Florida Keys
Key West snorkeling is popular and can be fun if you know where to go. Mostly it is accessed by boat tours that take you away from the island itself. Though there is the Key West Marine Park, that has two beaches worth checking out. They are attempting to create a safe swimming area along with improving water quality along some of the south shore of the island.
Because of the popularity and sheer traffic at the reefs around Key West, they are not as healthy as those up in the Middle Keys or Key Largo. Also, because these reefs are at the southern tip of the chain, the waters of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico collide and mix causing a unique marine environment that does not support as much healthy corals and other sea life. Nonetheless, if Key West is your only destination, this page will help you make the best of your Key West snorkeling adventure.
2023 Coral Bleaching Event – Please note that very high water temperatures in the summer of 2023 have caused widespread coral bleaching and death in the Florida Keys. So the descriptions on this page are not accurate. If you wish to see healthy coral reefs we now recommend you visit the Coral Triangle.
Note: Our suggestions are based on knowledge of the area. We hope you find them helpful. You can help us if you use the link(s) below. We may make a small commission, at no extra cost to you.
Key West Snorkeling Boat Tours
There are a number of reefs that the boat tours visit around Key West. Unfortunately as with many Key West snorkeling destinations that require a boat tour, you often will not know ahead of time which reef you will be visiting. The companies keep that information to themselves so that they can go where the conditions are best on the day of the tour.
The common Key West snorkeling destinations of this type of tour are: Sand Key Lighthouse, Eastern Dry Rocks, Western Dry Rocks, and Cottrell Key. The first three locations are near each other out on the edge of the barrier reef about eight miles southwest of Key West. Cottrell Key is about the same distance away, but northwest in the Key West National Wildlife Refuge.
None of the reefs around Key West are known for great visibility. But, if you can get your tour to Sand Key Lighthouse, that is the preferred reef to the others in terms of health.
Or better yet, get on a boat tour to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Read more about this recommended option below.
For help in choosing a boat company to go snorkeling with, read TripAdvisor reviews of the tour companies.
Our Recommended Boat Trip: Dry Tortugas National Park
If you are only going to be in Key West and not venturing farther up the Keys, our most recommended Key West snorkeling boat tour is to the Dry Tortugas National Park, which is 70 miles west of Key West. Unlike the other boat tour options, you sign up specifically to go to Dry Tortugas.
It is a full day trip and there is some decent snorkeling at this unique location. The boat ride out is long, but the park itself is very interesting and the snorkeling is usually in good visibility with some fun sea life to see.
Read our Dry Tortugas page for pictures, details and maps of the snorkeling there.
Blurry Fish, Rotten Colors, Garbage Pictures
That does not look like what I saw! See our snorkeling camera pages for tips on selecting a good snorkeling camera, and how to use it for great pictures.
Key West Snorkeling Beaches
If you are looking for free Key West snorkeling from beaches, there are a couple of options. Underwater just offshore along the south side of the island is primarily sea grass beds, and normally not very interesting snorkeling. So, look for other “structures” that will provide a habitat for the creatures you want to see, like the remains of the dock at Higgs Beach and the breakwater at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach.
Neither of them are smooth sandy beaches, but mixed rubble and sand, so water shoes are necessary. These beaches have intermittent issues with seaweed, smelly water, and you may notice signs about the health department testing the water for safety. Ask around before you head out about what the current conditions are.
Hey, if you are snorkel nut like us, you will love our free monthly snorkeling newsletter.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park Beach
For a fee you can access this Key West snorkeling beach on the southwest tip of the island. There is a manmade breakwater divided into numerous parts in front of this beach that can be a good place to spot some fish and other sea life. Being right on the tip of the island, currents are likely, so if you choose to go outside the breakwater be mindful. TripAdvisor has some reviews of the snorkeling here.
Higgs Beach
This is a free access public beach and is inside the Key West Marine Park. There are the remains of an old dock off the beach and this is where you will see the most life. So, be sure to make the swim out there. A community member shared a story about snorkeling Higgs Beach saying that he thought it was the best shore snorkeling in the Keys.
Have You Seen These Guided Snorkel Travel Adventures?
Key West as a Vacation Spot
Key West is a fun and beautiful destination. It has something for everyone. You can experience the Victorian style homes in Old Town on a walking or bicycle tour.
And if you like a party scene, you have to do the “Duval Crawl”. The further down Duval Street you walk toward the cruise ship docks, the more touristy the shops get and the more bars start to appear. We prefer the other end of Duval for its art studios.
For more travel and activity information, check out TripAdvisor’s Visiting Key West.