Check it out. May not be worth it. There are no tolls from Florida City (last town on the mainland) down the Keys to Key West.

Plan your trip to the Everglades on either the day you fly into Miami or the day you fly out. It is not doable from Islamorada.

Keep this in mind, the middle keys are about being on or under the water. Have you thought about renting a boat or hiring a captain for at least a couple of days? You can fish and snorkel at your own leisure. If you aren't an experienced boater, one who can read charts and channel markers, hire a captain the days you hire a boat.

Things open early and close early in the keys. Restaurants close up in the summer by 9PM.

Make sure your rental has a pool. The keys are very hot in the summer.

Stop on your way down to the keys from Miami in either Homestead or Florida City and buy your groceries and supplies for the keys. Publix and Winn Dixie will be less expensive on the mainland.

On your drive down, take Card Sound Road into the keys.

So disappointed to hear that a day trip to the everglades from Islamorada is not doable. We already bought our plane tickets and booked a house in islamorada for our trip! Would have to leave the house early and get a hotel stay in Miami? Such a waste of money but I suppose we cannot go to South Florida and skip out on a visit to the everglades!

Depending on where you go, it's at least a two hour drive in the best circumstances each way. Everglades Safari Park is the closest place to you I think.

Keep in mind that one car accident and you are adding two hours on to your trip.

The Everglades are in the middle of nowhere and Islamorada isn't convenient to anywhere.

Lastly, the mosquitoes are so horrific June-September, even the park rangers will not go outside. You cannot go without industrial deet.

This is really a poor idea. Google search mosquitoes in the Everglades.

A nice snorkeling tour of John Pennekamp State Park would be a much better idea.

John Pennekamp is worth the trip. The glass bottom boat tour is really informative and it's quite beautiful.

Thank you for your input. We are now skipping the Everglades. Hopefully we can come back and visit in the winter time.