This guide is original editorial content. Linked public sources and directory listings should be checked again for live schedules, closures, prices and access rules.
How to read the fee notes
Three different operators run these six parks: Florida State Parks, Monroe County and the Village of Islamorada. Each one sets its own entry rules. This page says who pays, how the charge is counted and when it applies, using each operator's page as checked on October 21, 2026. It does not print amounts. Rates change, so confirm with the operator before you go.
The parks are listed north to south by mile marker, not ranked. For the wider swim, scenic and parking picture across the whole chain, see Florida Keys beaches by Key: swimming, parking and honest expectations.
- Look up who runs the park first: state, county or village.
- Weekends, holidays and residency change who pays.
- No published fee is not the same as a promise of free entry.
Key Largo: Rowell's Waterfront Park and John Pennekamp
Rowell's Waterfront Park at MM 104.5 is a Monroe County passive park of about eight acres. The county lists picnic tables, benches, a swim-at-your-own-risk area and a launch spot for kayaks and paddleboards. Boats and personal watercraft are not allowed. The county page lists no entry fee. Monroe County says the park is closed from Sept. 21, 2026 until further notice to complete Phase 2 construction, and that the project is expected to be completed in December 2026. Until the county announces a reopening, plan the paddle launch or swim somewhere else, and check https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/m/newsflash/Home/Detail/1872 and https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/1339/Rowells-Waterfront-Park before you go.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park at MM 102.5 charges a state-park entry fee per vehicle, plus a small charge for each person. The beach is inside the gate, so that fee covers a swim day. Florida State Parks says construction that began July 22, 2026 has closed one of the two boat ramps and the pump-out station and cut back boat-trailer parking. That matters on a launch day, not a beach day. Confirm fees and closures on https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/john-pennekamp-coral-reef-state-park. Most of the coral is reached by boat; Key Largo snorkeling day: Pennekamp, reef boats and honest logistics covers that.
- Rowell's: closed for Phase 2 construction since Sept. 21, until further notice.
- Rowell's, once open: paddle launch and a swim spot, no motorboats.
- Pennekamp: one state-park entry covers the beach.
- Towing to Pennekamp? Check the ramp closure first.
Tavernier: Harry Harris Park
Harry Harris County Beach and Park is a Monroe County park on Beach Road at about MM 92.5. The county lists a protected beach and swimming area, pavilions, grills, picnic tables and a playground. On weekends, visitors who do not live in Monroe County pay a per-vehicle entry fee. Launching a boat adds a separate ramp fee on top of that, and the ramp fee goes up on holiday weekends and during the two-day lobster mini-season. The county waives these fees for active military, disabled veterans and their immediate family with ID. Its page lists fees for weekends only. Confirm on https://www.monroecounty-fl.gov/1366/Tavernier-Harry-Harris-Park.
The boat ramp has its own page, Harry Harris Park Boat Ramp. The county says trailer parking is limited and first come, first served. If you are towing, read Florida Keys boat ramps: fees, parking and launches by Key before you plan a swim and a launch from the same lot.
- Weekend fees are for visitors from outside Monroe County.
- Ramp users pay the vehicle fee plus a ramp fee.
- Holiday weekends and mini-season cost more at the ramp.
Islamorada: Founders Park, Library Beach and Anne's Beach
Founders Park on Plantation Key is the Village's main park. The Village lets Islamorada residents and their guests in free, and residents get a Village resident card to prove it. Everyone else pays a per-person day fee that depends on age, with higher rates on summer weekends (Memorial Day to Labor Day) and on the Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th and Labor Day holidays. The pool costs extra. The Village also lets active-duty military, honorably discharged veterans and disabled veterans, plus up to four family members, in free with proper military ID. Dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the picnic areas, although the park has a separate fenced dog park, and fishing is not allowed. Check current rates on https://islamorada.fl.us/249/Founders-Park. The launch has its own listing: Islamorada Founders Park and Public Boat Ramp.
