Key West’s Fort Zachary Taylor Beach
Key West’s best beach comes with a helping of history. The red brick ramparts of historic Fort Zachary occupy the southwestern tip of Key West, but this Civil War-era fortress isn’t the only reason locals and savvy visitors come to the namesake state park. Just outside the fort’s walls, a trail through the trees leads to the park’s main attraction: slender swaths of sandy, crescent-shaped shoreline.
Fort Zachary Taylor played a strategic role in the defense of Key West during the Civil War. The fort’s ten-inch guns had a range of ten miles. Photo: iStock
With Naval Air Station Key West next door, the 54-acre grounds of the park are insulated from Key West’s downtown scene, and never draws the crowds found at more easily accessed sites such as Smathers Beach. History buffs will note that the beach was once reserved for President Harry S. Truman when he used the commander’s quarters of the adjacent Naval air station as his “winter White House” in the 1940s. Locals now congregate on this same coast during sunny days, along with the few visitors who are intrepid enough to find this hidden treasure.
Located on the southwest tip of Key West, Fort Zachary Taylor provides stunning views of the clear, turquoise water of the Gulf of Mexico—especially from the second level. Photo: iStock
Anglers cast their lines from the jetty along the western edge of the park while swimmers enjoy the warm water and snorkelers peek at coral and schools of tropical fish. Grills and tables set up under Australian pines make for a great place to picnic while cooling off in the breeze and watching sailboats pass by — or grab a Cuban sandwich and ice cream treat from the Cayo Hueso Café steps from the sand. Stick around until dusk for a sweeping, unobstructed view of the sun disappearing into the waters of the Gulf.
