Best LGBTQ Beaches in Key West

Located in the southeastern part of the island-city of Key West, Smathers Beach is a popular half-mile long narrow beach with white sand and rocky jetties.  This beach is one of the largest beaches in Key West – it was listed as one of the six best beaches in Key West by Southern Living magazine and it was also listed as one of the best beaches in Key West by Travel+Leisure magazine.

Located on the island city of Key West, Loggerhead Key is an uninhabited and the largest island among the group of islands that are part of Dry Tortugas National Park. Loggerhead Key has a very long, wide, and white sand beach situated in front of the Gulf of Mexico. Named after loggerhead sea turtles, Loggerhead Key is home to many plants, birds, and animals including Geiger trees, coconut palms, cactus, white buttonwood trees, bay cedar, brown pelicans, sea turtles, and rhesus macaque monkeys. The Little Africa coral reef is situated at Loggerhead Key making it a perfect destination for many water sports activities including swimming, snorkeling, diving, sailing, paddleboarding, and watching tropical fish, spiny lobster, and game fish. Loggerhead Key is west of the island of Garden Key – an incredible camping spot and northeast of Windjammer Wreck – a popular dive site. 

Located near the southernmost point of the continental United States, South Beach is a small and popular beach with white sand, palm trees, and some gravel. This 200-feet long beach is situated near the Southernmost Beach Café. As an interesting fact, the famous playwright Tennessee Williams would often visit this beach for a swim while staying in Key West. A concrete pier named the Emma Carrero Cates Pier is also present on this beach. South Beach does not have lifeguards or any other amenities except some nearby drinking fountains and beach-chair rental facilities, so plan your trip accordingly. Getting to South Beach is easy - the beach is situated near the southern end of Duval Street, near its intersection with South Street. Metered parking spaces are also available near this beach. We recommend visiting this beach early as the parking spaces present near the beach often fill up quickly.

South Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, wildlife watching, fishing, swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, and boating. The water near this beach is shallow and generally calm, which makes it ideal for beginner swimmers. If you are planning to go into the water near South Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near this beach including manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins. If you are planning to fish in the water near South Beach, we recommend ensuring compliance with the local fishing regulations.