Best driving roads near Miami

South Florida is flat, so these drives are about water and wetlands, not hills: the Everglades and Big Cypress to the west, and the bridges of the Keys to the south. Most are long, straight two-lane roads where the views are sawgrass, cypress and open water.

1. Overseas Highway (US 1), Key Largo to the Seven Mile Bridge

Two-lane Overseas Highway on the Seven Mile Bridge, rising over open water in the Florida Keys
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Two-lane stretches and long bridges over open water between the Keys. Key Largo is about 1 h 20 min from Miami and the Seven Mile Bridge about 3 hours, so make it a long day.

US 1 runs down Key Largo, Tavernier and the Islamorada keys, then crosses Long Key and Marathon on long bridges built partly on the old Overseas Railroad line. This drive ends at the far side of the Seven Mile Bridge, which is about 6.8 miles long.

Length
113 miles for the full highway to Key West
Drive time
about 1 h 40 min

Best time to go: Open year round. Check FL511 before you go during hurricane season, June 1 to November 30.

Map of Overseas Highway (US 1), Key Largo to the Seven Mile Bridge from Key Largo (US 1 at Jewfish Creek) to Little Duck Key (south end of the Seven Mile Bridge)
Route: Key Largo (US 1 at Jewfish Creek) to Little Duck Key (south end of the Seven Mile Bridge), about 69.2 mi. Map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Sources: Length · Best time. Along the way 1 · Along the way 2. Drive time is the route time for the mapped route without stops, from Mapbox.

2. Card Sound Road (CR 905A)

Two-lane Card Sound Road running straight between dense green brush under a bright sky south of Florida City
Photo: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The other road into the Keys, over the high-rise Card Sound Bridge.

Card Sound Road leaves US 1 south of Florida City and runs southeast across south Miami-Dade County to the Card Sound Bridge, a high-rise toll causeway. Across the bridge it meets County Road 905 in North Key Largo, which connects back to the Overseas Highway.

Length
about 11 mi as mapped
Drive time
about 20 min

Best time to go: Open year round. Check FL511 before you go during hurricane season, June 1 to November 30.

Map of Card Sound Road (CR 905A) from US 1 south of Florida City to CR 905, North Key Largo
Route: US 1 south of Florida City to CR 905, North Key Largo, about 11.4 mi. Map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Sources: Best time. Along the way 1 · Along the way 2. Drive time is the route time for the mapped route without stops, from Mapbox.

3. Tamiami Trail (US 41) across the Everglades

Straight two-lane Tamiami Trail through low brush in Big Cypress National Preserve under a blue sky
Photo: Adbar, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Crosses the Everglades along the northern edge of Everglades National Park.

From the west edge of Miami, US 41 heads west across the Everglades, forming part of the northern border of Everglades National Park and passing the Shark Valley entrance. It then crosses Big Cypress National Preserve to the SR 29 junction near Everglades City.

Length
about 57 mi as mapped
Drive time
about 1 h 10 min

Best time to go: December to April, the dry season and the main season for wading birds; May to November is the wet season. Check NPS alerts before you go.

Map of Tamiami Trail (US 41) across the Everglades from Krome Avenue, west edge of Miami to SR 29 junction at Carnestown, near Everglades City
Route: Krome Avenue, west edge of Miami to SR 29 junction at Carnestown, near Everglades City, about 57.4 mi. Map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Sources: Best time. Along the way 1 · Along the way 2 · Along the way 3. Drive time is the route time for the mapped route without stops, from Mapbox.

4. Main Park Road, Everglades National Park

Two-lane Main Park Road curving through sawgrass prairie and tree islands in Everglades National Park
Photo: evergladesnps, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The only road from the park's main entrance to the coast at Flamingo.

Main Park Road starts at the Homestead entrance by the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and runs 38 miles to the Flamingo Visitor Center on the coast. It has narrow shoulders, with pull-offs and parking at interpretive trails and waysides along the way.

Length
38 miles from the main entrance to Flamingo
Drive time
about 1 h 05 min

Best time to go: December to April, the dry season and the main season for wading birds; May to November is the wet season. Check NPS alerts before you go.

Map of Main Park Road, Everglades National Park from Homestead entrance (Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center) to Flamingo Visitor Center
Route: Homestead entrance (Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center) to Flamingo Visitor Center, about 37.9 mi. Map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Sources: Length · Best time. Along the way 1 · Along the way 2. Drive time is the route time for the mapped route without stops, from Mapbox.

5. Loop Road (CR 94), Big Cypress National Preserve

Narrow Loop Road running straight through pines and palmettos in Big Cypress National Preserve
Photo: Idawriter, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Slow, rough road through cypress swamp south of the Tamiami Trail.

Loop Road leaves the Tamiami Trail at Forty Mile Bend and runs about 24 miles south and west through cypress swamp before rejoining US 41 at Monroe Station. It passes the old town site of Pinecrest and spans Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier counties.

Length
24 miles
Drive time
about 1 h 30 min

Best time to go: Winter, when the cypress swamp is mostly dry; May to October is the wet season. The road is often potholed, so check Big Cypress road conditions before you go.

Map of Loop Road (CR 94), Big Cypress National Preserve from Forty Mile Bend on US 41 to Monroe Station on US 41
Route: Forty Mile Bend on US 41 to Monroe Station on US 41, about 23.2 mi. Map © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap Improve this map

Sources: Length · Best time. Along the way 1 · Along the way 2 · Along the way 3. Drive time is the route time for the mapped route without stops, from Mapbox.

Track your next drive near Miami

Open Road keeps every drive: the route on a map, the time and the distance. On iPhone and Android.

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Questions, answered

What are the best driving roads near Miami?
Top picks near Miami: Overseas Highway, Key Largo to the Seven Mile Bridge, Card Sound Road, Tamiami Trail across the Everglades, Main Park Road, Everglades National Park, Loop Road, Big Cypress National Preserve. Each one is here for the drive and the scenery.
How long are the best driving roads near Miami?
Overseas Highway, Key Largo to the Seven Mile Bridge: 113 miles for the full highway to Key West. Main Park Road, Everglades National Park: 38 miles from the main entrance to Flamingo. Loop Road, Big Cypress National Preserve: 24 miles.
When is the best time to drive these roads?
Overseas Highway, Key Largo to the Seven Mile Bridge: Open year round. Check FL511 before you go during hurricane season, June 1 to November 30. Card Sound Road: Open year round. Check FL511 before you go during hurricane season, June 1 to November 30. Tamiami Trail across the Everglades: December to April, the dry season and the main season for wading birds; May to November is the wet season. Check NPS alerts before you go. Main Park Road, Everglades National Park: December to April, the dry season and the main season for wading birds; May to November is the wet season. Check NPS alerts before you go. Loop Road, Big Cypress National Preserve: Winter, when the cypress swamp is mostly dry; May to October is the wet season. The road is often potholed, so check Big Cypress road conditions before you go.
What's the best app to track a drive near Miami?
Open Road records your drive and saves it to your drive log with the route on a map, the distance and the time. It is on iPhone and Android.

Famous driving roads