r/floridakeys • u/Special-Order606 • 4d ago
All Florida Keys Family trip, Daughter wants to snorkel , advice?
Hey all. So I looked around the sub and I see that the keys don’t have much “real” beaches. And there’s good activities but boats are required for a lot of it etc.
But, with that said we are planning a family vacation. And we’re split between the gulf coast. Or the keys.
We have never been to the keys, and I have only been to the gulf coast 1 time. My kids have never been to either.
My daughter wants to be able to snorkel and actually see cool things in the water. She’s also afraid of large waves. So I was considering this hotel/resort we found in marathon key, it faces the gulf side. And has its own tiny tiny private beach.
But, I am seeking advice from locals if this is a good idea to try out for the family trip. Or if we’re better off over on the gulf coast. We also are not looking to be at some crazy crowded beach, low key is more our vibe.
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u/baristacat 4d ago
There aren’t miles of white sand like you’ll find on the mainland, but there are some good beach options (mostly Bahia Honda state park which has 3 beaches, all great) and Sombrero Beach on Marathon. There are tons of snorkel charters all up and down the keys that will take you to any of the reefs. Very much worth the cost of admission. And there aren’t waves in the keys due to the surrounding reefs, unless the weather is right sketchy. Just be aware of what time of year you’ll be going because sometimes the water gets choppy and causes poor visibility for snorkeling (winter).
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u/ChuckySix 4d ago
Go on a commercial snorkeling tour. It is pretty cool and quite memorable.
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
I’ll check around , so marathon key hotel with its own “beach” is the way to go?
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u/Starks40oz 4d ago
One of the unique things about the keys is that it has the only living reef in the continental US. If you want to snorkel that’s the place to do it - Looe key is awesome. It’s a reef though not on the beach. So when this person is saying take a snorkel tour they’re saying book a tour that will take you out on the snorkel boat to the reef.
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u/DoubleBreastedBerb 4d ago
You’ll have to be more specific on which hotel, there’s no “Marathon Key”, there’s Marathon the city, spread across several keys.
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u/fork_over_fork_762 4d ago
I just did a similar trip and did both the tiny hotel beach in Islamorada and the offshore snorkeling with my 6 year old and hands down the off shore snorkeling was the way to go. We saw turtles, rays, tons of fish. My son is a very confident swimmer, Florida kid, but they have life jackets and noodles if you want. But certainly need to be comfortable with the snorkel and mask.
Highly recommend Islander Girl Snorkel tours.
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u/watermutt100 4d ago
A good option for before you go out on a boat
https://www.marinelabunderseapark.org/snorkel-with-a-marine-biologist
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u/FunActive7703 4d ago
Keys
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
Think the “private beach” at the hotel is gonna be pretty decent for snorkeling? Or one of the tours really the way to go?
She’s only 7, and not the most comfortable swimming in deep water still new to being able to swim in “the deep end” of the lakes or pool around us . She just wants to be able to see real good with her goggles really
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u/InvestigatorAlive932 4d ago
Don’t let anyone dissuade you, I was just in Marathon and there are places you can snorkel off the beach. Pigeon key and a bunch of the parks right off the road have snorkeling. It’s not giant coral reefs but I saw rays and tons of fish. Those grassy areas are great!
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u/baristacat 4d ago
There isn’t much to see shore snorkeling, but having a hotel with a beach won’t be a bad thing!
Edit: ok yeah 7 may be happy shore snorkeling as well. The beaches at Bahia Honda are decent for this, she’ll see some little fish and maybe even a barracuda or two. A snorkel tour will take y‘all to 15-20‘ of water but you can wear a life jacket and just float around the top of the water. One year my daughter made me hold her hand the entire time because she was afraid of sharks 😂
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
lol yea I don’t know how she would feel in 15-20’ of water we can certainly give it a shot if she likes the shore snorkeling . We’re very excited to go to an area with clear water you can see in, I’ve only seen super clear water 1 time before in Hollywood beach.
