Sea turtles nest on Florida Keys sand, and at least two public beaches change how they work because of it. The operator that says the most about nesting is the City of Marathon, which names Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach as nesting beaches. This page sets out what the City posts, what that means for a beach day, and where the published record runs out.
The posted nesting window
The City of Marathon says that from April through October, primarily loggerheads come ashore at night on Sombrero Beach. The City limits human activity near active nests, which it says typically represent less than 10% of the available beach area, and it surveys the beach for new nests. The City also lists Coco Plum Beach as a turtle nesting beach. Our seasonal file records the window as April 1 to October 31, from the City’s Sombrero Beach page checked October 24, 2026.
| Beach | Operator | Nesting window | Beach hours as posted Oct. 24, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sombrero Beach | City of Marathon | April through October; primarily loggerheads, at night | 7:00 a.m. to dusk, Monday through Sunday |
| Coco Plum Beach | City of Marathon | Listed by the City as a turtle nesting beach | 7:30 a.m. until dusk |
- Sombrero Beach is a sea turtle nesting beach: from April through October, primarily loggerheads come ashore at night. The City limits human activity near active nests, which typically represent less than 10% of the available beach area; the City surveys the beach for new nests. City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
- Coco Plum Beach in Marathon is a more natural beach area with an adjacent wetland, restroom facilities and a covered pavilion; it is also a turtle nesting beach. Hours 7:30 a.m. until dusk. Turn south on Coco Plum Drive; the entrance is 1.4 miles on the right. No RV or bus parking. City of Marathon: Coco Plum Beach
- Sombrero Beach in Marathon is open Monday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to dusk; turn south on Sombrero Beach Road and drive to the end of the road. City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
What closes and what stays open
The limit is local, not beach-wide. The City restricts activity near active nests, and those nests typically cover less than one tenth of the sand. Everything else at Sombrero Beach keeps running through the season: the City describes a sandy Atlantic beach framing a shady park with picnic pavilions, playgrounds, volleyball courts, restrooms and showers, redeveloped in 2001 for total handicap accessibility. If an area is set aside near a nest, give it room and use the rest of the beach.
Coco Plum Beach is the quieter of the two. The City describes it as a more natural beach area with an adjacent wetland, restroom facilities and a covered pavilion. To reach it, turn south on Coco Plum Drive; the City puts the entrance 1.4 miles on the right. Neither beach has RV or bus parking, per the City.
Getting to Sombrero Beach is simple: the City says to turn south on Sombrero Beach Road and drive to the end of the road. One more rule follows you onto any county-owned beach year round, nesting season or not: Monroe County says all county-owned parks and beaches are no-smoking, except for an unfiltered cigar. Sombrero and Coco Plum are City of Marathon beaches, so check the City’s own rules page as well.
- Sombrero Beach is a sandy beach on the Atlantic framing a shady park with picnic pavilions, playgrounds, volleyball courts, restrooms and showers; the City redeveloped it in 2001 for total handicap accessibility. City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
- There are no RV or bus parking spots at Sombrero Beach (City of Marathon). City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
Night nesting and posted hours
Loggerheads come ashore at night, according to the City, and both Marathon nesting beaches post closing times of dusk. Read those two facts together before planning an evening around turtles: the posted hours end at dusk, and the City says the nesting happens at night.
Other Keys beaches
Our research found nesting notices for Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach only. The other operators in this guide, Florida State Parks, Monroe County, the Village of Islamorada and the City of Key West, had not posted a nesting notice on the beach pages we read on October 24, 2026. That is not evidence that turtles never nest there; it means no operator page we checked said so. If nesting matters to your visit, ask the operator directly before you go.
- City of Marathon Parks and Recreation: 200 36th St Ocean, Marathon, 305-743-6598
- Monroe County Parks and Beaches: 305-453-8748
- Village of Islamorada Public Works (parks): 305-852-6933
- City of Marathon Parks and Recreation: 200 36th St Ocean, Marathon, FL 33050; 305-743-6598. City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach (contact block)
- Monroe County Parks and Beaches: 102050 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037; 305-453-8748. Monroe County, FL: Parks & Beaches
- Islamorada parks are maintained by the Village Public Works Department, 305-852-6933; Village Hall is at 86800 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, FL 33036, 305-664-6400. Islamorada, Village of Islands: Parks & Beaches
Planning a Marathon beach day in nesting season
Sombrero Beach opens at 7:00 a.m. and Coco Plum Beach at 7:30 a.m., and the City of Marathon posted no entry fee for either when we checked. Marathon’s city parks are dog friendly on a leash except the Community Park soccer and baseball fields, though neither beach page posts its own dog rule. Nearby, Curry Hammock State Park on Crawl Key is open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year, with admission on its hours and fees ladder as posted October 24, 2026. See the Marathon beaches page for the full picture, and read the City of Marathon’s Sombrero Beach page for any update to the nesting notice.
- All City of Marathon parks are dog friendly except the Community Park soccer and baseball fields; dogs must be leashed and owners must pick up after them. City of Marathon: City Parks and Beaches
- Curry Hammock State Park is open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year. Florida State Parks: Curry Hammock State Park
When is sea turtle nesting season on Marathon beaches?
From April through October, primarily loggerhead sea turtles come ashore at night at Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach. The City limits human activity near active nests, which typically cover less than 10% of the beach area; the rest stays open.
Source: City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: Florida State Parks (official site)