Looking to spend a lazy day in the sun? There are plenty of beaches throughout the Keys to explore and this comprehensive list will show you lots of great places to stick your toes in the sand.
Key West
Sunset Key
Sunset Key Cottages, 245 Front St.; (305) 292-5300; sunsetkeycottages.com Film buffs will remember this spot as the setting for the millionaires’ beach resort where Milton (of the missing red stapler) relaxes with a margarita in the final scene of Office Space. This private beach is only available to the island’s millionaire (or billionaire) homeowners and millionaire-wannabe guests at the Sunset Key Cottages resort. But guests at L’Attitudes, the island’s posh—yet affordable—restaurant can enjoy a millionaire’s view for the price of dinner, with to-die-for sunsets and free boat transport to and from the island.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
601 Howard England Way (end of Southard Street); (305) 292-6713; floridastateparks .org Fort Zach is a National Historic Landmark and a local favorite. The park is home to a sandybut- rocky beach, a mid-1800s Civil War fort, picnic and grilling areas, chair and umbrella rentals, restrooms, a nature trail and a small café.
Simonton Street Beach
0 Simonton St.; (305) 509-7444; lagerheadsbeachbar.com This tiny beach is home to the popular Lagerhead’s Beach Bar, with live music, beer and wine and fresh seafood, as well as a boat ramp and watersports rentals.
Pier House Resort & Spa
1 Duval St.; (305) 296-4600; pierhouse.com Guests at the Pier House Resort can enjoy the spectacular sunset views at this small beach with a roped-off swimming area and floating dock right off Key West harbor. There is a pool leading up to the beach area and on-site dining as well.
South Beach
1405 Duval, Southern end of Duval Street (305) 809-3700 Tennessee Williams once said he swam at South Beach every morning before sitting down to write. This tiny beach on the Atlantic Ocean near the Southernmost House has shallow waters and a concrete pier. It is a designated public Key West beach, but there are no facilities or amenities available.
Southernmost Beach Resort
1319 Duval St.; (305) 296-6577; southernmostbeachresort.com Guests of the Southernmost Beach Resort can lounge poolside or on the modest oceanfront beach, which is also home to the Southernmost Beach Café, a full-service bar and restaurant serving ice-cold beer, cocktails and fresh seafood.
Casa Marina Resort and Reach Resort
Casa Marina Resort: 1500 Reynolds St.; (305) 296-3535; casamarinaresort.com, Reach Resort: 1435 Simonton St.; (305) 296-5000; reachresort.com If you stay at one of these neighboring Waldorf Astoria resorts, you can experience the nice sandy beach that they share on either side of tiny (and private) Hidden Beach, as well as Dog Beach and the waterfront bar of Louie’s Backyard. At the Casa Marina, two pools (one for adults, one for families), a bar and a restaurant lead up to the large, sandy beach area, where guests and visitors can reserve a beachfront table for lunch or dinner. The Reach’s pool and outdoor dining are also right along the beach. Both resorts have watersports, equipment for rent and beachfront spa services.
Dog Beach
1500 Vernon Ave., End of Alberta Street Key West’s only dog-friendly beach is right next to Louie’s Backyard restaurant and bar. This tiny bit of land reaches out into shallow water perfect for throwing the ball, Frisbee or whatever your pooch likes to chase out into the ocean.
Clarence Higgs Beach Park
1001 Atlantic Blvd.; (305) 295-4385 Within this county-owned 16-plus acre oceanfront park is a playground, dog park, bocce ball courts, the Salute! beachfront restaurant, the Civil War-era West Martello Tower and Garden Club, African refugee burial grounds, the White Street Pier and AIDS memorial, public restrooms, covered picnic areas with grills and volleyball nets.
Rest Beach
Western side of White Street, on Atlantic Boulevard; (305) 809-3700 Rest Beach is near the White Street Pier in C.B. Harvey Rest Beach Park, a beachfront area with picnic facilities and a shoreline perfect for wading and shell searching in the warm waters of the Atlantic.
No Name Beach
(The Key West Berg Nature Preserve) Just after 1800 Atlantic Ave., east of Bertha Street, heading toward White Street There are three public nature trails in the wide park on Atlantic Boulevard between Bertha and White streets. You can stroll for short walks over boardwalks and mulched trails through native habitat to an undeveloped beach on the Atlantic Ocean. View endangered species of flora and fauna, and wading, migratory and year-round birds, including bald eagles, ospreys, pelicans, terns and herons.
Smathers Beach
Along South Roosevelt Boulevard; (305) 809-3700 Smathers is the largest public beach in Key West. It stretches almost a mile along South Roosevelt Boulevard. There you will find food trucks parked streetside, restrooms, shower facilities, volleyball courts, a boat ramp, parasailing and jet ski rentals.
Lower Keys
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
28500 U.S. 1, Little Torch Key; (305) 872-2524; littlepalmisland.com Like Sunset Key, Little Palm Island is accessible only by private boat. Only its upscale guests can walk its fine sandy beach. But same as Sunset Key, its restaurant is open to the public.
