Key West beaches: every public beach, checked

Key West has the longest beach list in this guide. Two operators run it. Florida State Parks runs the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. The City of Key West runs the rest: Smathers, Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach, South Beach, Rest Beach at C.B. Harvey Park and Simonton Street Beach. The City’s own Smathers page describes Smathers as one of the four beaches within the City, while its facility pages cover the five named here, so we name and link each one rather than put a number on it. Every hour, fee and rule below was read from the operator’s page on October 24, 2026.

Key West beaches compared

Beach	Operator	Hours (as posted Oct. 24, 2026)	Entry fee (as posted Oct. 24, 2026)	Dogs	What is there
Fort Zachary Taylor	Florida State Parks	8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year; fort closes 5 p.m.	$6 per vehicle (up to eight people) plus 50 cents per person; single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle $4.50; pedestrians and bicyclists $2.50	Not posted on the pages we checked	Swimming, snorkeling, picnicking; concession and restaurant; restrooms; shower station
Smathers Beach	City of Key West	Sunrise to sunset; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.	No beach fee posted; parking $5 per hour	Not posted on the pages we checked	About half a mile of sand; volleyball nets; restrooms; showers
Higgs Beach	City of Key West	6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily	No fee posted	Dog park on site	16+ acres; calm shallow water; wooden pier; playgrounds; tennis and volleyball; restrooms; showers; restaurant
South Beach	City of Key West	Sunrise to sunset	No fee posted	Not posted on the pages we checked	Warm shallow water at the end of Duval Street; Emma Carrero Cates Pier
Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park	City of Key West	7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.	No fee posted	Not posted on the pages we checked	Soft sand for wading and shell searching; picnic tables; shade
Simonton Street Beach	City of Key West	7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.	No beach fee posted; parking $6 per hour, 10-hour maximum	Not posted on the pages we checked	Small downtown beach; recreational boat ramp

Beach finder

Every public beach here, as the operators post it

6 public access points, each with the hours, fees and dog rule its operator published, read on October 24, 2026. A feature only shows when the operator lists it.

• Key West

  Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park beach

  Run by

  Florida State Parks

  Hours

  8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year; the fort closes at 5 p.m.

  Fees

  Entry fee $6/vehicle (up to 8 people) + $0.50/person Monroe surcharge; single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle $4.50 (incl.); pedestrian/bicyclist $2.50 (incl.)

  Dogs

  No dog rule posted on the operator page

  • Restrooms
  • Showers
  • Picnic shelters
  • Snorkeling
  • Food or rentals on site
  • Re-enactor demonstrations third weekend each month
  • Enter at the end of Southard Street through the Truman Annex

  Source: Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor hours & fees, checked October 24, 2026

• Key West

  Smathers Beach

  Run by

  City of Key West

  Hours

  sunrise to sunset; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

  Fees

  Paid parking, no entry fee posted beach entry: no fee posted; parking $5/hour Mon-Sat 8 a.m.-midnight, Sun noon-midnight; residential permits 4 hours once per day; no overnight parking

  Dogs

  No dog rule posted on the operator page

  • Restrooms
  • Showers
  • ~150,000 patrons annually (City figure)
  • On the Atlantic along South Roosevelt Blvd / A1A

  Source: City of Key West: Smathers Beach, checked October 24, 2026

• Key West

  Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach

  Run by

  City of Key West

  Hours

  6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily

  Fees

  No fee posted no fee posted on pages checked 2026-10-24

  Dogs

  Dog park on site; beach rule not posted separately

  • Restrooms
  • Showers
  • Picnic shelters
  • Playground
  • Food or rentals on site
  • Shade
  • Edward B. Knight White Street Pier adjacent
  • Key West AIDS Memorial and historic African Cemetery on site

  Source: City of Key West: Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach, checked October 24, 2026

• Key West

  South Beach

  Run by

  City of Key West

  Hours

  sunrise to sunset (city beach hours)

