Key Largo is the first island most drivers reach on the Overseas Highway, and it is where visitors first ask where the beach is. The answer is short. The public sand we could confirm sits inside John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which Florida State Parks says has two human-made beaches, and farther south in Tavernier, where Monroe County runs Harry Harris Park with a protected beach and swimming area. Every hour, fee and rule here was read from the operator’s own website on October 24, 2026.
The short list for Key Largo and Tavernier
Three beaches, two operators. The hours and fees in this table are the operators’ own figures, as posted October 24, 2026. Where a page said nothing about dogs, we say that instead of guessing.
| Beach | Operator | Hours (as posted Oct. 24, 2026) | Entry fee (as posted Oct. 24, 2026) | Dogs | What is there |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon Beach (Pennekamp) | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year | Park admission: multiple-occupant vehicle $8 plus 50 cents per person up to eight; single-occupant vehicle $4.50; pedestrian or bicyclist $2.50 | Not posted on the pages we checked | The park’s primary snorkeling beach; 1715 Spanish shipwreck artifacts about 100 feet offshore |
| Far Beach (Pennekamp) | Florida State Parks | 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year | Same park admission as Cannon Beach | Not posted on the pages we checked | Swimming beach with palm trees for shade |
| Harry Harris Park, Tavernier | Monroe County Parks and Beaches | Sunrise to one-half hour after sunset (athletic fields until 10 p.m.) | $15 per vehicle, charged to non-Monroe-County residents on weekends and holidays only | Leashed pets allowed, excluding the beach area | Protected beach and swimming area, playground, pavilions, grills, picnic tables, beach wheelchair, boat ramp |
Want this filtered by fee, dogs or facilities instead? The beach finder sorts every confirmed Keys beach, and the version below is already set to this end of the chain.
Beach finder
Every public beach here, as the operators post it
3 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 Largo and Tavernier · Mile marker 102.5
Cannon Beach (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park)
- Run by
- Florida State Parks
- Hours
- 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year
- Fees
- Entry fee Vehicle $8 + $0.50/person up to 8; $2.50 each additional person; single-occupant vehicle $4.50; pedestrian/bicyclist $2.50; boat ramp $10/vessel
- Dogs
- No dog rule posted on the operator page
- Snorkeling
- No lifeguards; swim at own risk
- Temporary closures when parking fills (early afternoon weekends/holidays)
- Construction notice effective 2026-07-22
Source: Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, checked October 24, 2026
Key Largo and Tavernier · Mile marker 102.5
Far Beach (John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park)
- Run by
- Florida State Parks
- Hours
- 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year
- Fees
- Entry fee Same park admission as Cannon Beach: vehicle $8 + $0.50/person up to 8; single-occupant $4.50; pedestrian/bicyclist $2.50
- Dogs
- No dog rule posted on the operator page
- Shade
- No lifeguards; swim at own risk
- Swimming outside designated areas prohibited without diver-down flag
Source: Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, checked October 24, 2026
Key Largo and Tavernier · Mile marker 92.5
Harry Harris Park beach
- Run by
- Monroe County Parks and Beaches
- Hours
- sunrise to one-half hour after sunset daily (athletic fields to 10 p.m.)
- Fees
- Entry fee Non-Monroe-County residents only, holidays and weekends: $15/vehicle; boat ramp +$40 non-holiday weekends / $60 holidays incl. lobster mini-season; military/disabled-veteran waiver with ID
- Dogs
- Leashed pets in the park, not on the beach
- Restrooms
- Picnic shelters
- Playground
- Shade
- Wheelchair access
Source: Monroe County, FL: Harry Harris Park, checked October 24, 2026
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John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Pennekamp is at 102601 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, and the park concession’s FAQ places the entrance at Mile Marker 102.5 on US 1. The park phone is 305-676-3777. Florida State Parks lists the park open 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year, as posted October 24, 2026.
Cannon Beach
Florida State Parks calls Cannon Beach the park’s primary snorkeling beach. Artifacts from a 1715 Spanish shipwreck have been placed underwater about 100 feet offshore for viewing, and the park says visitors may see marine creatures among the seagrasses. The visitor center and its 30,000-gallon saltwater aquarium sit by the main concession building and Cannon Beach; Florida State Parks lists the visitor center open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, as posted October 24, 2026. Our snorkeling beaches page compares Cannon Beach with the other places the operators list for snorkeling.
Far Beach
Florida State Parks describes Far Beach as a relaxing place to swim or sit under palm trees. One park admission covers both beaches, so a group can split between snorkeling and shade.
What it costs and where to park
Florida State Parks posts this admission schedule for Pennekamp, as posted October 24, 2026: a multiple-occupant vehicle pays $8 plus 50 cents per person for up to eight people, then $2.50 for each additional person over eight; a single-occupant vehicle pays $4.50; a pedestrian or bicyclist pays $2.50 per person. The boat ramp fee is $10 per vessel, day use only. That 50-cent piece is the Monroe County surcharge that shows up on most state park fees in the Keys, which is why the total depends on how many people are in the car.
Parking is included in the entrance fee. The park has 351 designated parking spots, and Florida State Parks says that on weekends and holidays they tend to fill by early afternoon, at which point the park closes temporarily until space opens. On a Saturday, arrive in the morning.
The construction notice
A Florida State Parks notice effective July 22, 2026 says one of the park’s two boat ramps and the boat sewage pump-out station are temporarily unavailable, and boat trailer parking has been significantly reduced, to support ongoing improvements. The notice does not close the beaches. If you are trailering a boat, read the park’s Know Before You Go notice before you leave home.
