Annes Beach In Islamorada Florida Keys Is A Lovely Place To Spend A Few Hours
Annes Beach is probably the most popular of all the beaches in the area of Islamorada, although it is still pretty low key compared to some of the other beaches you might find in the Florida Keys.
Beaches like Bahia Honda, or even Smathers Beach down in Key West, simply knock spots of Annes Beach.
But if you have visited these other more glamorous examples of sandy loveliness beforehand, then don’t be put off by this little beach.
It has a lot to offer, and for many is the perfect place in Islamorada to sit back, grab some shade, and stare out into the Florida Keys waters and let the day slip past.
So read on and we will tell you the best and of course the worst that Annes beach has, and hopefully you will find yourself with another brilliant day out in the Florida Keys sunshine.
Why Is It Called Annes Beach...That's A Strange Name?
The beach is named after a lovely lady who lived in the area and did so much to protect the area of Islamorada and the wildlife by the name of Anne Eaton.
Anne loved the area and so it is only right that her memory is preserved in a similar way to how her efforts have preserved so much that is great and beautiful in the local countryside.
In Loving Memory Of Anne Eaton
Where Is Anne’s Beach Located?
The beach can be found down at Lower Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, and is an easy place to find, due to it being right by the Overseas Highway.
For those of you that haven’t been to the Florida Keys before, the highway is the main route through the Keys, starting in the mainland of Florida and travelling all the way down to the southernmost point in Key West.
The beauty of this road is there is very limited possibility that you can get lost, as on one side of the highway everything is known as Oceanside as it leads onto the Atlantic Ocean.
Whilst on the other side is Bayside, and borders the Florida Bay
So head down or up the road, dependant on your starting position and look closely for the mile marker 73.5.
These are the very useful little green signs that you will see by the side of the road that indicate how far you are away from Florida City (MM 127) and Key West (MM 0)
If you are concerned about visiting a beach right by the roadside, I can assure you that such is the density of Mangrove Trees between the road and the beach, you will barely know that you are so close.
On the times that I have visited I have been amazed at how the road noise is dampened by the trees, which also provide some lovely shade to sit down under as you admire this little beach.
If It Is On The Atlantic Ocean Is It Safe To Swim?
Well yes it is on the Atlantic Ocean, but I wouldn’t suggest that it is the greatest place in the world to swim.
Although it is really safe to splash around in the waters, similarly to much of the Florida Keys the waters are very shallow indeed which means that you can walk a long way out, by treading on an underwater sandbar that slopes down to the deeper levels.
Even if you go a long way out to the channel then it is still only knee deep, and it is this shallowness that means that you won’t find anything that you could remotely class as a wave.
The last couple of times that I have visited Annes Beach my kids haven’t been seen for hours, as because of the shallows and the sea grass that provides a natural habitat for a myriad of marine life, it is one of their favourite places to snorkel.
The water is clear and the undertow is almost nothing, which means that the kids will be having an amazing time, whilst the adults can either join them, or be reasonably relaxed knowing that their children are safe and enjoying themselves, whilst sitting on the sand.
Another quaint place to snorkel at, and is probably even safer and most definitely the water is warmer is the little known beach on Islamorada called Library Beach.
If you are looking for a place that is super and safe for your kids to get the feel of snorkelling then this is a highly recommended location to seek out.
Does It Never Get Deep Then???
Is There Parking At Annes Beach?
There are two parking lots servicing Annes beach, both of them connected by a nicely constructed boardwalk which is about a quarter of a mile in length.
The parking, is free, but not plentiful by any stretch of the imagination.
Especially at weekends it can get quite busy, although generally during the week it is no problem at all, which makes it easy enough to just pull up in the car and start exploring the area.
However there is another option if the parking lots that are directly on the beach are full
Then just go further south on the highway and you will find that there is another enormous parking down by the pier (near the bridge).
This is a good option and will definitely mean that you can park the car, and just cross US1 at the crosswalk.
What Else Is There To Do AT Annes Beach Other Than Snorkelling And Splashing Around?
As we have said previously it isn’t a huge expanse of sand at the beach, and when the water is in it can be quite narrow, but running along the beach is a nice boardwalk that is very pleasant to stroll along.
At one end of the boardwalk you will find an area of white sand that is more secluded than the rest of the beach, and also five covered pavilions that have picnic tables and benches.
And I don’t know about you but it always feels a bit more civilised having a picnic on a table than on a blanket with sand going everywhere.
Just up the road is quite a nice deli, so if you decide suddenly that you fancy a bit of food on the beach it won’t take you long to stock up and be back with the family, food in tow.
Away from that, the beach is a great favourite of the wind boarders and paddle boarding fraternity, because due to the calmness of the waters around Annes beach they find it perfect for their activities.
I guess really my favourite pastimes, are having a picnic, indulging in a game of how many crabs I can catch against my kids, and just hanging out in the beautiful Florida Keys outdoors.
And this beach is perfect for that.
Spend a day, or spend a few hours, whatever you want you won’t be sorry that you made the effort to visit this Islamorada beach.
Can I Bring My Dog To The Beach?
Yes, you can.
There aren’t many beaches in the Florida Keys that can be classed as Dog friendly, but here at Annes beach its most definitely the case.
You will find dog bags, and even bowls of fresh water that your dog can use, but like all places, the only real rules are cleaning up after yourself and your doggy.
Annes Beach in Islamorada
Address: MM 73.5 Oceanside, Islamorada
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