Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
4.5
Historic SitesState ParksBeaches
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
This historic fort has the largest collection of Civil War armaments in the world. Bonus: It's located along a beach that's popular for sunset views.
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  • Ann B
    Wellington, Florida22 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hidden Gems in Key West!
    Fort Zachary is the most historic, charming, welcoming and beautiful park ever. That was my 4th time in Key West and all fourth time, i always made it my so to spend half a day or a full day at Fort Zachary. Whether it's just my husband and I, or with our family or friends, i always brought all of them there and no one seemed to disappoint yet. Besides Siesta key in Sarasota: Fort Zachary's beach is one of my favorite beaches in USA. The beach at Fort Zachary is clean and warm, such a beautiful scenery: plenty of trees, park, and you can watch cruises passing by while on the beach ⛱️. To tap it all: please try to go early for your historic Fort tour.
    Visited May 2023
    Traveled with friends
    Written September 11, 2023
  • dave s
    Key Largo, Florida10 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great bargain! Great snorkeling from the beach
    This is an amazing park! Perfect for families with teens or children interested in snorkeling. You can swim and snorkel right from the beach. Bring masks and goggles for your kids. There is a ton to see just under the waters surface even close to shore. I saw tarpon and a large variety of fish. The park entrance fee is the best bargain in the keys. The snorkeling isn’t as good as it is out on the reefs, but you can beat the price, convenience and easiness. Snorkel around the rock formations for best views of fish. It’s a great place and the sunsets from the beach are incredible!
    Visited September 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written September 19, 2023
  • swimdancermom
    Atlanta, Georgia154 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Lovely beach day in Key west
    Visited for the day to enjoy the beach. We were pleasantly surprised with all the amenities which included rental beach chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear and concession area. The park is on the bus route as well. There is a small entry fee even for "walkers" but well worth it. There is a historical fort which we did not visit as well. There are several walking paths and nice views of the coastline. The beach is rocky so it is worth buying beach shoes to get through the rocky coastline. We had bought shoes the day before at a CVS but they have a little shop that sells hats, sunscreen, beach shoes etc. It is worth a day trip if you are looking for a nice beach day with amenities.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written October 13, 2023
  • OnAir283406
    5 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    a must do!
    If you come to Key West, you have to see this place! I thought I was just going to fill some time, but it was really cool walking around a place that carries so much history. You only need about 30 minutes to walk around the fort, but we then walked to the beach to see the sunset. Beautiful sunset! and it only cost $7 to enter the park!
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 10, 2023
  • HappyMama333
    West Chester, Ohio59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun with History
    Fun afternoon activity integrating some great scenery and history. We toured the Fort and saw iguanas and cool birds. Parking was available. Good alternate view of the Coast Guard Museum ship and cruise ships in port.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 2, 2024
  • lmr1125
    47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fort Zachery Taylor /Take The Guided Tour
    We went specifically to check out the fort. When we first arrived, we weren't too impressed. It doesn't look like much. However we discovered there would be a guided tour at 11am so we decided to join in since we were there. The tour guide was amazing. The history & stories he told of the fort, how it was built and how/why it had evolved over the years was amazing. After the tour we looked at the site totally differently & we are now planning to visit a few other forts that were built during the same era to see how they compare. I would recommend arriving early. We got there at 10 am & had no trouble finding parking. When we left around 12pm the parking lot was rammed. Also we only saw one tour time of 11am posted. It was Christmas Eve when we visited so they may have had limited tours or they may only offer 1 tour a day. So get there early & join the morning tour.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 3, 2024
  • dolomitesandbeyond
    Seattle, Washington152 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Historical Fort and beautiful beach and ocean
    1. Very good ranger talk about the Fort. They have daily ranger talk at 11am. We joined up a bit late but learned a lot about the history of the fort. The ranger is very knowledgeable and passionate about his job. 2. Beautiful beach and ocean There was a concession stand where we bought food and drink. And one can also rent beach chairs etc and snorkel equipment. Large Sandy beach with tress and picnic tables Water is a bit cold in December but it was a beautiful sunny day so many people swam in the ocean.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled with family
    Written January 9, 2024
  • azam s
    16 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Best beach park in key west
    One of the best and largest beach park in key west! Clean with plenty of parkings and low admission fee. It has benches and grills. with benches and grills! Chrystal clear water. The sands are not white though. It’s a must go beach on the south side of the key west.
    Visited December 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written January 9, 2024
  • pat l
    Gainesville, Georgia1,102 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    New Years on the beach!!!!
    We visited the park to go to the beach while in Key West. New Year's Day on the beach was amazing! Ok, there were a TON of other people with the same idea, but we still enjoyed ourselves. Looks like we could have rented a chair and umbrella or bought some food, but we just dipped our toes in the water and looked for shells.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written January 15, 2024
  • C F
    Columbia, Missouri26 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well kept park!
