Hi there!
So Bahia Honda State Park is one of the most popular state parks in the Florida Keys.
It’s located on the “key” (island) of Bahia Honda Key.
One of the popular things to do in Bahia Honda State Park is snorkeling.
Bahia Honda State Park in the Lower Keys area is considered one of the best snorkeling spots in the Florida Keys.
If you are in Key West with a car, then it’s easy to make a day trip to Bahia Honda State Park.
I stayed in Bahia Honda State Park for 10 nights and went snorkeling while I was there! Here’s what you need to know about how to go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park!
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1. Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling tour
A snorkeling tour is one of the best things to do in Bahia Honda State Park.
The Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling tour goes to the snorkeling spot called Looe Key. This is not actually a key (island), but it’s what the reef is called.
You’ll be leaving Bahia Honda State Park by boat to go to Looe Key in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
Doing a Bahia Honda snorkeling tour also means a boat ride out to the reef with amazing views.
You also get to take a boat ride right through the split of the iconic old Bahia Honda railway bridge.
Looe Key is often considered to be where to go for the best snorkeling in the Florida Keys.
And, I thought it was amazing!
There was so much marine life to see.
Looe Key is a popular spot for many boats to go to, and it seems like right under where the boats were moored is where you could find the most amount of fish in one place. So go check under the boats!
I also saw a shark 5 times! They were smaller sharks and it’s generally said that they are not a threat to humans.
You need to bring your own snorkeling gear, or you can rent snorkeling gear at Bahia Honda State Park.
Snorkeling gear is not included in the price of the Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling tour.
It’s important to know that sometimes Bahia Honda snorkeling tours get cancelled and they can also sell out.
It could be for reasons like visibility and snorkeling conditions, or it could be for other reasons. (Like staffing.)
So it’s best to call ahead.
When I did a Bahia Honda snorkeling tour in May 2022, the only way to make a reservation was to call.
And I was told the snorkeling tour I did was the first one that went out in 5 weeks!
If you find that the Bahia Honda snorkeling tour is cancelled, then try Captain Hooks for their Looe Key snorkeling tour.
Or if you want to go all in for Looe Key, then there is also the Looe Key Reef Resort that dedicates itself to making trips out to Looe Key.
Can you do the Bahia Honda snorkeling tour even if you don’t want to go snorkeling?
If you have someone (or some people) in your group who don’t want to get in the water with you, they can still join you on the snorkeling tour.
It can be worth it just for the views if they think of it as a boat ride as opposed to a snorkeling tour.
The cost of the snorkeling tour will still be the same whether or not you get in the water.
Bahia Honda or John Pennekamp for snorkeling tour?
Bahia Honda State Park and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park are both state parks in the Florida Keys that offer snorkeling tours.
On both snorkeling tours, you’ll take a boat out to a reef.
I thought my experience of the Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling tour was amazing!
On a John Pennekamp snorkeling tour, you could go to any number of reefs as your snorkeling spot. It’s up to the boat captain and the snorkeling conditions of the day.
While I did see some marine life on the John Pennekamp snorkeling tour, I did feel a little disappointed I didn’t see more.
I didn’t feel that way about the Bahia Honda snorkeling tour!
And so, if you will be heading further down south in the Florida Keys to Marathon FL or Key West FL, then I would go for the Bahia Honda snorkeling tour.
No matter which snorkeling tour you choose, just remember to plan ahead so you won’t be disappointed if there’s not a tour going out!
See more about Looe Key snorkeling.
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2. Calusa Beach
Calusa Beach is the calmer side of Bahia Honda State Park.
It’s the side that you’ll get views of the iconic old Bahia Honda railway bridge in the background.
I actually did not see much underwater life the first time I went snorkeling at Calusa Beach.
But I decided to try again, and the second time, there were SO many fish!
As you are facing the water, you will see the old bridge off to the left.
Off to the right, you will see the rocky jetty.
The best snorkeling spot from the shores of Calusa Beach is right around those rocks.
See more about Calusa Beach snorkeling.
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3. Loggerhead Beach
Loggerhead Beach is the Atlantic Ocean side of Bahia Honda State Park.
The south end of Loggerhead Beach meets the channel where the old bridge is located.
This can be the rougher side of Bahia Honda State Park.
You can get in the water with a float, and it’s possible that you might be carried all the way down the shore!
First get in the water to see the direction the water is flowing and decide which part of the beach you want to start… and end up at!
I was also happy with what I saw while snorkeling at Loggerhead Beach.
Loggerhead Beach is pretty long and I only snorkeled part of it.
There are picnic tables right next to the Loggerhead parking lot, to the right as you’re facing the ocean.
In that direction, there’s a walking path. You can basically keep walking and choose any section of beach.
I took one of the first set of stairs down to the beach and started snorkeling from Loggerhead Beach around there.
Snorkeling from Loggerhead Beach, you can also see lots of sandy bottom.
I didn’t see much around the sandy bottom… except for pretty white sand through the clear water!
I saw the most fish around rocks. So, look for the rocky areas and you might see fish around there!
See more about Loggerhead Beach snorkeling.
4. Sandspur Beach
Sandspur Beach is another one of the beaches in Bahia Honda State Park.
