If you are weighing weekend getaways from Miami, the two closest options pull in opposite directions. The Florida Keys are a drive: you stay in the United States, leave whenever you want, and bring as much gear as your vehicle holds. The Bahamas are a crossing: a short flight or a fast ferry, a passport, and a customs stop, in exchange for water and cays you cannot reach by car. Key Largo sits about 60 miles south of Miami, roughly an hour by car on the Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) [1]. Key West, at the end of the road, is about 160 miles and close to four hours of driving without stops [2]. The nearest Bahamian island, Bimini, is about 50 nautical miles offshore; the scheduled fast ferry covers it in roughly two hours, and a nonstop flight from Miami to Nassau runs a little over an hour [3][4]. This guide compares the two by access, travel time, and what each weekend actually requires, so you can match a getaway to the time and documents you have on hand.

Last updated: June 2026

The Florida Keys: a drive, not a trip

The appeal of the Keys is logistical as much as scenic. There is no airport check-in, no passport, and no customs line. You point the car south on U.S. 1 and the islands unspool one bridge at a time. For residents of Brickell or Coral Gables, the trailhead is the southern edge of Miami-Dade County.

Key Largo and Islamorada

Key Largo is the first island you reach, about 60 miles and roughly an hour from Miami depending on traffic on the two-lane stretch through the wetlands south of Florida City [1]. It is home to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first undersea park in the United States, which makes it a practical base for snorkeling and diving without a long drive. Continue south and you reach Islamorada, long associated with sport fishing and shallow-water flats. Both are close enough that a one-night stay is realistic, and a day trip is possible if you leave early.

Marathon and Key West

Marathon sits near the midpoint and marks the Seven Mile Bridge, one of the longer spans on the route. Key West is the end of the line, about 160 miles from Miami and close to four hours of driving without stops [2]. Most visitors who stop along the way budget six to eight hours each direction, which makes Key West a two-night weekend rather than a day trip [2]. The draw is a compact historic district of late-19th-century architecture and a long-standing sunset-watching tradition at Mallory Square.

The Bahamas: a crossing, not a drive

The Bahamas trade the convenience of a drive for water and islands you cannot reach by car. The cost of that trade is a passport, a customs process, and a fixed departure schedule. For U.S. citizens, the document rules matter before anything else.

Passports and entry

U.S. citizens flying to the Bahamas need a valid passport book; the Bahamas and U.S. re-entry both require it for air travel [5]. By sea the rule is narrower. On a closed-loop trip that departs and returns to the same U.S. port, U.S. citizens may use a birth certificate plus government photo identification under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, though a passport is still the simpler document and is required for most other sea travel [5]. If you are flying either direction, plan on a passport book with blank pages and validity through your return.

Bimini: the nearest island

Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to South Florida, about 50 nautical miles offshore [3]. The scheduled fast ferry to Bimini is operated by Baleària Caribbean and takes roughly two hours, but it departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale rather than from a Miami terminal, so build in the drive north [3]. That makes Bimini a credible two-day reset for travelers who do not own a boat, with the caveat that the schedule, not your car, sets the timing.

Nassau and the Exumas

Nassau, on New Providence, is the most connected point of entry. A nonstop flight from Miami International runs a little over an hour, with scheduled times generally between about 55 minutes and 1 hour 20 minutes [4]. Nassau anchors the larger resorts and is the usual hub for onward travel. The Exumas, a chain of cays to the southeast, are reached by a connecting flight or boat and are known for shallow sandbars and clear water. They require more planning than Bimini and are better suited to a longer weekend than an overnight.

Logistics: car, ferry, or plane

The practical decision comes down to documents, schedule, and how much you are carrying.

By car: the Keys are open-ended. The Overseas Highway is a continuous drive on U.S. 1, no reservation required, and you control your own departure and return [2].
By ferry: the scheduled Baleària fast ferry reaches Bimini in about two hours from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale; tickets and a passport are required, and crossings follow a fixed timetable [3].
By air: a nonstop flight from Miami to Nassau runs a little over an hour, with several daily departures, which makes Nassau the fastest Bahamian option if you have a passport in hand [4].

For a spontaneous overnight with gear and no paperwork, the Keys win on access. For water and islands that a car cannot reach, the Bahamas are worth the passport and the schedule.

How proximity factors into a Miami home search

If weekend access drives your search, two features tend to matter: drive time to U.S. 1 for the Keys, and proximity to MIA or a marina for the Bahamas. A home in Coconut Grove or near the water in Key Biscayne sits closer to boating infrastructure, while neighborhoods with a clean shot to the airport favor the flight-to-Nassau pattern. From an underwriting standpoint, waterfront and dockage carry their own cost and insurance considerations that are separate from the lifestyle appeal, so weigh them against your actual usage rather than the idea of access. If you want to map these trade-offs against current inventory, a buyer consultation is the place to start, and a listing valuation is the right tool if you are weighing a move.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Key West from Miami by car?

Key West is about 160 miles from Miami on the Overseas Highway (U.S. 1), which is close to four hours of driving without stops and six to eight hours for most visitors who stop along the way [2].

Do I need a passport to go to the Bahamas from Miami?

For air travel, U.S. citizens need a valid passport book in both directions. On a closed-loop sea trip from and back to the same U.S. port, a birth certificate plus government photo ID can satisfy entry under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, but a passport is required for most other sea travel and is the simpler option [5].

What is the fastest way to reach the Bahamas from the Miami area?

A nonstop flight from Miami International to Nassau takes a little over an hour [4]. By water, the scheduled Baleària fast ferry reaches Bimini in about two hours, though it departs from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale rather than Miami [3].

Can the Florida Keys be done as a day trip?

Key Largo, about 60 miles and roughly an hour from Miami, is realistic as a day trip [1]. Key West, at about 160 miles and four hours each way, is better as a two-night weekend [2].

Gabriel

Sources

Gabriel A. Moyers, PA. eXp Realty. Florida License #3407280. Equal Housing Opportunity. This article is general information as of June 2026 and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify current figures against authoritative sources before acting.

Weekend getaways from Miami: Florida Keys vs. Bahamas