Florida Keys Nature & History Tour: 7-Mile Bridge & Key Deer

Island-to-island drive through 45 miles and over 20 bridges, with a guide who knows the Keys' ecology and history.

A 4-hour guided tour from Key West travels the Overseas Highway across 45 miles and over 20 bridges to Bahia Honda State Park and Big Pine Key, where you wade in both the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, walk a historic railroad bridge, and photograph endangered Key Deer. Hotel pickup, a professional guide, and national park fees are included. The tour runs subject to favorable weather.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Florida Keys nature and history

• Drive over Overseas Highway bridges
• Cross the historic 7-Mile Bridge
• Visit Bahia Honda State Park
• Photograph endangered Key Deer
• Look for alligators at Blue Hole

The experience

The Overseas Highway is the route itself: a drive that strings the Keys together across more than 20 bridges, and your guide narrates the history and ecology as you go. You'll cross the 7-Mile Bridge twice, the one that was once the longest in the world and has appeared in blockbuster films. The road is the story: how it was built, what lives in the water below, why the Keys matter. You're not stopping to read a plaque. Someone who knows the place is telling you as you drive.

Bahia Honda State Park is where the day opens up. You wade into the Gulf of Mexico on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other: both from the same beach. There's a historic railroad bridge you can walk on top of or underneath, built long before the highway existed, and the views from it are the kind people photograph. You stroll the beach, take in the scenery, and the guide points out what matters. The park is one of Florida's most spectacular, and the tour gives you time to move through it instead of rushing past.

Big Pine Key is where the endangered Key Deer live, and the safari is exactly what it sounds like: you're out looking for them, camera ready. The Blue Hole nearby is a stop to check for alligators and other native wildlife: the most eco-diverse body of water in the Florida Keys, and a place most visitors never find on their own. The whole day is 4 hours door-to-door, with hotel pickup and drop-off included, so the logistics are settled before you book.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your Key West accommodation.
• a professional guide who provides live commentary on the history, culture, and ecology of the Keys.
• national park entry fees for Bahia Honda State Park.
• and the route across the iconic Overseas Highway with stops at the 7-Mile Bridge, Bahia Honda, Big Pine Key, and the Blue Hole.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (under 13)

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Up The Keys Tours

Is this one for you?This is a shared guided tour with a fixed route and schedule, so the day is planned for you: pickup, timing, park entry, and the stops all fit together without you arranging them. Choose it if you want to learn the Keys' history and ecology from someone who knows them, and if you'd rather have a guide point out where the Key Deer are than search for them yourself.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 13).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the 7-Mile Bridge and why does the tour cross it twice?

The 7-Mile Bridge was once the longest bridge in the world and connects two of the Keys along the Overseas Highway. The tour crosses it twice because the route goes out to the southern Keys and returns the same way, so you experience it in both directions and learn its history from the guide.

Can I get in the water at Bahia Honda State Park?

Yes. Bahia Honda State Park includes time to wade in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean from the same beach, and you can walk on the historic railroad bridge for views. Wear your walking shoes for the uneven surfaces.

What are Key Deer and where do I see them?

Key Deer are an endangered species found only in the Florida Keys, and the tour includes a Key Deer Safari on Big Pine Key where you photograph them in their habitat. The guide knows where to look and what to watch for.

Is the Blue Hole a swimming stop?

The Blue Hole is a stop to observe alligators and other native wildlife in the most eco-diverse body of water in the Florida Keys. It's a viewing and wildlife-spotting stop, not a swimming location.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional guide who speaks English and provides live commentary, and national park fees for Bahia Honda State Park are all included. The tour lasts 4 hours total.

What should I wear and bring?

Wear walking shoes because there are short walks on uneven surfaces, especially at Bahia Honda and on the railroad bridge. Bring a camera for the Key Deer Safari and sunscreen for the beach time. The tour is subject to favorable weather conditions.