John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

A very worthwhile stop on any trip through the keys. It has a mini-aquarium, charter rides to the coral reef, kayak and paddle board rentals, public recreational beaches, informational trails, gift shop, bathroom with showers, and camping (though it fills up in advance). I walked all, but the mangrove trail as it was destroyed during my visit in January 2024 - they ate relatively short but very informative. I also chartered a snorkeling trip to the barrier reef with Joel and Lucas. They were great guides, and the experience was highly memorable. If you'd prefer to stay dry, there are also glass bottom boats.

Beautiful aquarium and wonderful walking trail for a hike! Fantastic place to stop and relax! The trail had many plaques informing us of the types of plants and trees we were seeing as well as a brief history about the plants and trees! Highly recommend stopping in here!

This is the state park in key largo which is the first keys from Miami. You can come here if you’re visiting Everglades. The visitor center also has an aquarium, which is great for kids. The park has beautiful views of the water, potential chance to catch a glimpse of Crocs! Though we didn’t. There’s a $2.5 Per person fee, but totally worth it. Nicely maintained grounds and friendly staff

What a great park to visit, they have a lot to offer and most off all the staff was super friendly! The awareness about reefs in an important one in the region. The nature is beautiful and they have a nice little beach to snorkle from. It's not as nice as out in the Sean, but even when the visibility is 0 out there you get a chance to see some here. They have these barracudas who as not scared of you and swim right under you. The park offers kayaks, snorkeling, and diving tours as well. There are campgrounds and lots of little activities.

Great place to spend the day! Kayaking, snorkel, to a rentals available! The beaches weren't super nice to relax at as they had just been hit by a storm, but the hiking trails and areas around the park are very beautiful with the mangroves. A very natural state park with lots of fun history. Sunken shipwreck to explore in the swimming area which was pretty cool!