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Marathon · checked Oct. 24, 2026

Marathon, FL beaches: Sombrero, Coco Plum and Curry Hammock

The short answer

Marathon has three confirmed public beaches. The City of Marathon runs Sombrero Beach, open 7 a.m. to dusk, and Coco Plum Beach, open 7:30 a.m. to dusk, with no entry fee posted for either, as posted October 24, 2026. Both are sea turtle nesting beaches from April through October. Curry Hammock State Park, run by Florida State Parks, adds a natural beach popular with paddlers and kiteboarders.

Last checked November 1, 2026

Broad, bright white-sand beach under a deep-blue sky, with two open rainbow-striped umbrellas, a cooler and a reclining person (back to camera, not identifiable) in the middle ground, a cluster of tall palms behind them, and calm blue water with a mangrove shoreline beyond. A light pole and a single palm stand at right beside dune grass; a few tiny figures stand at the water's edge.
Photo: Franz Stellbrink, CC BY 3.0 (cropped)

Marathon has three public beaches we could confirm, and two of them posted no entry fee. The City of Marathon runs Sombrero Beach and Coco Plum Beach. Florida State Parks runs Curry Hammock State Park. Each has a different personality, and Sombrero and Coco Plum share a seasonal rule that visitors from April through October should know. Every hour, fee and rule below comes from the operator’s page as we read it on October 24, 2026.

Marathon’s three beaches compared

BeachOperatorHours (as posted Oct. 24, 2026)Entry fee (as posted Oct. 24, 2026)DogsWhat is there
Sombrero BeachCity of Marathon Parks and Recreation7:00 a.m. to dusk, Monday through SundayNo fee postedCity parks are dog friendly, leashed; no separate beach rule postedSandy Atlantic beach; shady park; picnic pavilions; playgrounds; volleyball courts; restrooms; showers; no RV or bus parking
Coco Plum BeachCity of Marathon Parks and Recreation7:30 a.m. to duskNo fee postedCity parks are dog friendly, leashed; no separate beach rule postedNatural beach beside a wetland; restrooms; covered pavilion; no RV or bus parking
Curry Hammock State ParkFlorida State Parks8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a yearHours and fees page: one person $4.50; two $6; three $6.50; up to eight $9; pedestrians and bicyclists $2.50Not posted on the pages we checkedSwimming; paddling on calm days; kiteboarding on windy days; picnicking

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.

  • Marathon

    Curry Hammock State Park beach

    Run by
    Florida State Parks
    Hours
    8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year
    Fees
    Entry fee Hours & fees page: 1 person $4.50; 2 people $6; 3 people $6.50; up to 8 people $9 (each includes the $0.50 per person Monroe County surcharge); pedestrian/bicyclist $2.50. The park's main page listed 1 person $4.50 and two or more people $6 when checked 2026-11-01, so the two pages differ for 3 or more people.
    Dogs
    No dog rule posted on the operator page
    • Picnic shelters
    • Largest undeveloped parcel between Key Largo and Big Pine Key
    • Record peregrine falcon passage every fall

    Source: Florida State Parks: Curry Hammock State Park, checked November 1, 2026

  • Marathon

    Sombrero Beach

    Run by
    City of Marathon Parks and Recreation
    Hours
    7:00 a.m. to dusk, Monday through Sunday
    Fees
    No fee posted no fee posted on pages checked 2026-10-24
    Dogs
    City parks are dog friendly (leashed); beach rule not posted separately
    • Restrooms
    • Showers
    • Picnic shelters
    • Playground
    • Shade
    • Wheelchair access
    • Sea turtle nesting April-October; activity limited near active nests (typically under 10% of beach area)
    • NO RV or bus parking

    Source: City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach, checked October 24, 2026

  • Marathon

    Coco Plum Beach

    Run by
    City of Marathon Parks and Recreation
    Hours
    7:30 a.m. to dusk
    Fees
    No fee posted no fee posted on pages checked 2026-10-24
    Dogs
    City parks are dog friendly (leashed); beach rule not posted separately
    • Restrooms
    • Picnic shelters
    • Shade
    • Sea turtle nesting beach
    • NO RV or bus parking
    • Entrance 1.4 miles on the right off Coco Plum Drive (109 Coco Plum Dr)

    Source: City of Marathon: Coco Plum Beach, checked October 24, 2026

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Sombrero Beach

Sombrero Beach is the family pick. The City of Marathon describes 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. To get there, turn south on Sombrero Beach Road and drive to the end.

The City of Marathon lists Sombrero open Monday through Sunday, 7:00 a.m. to dusk, as posted October 24, 2026. The City’s page posted no entry fee. One practical limit: there are no RV or bus parking spots at Sombrero Beach, so leave the motorhome elsewhere.

  • 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
  • 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

Coco Plum Beach

Coco Plum is the more natural of the two city beaches. The City of Marathon describes a beach area with an adjacent wetland, restroom facilities and a covered pavilion. Turn south on Coco Plum Drive; the entrance is 1.4 miles down on the right. The City lists Coco Plum open 7:30 a.m. until dusk, as posted October 24, 2026, with no entry fee posted. As at Sombrero, there is no RV or bus parking.

  • 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

Sea turtle nesting, April through October

Both city beaches are sea turtle nesting beaches. The City of Marathon says that from April through October, primarily loggerheads come ashore at night to nest at Sombrero. The City surveys the beach for new nests and limits human activity near active nests, which it says typically represent less than 10% of the available beach area. In other words, the beach stays open during nesting season; the marked nest areas do not. Coco Plum is also listed by the City as a turtle nesting beach. Our sea turtle season page explains what changes on the sand during those months.

  • 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

Dogs in Marathon

The City of Marathon says all of its parks are dog friendly except the Community Park soccer and baseball fields. Dogs must be leashed and owners must pick up after them. Neither beach page posts a separate beach rule, so the citywide rule is the one we can cite. Keep dogs well clear of marked nests in season.

Curry Hammock State Park

Curry Hammock is at 56200 Overseas Highway, Marathon, phone 305-289-2690. Florida State Parks calls it the largest undeveloped parcel of land between Key Largo and Big Pine Key. On calm days paddlers find quiet water there; on windy days the park fills with kiteboarders. It also hosts record numbers of peregrine falcons every fall, worth knowing if you watch birds.

Florida State Parks lists Curry Hammock open 8 a.m. to sunset, 365 days a year, as posted October 24, 2026.

Two fee figures, one park

The two Florida State Parks pages for Curry Hammock differ for groups of three or more. The park’s main page, as posted November 1, 2026, said one person $4.50 and two or more people $6. The park’s hours and fees page, as posted October 24, 2026, gave a longer ladder: one person $4.50, two people $6, three people $6.50 and up to eight people $9, each including a 50-cent Monroe County surcharge per person, with pedestrians, bicyclists and extra passengers at $2.50. The two pages agree for one or two people. We treat the hours and fees page as current and show the other figure so you are not surprised at the gate.

Who to call

City of Marathon Parks and Recreation is at 200 36th St Ocean, Marathon, 305-743-6598. For Curry Hammock, call the park. For the next beach south, see Bahia Honda State Park, or compare everything in the beach finder.

Which beach in Marathon is best for families?

Sombrero Beach: the City of Marathon 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. It is open 7 a.m. to dusk. Coco Plum Beach (7:30 a.m. to dusk) is the more natural option, with restrooms and a covered pavilion.

Source: City of Marathon: Sombrero Beach

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 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)

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