FLORIDA KEYS INTERNET GUIDE- GETTING HERE

GETTING TO THE KEYS FROM MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

If you fly into Miami and rent a car to travel to the Florida Keys, when you exit the airport, you should take 836 West to the Florida Turnpike. Take the Florida Turnpike south until it ends in Florida City where it merges into southbound U.S. Highway 1. Continue south on U.S. 1 until you reach Key Largo. The distance from Miami Airport to Upper Key Largo is approximately 56 miles and will take you about an hour and a half.

NAVIGATING THE KEYS ONCE YOU ARE HERE

Good news! Once you're in the Keys it is almost impossible to get lost. U.S. 1 is the only road that travels continuously from island to island. All roads that intersect with U.S. 1 either come to a dead end or end up back on U.S. 1. When traveling on U.S. 1 you will see small green signs with numbers on them that are mounted on steel posts about three feet high. These are called mile markers, often referred to as "M.M.". The Keys begin at M.M.113 and M.M. 0 is in Key West. While you're visiting you will also hear people say "oceanside" and "bayside". If you're headed south (toward Key West from Miami) , the Atlantic Ocean is on the left and Florida Bay is on your right. Obviously it is the opposite if you are headed north. Mile markers and the references to oceanside and bayside are used instead of addresses to describe locations. For example you may be told "Holiday Isle is at at mm 84, oceanside". Keep in mind there are no partial mile markers, so if you are told that a restaurant is located at m.m. 87.5, this means it is about half way between m.m. 87 and m.m. 88. You may also hear reference to the Upper, Middle and Lower Keys, don't worry though, these are references to general areas and are not used in giving directions.