Rest Beach Park(C.B. Harvey Rest Beach Park)

Located in the island city of Key West, Rest Beach Park has a small and narrow beach situated at the southern end of the island. Also known as C.B. Harvey Rest Beach Park, Rest Beach Park was named after Cornelius Bradford Harvey who was a former city mayor and commissioner. Rest Beach Park is surrounded by coconut trees and has beautiful beige-colored sand which makes it very popular among tourists and locals.  Rest Beach Park is a perfect destination for many water sports enthusiasts including swimmers, sailors, and paddleboarders.  

Rest Beach Park offers many amenities including restrooms, showers, picnic tables, volleyball courts, and a fishing pier. 

There are many fun activities at Rest Beach Park including swimming, sailing, fishing, and paddleboarding. If you are looking for additional activities, you can drive 10 minutes east to Smathers Beach, an incredible spot for jet-skiing and boating. 

Getting to Rest Beach Park is very easy – the beach’s free parking lot is situated at 1300 Atlantic Boulevard and is within walking distance to the beach. 

In 2013, a long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad swam 110 miles without a shark cage from Cuba to Smathers Beach along Rest Beach Park. 

If you are looking for attractions near Rest Beach Park, you can drive nine minutes to Key West Aquarium that is among the oldest aquariums in Florida and is home to exhibits on alligators, Atlantic shore fish, jellyfish, sharks, sea turtles, and a touch tank. The Hemingway Home and Museum is a very popular tourist attraction in Key West – it features the works from the life of American writer Ernest Hemingway and his large population of Hemingway cats. The incredible waterfront square Mallory Square is filled with tourists and is known for its restaurants, shops, and night festivals. Another great attraction near Rest Beach Park is Duval Street’s Sunset Pier that is a part of the lively Duval Street and is a great spot for photography and picnicking. 

If you get hungry, there are many restaurants within a three-minute drive of Rest Beach Park.  The upscale vegetarian-friendly fine dining restaurant Bel Mare serves scallops, pork belly, burritos, beets, shrimps, and wines. If you like French cuisine, Banana Café is known for its crepes, comfortable atmosphere, and artsy walls. Another good restaurant near Rest Beach Park is the Latin American restaurant Paradise Restaurant featuring handmade cocktails and traditional dishes from various countries including Peru, Argentina, Colombia, and Brazil. 

If you are looking for a hotel near Rest Beach Park, there are many hotels within a 10-minute drive. The 4-Star Marquesa Hotel is a Victorian-era hotel with two pools, a bar, and a restaurant. Opal Key Resort & Marine is a seaside 4-Star pet-friendly hotel offering a pool, poolside bar, open-air bar, spa, restaurant with water views, gym, and diving, fishing, and snorkeling tours. The 3-Star Hampton Inn Key West has a pool, poolside bar, and an open-air restaurant. If you are looking for a budget-friendly hotel near Rest Beach Park, the 2-Star NYAH Key West features three pools and diving, fishing, snorkeling, and windsurfing tours.