This will forever be my favorite part of the keys. The amount of sea life that you're able to see…read moreby going snorkeling is elite. Octopuses, stingrays, all sorts of fish, crabs/lobsters, you name it. Not to mention, you might even see some dolphin Jumping out on the water. I have nothing negative to say whatsoever. Just to those who come here, please treat it with respect and clean up after yourself.

Bahia Honda State Park is located at Mile Marker 37 along US 1. (Mile markers are how you find…read moreeverything in the keys. There are 500 acres of park, plus an off shore island. There are 3 beach areas, a campground/cabins, picnic areas and boat ramps. It's very much a place to relax on the beach and take it easy. Bahia Honda is the tropical paradise that you probably imagine when you think of the Florida Keys. Bahia Honda's beaches--Sandspur, Loggerhead, and Calusa--are one of the biggest draws to the park. Each one is beautiful and worth a visit. Bahia Honda is a great place to swim as the water temperatures are typically warm and the water is shallow. See, it also depends on time of the year, like for us, Sandspur beach was full of seaweed. and i found loggerhead beach to shallow and it was really great to swim over there. while you are here, A fun thing to do is take the quick trail up to the old Bahia Honda Bridge that you can see from Calusa Beach and the very edge of Loggerhead Beach. This is the only trail here and it's a pretty quick walk. The walk is fairly short and you aren't allowed to go far along the bridge as it breaks off at some point. However, you do get to go up high enough to see Bahia Honda from above. The bridge has a great view of both of the beaches. Depending on time of day, you might get a different view. There is little to no shade on the beach. If you are wanting to stay all day, you might want to bring your own umbrella for the beach! Cost: $8 per vehicle, $4.50 for vehicles with one person, $2.50 for pedestrians + cyclists

Little Hamaca Park is a quiet, tucked-away spot in Key West, perfect for those who enjoy nature and…read moresolitude. The trails go through the mangroves and offer a peaceful escape from the busier parts of the island. It's a great place for birdwatching (there were people all over the place doing this) or simply taking a quiet walk near the salt pond. However, parking is limited, so plan accordingly. There are no public restrooms, which is inconvenient for longer visits. The trails can also get muddy after rain, so it's best to go during dry weather or earlier in the day when it's cooler. If you go towards dusk or dawn you absolutely 100% will need bug spray.

A drive through the Florida Keys will bring you to find/see plenty of nature... obvious ones like a…read morebunch of state parks (Bahia Honda State Park, Curry Hammock State Park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Dagny Johnson Hammock Botanical State Park); and there are a rather large number of natural places to go for hikes, bike rides, fishing... many that are unknown to visitors (you need a local to share the secrets); but a handful of hidden gems are right here in Key West.... Little Hamaca is a great one. Most locals (and some tourists) know there are protected, native habitats made up of salt flats and mangroves around three sides of the airport but it's surprising how many don't know there is a section on the north side of the airport that is a tropical hammock (an area that is an important part of an ecosystem that is an elevated area slightly above the wetlands that support trees and wildlife that may not survive otherwise). It can be challenging to locate.... do not attempt to visit directly from South Roosevelt; you must access the area from Flagler and definitely follow a GPS. It's an interesting drive and don't stop, thinking you arrived, at the first paved parking stall and what appears to be a nature walk with a covered canopy providing nature information (that's Fran Ford White Crowned Pigeon Park). Go well beyond Fran Ford and once you take the bend in the road, there is a hard to notice, dirt/rock parking lot... Once you park, there is a raised, wood boardwalk; and ironically the parking lot has a solid, concrete handicap parking stall and access to the boardwalk (so the park/trail are handicap accessible... thumbs up to the City of Key West for this). Roughly the first half of the trail is wood planks with metal rails; but at some point the trail continues through the dirt/rock/natural growth. The trail remains clear but no wheelchair accessible at this point. It's really a lovely area... home to numerous wildlife like raccoons, squirrels, crabs, snails, butterflies, reptiles, spiders and a variety of birds (including the endangered white-crowned pigeon, the namesake of the park/trail down the road from Little Hamaca Park. There may also be crocodiles as the warning signage at the trailhead states... If you travel far enough along the dirt trail, then another boardwalk begins and it eventually ends at the Riveria Canal... it's like a slight reward for your hard work (not really that hard though). If you're not familiar with Riveria Canal, it's a canal that is lined with residential properties on the far side from the hammock and salt flats.

This little nature trail is located right off of Atlantic near Smathers Beach. I have noticed it…read moremany times and I have always wanted to stroll over and check it out so I did on this trip. It's just a short boardwalk amongst the trees that walks you out to the ocean. On the way you will encounter some wetlands and mangroves. If the city paid a little more attention to it, the space has potential. It looks ignored but with a little trimming and trash collection, this place could transform. I did encounter a gorgeous heron while taking in the view.

