Florida Keys Overseas Highway: 7 Days Miami to Key West
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The Overseas Highway looks like a coastal cruise on a map, but it punishes RVers who skip the homework. Bahia Honda's Sandspur Loop caps rigs at 23 feet hitch-to-bumper, the new Bahia Honda Bridge access to Bayside has a 6-foot-8-inch overhead clearance, and Buttonwood's "45-foot" sites really only fit a handful of rigs over 40 feet. Florida State Parks open a strict 11-month booking window for residents and 10 months for non-residents, so a January Key West week is reserved by the prior February. Once you cross Jewfish Creek, US-1 is the only road south: Big Pine Key drops to 45 mph daytime, 35 mph at night (Key Deer crossings), and FDOT's wind-alert system triggers high-profile vehicle warnings on Keys bridges at 35 mph sustained winds, with closures at higher gusts. NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary prohibits anchoring on living coral in water under 40 feet of visibility; by 2027 anchoring is banned outright in all Sanctuary Preservation Areas. Plan around the June 1 to November 30 hurricane season, when visitors must leave the Keys for any storm category and have roughly a 48-hour evacuation window for multi-axle vehicles.
Best window
Mid-December through mid-April: dry season, low rainfall, 70-78F daytime, lowest hurricane risk. Book 10-11 months ahead for state-park sites.
Avoid window
August 15 through October 15: statistical peak of Atlantic hurricane season per NOAA, with mandatory visitor evacuations for any storm category and a ~48-hour window for RVs to clear the Keys.
What official guides do not tell you
Bahia Honda Sandspur loop is hard-capped at 23 feet
The Sandspur Campground (sites 49-72) caps RVs at 23 feet hitch-to-bumper because of sharp interior turns. Bayside (sites 73-80) is tent-only and requires clearing a 6-foot-8-inch overhead on the new Bahia Honda Bridge - most RVs cannot access it. Buttonwood (sites 1-48) fits rigs up to 45 feet on paper but only a few sites genuinely accommodate over 40 feet. Match your reservation to your specific length, not the published maximum.
Florida State Parks - Bahia Honda experiences & amenities(opens in new tab)FDOT high-wind alerts close Keys bridges to high-profile vehicles
Florida DOT operates an automated high-wind alert system across 18 sites including the Seven Mile Bridge. Alerts trigger at sustained 35 mph wind for high-profile vehicles and continue in 5 mph increments. Regional Traffic Management Centers coordinate with the Monroe County Sheriff to close bridges when gusts threaten safety. Plan around squalls and tropical systems - a closed Seven Mile Bridge strands you for hours with no alternate.
FHWA - Florida DOT Bridge Wind Speed Alert System(opens in new tab)NOAA anchoring rules in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Inside Sanctuary Preservation Areas (Molasses Reef, Looe Key, Sombrero, others), anchoring is prohibited if any part of the anchor or rode touches living or dead coral or attached organisms. Site-wide, anchoring on living coral other than hardbottom is banned in water under 40 feet when the seabed is visible. NOAA has announced that by 2027 anchoring will be banned in all SPAs and mooring buoys will be mandatory. Use NOAA-maintained mooring buoys at every reef stop.
NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - Regulations(opens in new tab)Big Pine Key speed limits protect endangered Key deer
US-1 through Big Pine Key and No Name Key is posted at 45 mph daytime and 35 mph from dusk to dawn to protect the federally endangered Key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium). The night limit is strictly enforced by Monroe County Sheriff and Florida Highway Patrol; fines escalate in school and wildlife zones. Feeding Key deer is a federal offense under Endangered Species Act protections administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
US Fish & Wildlife Service - National Key Deer Refuge(opens in new tab)Hurricane evacuation gives RVs a ~48-hour window
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30 per NOAA, with statistical peak August 15 through October 15. Monroe County issues phased evacuations for the Keys: visitors must leave for any storm category, residents for Category 3 and above. Multi-axle vehicles (RVs, motorcoaches, tow rigs, trailers, semis) get roughly a 48-hour head-start because US-1 is the only road out. If a system is forecast, leave on the first phase - do not wait for the visitor order.
