Many Biscayne National Park visitors are frustrated by South Florida's traffic, so be sure to leave plenty of time to get here, especially if you need to arrive at a specific time (for a boat trip, for example). Always allow extra time on busy, holiday weekends, such as Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day weekends. 

Following the suggested directions, approximate travel times from various locations are:

• Downtown Miami — 60-90 minutes
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood — 75-105 minutes
• Homestead — 20 minutes
• Key Largo — 40 minutes

You should allow additional time during peak commuting times (7-10 a.m. and 4-7 p.m.) Morning southbound traffic will ease considerably after you pass downtown Miami.

Traveling on US Highway 1 can be a long, slow and arduous journey from the north — Florida's Turnpike is the suggested route to avoid delays.