Indian Key Historic State Park
Islamorada, FL
Indian Key Historic State Park is an 11 acre island off Lower Matecumbe Key, the ruins of an 1830s town cleared right down to the old foundations and street grid, with a real swimming beach along the shore. The boat dock has been closed for years after storm damage, so a kayak landing on the island's south side is now the only sanctioned way ashore.
A genuine 1830s townsite you can walk through combined with a real swimming beach is a rare pairing in the Keys, though the closed boat dock means only kayakers can reach it now.
How we score beachesTime the paddle over for high tide, the seagrass flats between Lower Matecumbe and the island get shallow enough at low tide to make for a slow, awkward crossing. Bring a dive-down flag if swimming, there are no lifeguards and boat traffic passes close to shore.
There's no dock or vehicle access, only the kayak landing on the island's south side. Kayak rentals are available from charter companies on Lower Matecumbe if you don't have your own.
The kayak landing leads onto natural, somewhat uneven ground where the old townsite's foundations and streets are laid out. There's no boardwalk or paved path anywhere on the island.
Pets aren't allowed anywhere on the island.
Calmer winter and spring seas make for an easier paddle over, while summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, make the crossing and the shadeless island walk tougher. Water stays warm enough to swim nearly year round.
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