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is open 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
- Pennekamp admission: multiple-occupant vehicle $8 plus 50 cents per person up to eight people; $2.50 each additional person over eight; single-occupant vehicle $4.50; pedestrian or bicyclist $2.50 per person. Boat ramp fee $10 per vessel, day use only. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp hours & fees
- Pennekamp has two human-made beaches. Cannon Beach is the park's primary snorkeling beach, with artifacts from an early Spanish shipwreck placed about 100 feet offshore; Far Beach is a relaxing place to swim or sit under palm trees. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp experiences & amenities
- 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
- 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
Harry Harris Park, Tavernier
Harry Harris Park is a 21-acre oceanfront Monroe County park at 50 East Beach Road, at the end of East Beach Road in Tavernier, Mile Marker 92.5. It is the family option on this stretch: a protected beach and swimming area, a playground, pavilions, barbecue grills and picnic tables, plus two baseball fields and basketball courts. The county’s facilities page also lists a beach wheelchair.
Monroe County lists the park open every day from sunrise until one-half hour after sunset, as posted October 24, 2026, except the athletic fields, which stay open until 10 p.m. The county code that closes unincorporated county parks from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. names Harry Harris as its exception.
The fee only applies to some visitors. Monroe County charges admission to non-county residents on weekends and holidays, $15 per vehicle, as posted October 24, 2026. Launching a boat costs extra: $40 on non-holiday weekends and $60 on Monroe County holidays, which the county says include contiguous weekend days and the two-day July lobster mini-season. Active military, disabled veterans and immediate family are waived with proper ID. The deep-water double boat ramp has a finger pier, a 55-foot limit for vehicle plus trailer, and 20 trailer parking spaces on a first-come basis.
Dogs: Monroe County allows leashed pets at Harry Harris but excludes them from the beach area. Bring the dog for the park, not the sand.
- Harry Harris Park is a 21-acre oceanfront Monroe County park in Tavernier with a boat ramp, pavilions, barbecue grills, picnic tables, a playground, a protected beach and a swimming area, plus two baseball fields and basketball courts. Monroe County, FL: Harry Harris Park
- Harry Harris Park is open every day from sunrise until one-half hour after sunset, except the athletic fields, which are open until 10 p.m. Monroe County, FL: Harry Harris Park
- Harry Harris admission is charged to non-Monroe-County residents only, on holidays and weekends: $15 per vehicle. Boat ramp (in addition): $40 on non-holiday weekends, $60 on Monroe County holidays (which include contiguous weekend days and the two-day July lobster mini-season). Active military, disabled veterans and immediate family are waived with proper ID. Monroe County, FL: Parks & Beaches FAQ (Harry Harris Park)
- 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
Rules that apply at the county park
Monroe County says all county-owned parks and beaches are no-smoking, with an exception for an unfiltered cigar, and that owners must clean up after leashed pets. No commercial activity of any kind is allowed on a county beach or park without a county lease or license. None of the operators here posts lifeguards. Florida State Parks says plainly that there are no lifeguards on duty at Pennekamp and that you swim at your own risk.
- 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
- There are no lifeguards on duty at Pennekamp; swimming is at your own risk. Swimming or snorkeling outside designated swimming areas is prohibited unless a diver-down flag is properly displayed. Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp experiences & amenities
What we could not confirm
Neither Pennekamp page we read posted a dog rule for the beaches, so we list it as not posted. Monroe County lists 22 properties from Key Largo to Key West, but only Harry Harris had a beach and swimming page we could cite for this area. Heading south? The next stop is Islamorada’s two Village beaches.
What is the best beach in Key Largo?
The operator-confirmed public options at the top of the Keys are the two human-made beaches inside John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park: Cannon Beach, the park's primary snorkeling beach with 1715 Spanish shipwreck artifacts about 100 feet offshore, and Far Beach, which Florida State Parks calls a relaxing place to swim under palm trees. In Tavernier, Monroe County's Harry Harris Park has a protected beach and swimming area.
Source: Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp experiences & amenities
How much does John Pennekamp cost?
Admission is $8 per multiple-occupant vehicle plus 50 cents per person for up to eight people ($2.50 each additional person), $4.50 for a single-occupant vehicle, and $2.50 per pedestrian or bicyclist; the boat ramp is $10 per vessel for day use.
Is Cannon Beach at Pennekamp open?
The park is open 8 a.m. to sunset year-round, but as of a notice effective July 22, 2026, one of the park's two boat ramps and the sewage pump-out are closed and boat trailer parking is significantly reduced due to construction. The park also closes temporarily when its 351 parking spots fill, typically early afternoon on weekends and holidays.
Source: Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp Know Before You Go
Are there lifeguards at Pennekamp beaches?
No. Florida State Parks says there are no lifeguards on duty at John Pennekamp; swimming is at your own risk, and swimming or snorkeling outside designated areas is prohibited unless a diver-down flag is properly displayed.
Source: Florida State Parks: John Pennekamp experiences & amenities
Can you swim at Harry Harris Park in Tavernier?
Yes. Monroe County's 21-acre oceanfront Harry Harris Park (Mile Marker 92.5) has a protected beach and swimming area plus a playground, pavilions, grills and restrooms. It is open sunrise to one-half hour after sunset; non-county residents pay $15 per vehicle on weekends and holidays.
Dates, rules and hours can change. The organisers have the final word: Florida State Parks (official site)