Monroe County Joint Information Center(opens in new tab)Florida State Parks reservation window: 11 months residents, 10 months non-residents
Reservations open at 8 a.m. Eastern on the day exactly 11 months in advance for Florida residents, 10 months for non-residents. Long Key, Bahia Honda, Curry Hammock, and Pennekamp all sell out the winter season within minutes of opening. Reservation fee is $6.70 per booking plus the nightly site fee, taxes, and any hookup surcharge. Cancellations under 48 hours forfeit the first night.
Florida State Parks - Reservation Information(opens in new tab)
On the road in Florida
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Stops
- Robert Is Here Fruit Standprovisioning
Stock up on tropical fruit and key lime milkshakes before US-1 turns into a single-lane choke south of Florida City.
source(opens in new tab) - Card Sound Road toll bridge (alternate)route-note
Optional bypass to avoid US-1 backup at Jewfish Creek. Card Sound Road merges back with US-1 near Mile Marker 106. SunPass accepted.
source(opens in new tab) - John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park visitor centerpark
First underwater preserve in the US. Pick up glass-bottom boat or snorkel tour reservation in person if not pre-booked.
source(opens in new tab)
Camp
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Campground
Regulations today
- Florida residents book state-park sites 11 months out; non-residents 10 months. Reservation fee $6.70 plus nightly rate. source(opens in new tab)
7 days of driving needs a rig
Florida owners list their own rigs with their own dates — see what is posted, or leave your dates and let the alert find you.
Primary sources
- Florida State Parks - Bahia Honda amenities and length limits(opens in new tab)
- Florida State Parks - John Pennekamp hours and fees(opens in new tab)
- ReserveAmerica - Long Key State Park campground details(opens in new tab)
- ReserveAmerica - Curry Hammock State Park campground details(opens in new tab)
- NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary - Regulations(opens in new tab)
- NOAA Sanctuary Preservation Areas - anchoring rules(opens in new tab)
- FHWA - Florida DOT Bridge Wind Speed Alert System (PDF)(opens in new tab)
- FDOT District 6 - Seven Mile Bridge PD&E study(opens in new tab)
- US Fish & Wildlife Service - National Key Deer Refuge(opens in new tab)
- Monroe County Joint Information Center (hurricane evacuation)(opens in new tab)
- Florida State Parks - Reservation Information(opens in new tab)
- NPS - Dry Tortugas National Park fees(opens in new tab)
- Boyd's Key West Campground - official site(opens in new tab)
- Navy MWR Key West - Sigsbee Recreational Lodging(opens in new tab)
Last reviewed 2026-06-04
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Florida scenery
Trip Budget Estimate
Fuel
$198
Campgrounds
$538
Food
$525
Activities
$410
Estimated Total (excluding RV rental)
$1,671
Fuel basis: 340 round-trip miles (Miami pickup to Key West and back to Marathon return-day midpoint) at 9 mpg for a 25-30 ft Class C / travel trailer combo, gasoline $3.59/gal Florida average (AAA Florida, 4 June 2026). Calculation: 340 / 9 = 37.8 gal x $3.59 = $135.65 one-way base; round-trip leg + idle/AC + ferry shuttle drive adds ~$62 buffer.
Best Time to Drive
Mid-December through mid-April: dry season, low rainfall, 70-78F daytime, lowest hurricane risk. Book 10-11 months ahead for state-park sites.
RV Size Recommendations
Class B, Class C, or travel trailer under 30 ft. Class A and rigs over 40 ft are restricted at Sandspur, Bayside (Bahia Honda), and most private parks in Marathon and Key West. Toads or tow dinghies recommended for Key West where overnight RV parking is banned outside campgrounds.
Driving the Florida Keys Overseas Highway: 7 Days Miami to Key West? Tell us when.
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