A Keys beach day goes wrong in predictable ways: a full lot, a gate that closed at capacity, a restroom locked at 5 p.m., a park shut for part of the day by tidal flooding. Every one of those is posted somewhere by the operator. This planner gathers them so you can check them before you leave.
Hours, beach by beach
State parks in the Keys open at 8 a.m. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park stays open until sundown, though the fort itself closes at 5 p.m. Monroe County says its parks and beaches are generally open from 7:30 a.m. until sunset unless otherwise noted, and county code closes parks in unincorporated areas from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., with Harry Harris Park as the exception. City beaches set their own hours. All of the following are as posted October 24, 2026.
| Beach | Island | Operator | Hours (posted Oct. 24, 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon Beach (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park) | Key Largo | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Far Beach (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park) | Key Largo | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Harry Harris Park beach | Tavernier / Key Largo area | Monroe County Parks and Beaches | sunrise to one-half hour after sunset daily (athletic fields to 10 p.m.) |
| Library Beach Park | Windley Key, Islamorada | Village of Islamorada (Public Works) | 8 a.m. to sunset; restroom closes 5 p.m. |
| Anne’s Beach | Lower Matecumbe Key, Islamorada | Village of Islamorada (Public Works) | sunrise to sunset |
| Long Key State Park shoreline | Long Key | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Curry Hammock State Park beach | Marathon (Crawl Key) | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Sombrero Beach | Marathon (Vaca Key) | City of Marathon Parks and Recreation | 7:00 a.m. to dusk, Monday through Sunday |
| Coco Plum Beach | Marathon (Vaca Key) | City of Marathon Parks and Recreation | 7:30 a.m. to dusk |
| Bahia Honda State Park beaches | Bahia Honda Key / Big Pine Key area | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year |
| Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park beach | Key West | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sundown, 365 days a year; the fort closes at 5 p.m. |
| Smathers Beach | Key West | City of Key West | sunrise to sunset; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. |
| Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach | Key West | City of Key West | 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily |
| South Beach | Key West | City of Key West | sunrise to sunset (city beach hours) |
| Rest Beach / C.B. Harvey Park | Key West | City of Key West | 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily |
| Simonton Street Beach | Key West | City of Key West | 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.; restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
- Monroe County says county parks and beaches are generally open from 7:30 a.m. until sunset, unless otherwise noted. Monroe County, FL: Parks & Beaches FAQ
- Monroe County Code Sec. 18-1: all county parks and beaches in unincorporated areas, except Harry Harris Park, are closed 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Monroe County Code of Ordinances, Ch. 18 Parks and Recreation
- 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
Restrooms close before beaches do
Three beaches post restroom hours that end well before the beach closes. Library Beach Park’s restroom closes at 5 p.m., per the Village of Islamorada. Smathers Beach restrooms are open 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Simonton Street Beach restrooms 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., per the City of Key West. At Anne’s Beach, the Village places the restroom at the north parking lot.
- Library Beach Park in Islamorada (Windley Key) is open 8 a.m. to sunset (restroom closes 5 p.m.) and features a small beach overlooking a mangrove-lined creek, a playground, a pavilion with grills, an outdoor shower and public restrooms. Swim at your own risk. No dogs permitted. No motor boats or PWC. No fishing. Islamorada, Village of Islands: Parks & Beaches (name corroborated by Village Habitat page and 2024-05-03 Village weekly update)
- 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
- 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
- Anne's Beach was fully replaced after being destroyed by Hurricane Irma and reopened on August 23, 2019, with 300 feet of boardwalk, six pavilions, and a restroom at the north parking lot. Islamorada, Village of Islands: Parks & Beaches
Parking
- Pennekamp: 351 designated spots, included in the entrance fee. Florida State Parks says the lot tends to fill to capacity in the early afternoon on weekends and holidays, and the park closes temporarily when full.
- Bahia Honda: the park may close when its day-use areas reach maximum capacity, asks arriving visitors to return later, and recommends arriving early on weekends and holidays.
- Smathers Beach: $5 per hour Monday to Saturday 8:00 a.m. to midnight and Sunday noon to midnight, per the City of Key West; no overnight parking.
- Simonton Street Beach: $6 per hour with a 10-hour maximum and limited boat-trailer parking, per the City of Key West.
- Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach: no RV or bus parking, per the City of Marathon.
- Harry Harris Park: 20 trailer parking spaces, first-come first-served, per Monroe County.
