We would go here while in Key West to get away from the crowds, and get some all over sun. Like Ron M. said, If you do not like unmaintained beaches or unclothed people, go to some public beaches like Higgs beach and take your trash with you. read more

Been coming to this beach for about a decade. The hurricanes have really done a number on this beach. The Navy has added more signage about no trespassing, but the trails are still there. Red's Resting Place is also still there, but Mother Nature is working on reclaiming it. read more

Boca Chica Beach Area - Red's Testing Place - Beaches Near Me - Key West, Florida

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US Marshalls have run everyone off the nude beach which is further west than the place most of the reviews below are talking about. Nudist still go to the area in boats and anchor 100ft off the beach. Water is shallow, perfect for wading and floating. It is apx 1/2 mile past the Boca Chica public park area. read more

Sad because I use to go here in mid 2000s and early in 2010s and it was great. It was very "natural" and clean but recently as of June 2025 it smelt awful and was virtually impassable by foot. There was garbage totally from one end to the other. read more

We are always looking to go off the beaten path so we read about this beach and we're up for a hike! Unfortunately wether it was just bad timing or this is the way the beach is, the worse was all the trash washed up.. very rocky and hard to even get to the water beyond the muck! Passed through two waste high bodies of water where there was a nurse shark circling... bring lots of water and water shoes. We only saw a couple of nude paddle boarders not even any boats. This beach has seen better days I'm sure, I wish there wasn't so much trash washed up! Interesting couple of hours! read more

Boca Chica Beach Area - Nurse shark - Beaches Near Me - Key West, Florida

Literally nothing but a dump. Smelled horrible with a swamp next to it. Thousands of mosquitos looks terrible, no sand, just walking through muck read more

Personally love this place, not a packed public beach, only problem I had was the seaweed everywhere. Nice private spot

Children, dogs, nudist, fun people, nature lovers, bird watchers, adventurers and more are the frequent visitors to Boca Chica Beach. It's a very tranquil and secluded area. Don't expect a typical sandy beach like Miami Beach. Boca Chica is more of an area that has not had many improvements. Great to get your feet wet and walk along the rocky shore. The rocky shoreline is loaded with fiddler crabs, sea cucumbers, snails, fish, starfish, hermit crabs and once in awhile you may get lucky and see a horseshoe crab or sea urchin. Moving away from the shoreline there are a lot of trails going thru the trees. Nature lovers and bird watchers would definitely enjoy this place. Someone built a man-made fort on the edge of the shoreline going into the forest. It's not the kind of fort that a couple of kids would make; who ever did this was very creative. It's made from stuff found along the shoreline like rocks, drift wood, cut down trees and trash. It's built into sections and if you spend enough time there to appreciate you realize there are areas like a living room, sun deck, bedroom and a cave. Who ever built this would be the perfect companion if I were ever stuck on an island. There is a short walk from where you park your car to get to the main area and along the path you pass by the end of the Navy's air strip (where the fighter jets take off and land). I have not experienced it yet but I have been told that if you come when they are using the runway that it's really scary and exhilarating. I just haven't timed my visit right yet. This place is great for kids but be warned you will see at least one person in their birthday suit. Nudity is normal here. My first visit I was walking along and came across a guy butt naked sitting on a bucket with his legs crossed, smoking a cigar and he just casually said "hi". You got to love the keys. read more

Okay spot for a little walk if you like to explore. Didn't get to see a jet take off, but I bet it's a cool experience. We never saw the fort that people talk about, but did see all of the trash. Definitely need good shoes if you plan to walk around the tide pools as they are very rocky. Left with several nice pieces of driftwood. Never saw a naked person. If you are limited on time, I recommend going somewhere else. read more

This place is very isolated it was vey exclusive. If you rent a scooter I do not recommend driving it up there like my wife and I did since route 1 turns into a highway. read more

This is definitely not a manicured touristy beach. Depending on the time of year, time of day, high or low tide, previous weather conditions, you never know what your are going to discover at this wonderfully natural beach. A few years ago I came across the remnants of a voodoo sacrifice. There is the one armed vet collecting hermit crabs for glaucoma research. How about the time the FWC wanted to know if I had come across a bus seat while walking? There's the conch shell blower paying homage to the sunrise and the extremely bronzed naturalists frolicking in the surf in search of shells and maybe a bit more... the chance of a fighter jet landing or taking off right above your head! DEFINITELY not your typical beach going experience. Bring my dogs here all of the time and definitely consider this to be my kinda beach on a day to day basis! read more