Bahia Honda State Park
36850 U.S. 1, Big Pine Key; (305) 872- 2353; floridastateparks .org One of the best beaches in the U.S., Bahia Honda State Park has the remnants of one of the railroad bridges built by Henry Flagler. A long sandy beach with public and private spots, it also has campsites, cabins, covered picnic tables, kayak rentals, restrooms, guided nature walks and charter boat excursions. 16 Veterans Memorial Park 40000 U.S. 1, Little Duck Key Key West may only have one designated petfriendly beach, but as you head up the Keys, you’ll find many more. This small pet-friendly park is a great swimming spot with a sandy beach, restrooms and covered picnic areas.
Middle Keys
Sombrero Beach
Sombrero Beach Road, Marathon, (305)743-6598; www.ci.marathon.fl.us/government/parks/city-parks-and -beaches This spacious public beach is also a turtle nesting area from April through October, when you can see loggerhead turtles coming onto the beach at night to lay their eggs. Along with the nocturnal turtle visits, it has a picnic area, volleyball courts, restrooms and showers. Includes total handicapped accessibility.
CocoPlum Beach
109 Coco Plum Drive, Marathon, (305)743-0240; www.cocoplum.com Also pet-friendly, this natural beach sits on the Atlantic Ocean and is adjacent to a wetland. Coco Plum is a sea turtle nesting area, with nests marked off from April through October. Restrooms and a covered pavilion are on-site.
Curry Hammock State Park
56200 U.S. 1, Marathon; (305) 289- 2690; floridastateparks.org Curry Hammock is the largest uninhabited parcel of land between Key Largo and Big Pine Key. In addition to the beach, there are mangroves, hiking trails, covered areas with picnic tables and grills, restrooms and 28 campgrounds.
Upper Keys
Long Key State Park
67400 U.S. 1, Long Key (305) 664- 4815; floridastateparks .org Long Key State Park is home to a long stretch of beach that’s popular with kitesurfers because of its calm, shallow waters. It’s also a full-service campground with 60 oceanfront campsites, picnic tables, an observation tower, ranger station, restrooms, showers and a hiking trail popular with birders.
Anne’s Beach
73500 U.S. 1, Islamorada; (305) 664- 6400 Another pet-friendly beach, this one is dedicated to environmental activist Anne Eaton. Warm, shallow waters extend all the way out to the channel. It has restrooms and covered picnic areas on-site. The entrance is a sharp right turn off U.S. 1 (if you’re heading north from Key West). Be sure to slow down when you get close, at Mile Marker 73.4.
Indian Key Historic State Park
78000 U.S. 1, Islamorada; 305) 664- 2540; www.floridastateparks.org/park/ Indian-Key Accessible only by boat, the 11-acre Indian Key hosts the ruins of a town from the 1800s as well as a small beach and swimming area. You can rent a boat or kayak to get there at the nearby Robbie’s Marina (305-664- 9814).
Sea Oats Beach
74501 U.S. 1, Islamorada This milelong beach is a popular location for shallow-water flats fishing, thanks to the surrounding waters’ large population of bonefish and tarpon. Its name derives from the beach’s abundance of natural sea oats.
The Moorings Village & Spa
123 Beach Road, Islamorada; (305) 664-4708; themooringsvillage.com Think private, exclusive, high-end, sugar-white sand, aqua-green seas, and you get the sense of The Moorings’ appeal. Also think expensive. Fodor’s Travel guide says it has “the Keys’ best resort beach . . . possibly the most beautiful property in the Keys.”
Library Beach Park
81500 U.S. 1, Islamorada This short stretch of beach is right behind the Islamorada branch of the Monroe County Library, across from the Islamorada Hurricane Monument. There is a small playground, plus restrooms and showers.
Founders Park
86800 U.S. 1, Plantation Key; (305) 853-1685; www.islamorada.fl.us/ founders_park.asp This 40-acre park on the Gulf of Mexico includes a beach, baseball diamonds, bocce and tennis courts, a dog park, skate park, an Olympic-sized swimming pool and public restrooms.
Harry Harris Park
50 East Beach Road, Tavernier; (305) 852-7161 This pet-friendly beach surrounds a tidal pool, a popular spot for children, plus a playground, picnic areas, restrooms, ball fields, a basketball court and a boat ramp.
Hilton Key Largo Resort
97000 U.S. 1, Key Largo; (305) 855- 5553; hilton.com The Hilton’s guestsonly beach is on the Gulf side of U.S. 1, and along with the Key Largo Marriott, it’s a good place to unwind driving south to Key West, and a better way to relax on the long drive back north to Miami and farther.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
102601 U.S.1, Key Largo; (305) 451- 6300; pennekamppark .com The first underwater state park in the U.S., Pennekamp is home to several small beaches, a nature trail, campsites, restrooms, showers, concessions and many watersport activities and equipment rentals.
Key Largo Bay Marriott Beach Resort
103800 U.S. 1, Key Largo; (305) 453- 0000; marriottkeylargo.com The Key Largo Marriott’s Gulfside beach is for guests only, but you can stop by for a meal and enjoy the view, or back up a mile or so and go to the Pennekamp beach, which is public.
Rowell’s Waterfront Park
104550 U.S. 1, Key Largo; (305) 852- 2161; monroecounty-fl.gov/Facilities The newly opened Rowell’s Waterfront Park marks Monroe County’s 20th park. The former marina property comprises 8 acres and is kid- and dogfriendly. Along Florida Bay, it has picnic tables, benches, a place to swim (at your own risk) and a launch for kayaks, canoes and standup paddleboards. It is open seven days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to sunset.
