Middle Keys · MM 47–60

Marathon

The service hub of the Middle Keys, with an airport, hospital, marinas, boat ramps and plenty of dining.

Entrance to the historic Seven Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys — Photo: Raychristofer CC BY-SA 4.0

Plan this island well

A practical base for the right kind of trip.

Marathon is one of the most practical bases for a multi-region Keys trip. It combines healthcare, groceries, an airport, restaurants and boating services with access toward both Islamorada and the Lower Keys.

Marinas and Boot Key Harbor wet slips make strong Mid-Keys staging anchors. For marina staging—not a KeysCompass ranking—shortlist Sombrero Marina, Safe Harbor Marathon, Pancho’s Fuel Dock, Burdines Waterfront Marina, The Boat House Marina, 15th Street Marina at Boot Key Harbor (15th Street Marina Marathon (at Boot Key Harbor)), Captain Hook’s Marina & Dive Center for fuel/dock services, and Bay View Inn / Conch Key Fishing Lodge & Marina just east toward Conch Key; confirm dockage, fuel, ramp and guest rules on each operator source. Group stops by mile marker and side of the highway so marina runs do not erase the hub advantage.

How to use this island page

Use Marathon as the hinge of a split-base week: restock, clinic, airport, ramps. Trailer planners: the three City public ramps are 33rd Street (33rd St Gulf Boat Ramp (City of Marathon)), North Marathon Shores / Harbor Drive (Harbor Drive Boat Ramp (City of Marathon)) and Crawl Key MM 54 / The Quay (The Quay Boat Ramp (City of Marathon))—confirm fees and overnight rules on the City Public Boat Ramps page at https://www.ci.marathon.fl.us/marinaandports/page/public-boat-ramps before you tow. Group errands by mile marker so the hub advantage is not spent in U-turns. For a sample day radius toward Islamorada or Bahia Honda, use the Marathon Mid-Keys day plan.

Start a usable day

Day kits

One-click seed the trip planner with real directory places, then drop, add or reassign stops on the planner. All island day kits

Day kit · Marathon · MM 47–60

Marathon Mid-Keys hub day

A starter skeleton for a practical MM 47–60 day: a timed attraction, a grocery stop, one shoreline (Sombrero or a listed alternate) and a marina stop. Marathon is the hinge, not a same-day Key West add-on.

Timed attraction check-inThe Turtle HospitalOfficial Turtle Hospital listing. Tours are a scarce timed seat—confirm current tickets and hours on the source.
Grocery restockPublixMapped Marathon supermarket before Seven Mile Bridge. Confirm hours on the store listing.
City beachSombrero BeachMapped Marathon city beach off the highway. Confirm access, parking and any closures on the listing source. One shoreline per day: swap in an alternate below and drop the rest in the planner.
Shoreline alternate (pick one)Sunset Bay Park on Grassy KeyCity of Marathon gulfside nature and sunset park on Grassy Key—not a Sombrero-style swim day. Confirm access on the City source.
Shoreline alternate (pick one)Curry Hammock State ParkFlorida State Parks shoreline and trails at the east/Crawl Key end of Marathon. Gate, day-use and pet rules are on the park source.
Shoreline alternate (pick one)Coco Plum BeachCity of Marathon natural Atlantic beach—not a second Sombrero. Confirm facilities and access on the City source.
Shoreline alternate (pick one)Little Duck Key Veterans' Memorial BeachMonroe County beach at the west end of Seven Mile Bridge (MM 40)—only if the day already heads south. This is the beach listing, not the Little Duck boat ramp. Confirm access on the County source.
Marina stopMarina Marathon at Tarpon CreekOfficial marina listing as a Mid-Keys dock example—not a ranking. Confirm fuel, dockage and guest rules with the operator.

Starter skeleton from directory listings—not a booking, live ops feed or sold ranking. Re-check each source the morning you go.

Open trip planner Marathon as a Mid-Keys base: day plan

Day kit · Marathon · MM 47–60

Marathon fishing day

A starter skeleton for a Mid-Keys fishing morning: a charter dock check-in or a City ramp, a bait stop by Boot Key Harbor, a bridge walk as the weather backup and a meal by the water. It does not book a captain, rank charters or promise bait, seats or opening hours.

Charter dock check-in exampleKey Colony Beach MarinaMarina hub on the Sadowski Causeway with charter departures and boat rentals run by separate operators—not a ranking. Confirm which company you booked, the slip and parking with the operator.
Self-launch alternate33rd St Gulf Boat Ramp (City of Marathon)City of Marathon public ramp at 33rd St Gulf, MM 49, open around the clock, if you tow your own boat instead of booking a charter. No overnight parking, and visitors pay to launch and park a trailer; check current fees on the City's public boat ramps page.
Bait and tackleKeys Maritime Bait Shop & Seafood MarketDockside shop at 890 15th Street Ocean, reached from Sister Creek Channel, with live and frozen bait and tackle. Live bait changes daily, so call before you count on it. Skip this stop if the charter includes bait.
Weather backup: bridge walkOld Seven Mile Bridge (Knights Key Trailhead)Knights Key Trailhead at about MM 47 for the restored span toward Pigeon Key. There are no restrooms at the trailhead. Follow the rules posted at the bridge, and check posted roadwork detours near Knights Key.
Meal by the waterSparky's Landing Fish and Cocktails Bar & GrillWaterfront restaurant and bar at 13205 Overseas Highway, behind the Fairfield Inn & Suites. Ask the restaurant whether it will cook a catch you bring in, and confirm hours on its source.

