Hi there!
So you have heard of Far Beach in Key Largo!
Far Beach is located in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park which is one of the state parks in the Florida Keys.
As you can imagine, the reason to go to this state park is for the coral reef.
But this coral reef is not located directly along the shoreline.
Instead, the state park extends far out into the water, and the coral reef of the state park requires a boat to get to… and out there is where you find the best snorkeling in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park!
This means that there is no coral reef at Far Beach.
So then, is Far Beach any good?
Well, if you want pretty pictures, then Far Beach is the best beach in John Pennekamp State Park.
You’ll be able to get pictures of palm trees!
If you want some scenic pictures in John Pennekamp State Park without getting on a boat to the coral reef, you’ll want to go to Far Beach.
Swimming at Far Beach
Yes, you can go swimming at Far Beach.
There is a designated swimming area at Far Beach that is roped off.
I did try going snorkeling at Far Beach, but I really didn’t see much of anything underwater here, aside from sea grass.
Your experience may vary!
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Side note!
Amazing Key Largo snorkeling tour you need to consider:
This website is a Viator partner.
How to get to Far Beach
So you will enter John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in order to go to Far Beach.
The state park entry is off of the main road, so you can look for signs.
There are 2 main beaches at the state park, and Far Beach is the beach that is… more far away. 😜
But it’s really not that far.
Once you enter the state park, you will just keep driving past the main beach parking lot (Cannon Beach) maybe an extra minute or so and you will reach another parking lot.
That is the Far Beach parking lot.
The Far Beach parking lot is much smaller, and there tend to be less people at Far Beach.
Once you are at the Far Beach parking lot, you will see Far Beach right in front of you!
You don’t need to walk far from the parking lot to beach.
There is a bathroom nearby.
And then, also at the Far Beach parking lot, there is another water entry where you can go swimming.
This is not much of a beach, but I did see people setting up their camp chairs here.
This is another swimming area in John Pennekamp State Park.
This is also where you will find a bunch of big boulders with fossilized coral reef.
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)
This side of the Far Beach parking lot 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 also 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!
When snorkeling in the Florida Keys from shore, I saw the most fishies around rocks and other “structures”!
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Partner resources for travel planning!
Look for unique Florida experiences like a sunset sail, dolphin watching, foodie tour, or snorkeling followed by post-swim mimosas at viator or getyourguide. Read the reviews!
Look for hotels and vacation rentals at booking or vrbo. You can filter to adjust for your price range to look for cheaper options too. Also look for the "property type" filter at booking.com and filter for kitchen, beachfront, or pool at vrbo, as well as the map! Read the reviews!
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Seaweed at Far Beach
It is common to see seaweed along the shoreline of the Florida Keys, and that includes Far Beach.
Seaweed and sea grass are considered to be an important part of the coastal ecosystem, so most of the time it doesn’t get removed and it’s just a part of your Florida Keys snorkeling experience!
And well, when I went to Far Beach… there was tons of seaweed! (Seaweed levels can change, so your experience may vary!)
This doesn’t need to stop you from getting in the water though!
Cost to go to Far Beach in Key Largo
There is an entry fee for John Pennekamp State Park, which means that it is not free to go to Far Beach.
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.)
Far Beach Key Largo map
👆 Map of where Far Beach is located in the Florida Keys. Along with Cannon Beach, Far Beach is one of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park beaches. Explore the Florida Keys tourist map. Explore more things to do in the Florida Keys!
And that’s a bit about going to Far Beach!
I went to Far Beach in April 2022. Your experience may vary!
See more for your trip to Key Largo and beyond:
- Best John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling
- John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park glass bottom boat tour
- Key Largo to Key West
- Best snorkeling in the Florida Keys
HAPPY GOING TO FAR BEACH!
