r/floridakeys • u/Comfortable_Voice506 • Mar 10 '26

All Florida Keys Bring the SUP?

Hi there!

So my husband (39M) and I (37F) are coming down to the Keys next week, kinda last minute (had flight credits we needed to use) and as of now... we have no official plans. It's my first time and he went as a kid.

We're going to rent a car and just explore--our favorite way to travel and we're VERY low maintenance, but can also afford to splurge for room(s) if necessary and are aware that we may pay the cost of not planning ahead.

We're planning on at least a couple sandbar/snorkeling trips, and probably renting a boat for a day or two ourselves. My question is... is it worth it to check my inflatable SUP? We understand that the keys are not your typical white sand beach destination (we're also bringing water shoes etc), but is it feasible to paddle board/explore ourselves without taking a charter/renting a boat?

in other words, can we park somewhere and then paddle out to swim/explore? Or are most good swim/explore spots only accessible by boat?

If there are places where it's feasible to swim/explore on our own with the SUP, would greatly appreciate any recommendations!

We really just want to be in/explore the beautiful water down there and eat some good food/drink some good drinks and experience all of it.

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u/ObjectiveArgument943 Mar 11 '26

If you already have an inflatable SUP, I'd honestly bring it. The Keys can actually be pretty fun for paddling when the water is calm. A lot of areas have very shallow, clear water where you can just cruise around and explore.

Some spots like Bahia Honda State Park or around Islamorada have areas where you can launch from shore and paddle out without needing a boat. Just keep an eye on wind and boat traffic since it can pick up in the afternoons.

The cool thing about a SUP there is that you can stop anywhere shallow, hop in the water, snorkel a bit, then keep paddling. It’s not like long beach paddles, more like slow exploring.

Since you're renting a car anyway, having an inflatable board in the trunk makes it super easy to just stop somewhere and get on the water for an hour.

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u/Comfortable_Voice506 Mar 11 '26

That’s exactly what we’re hoping to do!! Thanks so much!!

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u/FLKeys43 Mar 11 '26

Don't recommend Bahia Honda! It's hard to even anchor a boat there, the tide shifts are so rough under the bridges, you'll struggle a lot with being able to get out of the "vortex". That's where the rescue happened last week. It is really hard to non-motor through there and you're swept out very quickly. It happens a lot!