It is also on the side of the Atlantic Ocean, further down from Loggerhead Beach.
It was destroyed by a hurricane and was closed for the longest time.
In May 2022, it opened back up.
Sandspur Beach looks a little different now than it did before the hurricane.
It seems like pre-hurricane there was a wide stretch of white sand beach.
Well, it now seems to be a mostly seaweed covered beach.
But seaweed comes and goes, so you might see a more sandy Sandspur Beach when you go!
You will see seaweed on the vast majority of beaches in the Florida Keys. Seaweed and sea grass is said to be an important part of the coastal ecosystem.
I didn’t get out to go snorkeling from Sandspur Beach, but I would imagine that similar to Loggerhead Beach, which is just down the shoreline, you might be able to see some marine life.
So you might also want to try snorkeling at Sandspur Beach if you have a few days at Bahia Honda State Park.
See more about Sandspur Beach.
What can you see snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park?
There is never any guarantee, but here is what Florida state parks has to say about snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park:
Bahia Honda has some of the best nearshore snorkeling in the Florida Keys.
You can see a variety of sea life just a few hundred feet from the shore.
The snorkeling is good for beginners because of the shallow water (4 to 6 feet).
You may see soft corals, small coral heads, tropical fish, queen conchs and spiny lobster.
Bahia Honda State Park water temperature
I went snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park in May, and the water temperature was nearly perfect.
👆 The Bahia Honda State Park water temperature in May can be in the low 80s.
In the winter, some people might find the water temperature to be too cold for swimming, but this is more about your tolerance. You just might not want to stay in the water as long.
For example in the coldest months, the water temperature at Bahia Honda State Park beaches might be in the lower 70s in December and upper 60s in January.
For many people this is too cold for swimming in a regular swimsuit.
Here is what Florida state parks has to say about the water temperature in Bahia Honda State Park:
In the winter months, when the water is cooler, you may need a wet suit to be comfortable.
Cost to go snorkeling at Bahia Honda State Park
The minimum to go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park will be the cost of the state park entry.
You will also need to pay for the cost of state park entry even if you are doing the snorkeling tour.
This is around $8 a car for a one-day pass. See current fees.
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.
If you will only be snorkeling from shore, then the state park entry is the cost your Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling.
If you will be doing the snorkeling tour, then the cost of a Bahia Honda snorkeling tour is around $30 per person. See current fees.
Snorkeling gear is not included in the cost of the snorkeling tour.
Whether you are doing a Bahia Honda snorkeling tour or snorkeling Bahia Honda on your own, you can bring your own snorkeling gear, or you can rent snorkeling gear at Bahia Honda State Park.
The cost of renting snorkeling gear is around $13. See current fees.
See more about what to wear snorkeling in the Florida Keys.
RECAP! Can you go snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park from shore?
While the Looe Key snorkeling tour is the best snorkeling to do when you go to Bahia State Park, you can also go snorkeling from the shores of the Bahia Honda beaches.
The shore snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park can be perfect for beginners.
You may see limited marine life by snorkeling from shore.
But if you want to give it a go, you might see something exciting!
It’s important to keep your expectations reasonable.
Snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park is all about the chance on being able to see marine life.
And that is an emphasis on chance!
That said, I was happy with what I saw snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park!
There are 2 main ways to experience snorkeling when you go to Bahia Honda State Park:
- Shore snorkeling from the Bahia Honda beaches
- Looe Key snorkeling tour by boat from Bahia Honda
There are basically 3 snorkeling spots in Bahia Honda State Park from shore:
To be clear, the best snorkeling will be through a Bahia Honda State Park snorkeling tour!
Snorkeling near Bahia Honda State Park: Horseshoe Beach
For another shore snorkeling spot in the Florida Keys, there is Horseshoe Beach that is a 5 minute drive from Bahia Honda State Park. (map)
This is a free snorkeling spot in the Florida Keys, and there are no facilities.
If you didn’t know about Horseshoe Beach, you wouldn’t even know it exists!
Horseshoe Beach isn’t really much of a beach. It’s also been called the Horseshoe Cove, or just the Horseshoe.
At Horseshoe Beach, I started off snorkeling off to the right side. I did see some cute fish and I thought it was nice.
Then, I saw someone snorkeling around the rocks to the left side, so I decided to go see if there was anything to be seen over there.
During my time snorkeling around the Florida Keys, I’ve come to learn that rocks can be a good area to look for fish!
And, there were so many fish!
Bahia Honda State Park map
👆 Map of where Bahia Honda State Park is located in Florida. It’s about an hour from Key West. Along with snorkeling in Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, Bahia Honda State Park has one of the best snorkeling spots in the Florida Keys! Explore the Florida Keys tourist map. Explore more things to do in the Florida Keys!
And that’s a bit about snorkeling in the Lower Keys at Bahia Honda State Park!
More for your road trip to Bahia Honda State Park:
- What to pack for snorkeling in the Florida Keys
- Best state parks in the Florida Keys
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling
- Key Largo to Key West drive
- Miami to Key West drive
- Things to do in Bahia Honda State Park
HAPPY SNORKELING IN BAHIA HONDA STATE PARK!
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