Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±

Key West, Florida - December 4, 2019:  People tan and rest on the sunny beach of Fort Zachary Taylor State Park in tropical Key West Florida USA

Pgiam/Getty

Fort Zachary Taylor State Park

Key West


‘America’s Southernmost State Park’ is home to an impressive fort, built in the mid-1800s that played roles in the American Civil War and in the Spanish-American War. The beach here is the best one Key West has to offer – it has white sand to lounge on (but is rocky in parts), water deep enough to swim in and tropical fish under the waves. Learn more about the fort on free guided tours offered at 11am.

The beach is also a great spot to watch the sunset – a fine alternative to the mayhem of Mallory Sq. But you won't be able to stick around and watch the colors light up the sky: all visitors are ushered out right after the sun sinks below the sea. If coming by foot, it's about a half-mile walk (12 minutes) from the entrance to the beach.


Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¼´Ê±¿ª½±'s must-see attractions

Nearby Key West attractions

1. Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center

0.31 MILES

This 6000-sq-ft center is one of the best places in the Keys to learn about the extraordinary marine environments of South Florida. Start off with the 20…

2. Little White House

0.63 MILES

This is where President Harry S Truman used to vacation when he wasn’t molding post-WWII geopolitics. It's beautifully preserved and open only for guided…

3. Key West Lighthouse

0.65 MILES

You can climb up 88 spiraling steps to the top of this snowy white lighthouse, built in 1846, for a decent view (perhaps not as enjoyable as it was in the…

4. Hemingway House

0.67 MILES

Key West’s biggest darling, Ernest Hemingway, lived in this gorgeous Spanish Colonial house from 1931 to 1940. Papa moved here in his early 1930s with his…

5. Duval Street

0.73 MILES

Key West locals have a love-hate relationship with the most famous road in Key West (if not the Keys). Duval, Old Town Key West’s main strip, is a miracle…

6. San Carlos Institute

0.73 MILES

Founded in 1871 by Cuban exiles, the San Carlos is a gorgeous building constructed in classical Spanish mission style. The current structure dates from…

7. Strand Building

0.75 MILES

The historic Strand Theater was one of Key West’s great old-time movie houses, and it was used as a theater in the 1993 film Matinee. Today it’s a…

8. Mel Fisher Maritime Museum

0.77 MILES

For a fascinating glimpse into Key West's complicated history, pay a visit to this popular museum near the waterfront. It's best known for its collection…