Key West Beaches: An Honest Guide from Old Town
Key West is not a wide-sand-beach destination.
Key West beaches are small and hardworking: narrow strips of sand, some pebbles, the odd rock, and water that is warm, shallow and, on a calm day, properly clear.
If you arrive expecting Miami, you will be let down. If you arrive wanting a good swim, a snorkel without booking a boat, and somewhere to sit while the day winds down, you'll be fine, and then some.
Below are the beaches in Key West we would send a friend to, with fees, parking, facilities, and how to reach each one from Marrero's on Fleming Street on foot or by bicycle. Our favorite is Fort Zachary Taylor. We'll tell you why, and why you will need water shoes.
The Key West public beaches at a glance
Fort Zachary Taylor: our favorite. Clear water, real shade, and snorkeling you can walk into from the sand. Small entry fee.
Smathers Beach: the longest stretch of sand on the island, and the most sociable. Best reached by bike.
Higgs Beach: the easygoing all-rounder, with a pier and a restaurant on the sand.
Rest Beach: Higgs's quiet neighbor.
South Beach: the end of Duval Street. A dip and a photo, not a day.
Simonton Street Beach: small, on the Gulf side, and the closest to our door.
Before you pack the cooler
A few things hold true at every beach on this list. Lifeguards are not one of them. Fort Zachary Taylor and Smathers both list none, and we could not find lifeguards listed for the others, so treat every beach here as swim at your own risk. Seaweed comes and goes with the wind and tide, so a beach that is tidy on Tuesday can look scruffier by Thursday, and having a second beach in mind is not defeatism, it is local knowledge.
And the sand is a managed resource: the City has sand projects planned for Higgs and Simonton Street beaches and is surveying Smathers, South and Dog beaches to work out a renourishment schedule.
Nature supplies the water. The City helps with the sand. Walking and cycling times below are approximate, measured from our front door.
Locals call it Fort Zach, and it comes with a warning: it is rocky.
The state park describes a beach of sand and pebbles over a rocky sea bottom and recommends water shoes. Take the hint, or let the gift shop sell you a pair.
The water is the reason to go. The park sits beside the main shipping channel, where the currents keep things clean and clear, and the state calls it the best swimming on the island.
We are inclined to agree. It is shallow but deep enough to swim, the nearby breakwaters are busy with tropical fish, and the park rates the snorkeling among the best you can do from a beach in the Keys, and good for beginners.
Bring a mask or rent one on site.
It is also the one beach here with proper shade. Picnic tables and charcoal grills sit in the trees behind the sand (pack in, pack out), there is a café and a small gift shop that sells sunscreen, towels and snorkel gear, and a chickee hut rents chairs and umbrellas. Stay for sunset if you can: the park sits at the island's western tip, and the fort behind you makes a good backdrop.
Where: 601 Howard England Way, at the western tip of the island, through the Truman Annex.
From Marreros: About 20 minutes on foot or 7 by bike. The park has bike racks and a dedicated entry lane for walkers and cyclists, so arriving without a car is the easy way in.
Cost: $2.50 per person on foot or by bike. By car it is $6 per vehicle (up to eight people) plus 50 cents per person, or $4.50 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle.
Hours: 8 a.m. to sundown, every day.
Parking: Inside the park, with no separate parking charge listed beyond admission.
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, café, gift shop, picnic tables and grills, snorkel gear, chair and umbrella rentals, and free beach wheelchairs. No lifeguards.
Who it suits: Swimmers, snorkelers (beginners included), picnickers and anyone who wants shade. Less suited to sunbathers who want smooth, soft sand to lie flat on.
Planning a wedding at the fort? Marrero's makes an easy base for getting ready, just a short ride away.
Smathers Beach: The long one
Smathers is the island's largest public beach: roughly half a mile of palm-lined sand along the Atlantic on the south side, where A1A begins.
The City counts about 150,000 visitors a year and notes that it is well known during spring break, which tells you the mood. This is the sociable beach, with volleyball nets, jet ski rentals, food trucks, and stands along the sand renting kayaks, paddleboards, floats, chairs and umbrellas. It is long but narrow, so it is a beach for walking and people-watching more than for finding a private corner.
The water is shallow and can be cloudy, so leave the snorkel for Fort Zach. Smathers is for wading, for a long walk at either end of the day, or for a lazy afternoon with a cold drink and a view of the planes coming in to land.
Where: 2601 S. Roosevelt Boulevard, on the island's south side along the Atlantic.
From Marreros: About 2.5 to 3 miles, so roughly an hour on foot or 20 minutes by bike. We would ride: a sidewalk runs beside the boulevard along the length of the beach.
Cost: No entry fee.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. The City lists restrooms as open 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Parking: Metered at $5 an hour, Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from noon to midnight. No overnight parking.
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, volleyball nets, water sports rentals and accessible parking spaces. No lifeguards.
Who it suits: Groups, people-watchers, walkers, and anyone who wants space and activity more than quiet.
Higgs Memorial Beach Park: the easygoing all-rounder
Higgs is a beach that thinks it is a park, in the best way. It covers more than 16 acres along Atlantic Boulevard beside the Casa Marina resort, with a wide sandy beach, calm shallow water and a recently renovated wooden pier at the end of Reynolds Street.
Monroe County describes it as the only shore-accessible underwater marine park in the United States, so it is a fine place to snorkel. A concession rents chairs, umbrellas, kayaks and paddleboards, and there is a restaurant right on the sand.
