This Key West Beach Has Snorkeling, White Sands, and a Civil War Fort

Salty air greets me as I stroll onto my favorite Key West beach. It’s definitely not the biggest beach in Florida, but in a city that’s only about four miles long and less than two miles wide, that’s understandable. Some of Florida’s best beaches are actually longer than the whole town. But great things often come in small packages, and Key West is proof. It’s one of my favorite places and brings all of the tropical vibes, as well as a little quirkiness. Key West is a unique piece of paradise, and the best beach in Key West is no exception. Fort Zachary Taylor State Park combines coastal beauty with rich history, and this isn’t your typical beach experience. 

In my personal opinion, there are a few things that really stand out and make this the best Key West beach:

This is a great beach where you can lounge and relax all day if that’s your preference, but it’s also the perfect place to have some in-the-water fun and meet the local marine life, too. You may want to bring some water shoes along, because it is rocky. The rock jetty is really cool though and I suggest snorkeling around there. When I’ve visited, I’ve seen several reef fish that weren’t far from shore. If you don’t have your own snorkel gear, you can rent it there. 

If you want to just chill on the beach, you can also rent chairs and umbrellas onsite. This is a small beach though, and there are a limited number of spots where they have umbrellas. If you plan to stake claim to one of those for the day, I would suggest getting there early before those areas are reserved. 

This is a beach where you can plan to come and spend a whole day, so bring along some food. There are grills and picnic tables that make it easy to have a nice little picnic by the beach. If you don’t feel like lugging in all of your own food though, there’s a little cafe onsite where you can get things like sandwiches, salads, wraps, pizza, and ice cream. To truly feel the tropical vibes, try one of their pina coladas—the ones served up there are quite tasty. 

I think a stroll through Fort Taylor is one of the coolest things about going to this beach. You can see this National Historic Landmark when you visit and you’ll get to see real cannons that were used to defend the area during the Civil War. You’ll feel like you’re back in the 1800s as you’re walking through it, and it’s neat to take a step back in history—especially just steps from the best Key West beach. 

You’re able to walk through the fort on your own, but if you want to experience it on a deeper level, there are other experiences available, too. The interpretive signage around the fort tells you a lot, but you can also take a ranger-led tour at 11 a.m. each day and hear more about the fort’s past. The tour is free and you don’t have to sign up in advance. Just show up at the entrance to the fort right before 11. 

If you want a more immersive historical experience, you can plan your trip to align with some of their cool events. On the third weekend of each month they host Living History events and you can see live reenactments at the fort with people dressed in attire from the Civil War era. Each February they also host a larger reenactment event called Civil War Heritage Days. 

When you go to Key West, everyone will tell you that one of the coolest things to do is to visit Mallory Square’s Sunset Celebration (and it really is a must-do when visiting). However, on my first trip to the area many years ago, someone shared a local tip with me about another spectacular place to see the sun go down. (My apologies to the locals for sharing this secret spot.)  

I gave it a shot when I was told about it, and I’m so glad I did. The beach at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is another one of the best places to see a sunset in Key West and you need to plan at least one night to see it from there. You won’t have the loud, festive vibes of Mallory Square, but you will experience a quiet and serene spot to see the sun setting over the water. I’ve seen sailboats come by with the sun setting behind them and it was so peaceful.

If you venture out to see the sunset at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, just make sure you’re inside the gate before the sun starts setting. They shut the gate once the solar spectacle starts, but the rangers are super cool. If you’re already inside the park before it starts, they let you stay to see the whole show. After the sun has set on a great day, they give you about 10 minutes to collect your belongings and exit the park. 

Make new feathered friends: This park is a part of the Great Florida Birding Trail and it’s an awesome place to check some birds off of your birding life list—especially during fall migration. You can find a dry erase board near the ranger station that lists all of the birds that have been seen there. 

Go geocaching: While there has been actual treasure found in the water around the Florida Keys, there are other hidden treasures that can be found within the park. OK, so these may not be the gold, silver, and jewels that treasure hunter Mel Fisher found on the sunken fleets, but it’s still fun to search for the trinkets inside the geocache that is hidden near the fort. 

Take a hike: The trail is only about a mile long and it’s really easy. It’s a good nature walk for even the most novice of hikers. What it lacks in length though, it makes up for in scenery.  

Go fishing: You can’t fish in the swimming area, but there is an area alongside the shipping channel where people fish for a variety of species like snook, tarpon, and snapper. Just be careful on the rocks, they can be slippery.