The Florida Keys Beaches Journal
One beach question at a time, from Key Largo to Key West. Every post is dated and links its sources.
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Long Key State Park and King Tides: the closure notice and how to check before you drive
Long Key State Park in the Florida Keys may be closed for portions of the day because of King Tide flooding, under a Florida State Parks notice effective September 26,…
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Florida Keys beach fees explained: the 50-cent surcharge and every fee ladder
Florida Keys beach fees, in the operators’ words as posted October 24, 2026: state parks add a 50-cent Monroe County surcharge per person, so Pennekamp is $8 a vehicle plus…
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Sombrero Beach in turtle season: what closes and what stays open
Sea turtle nesting at Sombrero Beach in Marathon, Florida Keys, runs April through October per the City of Marathon. The City limits activity near active nests, typically under 10% of…
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Cannon Beach at Pennekamp: snorkeling the 1715 shipwreck artifacts, and the construction notice
Cannon Beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo is a Florida Keys snorkel you can start from the sand: artifacts from a 1715 Spanish shipwreck sit…
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Smathers vs. Higgs vs. Fort Zachary Taylor: three Key West beaches, compared with receipts
Three Key West beaches in the Florida Keys, compared on what their operators post. As posted October 24, 2026: Smathers is open sunrise to sunset with parking at $5 an…
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Anne’s Beach in Islamorada: calm, shallow water, and leashed dogs welcome
Anne’s Beach, at Mile Marker 73.5 on Lower Matecumbe Key in the Florida Keys, is the Village of Islamorada’s calm, shallow beach where leashed dogs are welcome. The Village lists…
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