History is close at hand. The Key West African Cemetery and the Key West AIDS Memorial are a short walk away, and the Key West Garden Club offers free self-guided tours of the gardens around Fort West Martello. There are also two children's playgrounds, so this is a beach with a family soundtrack. If you want quiet, keep reading.
One more thing: Higgs changed hands in May 2026, when Monroe County passed the park to the City of Key West. The City has seawall repairs and sand renourishment on its project list, so the beach may look a little different from one season to the next.
Where: 1040 Atlantic Boulevard, beside the Casa Marina resort.
From Marreros: About 30 minutes on foot or 10 by bike. Higgs is also where the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail ends, if you ever fancy riding the whole trail.
Cost: No entry fee listed.
Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Parking: There is a lot beside the beach. Visitor guides describe it as free, but it fills early and the City's page lists no parking terms, so we would walk or ride.
Facilities: Restrooms, showers, restaurant, chair and umbrella concession, picnic tables and barbecue grills, volleyball and tennis courts, playgrounds and a dog park.
Who it suits: Mixed groups, and anyone who wants to swim, snorkel, have lunch and walk out on a pier without leaving the park.
Photo credit: City of Key West Florida
Rest Beach sits at the foot of White Street, in C.B. Harvey Park, on the other side of the Edward B. Knight Pier from Higgs. The City describes soft sand that is good for wading and shell hunting, with picnic tables and plenty of shade. A few yards away, at the entrance to the pier, is the Key West AIDS Memorial.
The City lists no restrooms or concessions here, so pair it with Higgs when you want lunch or a restroom. This is the beach for a book, a wade and an unhurried hour. It is small, and it knows it.
Where: White Street and Atlantic Boulevard.
From Marreros: About 35 minutes on foot or 11 by bike.
Cost: No entry fee listed.
Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Parking: Visitor guides mention free lots nearby, including the Higgs lot, but the City's page lists no terms.
Facilities: Picnic tables and shade. Restrooms are next door at Higgs.
Who it suits: Waders, shell hunters, readers, and anyone dodging a crowd.
Photo credit: City of Key West Florida
Walk to the southern end of Duval Street and you run out of street and into the Atlantic. South Beach is the small strip of sand there, with warm shallow water and the Emma Carrero Cates Pier for sunrise or sunset views. The City passes on the story that Tennessee Williams swam here almost every day he lived in Key West, which is as good an excuse as any.
It is an easy add to a stroll down Duval, and the Southernmost Point is close by. But it is small, it sits in the busiest part of town, and the City's page lists no facilities. Think a quick dip, not a beach day.
Where: The southern end of Duval Street, on the ocean side.
From Marreros: About 20 minutes on foot down Duval, or 7 by bike.
Cost: No entry fee listed.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset.
Parking: Not listed. This is a walk-up beach.
Facilities: None listed by the City.
Who it suits: A quick swim, an early stroll, and anyone on the way to the Southernmost Point.
Photo Credit: Florida Keys and Key West
The closest beach to Marrero's is a short walk to the Gulf side. Simonton Street Beach is a small beachfront at the end of Simonton Street on the Gulf side, with restrooms and a boat ramp for recreational boats.
It is not a lie-out-all-day beach. It is so small that the City maintains it with occasional top-ups of sand (the current plan is about five truckloads), which gives you a sense of scale.
But it is a good place to kick off your shoes, get your feet wet and watch the boats, and it is the one beach on this list you can reach before your coffee has gone cold.
Where: The end of Simonton Street, on the Gulf side.
From Marreros: About 12 minutes on foot or 4 by bike.
Cost: No entry fee listed.
Hours: Sunrise to sunset. The City lists restrooms as open 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Parking: Not listed. Walk or ride.
Facilities: Restrooms and a boat ramp.
Who it suits: A short dip, a change of scene, and anyone who wants water without effort.
Quick answers about Key West beaches
Are Key West beaches free?
Mostly. Fort Zachary Taylor charges admission, from $2.50 per person on foot or by bike. Smathers has no entry fee, but its parking is metered at $5 an hour. Higgs, Rest, South and Simonton Street beaches list no entry fee.
Which Key West beach is best for snorkeling?
Fort Zachary Taylor, which the state park says offers some of the best beach snorkeling in the Keys and suits beginners. Higgs, with its shore-accessible marine park, is our second choice.
Does Key West have sandy beaches?
Yes, but small ones. Smathers is the longest at about half a mile. Fort Zachary Taylor is sand and pebbles over a rocky bottom. The rest are short strips, and the City tops them up when they need it.
Can I walk or bike to the beaches from Old Town?
Yes. From Marreros, Simonton Street, South Beach and Fort Zachary Taylor are each about 20 minutes on foot or less. Higgs and Rest Beach are 30 to 35 minutes on foot or about 10 by bike. Smathers is best by bike.
Is there a dog beach in Key West?
The City runs a small dog-friendly beach at 1500 Vernon Avenue, and Higgs has a dog park. Check the posted rules at each.
If you only have one afternoon
Pack water shoes and a mask, ride to Fort Zachary Taylor, swim, and stay for sunset. If you have a second afternoon, go to Higgs for lunch on the sand and a walk out on the pier. Save Smathers for the day you want room to roam and don't mind company.
Then come back to Marreros, rinse off, and take a slow dip in our heated pool. It is a much smaller body of water than the Atlantic, and considerably less rocky.