Starter skeleton from directory listings—not a booking, live ops feed or sold ranking. Re-check each source the morning you go.

Open trip planner Marathon fishing charters: bridges, reef and how to choose

Day kit · Marathon · MM 47–60

Marathon to Long Key paddling day: mangrove loops

A starter skeleton for one Middle Keys paddle between MM 50 and MM 67.5: a state-park mangrove loop at Curry Hammock or Long Key, a guided Boot Key or Grassy Key mangrove tour, or the self-guided Sister Creek launch. Pick one paddle and keep the others as backups. It does not book a tour, rank operators or promise tides, seats or opening hours.

State-park paddle (pick one park)Curry Hammock State ParkFlorida State Parks publishes two kayak routes from the launch: a 1.5-mile path around Little Crawl Key with a mangrove tunnel, lagoon, flats and sandbars, and a 5-mile route along mangroves and around another island. At the lowest tides the tunnel may be difficult to impossible; the park points to a sandbar just east of the launch instead. Rentals at the launch are provided by Whenever Water Sports, per the park. Its ranger-led tour, Whispers of a Mangrove, alternates with Long Key on Fridays; space is limited, so ask the ranger station. Check https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/curry-hammock-state-park/paddling-adventures-curry-hammock.
State-park paddle (pick one park)Long Key State ParkFlorida State Parks says you can bring your own kayak or rent one from the ranger station for a paddle along a natural shoreline. Its ranger-led tour, Beyond the Mangroves, covers open water and seagrass beds. Effective Sept. 26, 2026, the park says it may close for portions of the day because of King Tide flooding, so check https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/long-key-state-park and https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/ranger-led-kayak-tours before you drive.
Guided Boot Key mangrove tour (pick one)SpongeBob Kayak Eco ToursGuided kayak eco tours through the mangroves of Boot Key Harbor, plus sunset paddles. The operator says tours include the kayak, paddle, safety gear, guide and parking. Book and confirm the meeting point on its site.
Guided mangrove tour (pick one)Florida Keys Kayak & PaddleboardMarathon outfitter running guided mangrove eco tours, including a night tour, and kayak and paddleboard rentals it delivers to your lodging. Delivery terms and tour times are on the operator site.
Guided Grassy Key mangrove tour (pick one)Kayaking The KeysGuided mangrove and marine-wildlife eco tours, plus a night eco tour, led by the authors of the Kayaking the Keys guidebook. The listing puts the launch at Grassy Key Marina, near the Curry Hammock end of this stretch. Book and confirm the meeting point on https://kayakingthekeys.com/.
Self-guided alternate: Sister CreekSombrero BeachThe state paddling trail maps put a kayak launch on the west side of the swimming beach, at Sister Creek, which leads into unmarked mangrove trails through Boot Key. Carry a map and expect to backtrack. Confirm beach access and parking on the City source.

Starter skeleton from directory listings—not a booking, live ops feed or sold ranking. Re-check each source the morning you go.

Open trip planner Florida Keys Kayaking & Paddling Spots by Mile Marker

Practical questions

Using Marathon without treating every map listing as a plan

Why do guides call Marathon a hub?

Groceries, hospital and urgent care, an airport, marinas, boat ramps and everyday errands sit here near the Seven Mile Bridge. It is the easiest Mid-Keys pillow if you day-reach both directions without moving bags.

Is Marathon the same as Key Colony Beach?

No. Key Colony Beach is a smaller island city next door. Confirm which side of the highway and which city a hotel or ramp actually uses.

Which Marathon marinas should trailer or charter visitors shortlist?

Start with named directory listings such as Sombrero Marina, Safe Harbor Marathon, Pancho’s Fuel Dock, Burdines, The Boat House Marina, 15th Street Marina at Boot Key Harbor, Captain Hook’s (fuel/dock) and Conch Key Fishing Lodge & Marina—then confirm dockage, fuel and guest rules with the operator. Self-launch is a separate City public-ramp decision (33rd Street, Harbor Drive / North Marathon Shores, Quay / Crawl Key MM 54). We do not rank marinas or guess fees.

Explore locally

Useful stops on Marathon

Each category shows up to 12 places in organic order. Longer lists link to every place. Organic directory order is unsold. Confirm hours on the source.

Hotels & Lodging

29 places on Marathon, in organic directory order.

Marathon · Marinas & Boating

Banana Bay Resort & Marina

4590 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

Marathon

A practical base for the right kind of trip.

Day kits

Marathon Mid-Keys hub day

Marathon fishing day

Marathon to Long Key paddling day: mangrove loops

Using Marathon without treating every map listing as a plan

Why do guides call Marathon a hub?

Is Marathon the same as Key Colony Beach?

Which Marathon marinas should trailer or charter visitors shortlist?

Useful stops on Marathon

Hotels & Lodging

Campgrounds & RV Parks

Attractions & Museums

Tours, Rentals & Outfitters

Parks & Beaches

Restaurants & Nightlife

Public Boat Ramps & Docks

Marinas & Boating

Groceries & Supplies

Tackle & Bait

Local Makers & Specialty Shops

Gas Stations

EV Charging

Pharmacies

Hospitals & Urgent Care

Rentals & Mobility

Airports

Wellness & Personal Care

Public Services

Public Transportation

Banks & ATMs