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Great hidden gem. There is so much here to see and do, not all good but overall we love this place. Located adjacent to the Naval Air Base in Boca Chica sits this little known beach area. The road leading here dead-ends and there is plenty of street parking. This is an un-maintained beach area, so it's in its natural state. If you are looking for nature in it's rawest form, then this is it; but if you are looking for pristine beaches then head north to Miami Beach. Walk along the path beyond the dead end (which goes for a couple miles), although the path is not paved for very long. Once you get along going you can see many interesting things: *** stand at the end of the navy's runway and feel the jets pass-over; yikes, its hardcore and can literally move you *** walk around this huge fort (aka stone house) that was built many years ago by a homeless man but was halted by the navy (very much worth seeing) *** nature lovers will be at home ---tidal pools full of snails, crabs, fish, et cetera; tons of snorkeling areas; bird watching in the marshes/mangroves *** check out the cuban boat that has brought over some welcomed guests, (aka freedom boat) *** admire the stone "zen" piles and other things that people have constructed here *** contribute to the "shoe" wall (where people tie their unwanted shoes to a fence) *** various walking trails off the main path *** And then there is an item that is possibly a con or pro; depending on your view. The area has become a bit of a locale for nude sunbathers and I can't get a read if it is legal or illegal, but no police or government officials patrol this area. Personally I don't partake and don't care if others do. Some locals find the place to be a bit seedy but ironically I find that most of them have not been here. I have been told people come to have casual sex, to those that say that I say that you are nuts. I have been coming here for years and there is at most 6 nudes ever at a time and no one has ever said anything crude or in a manner that belongs in a club. My kids have come for years with me as they absolutely love the tidal pools *** You can bring your dog to run around freely in the waters and dig wholes in the sand *** Last bit of advice, wear good shoes that can get wet but not flip-flops; there is a lot of trash and debris from years of washing up and a lot of tree branches have fallen with the hurricanes over the past few years. And the rocks do tend to be slippery in the tidal pools during low tide *** Oh yeah, if you bring food or if you are picnicking, PLEASE clean up after yourselves. I'd give a 5-star rating if the place was cleaned up a bit (but then again, that would be the responsibility of the visitors here) read more

Boca Chica Beach Area - tidal pools filled with hermit crabs, fish, star fish, snails and other interesting stuff - Beaches Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Nice clean beach and restaurant for those with a military ID card. Arrive by car or boat.

So sad. Smelly. Nasty. No shoreline without grass 5-6 feet out into the water. Trash strewn about. Definitely depressing.

A locals area for sure. Maybe 20 on an average day, plenty of room for privacy. Area/cove west of Snipes point on the gulf is another area people sunbath nude like many islands in the flats gulf side. Pay attention to the flags flown on the boats...may be a sign. read more

Tricky to get to. Don't use Google or Apple maps for directions. Have to access via Boca Chica Rd. or else the Navy property keeps you from getting all the way there. read more

Boca Chica Beach Area - natural beauty - Beaches Near Me - Key West, Florida

Just wanted to post an update because I was down there earlier this year. I was making a short trip to Key West and heard about the Boca Chica nude beach area so figured I would check things out. It was on a Monday early afternoon when I went there so wasn't sure if anyone would be around. When I pulled to the end of the road there were 4 or 5 parked cars but some were just people hanging around eating lunch or killing time. I saw a couple other guys (both clothed), one walking his dogs and the other just walking around talking to someone on his cell phone. I then walked past the concrete slabs blocking the road and went to the end of the blacktop where I believe the "nude beach" starts. On one of the poles somebody wrote "NUDE", I guess to let people know where things start. There was only one guy (older, very tan, with a thong swimsuit on), but still some left-over chairs, etc. that show that other people hangout in the area. I found a spot close to the water and just went ahead and stripped down and laid out for close to two hours. During that time two guys and girls (30ish in age) came walking from the other end (I believe returning to where they started) but were fully clothed and didn't look like they were laying out or walking around nude at all. I was laying face down so I wasn't looking at them but they were just a few feet away when they walked by and didn't seem to mind, but I think I heard the last guy make a gasp. A little later another guy walked down and brought a chair and sat there with just his shirt off. I think I saw another guy or two walk nearby but not hang around and they still had clothes on (some guys might be looking for something other than just a suntan?) All in all, it was nice to hang out there, hopefully it's more occupied at other times and remains a good place to hang out in the buff. read more

