Islamorada’s Anne’s Beach is dedicated to local environmentalist Anne Eaton (see below). There are 2 parking lots approximately 1/4 mile apart on US-1 at MM 73. Anne’s Beach features a shallow swimming area, covered picnic tables, boardwalk and bathroom facilities.
Most visitors stick to the beach areas near the parking lots. Locals and the more experience walk the boardwalk between the lots, and will find 5 covered pavilions and much more secluded stretches of beach.This Keys Beach is located on the Atlantic Ocean, but there is almost no wave action, due to the wide expanse of shallow water typical for Florida Keys beaches. Visitors can enjoy the clear and warm waters year round.
Anne’s Beach Park Hours: Sunrise to Sunset.
Directions: Mile Marker 73, Overseas Highway, Lower Matecumbe Key, Oceanside.
Includes: Boardwalk.
Features: Restrooms and Picnic Tables.
The water is too shallow for swimming, but is great for wading and perfect for young children and dogs. It’s a good spot for sailboarding or kite-surfing, launching a kayak, birding, picnics or for just having a stroll along the boardwalk.
More Florida Keys Beaches
Map of Florida Keys Beaches
Below are a few reviews from the Web.
The Best Hidden Beaches of South Florida. Willy Volk of Lonely Planet has listed Anne’s Beach in an article on The Best Hidden Beaches of South Florida. Speaking about Anne’s Beach in Islamorada, Volk writes: “While the Florida Keys offer plenty of gentle waves and wild nights, they lack a plethora of public sand beaches. Never fear: halfway between Key Largo and Key West, tucked discretely under an overpass, is one of the few public beaches in the Keys. Named after local environmentalist Anne Eaton, Anne’s Beach — on Route 1 at Mile Marker 73 — has two (tiny, but free) parking lots, a shallow swimming area, covered picnic tables and basic bathroom facilities. Best of all: this pet-friendly beach gives drivers the chance to let their pups stretch their legs along the scenic but occasionally frustrating drive from Miami to Key West.”
Top 10 Beaches in the Florida Keys. named Anne’s Beach on their list of Top 10 Beaches in the Florida Keys, listing Anne’s Beach as number 2! According to the article, they said to “Make your way to Lower Matecumbe Key for an afternoon at Anne’s Beach, named after local environmentalist Anne Eaton. Guests can enjoy a gorgeous sunset on the pristine sand flat or take a water adventure like windsurfing or snorkeling. A highlight of this locale is the boardwalk: It’s an elevated, wooden path that takes you through a half-mile of natural wetlands.”
Best Beaches in the Keys. lists Anne’s Beach as one of the Best Beaches in the Keys, saying that “Anne’s Beach is another one of the best beaches in the Keys. The swimming area is shallow at Anne’s Beach, and there are virtually no waves, making it the perfect spot for young children. You can bring a picnic and eat in the covered picnic area or take a walk on the boardwalk. Anne’s Beach is located in Islamorada on the Atlantic Ocean, so you can enjoy warm waters most days of the year.”
Anne’s Beach: “A Stretch of Paradise”. According to the Florida-Keys-Guide, Anne’s Beach was described as “A Stretch of Paradise.” They also had other great things to say about Anne’s Beach. Namely, “This is an excellent little beach next to the Overseas Highway. Located on Lower Matecumbe Key at MM 73.8 Oceanside. Catch this beautiful beach at low tide if possible! There is a boardwalk that meanders through the mangroves from one parking area to the other. Along the boardwalk there are 5 sheltered picnic areas where you can have lunch while watching the ocean! The view from these picnic shelters is worth the trip alone.There are many access points from the boardwalk to the beach.” Florida-Keys-Guide.com also says that “Anne’s is a great place to sunbathe, relax with a book, wade the shallows, or take a nap. Be sure to bring a friend along to roll you over when the first side is done. Although weekends at Anne’s draw a pretty good crowd, it seems like you can always find your own little piece of paradise. It is a popular beach for locals, day-trippers and vacationers. Be sure to bring your beach kit. Beach towels or mats, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, lunch, plenty of water, and, your camera!” Lastly, they make it a point to say: “Be sure to schedule Anne’s as a must see destination while in the “Keys.”
“VisitFlorida.com”. The website www.visitflorida.com, when describing Anne’s Beach, points out that “you can enjoy the clear and warm waters year ’round.” This is a great description for Anne’s Beach, and it supports the idea that one can try to find a time around their own schedule, whether winter, spring, fall, or summer, to visit Anne’s Beach.
Anne’s Beach listed on Top Key Largo Beaches. HomeAway.com put together a webpage on the Top Key Largo Beaches. And in the their “Other Small Beaches in the Area” section, they mentioned Anne’s Beach.
“Find the Best Beaches in Islamorada”. www.whats-at-florida-keys.com says that “Anne’s Beach is probably the most famous of the Islamorada beaches…”.
Top 10 Dog Beaches in Florida by BringFido.com. Anne’s Beach is listed on BringFido.com, a website dedicated to locations and events for families with dogs. Speaking about Anne’s Beach, BringFido.com says: “Anne’s Beach is a very secluded dog beach with plenty of shade. There are poop bags and even a fresh water bowl for dogs available. There’s even a good deli just north of the beach if you want to have a picnic at the beach.” Furthermore, Anne’s Beach was also listed by the company as the Top 10 Dog Beaches in Florida!
Who is Anne Eaton? As the commemorative plaque at Anne’s Beach states, “Anne Eaton Who lived on this island for many years and dedicated herself to maintaining the beauty and serenity of these keys.
This is an excerpt from June Keith’s book “Keys West & the Florida Keys”
Once known as Islamorada Public Beach and located on Lower Matecumbe Key south of Caloosa Cove Resort, Anne’s Beach is dedicated to local environmentalist Anne Eaton. Anne Began her life as Anne Kinder Jones. She was a schoolteacher until she met and married wealthy industrialist and banker Cyrus Stephen Eaton in 1957. Although polio left her wheelchair-bound when she was only twenty-four years old, Anne and her husband traveled the world, meeting politicians and international leaders in science and industry. After her husband’s death, Anne heard about the Florida Keys, the only frost-free place in the continental United States, and knew she had found her heaven on earth. Of all the places the wealthy seeker of world peace had been, she is said to have loved Monroe County best. Anne Eaton lived in the keys until she died in 1992. Her home in Lower Matecumbe, near the beach dedicated to her, is called the Last Resort.
In 2017 Hurricane Irma caused damage to Anne’s Beach. Shoreline trees were damaged and many have died. The Bathrooms, Parking Lots, and Boardwalk were badly damaged and had to be replaced. This video shows what the new boardwalk and picnic pavilions are like as well as some shore and water views.