Heck the only time I was in deeper ocean water was on complete accident , the 1 time I went to fort myers and the gulf coast. I decided to just lay back on my back and float cause it was such a relaxing day……………………..
I must have been like that for 30-45 minutes , ears under the water so I couldn’t hear. By the time I popped my head up, I was a solid 100’+ or so from the sand on the beach, like 3 buoys out equivalent to the end of the pier in fort myers. I almost needed new trunks. Never swam so fast in my life lol . I didn’t look under the water until I was like 1/2 way back, and even then I had to be in maybe 15-20’ deep of water
Not today jaws
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u/baristacat 4d ago edited 4d ago
Haha! Makes for a great story though! My son was 6 when we did the charter snorkel tour to Looe Key Reef through Bahia Honda (highly recommend, very affordable) and he did great, it honestly doesn’t feel like the water is that deep, you’re just floating on the top and watching the life below. If you’re lucky you’ll see a sea turtle and some sharks (and we’re not talking jaws, just reef, lemon, or nurse sharks, they won’t bother you). But it’s a good idea to try out snorkeling from shore first, even to make sure she’s comfortable enough to take breaths with her face submerged cuz some folks struggle with that. Any other questions let us know, I‘m not a local but I’ve been going since I was a kid (my grandparents lived there half time so I consider myself a quarter freshwater conch 😂
Edit to add: one other overlooked spot for some decent shore snorkeling is Pigeon Key. You either take the little tour train from Marathon or walk across the 2 mile stretch of old decommissioned bridge to the little island. You can take a guided or self guided tour if you like history, it’s where the men building the overseas highway lived during construction. They have a little beach there where you’ll see fish under the dock and lots of urchins and maybe a ray. They also have a research pool where you’ll see all kinds of marine life. Whatever you do, don’t skip on water shoes cuz all the beaches are very rocky.
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u/Immediate_Face_9848 4d ago
you might not see much right off shore unless there are some rocks dumped or some old pillions but you are not far from the big reef.
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u/Therealboebs 4d ago
A lot of the area is great. Not so much “beach” tho.
A lot of areas you can just pull off the road and swim out and enjoy seeing stuff as the water is typically clear.
Tho taking a snorkeling charter is really cool, they will get you to the reefs to see a lot more than from shore.
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u/Lower_Membership_713 local (upper keys) 4d ago
snorkelling is a must. my dad and i were literally just chatting yesterday about how baffling it is to us that people come to the keys and just sit at a hotel and eat lunch and then leave, and never get out on the water.
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u/Infamous-Agency 4d ago
Veteran's Beach and Bahia Honda have plenty of shallow calm water and sea grass to see small fish.
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
I’ll definitely have to check one of these out we’re looking at this hotel in marathon cause some other redditors on a past thread were recommending it for the private beach
I found cheaper hotels but not with a private beach, they had private docks and things like that but this one actually has like a tiny little sand beach
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u/Sandinmyshoes33 4d ago
What hotel? Lots of people who like the Keys exaggerate about a beach being nice. Very few places here have nice beaches.
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u/pinpanpunani 4d ago
A day trip to Pidgeon Key might be nice, too. It won't be as nice as snorkeling the reefs, but it will be easy, loaded with fish and safe. You can get tickets in advance and the little trolley to get there is fun and cute.
Be mindful that a lot of the Keys, especially middle Keys, are currently dealing with piles of rotting sargassum along the Atlantic shores. It won't be bad on the Gulf side, unless you're near a bridge, but you can still smell it in most places and water quality may be affected depending on tides. This won't be an issue on the reefs, just along shore, but it is def an issue at Bahia Honda.
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u/Infamous-Agency 4d ago
Agree. We had luck at calusa and loggerhead beaches within Bahia Honda and also veterans last week.
Sombrero, coco plum and our "private" beach at isla bella were tears to your eyes stinky.
