to call us for the latest. The longest standing ferry service has been available from the Gulf Coast (Naples, Ft. Myers) for several years. Key West built a ferry terminal to accommodate them. They won't run in anything but ideal weather conditions, however, so if you plan to travel to Key West by ferry, make sure your plans (especially arrival and departure dates) are flexible. Coach service is also available from Miami. Again, operators tend to come and go, so call us for the latest information.

AUTOMOBILES   Thanks to Flagler's railway (now history) and the subsequent construction of the Overseas Highway, you can drive from Miami down through the Keys to Key West. That's as far as you can go. The end of the island chain is actually Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas, but you have to get there (and it is a great trip!) by boat or sea plane. Though long (2.5 hours without stops to drive the 106 miles from Key Largo to Key West), we think the drive down the Keys, especially the first time, is magnificent. You can fly into either Miami International or Ft. Lauderdale (our favorite) and rent a car at the terminal.