Anne’s Beach is a public beach and boardwalk park on Lower Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, Florida, located at Mile Marker 73.5 on the Overseas Highway. This guide covers hours, parking, accessibility, and practical visitor tips for planning your trip.
This guide was last updated in August 2026. Unlike nearby Sombrero Beach in Marathon, which introduced paid, camera-enforced parking in 2023, Anne’s Beach parking remains completely free, so it’s worth checking which Florida Keys beach you’re headed to before assuming the same rules apply.
Quick facts
| Opening hours | Daily, sunrise to sunset |
| Entry fee | Free |
| Parking | Free, in two lots roughly a quarter mile apart |
| Address | MM 73.5, US 1 Oceanside, Lower Matecumbe Key, Islamorada, FL 33036 |
| Nearest transport | Personal vehicle recommended; Key West International Airport is roughly 50 minutes away |
| Typical visit length | 1 to 2 hours |
Anne’s Beach opening hours
Anne’s Beach is open daily from sunrise to sunset, with no seasonal variation and no gate or ticket booth. There are no lifeguards on duty at any time, so all swimming is at the visitor’s own risk, and it’s worth checking the weather and tide before heading in.
Sand coverage varies with the tide, so an early low-tide visit typically shows more beach than a visit at high tide, when the water can reach close to the boardwalk.
Anne’s Beach ticket prices
There is no fee to enter Anne’s Beach, and parking is also free. This was checked on the official website and last updated in August 2026.
Anne’s Beach is not included in any bundled city pass scheme such as Go City or CityPASS. The park has no concessions or vendors on-site, so there is nothing else to pay for once you’ve parked.
How to get to Anne’s Beach
Anne’s Beach is located on the ocean side of US 1 at Mile Marker 73.5, on the southern end of Lower Matecumbe Key. Key West International Airport is roughly 50 minutes away, while Miami International Airport is around an hour and a half’s drive north along the Overseas Highway.
There is no public transit stop directly at the beach, so most visitors arrive by car as part of a longer Overseas Highway road trip from Miami to Key West. Cyclists occasionally stop here too, since US 1 has a paved shoulder through this stretch of Islamorada.
Parking at Anne’s Beach
Two free parking lots serve the park, one at the north end and one at the south end, connected by the boardwalk. Look for road signs marking each entrance as you approach on US 1.
Parking can fill quickly on weekends, holidays, and especially pleasant weather days, so an early arrival helps secure a spot close to the boardwalk.
How long to spend at Anne’s Beach
Most visitors spend 1 to 2 hours at Anne’s Beach, enough time to walk the boardwalk, relax at one of the covered pavilions, and wade in the shallow water. Its compact size makes it a natural stop on a longer Keys road trip rather than a full-day destination.
Visitors bringing a picnic or settling in at one of the pavilions for a while sometimes extend their stay into a longer, more relaxed afternoon.
Accessibility at Anne’s Beach
The boardwalk connecting the two parking areas was rebuilt with an emphasis on accessibility, completed in late 2020 with funding from an Islamorada infrastructure surtax. Accessible parking is available at each end.
The south side also has a paved parking lot and an accessible mat leading from the boardwalk down to the beach itself, making it one of the more wheelchair-friendly beach stops in the Keys.
At Anne’s Beach
A boardwalk roughly a quarter mile long winds through mangroves and coastal forest, linking the north and south parking areas and passing six covered picnic pavilions along the way. The beach itself runs alongside the boardwalk, with occasional steps leading down to the shallow, warm water.
Because the water is so shallow and calm, with almost no wave action, Anne’s Beach is popular with young children, dogs, and beginner kiteboarders alike. The surrounding mangroves and buttonwood shelter native plants such as sea lavender, and the site is one of the few natural sandy beaches remaining in the Florida Keys. The park was fully rebuilt after Hurricane Irma damaged it in 2017 and reopened in August 2019, and it’s named for local environmentalist Anne Eaton, commemorated with a plaque near the south entrance.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip | Detail |
|---|---|
| Timing | Visit near low tide for the widest stretch of exposed sand. |
| Crowds | Weekends, holidays, and warm, sunny days bring the busiest parking and beach traffic. |
| Layout | The north and south lots sit at either end of the boardwalk, about a quarter mile apart. |
| Entry process | There is no gate or ticket; simply park in either free lot and walk in. |
| On-site logistics | Bring water shoes, since the shoreline has patches of seagrass and a soft bottom. |
Frequently asked questions about Anne’s Beach
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is Anne’s Beach free? | Yes, both entry and parking are free. |
| Are there lifeguards at Anne’s Beach? | No. There are no lifeguards on duty, so swim at your own risk. |
| Are dogs allowed at Anne’s Beach? | Yes, on a leash, and the shallow water suits dogs as well as young children. |
| Can you fish or grill at Anne’s Beach? | No. Fishing, open flames, and grills are not permitted in the park. |
| Is Anne’s Beach wheelchair accessible? | Yes, with an accessible boardwalk and a mat leading to the beach from the south lot. |
Things to do near Anne’s Beach
- Robbie’s Marina: a marina famous for hand-feeding tarpon from the dock, about 10 minutes’ drive.
- Islamorada shops and restaurants: dining and boutiques along US 1, a short drive north.
- Indian Key Historic State Park: an offshore island accessible by boat or kayak, a few minutes away.
- Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park: a boat-access island with a historic hammock, near Indian Key.
- Founders Park: an Islamorada park with a public pool and marina, about 10 minutes’ drive.
What to visit tomorrow
- Sombrero Beach: a sandy beach and park in Marathon, about 50 minutes away.
- Harry Harris Park: a beach and picnic park in Tavernier, roughly 15 minutes’ drive.
- Bahia Honda State Park: a beach often ranked among Florida’s best, about an hour away.
- Smathers Beach: Key West’s largest public beach, roughly an hour and a half away.
- Higgs Beach: a palm-lined Key West beach with a wooden pier, about an hour and a half’s drive.
More Florida Keys travel
Other Florida Keys travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Know the differences between the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and the Key West Shipwreck Treasure Museum.
- How to spend three days in Key West – including the Hemingway Home and Museum, Harry Truman’s Little White House and a cruise to Dry Tortugas National Park.
- What to expect at Key West Aquarium.
- Key West beach guides: Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park and Smathers Beach.
- Can you go inside the Key West Lighthouse?
