Hi there!
So you want to go to Higgs Beach!
Higgs Beach is where you can go to for snorkeling in the Key West Marine Park.
It’s also where to go for the Higgs Pier.
Do you have to pay to go to Higgs Beach?
Higgs Beach is a free public beach, so there is free public access to Higgs Beach.
And there is free parking directly at Higgs Beach, so you don’t need to pay to park when you go to Higgs Beach!
More below about Key West parking at Higgs Beach!
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Side note!
Here's some info on Florida Keys trip prep!
- Florida Keys snorkeling tour to North America's only living coral reef
- The perfect type of shirt for swimming in the Florida Keys
- Do you need water shoes for the Florida Keys?
- Cheapo waterproof phone case for snorkeling
- Personal swim buoy float is perfect for snorkeling and swimming in the ocean
I have a lot of 30-90 second Florida outdoor travel videos. A few of them might be on this page. If you can't see the video directly below, it might be because you have an ad blocker. Save the Florida Keys video playlist to watch on youtube later!
There are affiliate links on this page.
More for your time in the Florida Keys and beyond:
- Camping in Bahia Honda State Park
- Snorkeling in Bahia Honda State Park
- Beach snorkeling in Key West
- Things to do in the Florida Keys
- Camping in the Florida Keys
- One day in Key West
- Miami to Key West road trip
- Tampa to Key West road trip
Are Florida state parks open after the hurricane? Check the Florida Park Service website for current closures. (There are many state parks that are closed.)
Are Florida national parks open after the hurricane? Check the National Park Service website for current closures (October 2 update: Most of the Miami side of Everglades National Park is open, except for camping)
Parking at Higgs Beach
The entire shoreline of Higgs Memorial Beach Park is not entirely one connected beach.
You can drive from one end to the other (there is parking at both ends), or you can walk from one end to the other.
No matter which side of Higgs Beach you go to, once you park, you won’t have to walk far to get to Higgs Beach.
The shoreline is right in front of the parking area!
On both sides, there is a sandy area.
But on the far right end (as you are facing the ocean) is the main swimming area where you can walk directly into the water from the beach. For google maps, you can navigate to Higgs Beach near the Higgs Pier.
The Higgs Pier side is where you want to park to be near Higgs Beach rentals, bathroom, and/or snorkeling.
If you want to go to this main area of Higgs Beach near Higgs Pier, then the Higgs Beach parking lot you want to go to is in front of the tennis courts.
If you don’t see tennis courts, then that’s not the side of Higgs Beach park you want to be on!
On the other side of the Higgs Beach from the main Higgs Beach swimming area, on the far left side towards the Edward B Knight Pier, there is the African Burial Ground memorial at Higgs Beach. For google maps, you can navigate to Higgs Beach near the African Refugee Cemetery.
On this left end of Higgs Beach, you can also enter the water in front of the memorial, but you will be taking stairs to get into the water.
This is the quieter side of Higgs Beach, and there are no facilities on this side. If you are looking for quiet, come and take a walk around here to see if it’s where you want to set up camp!
And that’s a bit about Higgs Beach parking in Key West!
More for your Florida Keys road trip and beyond:
- What’s Higgs Beach like?
- Key West chickens
- One day in Key West
- Smathers Beach
- South Beach Key West
- Southernmost Point
- Bahia Honda State Park (1 hour from Key West)
- Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary (best snorkeling in the Florida Keys)
- Key Largo to Key West
- Miami to Key West
- Naples to Key West
- Marco Island to Key West
- 2 hours in Miami Beach
- Things to do in Everglades National Park
GOOD LUCK PARKING IN KEY WEST AT HIGGS BEACH!
👇 Explore the Key West map on google maps!
There are affiliate links on this page. Among other partners, as an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission from this.
Things to pack for your Florida vacation!
The ultimate beach towel for travel?!
Turkish towels are considered to be more absorbent and lightweight than your average beach towel. Be sure to check out turkish towels like these!The cheapo way to waterproof your phone
You can take underwater pictures with a simple waterproof phone case like this. Touch screen may not work well underwater - try the volume button to snap the pic instead!Get your suitcase more organized!
Packing cubes can make it so you're spending less time on your vacation looking for things! They are basically a form of drawers in your suitcase. Take a look at these packing cubes.Wear less sunscreen by wearing a UPF swim shirt!
Wearing a swim shirt means less skin that's exposed to the sun which means less sunscreen you need to apply! See about wearing swim shirts with UV protection like these when you're swimming.More for your Florida packing list
- How a cheapo waterproof phone case works
- Why wear water shoes for the beach
- Why a personal swim buoy is an essential for ocean swimming
- What to pack for Florida beaches
- What to pack for Florida springs
- What to pack for shelling in Florida
- What to pack for snorkeling in Florida