Resort beaches

Question

Hi, was wondering if you can walk on the beach in front of resorts? I know you can in other parts of Florida.

Answer

Good question. Short answer: it depends, but in Key West (and more broadly in the Florida Keys) you generally cannot just walk freely on a resort’s private beach in the way you might expect in some other parts of Florida. Resort beaches in Key West are limited, small, and often private, and public access can be quite constrained.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown:

Some resorts in Key West *do have private sandy beach areas*, but they are rare and very limited. For example, The Reach resort has what is described as “the only private natural-sand beach in Key West.”
According to local forums (like TripAdvisor), “there are no resort beaches in Key West you can walk on” as a non-guest, because most are small, private, and not open to the general public.
Reddit users echo this: Key West isn’t known for long, walkable, resort beaches — “only a few resorts … even have a beach and they are small and private.”
Some of the better-known “beaches” in Key West are actually public — for example, Smathers Beach (a long, sandy strip) , Higgs Beach (with snorkeling and park amenities) , and South Beach (very small) . These are not resort-exclusive.
From a legal standpoint: under Florida law, the public generally has rights to the beach below the “mean high-water line.” However, private owners (including resorts) may own the dry sand up to that line, which could limit access.

What this means for you:

If you stay at a resort like The Reach, you’ll likely be able to use their private beach (if you’re a guest) — but it’s not large, and day-visitor access may be restricted or not allowed.
If you're not a guest, walking *in front* of a resort to get to those private beaches is generally not guaranteed — the resort may restrict entry.
For public beach time, your best bet is to use one of Key West’s public beaches (Smathers, Higgs, South, or Fort Zachary Taylor State Park). These are the places where you’re more likely to have open access and space to walk, sit, or swim.

Bottom line: Yes, you *can* walk on beaches in Key West — but the “resort beach” in front of many hotels is often private, very limited, and not meant for non-guests. For a more reliable beach experience, go to the public beaches around the island.

Resort beaches

More Key West Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions