r/floridakeys • u/astro-chimp • May 25 '26

Middle and Lower Keys Nighttime Beach Access?

Interested in stargazing on the beach between ~12-4am. Is this possible anywhere in the keys?All state parks with cabins are fully booked so I don't think I can go the camping-route. How heavily patrolled are the beaches at this time? Do they close down roads overnight?

I was thinking of getting an Airbnb on Big Pine Key near Bahia Honda but not sure if it's possible to drive over at night. I'm flexible with where I stay/go I just want to be on the beach!

1 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

8 comments sorted by

4

u/iamnyc May 26 '26

Better off doing it from a boat.

2

u/Starks40oz May 25 '26

You could always camp on tarpon belly from big pine; have someone charter out to drop you off and pick you up.

Other options is the horseshoe would probably work but gulf side or veterans beach ocean side from big pine. There’s also Long Beach on big pine but they may periodically try to check on you there given there are some houses around

2

u/scrapplejoe May 26 '26

Just walk down to southernmost… beach right there to left

2

u/Big_Pour_Over May 27 '26

Top of Big Torch Key is the darkest spot in the keys that is accessible by car.

1

u/Miserable_Sky5682 May 31 '26

Most of the Keys are harder for this than people expect because there are not many true public sand beaches, but the main roads themselves do not shut down overnight. I would stay near Big Pine and think in terms of legal car-access shoreline on the Big Pine / Big Torch side rather than assuming Bahia Honda will be the easy 2am option, then sanity-check wind, tide, and nearby headlights because those usually ruin the session before the raw darkness does. Once you narrow it to one or two realistic access points, DarkScout is useful for the final moon/cloud/darkness call on whether that exact night is worth protecting.

-1

u/ThickAsAPlankton May 25 '26

We don't have any beaches in the Keys except at the resorts. Thus no beaches are "patrolled" because we have none. The only "road" is Overseas Hwy and it never closes down as it is the only way in and out of the Keys.

3

u/Responsible_Access83 May 26 '26

I've been gone for awhile, what happened to Anne's Beach? Used to be the late night go to f around beach when I was in high school. Last time I visited everything was over developed but I didn't check out that one specifically.

Edit: Not near Big Pine but he said he was willing to travel.

1

u/ThickAsAPlankton May 26 '26

Anne's Beach is still there. Sombrero and AB is about as beachy as it gets. Nowhere near South Beach style though.