11+ Best Beaches in Key Largo, Florida (Public + Private)

If you’re looking for the best beaches in Key Largo, you’ve come to the right place! Key Largo is the largest island in the Upper Keys in the Sunshine State’s Florida Keys, and there are beaches aplenty here.

Stretching from the Biscayne National Park to Key West, this coral cay archipelago marks the southernmost part of the continental United States. It offers all the sunshine and hot weather of the tropics — minus the hassle of a long-haul flight!

You should know, however, that public beaches of Key Largo aren’t quite the stunners of other parts of Florida. It’s not that they aren’t jaw-droppingly gorgeous, but they tend to be on the smaller side and have a mix of sand and pebbles. Key Largo isn’t Sarasota.

You just need to consider them a gateway to some of the best water activities in the United States: snorkeling, scuba diving, boating, and kayaking set the tone of the best beaches in Key Largo. Teeming with seagrass, coral reef, and mangrove ecosystems, these crystal-clear waters are the natural habitat for tropical fish, dolphins, manatees, and — yes — even sharks. 

If you’re all about the sand in your toes, you’ll want to book a hotel in Key Largo with a private beach. 

This guide to beaches in Key Largo takes you to tiny islands, national parks, and private hotel beaches. Scroll ahead for more Florida Keys beaches near Key Largo.

This post was published in February 2024 and was co-written by Adventurous Kate and Hannah Cooper.

The Best Key Largo Beaches

When it comes to public beaches in Key Largo, you have plenty of options! Whether you want to snorkel, scuba, paddleboard, or simply swim, there are plenty of things to do in Key Largo. Here are a few of the best options:

Far Beach

Far Beach sits on the shores of Largo Sound within John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Teeming with marine life and living coral reefs, these shallow waters are a great place to snorkel, scuba dive, paddleboard, or kayak. 

Although fed by the Atlantic Ocean, Largo Sound is tranquil and the beach has a small section cordoned off for swimming. As the beach is fairly pebbly, it’s more suited to enjoying the calm waters with a snorkel – kids and even adults appreciate their aqua socks here!

There is an admission fee of…