Boca Chica Beach Area - Beaches Near Me - Key West, Florida

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Unfortunately I am giving this beach a blind 5 star rating. We were driving to this beach but when we got off the exit we were headed toward a naval base security guard gate (slightly intimidating) so we detoured to another beach. Apparently there's a road right before the guard shack that takes you around the naval base. If only we would have asked at the guard gate... read more

This beach is off the beaten path 10 miles out of Key West. Go to mile marker 10, turn at Circle K and follow it until the end. If your feeling adventurous continue to walk straight ahead on a path along the beach about a half a mile to the secluded clothing optional area. The area is kind of rugged you will need water shoes, drinks and a chair. However it's fun to run in the sun in the buff. read more

I've been here once. It's a hike to do but worth the natural beauty. Many people don't appreciate it because it's not a maintained beach. Also the shore line is very rocky. Expect to see naked people walking and lying out. Some swingers hang out there but I wouldn't recommend a hook u there with anyone! No public facilities available. Basically just a lot of water and Sun read more

This beach is in terrible condition, and smells HORRIBLE. Don't waste your time coming here. I wouldn't dare get into the water here.

Great area, and part of the wider key west. If you're around town look into renting a scooter! You'll love it. And the bars are all located in a central area which is great for hopping from place to place. Bring a group though, it's kind of hard to meet young people. read more

Do not turn anywhere on Boca Chica Key -Air-Base. Go to the next key Big Coppitt and turn at the Big Red K or Circle K fueling station on to Boca Chica Road & US1. The road between the Air-Base and Big Coppitt is washed out for many years. You can only get to it from Boca Chica Road, Big Coppitt Key Make sure you take your camera. AND PLEASE clean up after yourself and don't take any marine life from the waters. Also visit Geiger Key fish camp off Giger Road. Eat right on the water. If you blink you will miss the road. A throw back to the old Key West is used to know. As far as parking, On street parking, will need to walk about 1/2 mile. Remember it is a Park. Have fun, and remembers others with children also walk the same area. read more

I'm writing this review in order to correct and clarify what some of the other reviewers have stated. First of all, the "fort" was painstaking built singlehandedly by a retired gentleman named Rafael whose nickname was Red. He was NOT homeless. He lived about 10 miles away on Stock Island and rode his bike to Boca Chica nearly every day for about a year to work on his project. He began shortly after hurricane Wilma devastated the area in October 2005 and continued until late 2006. He carried every rock and tree all by himself and would not let anyone help. We kept him supplied with water, smokes and beer and enjoyed talking to him each day as we passed by and admired the progress he was making. When the sun began to hang low in the west he would get on his bike and peddle home into the beautiful sunset. Red gave up on the project and got a job at the local Dions Quick Mart on Big Coppitt Key. He died a couple of years later and a plaque was hung in the fort to honor his memory. The "trash" was NOT part of Red's construction material, but instead the result of thoughtless visitors who take it upon themselves to "decorate" and defile it. Yes, the beach is frequented by naturalists who sunbathe nude or topless. Since there are no legitimate nude beaches in the Keys, the seclusion of Boca Chica provides sanctuary for those who chose to bare it all. Just because someone is sitting on a bucket wearing nothing but a hat, or wearing only shorts, doesn't mean he is "homeless". The locals bring their dogs to run freely and swim in the ocean because leash laws and prohibitions at other beaches don't allow our four-legged friends to have any fun. Visitors may find Boca Chica NOT to your liking because the beach is narrow (non existent at high tide), rocky in places, sometimes covered in decaying seaweed and frequented by those of us you may consider "unsavory". If you want a pristine beach that is manicured and maintained, go somewhere else. If you are the type to leave your trash behind, go somewhere else, because WE, the locals, have to pick it up and haul it out. We are a friendly bunch and will greet you and engage in conversation as you pass us by, even if you turn your nose up and make rude comments. It's our little piece of Paradise. Please respect it and us! read more

This is a cool little beach area out of the way. Beware people sunbath nude here.