I think this somewhat hidden nature walk and preserve is in need of some tender loving care. It has…read moreso much potential. The entrance to the trail is hardly noticeable and once I entered the trail, I was happy I had crappy sneakers on since the path over the ground (covered in some rock) is wet and there are a couple spots to keep an eye out for. Then thy have a boardwalk but sections are closed and falling apart and on the boardwalk path I was one had a few wood boards in bad shape or coming off. But the saving grace is as you approach the beach... Palms Trees and Seagrapes and the lovely arrival to the beach view (it's what made the visit worthwhile). If fixed up a bit then this place can be well worth a visit

Gorgeous waterfront area with tons of spaces for everyone. There's an amphitheater and soccer…read morefields along with beach access and so much more. I was only in town for a few hours but I bet for those staying longer or who live here this space is the hot spot for fun and families.

Wonderful park with lots of fascinating history and warm beaches. It's beautiful and clean. It's…read morewalkable and safe. The gardens are well tended and the playground is complete with picnic areas and splash pad for young children. It closes at 5 pm so plan accordingly.

Very nice state park, seems pretty new. Recommended for grilling ,cookouts, outdoor family time,…read morekayaking, etc. it has free parking, clean restroom facilities, water fountains (cold water), and the grills available at the park look practically new! Not much shade available, so you might want to bring canopy or umbrella..

This park is always so clean and perfect and love cooling off in the swimming hole! Lots of access…read morein and out of the water.

This trail is kinda short but worth visiting…read more The trail is within a larger area that is home to a few trails and this is one of them. It's well maintained (which is nice since a lot of Keys trails and parks sometimes look messy and overgrown). The trail is rock and some parts with boardwalk (for the overlooks) and you oversee a lot of how the keys were back in its natural state. There are signs to read that give useful educational information and for animals that you may see. Of the few times we've hiked the trails around here, we haven't seen much in the way of wildlife but we have seen a rabbit once and a couple of key deer (which are the cutest deers ever).

Free Florida fun. It's a nice 2/3 mile walk in a loop of fairly manicured gravel trails through the…read morehammock. There's also a shorter leg that goes to a viewing deck. Pretty cool. No deer today but that's not always the case. And do be mindful of the poisonwood!

I can't recommend this beach & park enough! So many "pluses" about it!…read more -Beautiful, clear water -Shade from ample trees just a short walk from the shore -A great canteen that sells plenty of lunch items, ice cream, even beer & wine! -A bin of give/take donated sand toys from travelers who come & go Take the tour of the Fort! It's daily at 11 & we learned so much. Plus, Ranger Grim is a gem. He is entertaining & even kept my eight year old's attention for an hour! We loved this park & will be back!

Our cruise port day was so hot and humid. Being from Florida now, you'd think we'd be used to it,…read morebut we were still melting! So, we wanted to cool down for a bit. We were traveling by golf cart, so I thought it was neat that we could drive right into the park. The signage was fairly easy to follow, and we followed the signs to the beach. They have lockers, bathrooms, and a snack/bar shack. You can't bring your own alcohol in, but they do sell beer and wine coolers. There are picnic tables in a mostly shaded area, as well as a few showers to rinse the sand off. We went a little farther down the beach and jumped in! The beach was really nice, but be warned, it's super rocky. I'm originally from Cape Cod, so my feet are used to that kind of terrain, but my husband... not so much! We spent maybe an hour here before continuing on our golf cart journey, but we definitely feel it's worth a stop if you're looking to cool down. The water was much more pleasant than some of the other beaches we visited that day, where there was a pretty strong smell. Honestly, a lot of the beaches had the stench of intestinal rot from a labyrinth! So if you're spending the day in Key West and want somewhere to cool off, Fort Zachary State Park is worth checking out!

This is a small sandy strip of beach that was named after a former Key West mayor named C.B…read more Harvey. I found it to be more of a park instead of a beach. It features the White Street Pier, the African-American Cemetery and an AIDS Memorial. It's a great area for watching sunsets and just taking in the beautiful scenery of this gorgeous place. Free parking can be found within the area or you can walk there like we did. The pier offers fishing and plenty of space to hang out. We always come here when we visit as it's close to where our friends live.

We took a walk and found ourselves at Rest Beach. It's a peaceful spot, with a long, wide pier that…read morewould be perfect for catching a sunrise. A few people were fishing at the far end, and we enjoyed watching brightly colored fish glide through the clear water beneath us.