  Fees

  No fee posted no fee posted on pages checked 2026-10-24

  Dogs

  No dog rule posted on the operator page

  Source: City of Key West: South Beach, checked October 24, 2026

• Key West

  Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park

  Run by

  City of Key West

  Hours

  7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily

  Fees

  No fee posted no fee posted on pages checked 2026-10-24

  Dogs

  No dog rule posted on the operator page

  • Picnic shelters
  • Shade
  • Key West AIDS Memorial a few yards away at the Edward B. Knight Pier entrance

  Source: City of Key West: Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park, checked October 24, 2026

• Key West

  Simonton Street Beach

  Run by

  City of Key West

  Hours

  7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

  Fees

  Paid parking, no entry fee posted beach entry: no fee posted; parking $6/hour, 10-hour maximum

  Dogs

  No dog rule posted on the operator page

  • Restrooms

  Source: City of Key West resource directory: Simonton Street Beach & Parking Lot, checked October 24, 2026

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Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Florida State Parks calls the beach at the park’s southern end Key West’s favorite beach. It lists picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, paddling and fishing, plus a concession and restaurant, restroom facilities and a shower station. The park is at 601 Howard England Way, phone 305-292-6713; the City of Key West directs visitors to the end of Southard Street through the Truman Annex.

Florida State Parks lists the park open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year, with the fort itself closing at 5 p.m., as posted October 24, 2026. Admission, as posted October 24, 2026 by Florida State Parks, is $6 per vehicle for up to eight people plus a 50-cent Monroe County surcharge per person; $4.50 for a single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle; and $2.50 for pedestrians, bicyclists and extra passengers, with the surcharge included in those last two.

The fort is a reason to come on its own. The park says it predates the Civil War and is a National Historic Monument holding the largest cache of Civil War armament in the world. The City of Key West says guided tours run daily and re-enactors give demonstrations on the third weekend of each month.

• Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is open 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year; the fort closes at 5 p.m. Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor hours & fees
• Fort Zachary Taylor admission: $6 per vehicle (up to eight people) plus a 50-cent Monroe County surcharge per person; $4.50 single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle (surcharge included); $2.50 pedestrians, bicyclists and extra passengers (surcharge included). Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor hours & fees
• The park's southern end holds what Florida State Parks calls Key West's favorite beach, with picnicking, swimming, snorkeling, paddling and fishing, plus a concession and restaurant, restroom facilities and a shower station. Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
• Fort Zachary Taylor predates the Civil War and is a National Historic Monument the park says houses the largest cache of Civil War armament in the world; the City of Key West says guided tours of the fort are available daily, and re-enactors conduct historic demonstrations the third weekend of each month. Florida State Parks and City of Key West facilities page

Smathers Beach

The City of Key West calls Smathers the largest public beach in Key West, approximately half a mile long on the island’s south side along the Atlantic and State Road A1A, with approximately 150,000 patrons a year. It has beach volleyball nets, restrooms and showers. The City lists the beach open sunrise to sunset, with restrooms open 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., as posted October 24, 2026.

The cost here is parking. The City of Key West posts parking at $5 per hour Monday through Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to midnight and Sunday from noon to midnight, as posted October 24, 2026. Residential permits are valid for four hours once per day, and there is no overnight parking.

• Smathers Beach (South Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West) is open sunrise to sunset, with restrooms open 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. City of Key West: Smathers Beach
• The City of Key West calls Smathers Beach the largest public beach in Key West, approximately half a mile long on the island's south side along the Atlantic and State Road A1A, hosting approximately 150,000 patrons annually. City of Key West: Smathers Beach
• Smathers Beach amenities: beach volleyball nets, restrooms, shower facilities. Parking is $5 per hour Monday-Saturday 8:00 a.m. to midnight and Sunday noon to midnight; residential permits are valid 4 hours once per day; no overnight parking. City of Key West: Smathers Beach
• The City of Key West describes Smathers as one of the four beaches within the City. City of Key West: Smathers Beach