Library Beach Park at MM 81.5 bayside is a small beach on a mangrove-lined creek, with a playground, a pavilion with grills, an outdoor shower and restrooms. The Village says swim at your own risk. It does not allow dogs, motorboats, personal watercraft or fishing. The Village parks page lists no entry fee and no residency rule for Library Beach, so ask the Village if you need to be sure.
Anne's Beach at MM 73.5 oceanside has calm, shallow water, a boardwalk, covered picnic tables, restrooms and a paved lot. Leashed dogs are allowed. Motorboats, personal watercraft, open flames, grills and fishing are not. The Village lists no parking or entry fee for Anne's. The lot is small and fills, so do not count on a space. Rules for Library Beach and Anne's Beach are on https://www.islamorada.fl.us/260/Parks-Beaches.
- Founders: free for Village residents and their guests; everyone else pays a day fee.
- Founders and Library Beach: no dogs on the beach.
- Anne's: leashed dogs allowed; no fee is listed.
Nearby parks that are not beach days
Some Upper Keys parks that show up in a park search are not swim beaches. Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park at MM 84.9 is a former quarry with fossil-coral walls, short trails and a visitor center. Florida State Parks charges a per-person entry fee and opens it only some days of the week; check https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/windley-key-fossil-reef-geological-state-park before you stop. Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park is a hardwood-forest island reached only by boat or kayak, with a per-person visitor fee; see https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/lignumvitae-key-botanical-state-park. San Pedro Underwater Archaeological Preserve State Park is a 1733 shipwreck site in about 18 feet of water south of Indian Key. It is reached only by boat, and Florida State Parks asks boaters to tie up to the mooring buoys instead of anchoring.
In Key Largo, three Monroe County parks are for picnics and sports, not swimming. Friendship Park on Hibiscus Drive is a small park with a playground, a baseball diamond and basketball courts. Peace Park at the Nelson Government Center is a bayfront picnic park with pavilions, and the county says boats cannot moor at its dock. Key Largo Community Park has a walking trail, a fitness course, courts and fields; the Jacobs Aquatic Center pool at the edge of the park charges admission. The county pages list no entry fee for the three parks themselves, so confirm with Monroe County if it matters.
- Windley and Lignumvitae: state-park entry fees, not swim days.
- San Pedro: boat only; use the mooring buoys.
- Friendship, Peace and Key Largo Community Park: picnics and sports, not beaches.
Before you go
Pick one shoreline for the job you have, such as a protected swim, a paddle launch or a shallow wade with small children, then check that operator's page the morning you go. Save it with a backup on the same stretch in Trip planner, and browse more shoreline on Parks & Beaches.
- Check the operator's page the day you go.
- Keep a backup park on the same stretch.
- Dog rules differ park to park.
Frequently asked questions
Do visitors pay to use Founders Park in Islamorada?
Yes. The Village lets Islamorada residents and their guests in free. Everyone else pays a per-person day fee that depends on age and is higher on summer weekends and some holidays. Check current rates with the Village of Islamorada before you go.
Is there a fee to park at Anne's Beach?
The Village's parks page lists a paved parking area but no parking or entry fee for Anne's Beach. The lot is small and fills. Ask the Village of Islamorada if you need to be sure.
When does Harry Harris Park charge an entry fee?
Monroe County lists a per-vehicle fee on weekends for visitors who live outside Monroe County, plus a separate ramp fee for boat launches that goes up on holiday weekends and during the lobster mini-season. Confirm with Monroe County before you go.
Can I bring a dog to these Upper Keys beaches?
It depends on the park. The Village allows leashed dogs at Anne's Beach. It does not allow dogs at Library Beach or on the Founders Park beach and picnic areas, though Founders has a separate dog park. For Pennekamp, Harry Harris and Rowell's, check the operator's own pet rules before you bring a dog.
Does this guide rank Upper Keys beaches?
No. The parks are listed by mile marker. Each one links to its directory listing and its operator's page.
