Top choice in Upper Keys
Named after local environmentalist Anne Eaton, this tiny beach is one of the finest seascapes in these parts. The small ribbon of sand opens upon a sky-bright stretch of tidal flats and a green tunnel of hammock and wetland. A short (quarter-mile) boardwalk leads through the mangroves with lookouts and picnic tables along the way.
The tiny parking lot is often full. There's additional parking on the bayside, a short walk south of Anne's Beach.
Florida Keys History of Diving Museum
9.44 MILES
You can’t miss the diving museum – it’s the building with the enormous mural of whale sharks on the side. The journey into the undersea covers 4000 years,…
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
28.35 MILES
John Pennekamp has the singular distinction of being the first underwater park in the USA. There’s 170 acres of dry parkland here and over 48,000 acres …
Florida Keys Aquarium Encounters
19.88 MILES
A visit to this small, interactive aquarium starts with a free 20-minute guided tour of some fascinating marine ecosystems. There are also more immersive…
Long Key State Recreation Area
5.65 MILES
The 965-acre Long Key State Recreation Area takes up much of Long Key. It’s about 30 minutes south of Islamorada, and comprises a tropical clump of gumbo…
Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Site
11.58 MILES
To get his railroad built across the islands, Henry Flagler had to quarry out some sizable chunks of the Keys. The best evidence of those efforts can be…
29.72 MILES
Here’s one for the movie fans, particularly Bogie buffs: the lively Caribbean Club Bar is, in fact, the only place in Key Largo where Key Largo, starring…
Laura Quinn Wild Bird Sanctuary
19.58 MILES
This 7-acre sanctuary serves as a protected refuge for a wide variety of injured birds. A boardwalk leads through various enclosures where you can learn a…
22.84 MILES
This is one of the nicest spots on the island to stop and smell the roses. And the pinelands. And the palm hammock – a sort of palm jungle (imagine…
1. Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
4.39 MILES
This key, only accessible by boat, encompasses a 280-acre island of virgin tropical forest and is home to roughly a zillion jillion mosquitoes. The…
2. Indian Key Historic State Park
4.57 MILES
This quiet island was once a thriving city, complete with a warehouse, docks, streets, a hotel and about 40 to 50 permanent residents. There’s not much…
3. Long Key State Recreation Area
5.65 MILES
The 965-acre Long Key State Recreation Area takes up much of Long Key. It’s about 30 minutes south of Islamorada, and comprises a tropical clump of gumbo…
4. Florida Keys History of Diving Museum
9.44 MILES
You can’t miss the diving museum – it’s the building with the enormous mural of whale sharks on the side. The journey into the undersea covers 4000 years,…
5. Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Site
11.58 MILES
To get his railroad built across the islands, Henry Flagler had to quarry out some sizable chunks of the Keys. The best evidence of those efforts can be…
6. Rain Barrel Sculpture Gallery
13.19 MILES
Once you see the giant lobster, you know you've arrived. Welcome to the Rain Barrel, Islamorada’s local artists’ village, which is packed with souvenir-y…
13.39 MILES
This 40-acre site has a small but lovely sandy beach, with calm waters flanked by mangroves at opposite sides. There's also a playground (pirate-themed),…
16.78 MILES
This park is small but sweet and the rangers are just lovely. Like most parks in the Keys, it’s a good spot for preserved tropical hardwood and mangrove…