Anne's Beach

Anne's Beach carries the name of Anne Eaton, a local environmentalist who lived on nearby Lower Matecumbe Key and became one of the most determined voices against the overdevelopment of the Keys. She campaigned to protect the islands' fragile shoreline and helped raise the funds that turned this stretch of beach into a public county park rather than another private development. She lived here until her death in 1992, and the beach was dedicated in her honor.

That history gives the place a quiet meaning. In a region where waterfront is endlessly valuable and endlessly built upon, a free public beach preserved by one person's stubborn conservation work is a small monument to a different vision of the Keys, one that left room for mangroves, wading birds, and anyone who wanted to stop and enjoy the water without paying for the privilege.

The water at Anne's Beach is its signature. The Atlantic side of the Keys here is a broad, shallow flat, so the sea stays warm, clear, and knee-deep for a remarkable distance offshore. It is a paradise for small children, for wading and looking for small fish and crabs, and for simply standing in the water on a hot afternoon. Water shoes help, since the bottom is a mix of sand and turtle grass.

Connecting the beach's two ends is a raised boardwalk about a quarter mile long that curves through a thick stand of red mangroves. Six shaded pavilions with picnic tables line the walk, giving families a cool place to eat and rest between dips, and openings in the mangroves frame views out over the flats. It is a short, level, stroller-friendly walk that makes the mangrove ecosystem accessible to everyone.

Like much of the Keys, Anne's Beach took a hard hit from Hurricane Irma in 2017, which tore up the boardwalk, the parking lots, and the restrooms. Rather than let the park fade, the community rebuilt it over the following years, funding a new accessible boardwalk and refreshed facilities so the beach came back better than it had been before.

That effort matters because it kept a free public beach free and open. The rebuilt boardwalk is designed to be wheelchair and stroller accessible, extending the beach's welcome to visitors who could not easily reach it before, and the whole small park stands as proof that the local commitment Anne Eaton started has outlived her.

Anne's Beach lies right on the Overseas Highway near mile marker 73.5, at the south end of Upper Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, an easy pull-off whether you are driving down to Key West or up toward the mainland. There is no entrance fee. Two small parking lots, one at each end of the boardwalk, connect via the mangrove walk, and they fill fast on weekends and holidays, so plan an early or midweek visit.

Come prepared to be self-sufficient. The park has restrooms but no lifeguards, no rentals, and no food, so pack water, sunscreen, shade, and anything you want to eat at the picnic pavilions. It is best treated as a relaxed hour or two, a swim for the kids, a walk through the mangroves, and a picnic in the shade, rather than a full beach-club day, and that simplicity is exactly its charm.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Anne's Beach, on Islamorada in the Florida Keys, is a beloved local beach and natural area along the Overseas Highway, known for its shallow, calm waters, sandy shore, and boardwalk through the mangroves. A favorite in the Keys, the beach offers gentle, shallow water ideal for wading, families, and kiteboarding when the wind is up, along with a wooden boardwalk winding through the coastal mangrove wetland, picnic areas, and a peaceful, natural Keys setting. Named for a local conservationist, it is a cherished free spot to enjoy the water and nature. With its shallow waters and mangrove boardwalk, Anne's Beach offers a delightful destination in the Florida Keys.

You can wade in the shallow, calm waters, relax on the sandy shore, walk the boardwalk through the coastal mangroves, picnic under the shelters, watch for birds and marine life, and, when the wind is up, watch or try kiteboarding. The gentle shallow water, the mangrove boardwalk, and the natural Keys setting are the draws, making it especially good for families and a relaxed day by the water. It offers a taste of the natural Keys. With its shallow waters, boardwalk, and mangroves, Anne's Beach offers an enjoyable experience in Islamorada, Florida.

Yes, Anne's Beach is well suited to families, thanks to its shallow, calm, gently sloping waters that are ideal for young children to wade and play, along with the mangrove boardwalk to explore, picnic areas, and a relaxed, natural setting. As with any beach, watching children closely in and near the water, being mindful of sun and heat, and wearing water shoes for the occasional rocky or seagrass patches are wise. Its gentle shallow water makes it a favorite family spot. With its calm shallows and boardwalk, Anne's Beach makes a great family destination in the Florida Keys.

The Keys are pleasant much of the year, with the cooler, drier, less-humid months of late fall through spring offering the most comfortable weather and calmest conditions, whereas summer is hot, humid, and the peak of hurricane season with afternoon storms. Mornings are lovely and less crowded, and lower tides expose more sandy shore. Winters are mild and popular. For the most comfortable weather and calm shallow waters, aim for late fall through spring at Anne's Beach in Islamorada, Florida.

Anne's Beach is on Islamorada in the Florida Keys, along the Overseas Highway, within reach of the Islamorada village and its restaurants and marinas, the Keys' coral reefs and state parks, and the drive toward Key Largo to the north or Marathon and Key West to the south. That makes Anne's Beach a delightful stop to combine with Islamorada and the other attractions of the Florida Keys on a drive down the Overseas Highway.