- Pennekamp has 351 designated parking spots; on weekends and holidays parking tends to fill to capacity in the early afternoon, and the park closes temporarily when full. Boat trailer parking is limited to 40 spaces. Parking is included in the entrance fee. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp experiences & amenities
- Bahia Honda may close when its day-use areas reach maximum capacity; arriving visitors are asked to return later, and the park recommends arriving early on weekends and holidays. Shade is limited on the sandy beaches. Florida State Parks: Bahia Honda State Park Know Before You Go
- 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
- There are no RV or bus parking spots at Sombrero Beach (City of Marathon). City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
- Harry Harris Park features a beach wheelchair, leashed pets allowed excluding the beach area, a deep-water double boat ramp with finger pier (vehicle plus trailer max 55 feet), and 20 trailer parking spaces, first-come first-served. Monroe County, FL: Harry Harris Park facilities page
Live closure notices
These are the operator notices that were in force when we checked on October 24, 2026. Each one changes how a visit works, and each can be lifted or replaced without warning.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, effective July 22, 2026: one of the two boat ramps and the boat sewage pump-out station are temporarily unavailable, and boat trailer parking has been significantly reduced due to construction (Florida State Parks).
- Long Key State Park, effective September 26, 2026: the park may be closed for portions of the day due to tidal surge flooding from King Tides (Florida State Parks).
- Long Key State Park, effective July 12, 2026: all primitive camping and the Golden Orb hiking trail are closed for construction.
- Bahia Honda State Park: the park may close when its day-use areas reach maximum capacity; during holiday events the marina cannot accommodate additional parking or boat launching.
- Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach: during sea turtle nesting, April through October, the City of Marathon limits activity near active nests. See sea turtle season.
- Effective July 22, 2026: to support ongoing improvements at Pennekamp, one of the two boat ramps and the boat sewage pump-out station are temporarily unavailable, and boat trailer parking has been significantly reduced due to construction. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp Know Before You Go
- Effective September 26, 2026: Long Key State Park may be closed for portions of the day due to tidal surge flooding from King Tides. Florida State Parks: Long Key State Park Know Before You Go
- Effective July 12, 2026: all primitive camping and the Golden Orb hiking trail at Long Key State Park are closed for construction. Florida State Parks: Long Key State Park Know Before You Go
- The Bahia Honda concessionaire offers chairs, snorkeling equipment, kayak rentals and snacks and lunches, and advance booking of limited boat trailer parking at the marina (305-872-3210); during holiday events the marina cannot accommodate additional parking or boat launching. Florida State Parks: Bahia Honda State Park Know Before You Go
Rules that apply across county beaches
Monroe County says all county-owned parks and beaches are no-smoking, except for an unfiltered cigar. No commercial activity of any type can be conducted on any county beach or park without a lease or license from the County. Village and city beaches post their own rules: at Anne’s Beach, for example, the Village bans motor boats and personal watercraft, open flames, grills and fishing.
- All county-owned parks and beaches are no-smoking, except for an unfiltered cigar; leashed pets are allowed at Monroe County parks and owners are responsible for cleaning up after them. Monroe County, FL: Parks & Beaches
- No commercial activity of any type can be conducted on any county beach or park without a lease or license from Monroe County. Monroe County, FL: Parks & Beaches
A five-minute check before you drive
- Open the operator’s page for the beach and read any notice at the top.
- Confirm the hours, and the restroom hours if they are posted separately.
- Confirm the fee or parking rate against our beach fees page.
- On a weekend or holiday, plan to arrive early at Pennekamp and Bahia Honda.
- Assume no lifeguard: none of the operators we checked posts one.
For summer trips, confirm the official hurricane-season dates with the National Hurricane Center. To narrow the list by island, fee or dog rule first, start with the beach finder.
Can you drive an RV to Sombrero Beach?
No. The City of Marathon states there are no RV or bus parking spots at Sombrero Beach, and the same applies at Coco Plum Beach.
Source: City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach
When do Monroe County parks close?
Generally 7:30 a.m. until sunset, per the county FAQ, and county code closes parks in unincorporated areas from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. (Harry Harris Park, which closes a half hour after sunset, is the coded exception).
Why do so many Keys beaches charge per person?
Florida State Parks in Monroe County add a 50-cent per-person Monroe County surcharge on top of base admission, so most state-park fee schedules here scale with vehicle occupancy (for example Fort Zachary Taylor: $6 per vehicle up to eight people plus the surcharge). Marathon and Key West city beaches posted no entry fee when checked on October 24, 2026, though paid parking applies at Smathers.
Source: Florida State Parks: Fort Zachary Taylor hours & fees
Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: Florida State Parks (official site)