Getting around
Getting around Florida
Outside the walkable historic cores of Key West, St. Augustine, and Ybor City, Florida is a driving state. A rental car is the default for most micro-zones, especially the Everglades, Sanibel, and the Gulf beaches. On the southeast coast, Brightline and local transit can cover some trips car-free, and tolls are common statewide.
Cars, tolls, and SunPass
Most Florida regions in this guide — the Everglades, Naples, Sanibel and Captiva, Amelia Island, and Sarasota's St. Armands — are best reached and explored by car. Many highways and bridges are tolled, including Florida's Turnpike, Miami-Dade expressways and the Sanibel Causeway. Many toll points are cashless. Compare your rental company's toll program and administrative fees before driving; Florida's Turnpike says its TOLL-BY-PLATE option is not available directly to rental-car customers because invoices go to the vehicle's registered owner.
An existing SunPass Portable can be used in a rental vehicle: follow the operator's instructions to add the plate and rental dates, check the rental company's arrangements, and remove the transponder when returning the car. Distances are longer than they look on a map. Miami to Naples across Alligator Alley is roughly two hours; Miami to Key West is over three; Tampa to St. Augustine is about three and a half. Treat these as rough driving estimates and allow extra time for traffic, stops and road conditions.
Walkable cores and island transport
A few destinations reward leaving the car parked. Key West's Old Town is compact and flat, with bicycles, scooters, and the Duval Loop bus; St. Augustine's historic district and Fernandina Beach's downtown on Amelia Island are walkable; and Ybor City's 7th Avenue and Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard are strolling streets. Sanibel is famous for its shared-use path network, making a bicycle a practical way to reach the lighthouse and Ding Darling refuge.
The Everglades entrances at Homestead, Shark Valley and Everglades City are far apart and are not connected by roads inside the park. A car or tour with confirmed transport is usually the practical choice. There is a limited seasonal exception: the Homestead trolley can serve Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center and Royal Palm, approximately December–April, subject to the current timetable. A boat or tram tour at one entrance does not connect the separate entrances.
Brightline and public transit
On the southeast coast, Brightline links Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando, providing an option for trips without a car. Local systems — Miami-Dade Transit with its free Metromover, Broward County Transit and Palm Tran — cover urban trips, but check the route and last service for your specific destination. Current Metromover upgrade notices can affect individual loops.
Rideshare works well in the metros and tourist towns but can be sparse and expensive in rural areas like the Everglades or between Gulf islands, so do not rely on it as your only plan there.
Sources
Reviewed source trail
- SunPass - Florida's prepaid toll program - checked 2026-07-12
- Brightline - routes and stations - checked 2026-09-12
- Florida Department of Transportation - checked 2026-09-12
- Miami-Dade Transit - checked 2026-09-12
- Florida Turnpike — rental vehicles and toll arrangements - checked 2026-09-12
- National Park Service — Everglades entrances and seasonal trolley - checked 2026-09-12