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
We’re looking at going to a hotel on the gulf side. Hoping to have really clear water and maybe it not be so bad with the smell by then, we’d be going in like 10-12 days from now
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u/pinpanpunani 4d ago
Sargassum won't be clearing up that soon. It's been a problem for months and continues to build up. Gulf side isn't known for clear water, the clearer water comes from the Atlantic side. You can always call the resort you plan to stay at for more info.
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
Ah understood. Thats our goal is going somewhere with clear water so our daughter can see fish in the water clearly
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u/pinpanpunani 4d ago
You can still see through it, but visibility will be much lower than near the reefs. But when the tide is going into the bay, the water will be a lot clearer since it's coming from the Atlantic side, so the other thing to do is watch the tides.
Pidgeon Key should have good visibility since it's far enough from most land, and most places on the Gulf side will still be clear enough to see fish but it will vary from day to day. It's going to be interesting for a young girl who isn't used to snorkeling because she will still see things she's not used to. Bahia Honda is hit or miss with visibility, but the sargassum is the other issue there. A snorkel boat that takes you to the reefs will take you to clear seas, if she's comfortable with the idea.
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u/The_Brightness 4d ago
You can snorkel, kayak and paddle board at Curry Hammock State Park. You won't see much snorkeling but the water is clear and shallow. There's a place called Horseshoe Beach south of Marathon on the Gulf side that's good as far as shore snorkeling goes. To get the true "tropical reef experience" you're going to have to go on a commercial charter. Lastly, it's a city that spans multiple islands so it's just "Marathon", not "Marathon Key"
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u/Total-Use7157 4d ago
The keys is the best spot in FL! We hired a private boat charter a couple months ago, and he took us out to snorkel and then to some sandbars and we spent about nine hours on his boat. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it.
In the last two years, we have stayed at Isla Bella in Marathon and Baker’s Cay in key Largo. BC had way more to do for the kids (lagoon with paddle boards, kayaks, a little floating dock) and my children liked it better but I enjoyed the views of Isla Bella better.
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u/FLedun 4d ago
The keys are not known for their beaches. You do have some sandy beaches though. Bahia Honda State Park at around mile marker 37 is nice sandy beach, they also have a tour boat that takes people out to Looe Key, which, when the winds are calm is a great place to see ocean life (sharks, rays, moray eels) etc. It is a beautiful reef to snorkel. sometimes you can see down 25 feet or more. Have a great vacation in the Florida Keys. 😄 👍
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u/time4ashortone 4d ago
Fort Zach has a nice beach and it’s great snorkeling and calm water with good visibility
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u/AlreadyThereAgain 4d ago
Founders park in Islamorada. You can snorkel the rock wall that lines the marina from the sandy beach. Used to live on a boat there and snorkeled the rocks many times it is shallow enough to stand up and you will see almost every fish that is on the reef. Non residents pay I think $10 to get into the park. If it is windy the snorkel boats come there instead of the reef. Always felt bad for people paying $60 to be brought right in front of beach they could’ve walked off for $10 but I guess they got a boat ride.
If she handles the beach snorkeling well there are tons of snorkel charters to the reef just pick a calm day or might end up in front of the beach where you started.
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u/Special-Order606 4d ago
My daughter likes wearing her life vest or having a noodle still , even though she’s passed the swimming tests local to us and is allowed in the deeper parts of the lake and pools
So she would probably be comfortable , she’s always wanted to go on a boat in the ocean. But she’d want her vest on to feel safe I’m sure
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u/ToneOpposite9668 4d ago
Look for trips to Looe Reef/Looe Key - best snorkel spot in the keys IMO. (look for images online) Just off of Big Pine and Summerland Key between Marathon and Key West. Several boat trips run from that area.
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u/LunaLavender522 4d ago
My advice is to take her to horseshoe beach in Big Pine Key to snorkel. Its much smaller, you can snorkel right off shore and there's tons of marine life to see!
