With your sunscreen and beach towel, you’re ready to visit some of Key West’s best beaches.
Which Key West beach are you planning to choose to relax and unwind?
There are many options for such a tiny island.
Do you need a beach where your kids can run around, a beach with a great vibe, bars, restaurants nearby, or do you prefer a quieter, more isolated beach? There are many options for you to choose from.
Let’s get right into it with the list of best Key West Beaches to visit in this summer.
The best Key West beaches are listed below
Smathers Beach
The most popular public beach in Key West is this two-mile stretch of tropical white sand. This beach offers wide views of Atlantic Ocean and you can spend all day here. If the sand feels the same as it did during your last visit to the Bahamas, you are right.
This sand was also imported from the Bahamas, just like all of the other sand that we have on our Key West beaches. Smathers Beach offers volleyball, swimming, and snorkeling.
You can also enjoy snacks from local vendors at picnic areas. Nearby, you can find public restrooms. This beach is popular with Spring Breakers because it has several moderately-priced hotels. Parking in Key West is a metered affair.
Higgs Beach
The beach can be found 1/2 mile south on Atlantic Blvd. Near White St. The shallow waters and playground on the beach of this little beach have a lot to offer parents with young children. In addition to swimming and watersports, there are volleyball, handball, tennis and a restaurant nearby. The dog park is located across the road. You can even take your kids to a Civil War era garden and fort. This beach offers a limited number of parking spaces for free.
Dog Beach
This is the only dog-friendly beach on the Keys.
This is the favorite beach of pet-owning families. But don’t expect to have your kids building sandcastles or lying out on a towel to soak up some sun while Fido and Fifi are having fun; this is a dogs’ only beach! The city does not clean the beach; only responsible pet owners do.
The Reach Resort and Louie’s Backyard are squeezed together to create this parcel. In order to make sure that I didn’t mislead you, I called Louie’s Backyard. They confirmed that your pooch was still welcome in the bar at lunch time.
Side note If you are going to Louie’s to eat and you plan to bring your dog along, it is best to call the manager first so that you can see how the place will be.
Rest Beach
Rest Beach is accessible to wheelchairs, and it’s where the White Street Pier can be found. It’s a wonderful place to relax and take in the scenery.
Fort Zachary Taylor
The best beaches Key West offers are located in this 54-acre park, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gulf of Mexico.
No problem if you like to sit under the shade. No problem if you prefer to roast in the sun. No problem if you wish to snorkel or swim. You can still sit in a chair on the beach if you forgot yours. You can also bike along the park or take a walk.
You get the picture, right?
You can also take a tour of the Civil War Fort, where you are allowed to fish on the Western end. This is the perfect place to enjoy Key West’s famous sunsets. There are also public restrooms, food and beverage kiosks, chairs for rent, BBQ grills and picnic tables. It is a rocky beach so bring your flipflops. Admission is charged. You can access the beach by entering through Southard Street, the Truman Annex.
South Beach
The beach does not have any connection to the city of Miami. Locals love this small, open space. It is a sandy beach with shallow water. You can walk quite far out. A concrete pier is available.
The beach has no facilities or restrooms, but you can walk easily to restaurants nearby. This beach can be found at the southern end of Duval Street, on the Atlantic Ocean.
Broken Glass Beach
This may not seem like the most appropriate name for a beach in Key West, but it is based on a less thrilling side of Key West’s history.
The best time to access this stretch of Atlantic coastline is at low tide. You will need to descend steeply from a retaining-wall. This is not the first beach I would recommend because of its terrain.
Broken Glass Beach got its name from the old local dump that was located on this site. It has since been cleaned and is now a beautiful beach. Some of the glass was left behind and after being battered by the waves and rolling over rocks, corrals and sand for years, the glass pieces have become nicely rounded. They are highly sought-after by jewelers.
Simonton Beach
It is true that Simonton Beach does not need to be visited . It is here so that you don’t have to wonder if we didn’t include it.
Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas
This article would not be complete without mentioning The most inaccessible National Park in America located 70 miles from Key West on Garden Key.
Fort Jefferson is the biggest coastal fort. It was discovered first by Ponce de Leon. There are only two ways to reach the islands: by seaplane or high-speed ferry, which both depart Key West. Seating is limited and you should reserve in advance.
It’s worth the trip. You’ll love the palm-lined beaches and snorkeling above the reef.
Key West, a city in Florida, is known not only for its beaches, but also the vibrant nightlife and historic sites. It’s also famous for their Key Lime Pie.