Florida Keys Map

About Florida Keys Map

This Florida Keys map clearly shows the long chain of islands extending down southwest from the end of the southern part of the mainland. It lists out all of the major islands and cities including Key Largo, Plantation Key, Long Key, Duck Key, Big Pine Key, Sugarloaf Key, and Boca Chica Key. The main route that runs through the Keys is highlighted in red, U.S. Highway 1. In addition to the major roads, there are also several rail lines marked. Major cities and their airports are also marked including Miami, Homestead, and Miami Beach. The airports for these cities are the Miami International Airport and the Key West International Airport. This map of Florida Keys also shows the location of the Florida Keys in relation to the South Florida mainland as well as the location of the Everglades National Park and the Biscayne National Park. A distance scale is provided on the left side of the Florida Keys map. An inset map of the entire state of Florida is also provided to give users a better idea of where the Keys are in relation to the rest of the state.

Major Islands of Florida Keys

About Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a long, thin chain of very subtropical islands. They extend from the southern end of the Florida peninsula in a generally southwest direction. The Upper, Middle and Lower Keys form a generally straight line running from Key Largo in the north to Key West in the south and on to the Dry Tortugas in the southwest. In total, the Florida Keys archipelago extends over 220 miles of ocean and include the Marquesas Keys as well as the Dry Tortugas.

Surrounded by warm waters, the Keys are connected to Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, the Straits of Florida and the Atlantic Ocean. Coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, shallow bays, tidal flats and small, rocky, limestone islands comprise the marine and coastal environment of the Keys. It is a very unique place in the continental United States and plays a very important role for marine wildlife, for commercial and recreational fisheries, for human use for recreation and tourism, and for coastal protection.

Where Are the Florida Keys Located?

The Florida Keys are a chain of islands located off the southern coast of Florida. The inhabited island chain in the Florida Keys begins just south of the Miami metropolitan area and extends southwest to include the islands of Key Largo, Solana Beach, Duck Island, Windley Key, and Key West. The chain of islands continues west of Key West and includes Boca Grande, Cape Sable, Little Duck Island, Long Point, the Marquesas Keys, and the Dry Tortugas.

The Florida Keys are generally known as the Upper Keys, the Middle Keys, and the Lower Keys. The Marquesas Keys and the Dry Tortugas are often separated as individual island groups from the rest of the Florida Keys.

Major Islands and Areas of the Florida Keys

Upper Keys

Upper Keys are the northernmost islands in the Florida Keys, closest to mainland South Florida. Key Largo is a well known destination in the Upper Keys, and serves as the main entry point to the Keys. Diving, snorkeling, fishing, as well as excursions to the unique mangrove environments and coral reefs, are popular activities in this part of the Keys.

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is one of the natural attractions of the area. It is the first undersea park in the country and allows visitors to experience the marine environment by snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking or by a glass bottom boat.

Islamorada is a series of islands in the southern part of the Upper Keys. Recreational fishing is a major activity and there are many water activities such as boating, and snorkeling/SCUBA diving. Islamorada is situated between Florida Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Middle Keys

The Middle Keys include the islands of Marathon, Key Colony Beach, Duck Key and Vaca Key, and a few surrounding islands. Marathon is in the center of the chain of islands and is the central community for the area. It is a hub of activity and a service center for visitors and residents alike, and is located midway between Key Largo and Key West.

Other than the beaches in the Middle Keys, the region is famous for its bridges, marine environments, fishing grounds and many other conservation areas and projects. After a while, you will arrive at the famous Seven Mile Bridge area.

Lower Keys

Natural landscapes and wildlife habitats in the Lower Keys include Big Pine Key, Cudjoe Key, Sugarloaf Key and Boca Chica Key. The Keys in this section are located just south of the Seven Mile Bridge and extend to Key West.

Big Pine Key is home to the National Key Deer Refuge which protects the key deer habitat. The key deer is the smallest deer in the world and is only found in the Florida Keys. The deer is listed as endangered.

Key West

Key West is located at the southwestern end of the Florida Keys island chain. It is the most famous of the Florida Keys and a tropical paradise, with a rich history.

Key West is famous for Duval Street, Mallory Square, Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum and many historic houses in Key West's old residential neighborhoods. The end of the road, Key West is a great place to start a fishing, snorkeling, diving, boating or even Dry Tortugas National Park trip.

The Southernmost Point is 90 miles from Cuba. Since Cuba is on the mainland of the continent of North America, the Southernmost Point is also 90 miles from the mainland of the continent of the USA.

The Overseas Highway Through the Florida Keys

The Overseas Highway is one of the major components of the Florida Keys. The southernmost part of U.S. Route 1, the Overseas Highway links the mainland of Florida to the island city of Key West. Running from island to island and from land to water via a series of bridges, the Overseas Highway is a historic and unique road trip.

Traveling through the Florida Keys by road is an experience in itself. Typically covering a distance of 113 miles and passing through a number of towns and cities, including Islamorada, Marathon, and Big Pine Key to name but a few, traveling through the historic bridges as well as the modern ones is part of a wonderful South Florida experience.

Most travel through the Keys is along the same corridor of travel going northeast to southwest. Because of this, the majority of locations in the Keys are described by their mile markers along U.S. 1.

Coral Reefs and Marine Environment

The Florida Keys are perhaps best known for what lies beneath the surface of the Keys themselves – the end of the Florida Reef Tract, the largest coral reef tract in the continental United States. Hundreds of reefs and large areas of seagrass, mangroves and other hard-bottom habitats exist offshore of the Keys in shallow water coastal environments that support an incredible array of marine species.

The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary encompasses approximately 3,800 square miles of water surrounding the Keys. Coral reefs of hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates exist in these waters. Many commercial and recreational fisheries exist for species which use the reefs for habitat as well as for tourism, recreation, and natural shoreline protection. The reef ecosystem is however under stress from a variety of environmental stressors including coral disease, warming sea water, increasing frequency of strong storms, pollution, and ocean acidification. NOAA and other organizations and partners are conducting large scale reef restoration activities throughout the Keys.

National Parks Around the Florida Keys

Nationally significant landscapes that are near to the Florida Keys include the Everglades National Park located in the northwest part of the Upper Keys and Biscayne National Park located at the northern end of the Keys. Biscayne National Park consists of islands, mangrove shorelines, Biscayne Bay and marine environments off shore.

The Dry Tortugas National Park is located far beyond Key West in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Park consists of about 100 square miles of water and seven small islands. Most of the islands are uninhabited and the largest of the islands is Garden Key where historic Fort Jefferson is located. You can reach Dry Tortugas National Park by boat or seaplane.

What Are the Florida Keys Known For?

The Florida Keys are renowned for their wonderful snorkeling and scuba diving, boating, sport fishing, wildlife viewing, coral reefs, mangrove eco systems, fresh seafood, historic sites and scenic drives over the ocean. The character of the Florida Keys changes from island to island. Key Largo has some of the fantastic diving and wonderful coral reefs. In Islamorada, the world’s best fishing spots await. In Marathon, which is the heart of the Florida Keys, you will find the central island destination. The Lower Keys have quiet natural areas and lots of wildlife. Key West is famous for its history, culture, entertainment, and watersports.

But the Florida Keys are so much more than a beach destination. The geography of the Florida Keys includes hundreds of islands and covers all terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems. The Overseas Highway, for example, runs through the heart of many of the main communities in the Florida Keys. The geography, wildlife, history and accessibility of the Florida Keys all combine to make the Florida Keys a unique destination within the state of Florida and the wider Caribbean.