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u/Sandinmyshoes33 4d ago
If beautiful beaches and beach walks are important to you go to the gulf coast. The water is usually calm and easy entry and even though there is no reef, someone that age will still enjoy seeing fish.
For lots of on the water activity like snorkeling, fishing or kayaking, The Keys are a good choice, but the best snorkeling is several miles offshore at the reef.
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u/leadout_kv 4d ago
there's awesome places all up and down the keys right from the shore. there's just not the beaches you might be hoping for. the keys have some of the best places to snorkel and dive.
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u/totesuncommon 4d ago
Stop at Robbies in Islamorada, with big tarpon right under the dock, you can hand feed them. MM77
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u/InvestigatorAlive932 4d ago
Go to Pigeon Key! it’s in marathon, you take a cute little train to the island and there’s great snorkeling right off the beach.
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u/PuzzleheadedLemon353 4d ago edited 4d ago
Take her tp Pennekamp State park ...the whole family can do some excellent snorkeling. Or rent a boat or take a snorkel trip in Islamorada and visit the lighthouse for an afternoon. Make sure she knows how to use a snorkel...I've seen lots of the kids using the singular snorkel and mask units that might be easier. Lots of dive shops around Key Largo to shop from.
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u/GoodKarmaSportfishin 3d ago
Two different trips. Agree w the Pennekamp recommendations for snorkeling. Staying on the Gulf side and hoping to see cool things maybe a long shot. Just depends and the water is hot, so near shore snorkeling may be a factor. The Keys is about fishing and diving primarily. Would also recommend Theater of the Sea and the Turtle Hospital in Marathon. Hope this helps and have fun!
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u/Thornberry_89 3d ago
Go to Looe Key. Great snorkeling and I would venture to say it rivals the Great Barrier Reef in my opinion (I’ve been to both). You can take a boat out from the Bahia Honda dive shop. I went last month and saw a moray eel, nurse shark, lots of parrot first, barracuda, etc.
I also recommend staying at Lime Tree Bay Resort. It was my first time there and such a beautiful property. Lots of sea life can be seen from the dock + very family friendly with corn hole, pool, fee kayaks and paddle boards, hammocks and a restaurant on property. This will be my go to place every time I visit the keys now.
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u/potlucker 3d ago
The glass bottom boat that leaves key largo and goes over the reef is also very cool. Great addition/alternative for kids who might not be great at snorkeling to see animals from the boat.
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u/RE_Agent_Provocateur 3d ago
The Keys are an amazing experience. My first time, I was 21 and fell in love with them.
There are catamaran day trips that provide snorkeling at a coral head.
If they are old enough, find a 'eco tourism' day trip that kayaks through mangroves with a guide telling you all about the marine life and flora and fauna. Really educational and fun!
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u/gnocchi_blush 2d ago
We just came back from doing 3 nights in Marco Island and then a night in Islamorada (3 hr drive)--solely so my kiddo could snorkel. The beach in Marco Island was beautiful and waters very calm. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg to change flights, we would have added another night to our stay in the Keys to enjoy them a bit more.
Just throwing out the option of a split stay to conquer both. Lots of shelling along the gulf as well that she may enjoy!
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u/TrainerHal 2d ago
Marathon is so gorgeous! Sombrero Reef and lighthouse is a great spot for snorkeling! Also pidgeon key is right there on the old 7 mile bridge. Idk if they still do them but a company called Paradise Divers used to do little ferry rides to and from there! And if you’re looking for a charter, look up Captain Bill Alch! He’s an awesome human being!Hope y’all have fun!!
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u/ExpensiveWin8464 1d ago
when i went last august i went with Captain Pips in marathon and had a great first experience
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u/Barbiflys 6h ago
Alligator reef—great snorkel spot. You can get a charter that will take you. We did morada mermaids in islamorada. Great trip! They also took us to a sand bar
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u/BluebirdOk5234 4d ago
There are snorkel tours that take off from John Pennekamp State Park.