Both! The further down into the Keys you go, the more beautiful, clear, blue (and green) water you see! As you drive over the bridges in the middle and lower Keys you can look out for miles and miles and see water all shades of blue and green on both the ocean and bay sides.
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From this pristine location, you'll be able to enjoy the crystal blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Bring your bathing suit and a book and relax at what Condé Nast once called the “best beach in the continental US”.
You can also swim and enjoy other water sports like windsurfing and snorkeling as well as kayaking and paddleboarding in the clear, clean water inhabited by tropical fish.
Lemon sharks get their name from their pale yellow coloring and are one of the species that is most abundant in the Florida Keys, as these are their native waters. They prefer shallow waters and are often seen on the flats, reefs, and even venturing into fresh waters at times.
Bahia Honda State Park, Big Pine KeyFor years, there has been widespread agreement that the best beaches in the Florida Keys are the beaches at Bahia Honda State Park at MM 36.8.
Cannon Beach: Less Popular, But Still ScenicWhile Key Largo is undoubtedly the prettiest of all the Florida Keys, it's also one that's home to plenty of activities for the avid beachgoer. With scenic views like this, it would be tough not to fall in love with such a beachside beauty!
Our shores have shallow waters often resulting in sandbars, so the sun can reflect off the white sea floors and the surrounding microscopic plankton, which creates the gradient effect of clear-to-emerald-to azure-to-navy waters as you progress further out into the Gulf.
Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park BeachLocated at the southern tip of Key West, this sun-soaked spot is the ultimate place for a picnic, swim, snorkel, or paddle. And while you're at it, you can squeeze in a little history.
Florida Keys Have Open Container LawsThe Florida Keys & Key West do enforce open container laws that prohibit open containers of alcohol on most public beaches, parks and streets; including world-famous Duval Street. Be mindful of signs that indicate where alcohol containers are prohibited.
Occasionally, Key West gets American Crocodiles. Croc's feel more at-home in our saltwater canals than 'gators. However, if you drive about 45 minutes up the Keys to an island called Big Pine, which has the largest freshwater lense in the Lower Keys, and head to the “Blue Hole,” you'll probably see American alligators.
Probably not. There's simply not enough fresh water in Key West, which has no lakes, no rivers, and gets significantly less rainfall than the Upper Keys, Everglades, or Miami. Occasionally, Key West gets American Crocodiles.