Orlando, FL to Key West, FL is 393 miles and takes about 8h 14m via Florida's Turnpike and Overseas Highway, with a fuel budget near $62 and a recommended two days to complete. This drive takes you south through Florida's interior on the Turnpike before transitioning to the unique Overseas Highway system. With a highway share of 67%, much of this trip is on well-maintained roads, but the final stretch into the Keys is a different experience entirely. Consider this route if you want a straightforward drive to the southernmost point of the continental US, with a clear plan for overnighting.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
196.5 miles from Orlando, FL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Florida's Turnpike
211.5 mi
3h 50m
Overseas Highway
104.2 mi
2h 42m
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
47.1 mi
54m
Dixie Highway
19.2 mi
26m
I 4
5.6 mi
7m
North Roosevelt Boulevard
2.4 mi
5m
George Street
0.3 mi
1m
West South Street
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Florida's Turnpike
— 211.5 mi, about 3h 50m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Orlando, FL and Key West, FL.
1
Start on this road
113 ft·4 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto FL 527
458 ft·18 sec·South Orange Avenue
3
Turn right onto West Anderson Street
479 ft·17 sec·West Anderson Street
4
Turn right onto Boone Avenue
0.1 mi·23 sec·Boone Avenue
5
Turn left onto West South Street
0.2 mi·36 sec·West South Street
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward I 4 West
7
Merge onto I 4
5.6 mi·7 min·I 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 77Toward Miami, OcalaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on this road
0.1 mi·15 sec·this road
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward Florida's Turnpike South, MiamiUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto Florida's Turnpike
212 mi·3 hr 50 min·Florida's Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
0.2 mi·20 sec·Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, HomesteadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
47 mi·54 min·Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Toward HomesteadUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
15
Merge onto US 1
19 mi·26 min·Dixie Highway
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on US 1
104 mi·2 hr 42 min·Overseas Highway
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto US 1
2.4 mi·5 min·North Roosevelt Boulevard
18
Turn left onto George Street
0.3 mi·1 min·George Street
19
Arrive at destination
George Street
Trip Plan
Given the 8h 14m estimated drive time, splitting this trip over two days is highly recommended. Aim to leave Orlando early in the morning to maximize your driving time on the first day. The longest stretch without a significant break is over 200 miles on the Turnpike, so plan for a fuel and rest stop before you reach that point. Your estimated fuel cost is around $62, so keep that in mind as you budget. The final leg into Key West involves numerous bridges and islands, so be mindful of speed limits and potential traffic as you approach your destination.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 196.5 miles from Orlando, FL, or about 3h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 211.5 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 86 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 196.5 miles or 3h 37m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 196.5 miles or 3h 37m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Key West, FL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Orlando, FL so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Orlando, FL
Aim for roughly 197 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Key West, FL
Aim for roughly 197 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Orlando, FL.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Florida's Turnpike for about 211.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 219.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Boone Avenue
Turn right onto Boone Avenue
Navigation decision point
8
6.4 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the exit toward Miami, Ocala
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 77
Toward Miami, Ocala
8
7.2 mi into trip|~10m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Florida's Turnpike South, Miami
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Florida's Turnpike South, Miami
7
219.2 mi into trip|~4h 2m in|Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Take the exit onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, Homestead
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South, Homestead
7
219.5 mi into trip|~4h 2m in|Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike toward Homestead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Homestead
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.49 one way
$118.98 round trip
$3.85/gal25.4 MPG avg138 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.22
$65.28
$130.56
premium
$4.55
$70.40
$140.80
diesel
$4.80
$74.21
$148.41
Estimated Tolls: $17.63
Florida's Turnpike
(211.5 mi)$14.81
Homestead Extension
(47.1 mi)$2.82
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$59
Tolls
$18
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$207–$317
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 137.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
117.9
1
$41.27
$18.86
Efficient EV
98.3
1
$34.39
$15.72
EV Truck/SUV
157.2
1
$55.02
$25.15
Gas CO2
138 kg
EV CO2
46 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 17, 2026
Origin
Orlando, FL
Morning
in Orlando on Sunday
Local time
11:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
77°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
WSW 0 to 5 mph20% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 16 at 11:29AM EDT until July 17 at 4:00AM EDT by NWS Melbourne FL
Destination
Key West, FL
Morning
in Key West on Sunday
Local time
11:19 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
E 5 mph12% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 16 at 11:29AM EDT until July 17 at 4:00AM EDT by NWS Melbourne FL
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
6 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
8h 14m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Biscayne National Park
National Park
Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Evidence of 10,000 years of human history is here to...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 257.5
Established in 1947 as the first national park created for its biodiversity, Everglades National Park protects 1.5 million acres of wetland, forest, and marine habitats and the native plants and anima...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is mostly highway, with 67% of the 393 miles on major roads like Florida's Turnpike and the Homestead Extension. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch on Florida's Turnpike at 211.5 miles, featuring a dense network of exits and services. After this, the drive shifts to the Overseas Highway, which has a more open feel as you traverse bridges connecting the islands. Expect some urban merging around Orlando and Homestead before the landscape opens up.
67% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 211.5 mi on Florida's Turnpike.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Florida's Turnpike and Overseas Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Boone Avenue.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 393 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Boone Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
103 ft3 ft
Total Climb
40 ft
Total Descent
139 ft
Highest Point
103 ft
Elevation Range
100 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Orlando, FL and Key West, FL, road signs point toward Florida's Turnpike Toll South and Homestead.
Florida's Turnpike Toll South
219.2 mi in|~4h 2m|via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead
219.2 mi in|~4h 2m|via Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
For the broader urban area including suburbs and other nearby destinations, please see the Greater Orlando article.
Orlando deserves its reputation as the theme park capital of the world, with an estimated 52 million visitors a year. The city is best known for its theme parks Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando, but it holds a lot to offer besides those two amusement meccas. Countless hotels and restaurants cater to business conventions and other events hosted by organizations from all over the country. Outside the theme park districts and hotels, however, lies much more to be explored, including downtown, areas of untouched wilderness, world-class museums and theaters, and old towns with dining and nightlife.
At the center of the state of Florida, in Orange County, Orlando is about an hour from each coast.
Top landmarks
•Universal Studios Florida — theme park in the United States
•Universal's Islands of Adventure — theme park, part of Universal Orlando Resort
•Universal Epic Universe — theme park in Orlando, Florida
Key West, in the Florida Keys, is a city and an island of the same name. It is the county seat of Monroe County and is considered the southernmost city in the continental United States.
Top landmarks
•Ernest Hemingway House — house and museum in Key West, Florida, USA
The longest stretch is about 211.5 miles on Florida's Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 197 miles on day one.
Expect about $17.63 in tolls one way, starting with Florida's Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Key West, FL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Boone Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Biscayne National Park and Everglades National Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.2 hours each way, a round trip means 16.5 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Key West, FL before the return drive.