Higgs Beach

Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach, 1040 Atlantic Boulevard, is the most fully equipped of the city beaches. The City of Key West lists it open 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily, as posted October 24, 2026. It covers more than 16 acres of oceanfront beside the historic Casa Marina at the end of Reynolds Street, with a wide sandy beach, calm shallow water, a newly renovated wooden pier, two children’s playgrounds, a dog park, tennis and volleyball courts, 14 picnic tables, 17 barbecues, six tiki huts, restrooms, showers, beach chair and umbrella and sailboat concessions, and a restaurant.

Next door, the Edward B. Knight White Street Pier runs out into the Atlantic, and visitors can explore the Key West AIDS Memorial and the historic Key West African Cemetery.

• Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach, 1040 Atlantic Boulevard, Key West, is open 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily and operated by the City of Key West. City of Key West: Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach
• Higgs Beach offers more than 16 acres of oceanfront beside the historic Casa Marina at the end of Reynolds Street: a wide sandy beach, calm shallow waters, a newly renovated wooden pier, two children's playgrounds, a dog park, restrooms, tennis and volleyball courts, 14 picnic tables, 17 barbecues, six tiki huts, showers, beach chair/umbrella and sailboat concessions and a restaurant. City of Key West: Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach
• Beside Higgs Beach, the Edward B. Knight White Street Pier stretches into the Atlantic, and visitors can explore the Key West AIDS Memorial and the historic Key West African Cemetery. City of Key West: Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach

Dogs in Key West

Higgs Beach’s dog park is the dog facility the City publishes. Other guides mention a separate off-leash dog beach; it was not on any City facility page we checked on October 24, 2026. Confirm any off-leash rule with the City before relying on it.

• ?Not confirmed: We have not yet confirmed a separate off-leash Dog Beach with the City; Higgs Beach's dog park is the city-published dog facility.

South Beach

South Beach sits at the southern end of Duval Street on the ocean side, with warm shallow water and the Emma Carrero Cates Pier. The City of Key West lists it open sunrise to sunset, as posted October 24, 2026. The City adds that it is said playwright Tennessee Williams came to South Beach for a swim almost every day he lived in Key West.

• South Beach is at the southern end of Duval Street, Key West (ocean side), open sunrise to sunset, with warm shallow waters and the Emma Carrero Cates Pier; the City notes it is said playwright Tennessee Williams came to South Beach for a swim almost every day he lived in Key West. City of Key West: South Beach

Rest Beach at C.B. Harvey Park

Rest Beach, at White Street and Atlantic Boulevard, is the shade-and-shells option. The City of Key West lists it open 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., as posted October 24, 2026. It has soft sand for wading and shell searching, picnic tables and plenty of shade, and the Key West AIDS Memorial is a few yards away at the Edward B. Knight Pier entrance.

• Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park (White Street and Atlantic Boulevard, Key West) is open 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; it features soft sand for wading and shell searching, picnic tables and plenty of shade, with the Key West AIDS Memorial a few yards away at the Edward B. Knight Pier entrance. City of Key West: Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park

Simonton Street Beach

Simonton Street Beach is a small downtown beach with a recreational boat ramp, the one city beach here where you can launch. The City of Key West lists it open 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., with restrooms open 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., as posted October 24, 2026. Parking is $6 per hour with a 10-hour maximum, as posted October 24, 2026, and boat-trailer parking is limited.

• Simonton Street Beach (0 Simonton Street, Key West) is a small downtown beach with a recreational boat ramp, open 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; restrooms open 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; parking $6 per hour with a 10-hour maximum and limited boat-trailer parking. City of Key West resource directory: Simonton Street Beach & Parking Lot

Lifeguards

None of the operators we checked posts lifeguards at any beach in this guide. Swim at your own risk. For a side-by-side of every confirmed beach in the Keys, open the beach finder.

Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: Florida State Parks (official site)