Hi there!
So John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is one of the most popular state parks in the Florida Keys.
There are beaches in John Pennekamp State Park, although the reason to go to John Pennekamp State Park is not necessarily for the beaches.
Still, you can go to John Pennekamp State Park if you’re looking for swimming beaches in Key Largo.
The reason to go to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is for… the coral reef!
And you can’t see the famous John Pennekamp coral reef from the beach.
You need to take a boat to get there.
But if you want to stay on land, then you can go to one of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park beaches!
I stayed overnight in John Pennekamp State Park, and here’s what you need to know!
1. Cannon Beach
Cannon Beach is the main beach for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
It’s the first beach you’ll come across as you drive through the park.
Once you enter the state park, you will drive to the main beach parking lot, and that is Cannon Beach.
Bring your snorkeling gear, and you can go snorkeling in the Florida Keys at Cannon Beach to see the ruins of cannons from a shipwreck.
👆 Key Largo shipwreck snorkeling from a John Pennekamp State Park beach: Spanish shipwreck 1715.
👆 Key Largo shipwreck snorkeling from a John Pennekamp State Park beach: Spot the shipwreck ruins!
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Side note!
Amazing Key Largo snorkeling tour you need to consider:
This website is a Viator partner.
2. Far Beach
Far Beach is the beach that is… more far away. 😜
But it’s really not that far.
You will just keep driving maybe an extra minute or so, and you will reach another parking lot, and that is for Far Beach.
The parking lot is much smaller, and there tend to be less people at Far Beach.
I really didn’t see much of anything underwater here, aside from sea grass.
If you want some scenic pictures in John Pennekamp State Park without getting on a boat, you’ll want to go here.
You’ll be able to get pictures of palm trees!
3. “Beach” near Far Beach
And then also from the Far Beach parking lot, there is another swimming area.
This isn’t a named beach, or hardly a beach at all, but it’s at the end of the Far Beach parking lot, separate from Far Beach.
This “beach” doesn’t have a name, but it is a separate swimming area from Far Beach.
It’s where you will find a bunch of big boulders with fossilized coral reef.
This is also considered a snorkeling spot in John Pennekamp State Park, as per the state park map.
Once you enter the water, you will swim out to the far left.
I did not see much here, but I did not go that far out.
If I were to go swimming here again, I would try looking along the rocks to see if there are any little fishies though!
If fossilized ancient coral reef interest you, then you’ll also want to check out Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park that’s down the road! (info)
Seaweed at John Pennekamp beaches
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a state park along the shoreline in the Florida Keys.
Seaweed is a thing in the Florida Keys.
Nearly any beach you go to in the Florida Keys will have seaweed.
So you will more than likely see seaweed on the shoreline of John Pennekamp State Park.
Seaweed is said to be an important part of the coastal ecosystem, and there’s no proactive measure to remove it.
Cost to go to a John Pennekamp State Park beach
There is an entry fee for John Pennekamp State Park.
You will also need to pay for the cost of state park entry even if you are doing the snorkeling tour or glass bottom boat tour.
The cost of John Pennekamp State Park entry is around $5 if you are alone. It will be $9 if there are 2 of you, and then from there it will increase 50 cents per person for more people. This will get you a one-day pass. See current fees.
👆 In 2022, the cost of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park started at $4.50.
If you plan to make this a year of going to a ton of Florida state parks, then there is also the Florida state parks annual pass.
Although, even if you have a Florida state park pass, John Pennekamp State Park won’t be free for you.
This state park charges 50 cents to enter even with a Florida state park pass. This fee is assessed for the Monroe County fee. (aka the county of the Florida Keys.)
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Key Largo map
👆 Map of where John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is located in the Florida Keys. Along with Bahia Honda State Park beaches, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is one of the state parks in the Florida Keys with beaches. Explore the Florida Keys tourist map. Explore more things to do in the Florida Keys!
And those are some beaches in Key Largo!
More for your trip to Key Largo and beyond
- Best snorkeling in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
- Glass bottom boat tour in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
- Key Largo to Key West
- Best beaches in Bahia Honda State Park
- Things to do in Bahia Honda State Park
- Fort Zachary Taylor State Park snorkeling in Key West
- One day in Key West
HAPPY BEACH TRIP TO JOHN PENNEKAMP STATE PARK!
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