One has a nice boardwalk to the short Mangrove Trail (under construction from a storm). Each of the adjoining beaches has its own swim area blocked off by buoys on a rope. Because of this, I found that both of Pennekamp’s beaches would be great for skipping rocks or going for a gentle float.įirst up is the wraparound Far Beach, which is split in two by a beautiful wall of mangroves. The park is located on Largo Sound, which is a perfectly calm rectangular bay off the Atlantic Ocean that is surrounded by mangroves in all directions, except for a tiny boat navigation channel that leads to the open water. It also offers kayaking, paddleboarding, and snorkeling excursions to nearby reefs. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park has a $5 entrance fee but once you’re in, you can enjoy two of Key Largo’s best and most well-protected beaches. Far Beach – perfect for a quiet meditation Harry Harris Park – beautiful swimming tidal pool Here’s what I discovered, including a hidden gem. We visited as many public beaches as I could find. If you don’t want to rent a car, you can easily explore the 33-mile island on a bike.) (When I visited on my sailboat I learned that it’s really not an easy city to navigate without a car, as most public transportation is designed to bring people from key to key, and Lyft and Uber were out of my budget. I explored the island twice, first aboard my sailboat and then with a friend who had a car. The article I’ve written focuses exclusively on beaches located in Key Largo. These beaches were one of the highlights in my Key Largo explorations, and one of my favorite things to do in the Florida Keys. Because they were built with people in mind, they are also equipped with public bathrooms, picnic tables and enough trees to provide shade. I truly loved how the nature-inspired architectural designs created safe and beautiful swim areas with breathtaking views of either the mangroves or the ocean. Any beaches you do find there are most likely manmade, and the ones I discovered are absolutely gorgeous. But surprisingly, Key Largo has few if any natural ones! Instead, its 33-mile east and west coasts are blanketed with mangroves. When I think of Florida, I think of beaches. This post was written by Nicole Edwards, a solo-sailing freelance writer for BMTM.

Key largo beach