    Well kept park! We really enjoyed the beach and swimming. Great place for sunset. Glad for the availability of bike racks, lockers, restrooms, and shower. Park does close at sunset Restrooms locked and shower off at five, though.
    Visited January 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written January 21, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles7,179 reviews
Excellent
3,892
Very good
2,226
Average
822
Poor
171
Terrible
68

mrnmrsb7
Philadelphia, PA82 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
Wow!! Water was like bath water! My husband hates cold water but he enjoyed it! Never seen him stay in the Water for such a long time use he’s only in there about 15-20 minutes. They also have a four that you can visit but we did not do that we just went to the beach and we also went over to the concession stand where they sell hotdogs hamburgers drinks as well as beer renting a lounge chair is $10 but if you want two chairs and an umbrella I’ll cost you $30 and you need to put a five dollar deposit fantastic beach highly recommend! Oh you so get you five deposit back. Chairs were 6 feet away from other chairs and umbrellas you can even bring your own snorkeling gear.
Written August 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ATLsoccerdad
Atlanta, GA36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
Wonderful beach (yes, rocky, so take appropriate sandals/water shoes) with chairs/umbrellas for daily rental. We had intended to check it our for one day and then go elsewhere to see new sights; we didn't We enjoyed the views and area so much we visited for 3 days. They also have a restaurant offering a wide variety of lunch choices. If you pay the $5 daily fee for the park, you can return later for sunset as well.
Written December 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Bob Q
Brooklyn, NY122 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
The beach and park are beautiful but BEWARE: You need water shoes. There are rocks and coral debris on the beach which are very, very painful on bare feet. Trust me on this, bring a pair of shoes. Otherwise, this is a great place to spend a day, If you want to rent an umbrella and two lounges, expect to pay $36.00. I steep price but.... There is a cafe offering sandwiches and cold drinks including beer and frozen umbrella drinks. The Cafe pricing is reasonable and the food is good. There are restrooms and showers available. An nominal entrance fee is charged at the gate. Enjoy!
Written May 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Trip597356
West Chester, OH323 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2022 • Family
We came with our family (7 and 12 year olds) to relax, have dinner, and enjoy the sunset. Check, check, and check! Got there around 5:00… paid our $8 to get a n…the cafe kitchen had closed at 5, but they still served hot dogs and pizza until 6:00, so we loaded up and found a picnic bench in the shade. Yes, it was expensive, but hey, they have a captive audience. I’d recommend bringing a picnic dinner with you. Also, bring a garbage bag because you need to pack out your own trash. Ok, the beach is a little rocky but not bad… there is soft sand in the ocean. The kids had an awesome time playing in the water and climbing on the rocks. The sunset was magnificent and watching all of the sailboats go by was really beautiful… the party boats not so much. The park rangers shoo you out right after sunset. It is really a special spot for sure… if you have kids that love the beach, it’s a must do. Beach, food, clean bathrooms, shade, beautiful sunset. Oh and if you have a camping hammock, you should bring it because the trees are perfect for setting them up between them.
Written March 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Matt G
Lewisville, TX36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020
We had a great day at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park. We were there mainly for the snorkeling, which is the best beach snorkeling I've every experienced.
Visibility goes down the later in the day it becomes, so I recommend going early before the crowds. The "beach" is more rock than sand, so I would definitely bring water shoes.
Lockers are available. Food is available. Picnic tables are available if you get there early.

You probably cannot walk this from downtown. I suggest an Uber to the front guardshack.
Written July 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Helen Sheeren
7 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
I went with a friend to this beautiful spot on a whim. I had heard locals talking about how beautiful it was, but I was still surprised when I saw it for myself. Beautiful beach, good food and drinks, decent restrooms. I have been to Key West many times and didn’t know there were any beaches this nice in Key West. Highly recommend you visit this spot if you are looking for some beach time. You won’t be disappointed.
Written February 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Crystaly303
Eastlake, CO478 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2019
This was a really nice beach, as well as the state park. We visited the fort first, and then ultimately returned to the beach multiple days. There weren't too many people here, and there were fairly nice facilities, and a small beach snack bar. The snack bar generally had a really long line, but it was nice to have the option for food and drinks. I thought there were plenty of picnic tables, and room to lay on the sand. There were a few jellyfish the last day we were there, but overall the beach was peaceful and worth the few dollars it cost to enter.
Written March 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mln304
Reading, PA359 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2020
Walked to Fort Zach from our hotel. It was really hot - so on the way back we took the free Duval Loop bus which has a stop near the entrance to the park and dropped us off about 2 blocks from our hotel.
The beach was really nice and there is lots of shade. The Cayo Hueso Cafe on the beach has good food and prices.
We did not take the guided tour, but just walked around the fort on our own. There are great views from the upper level.
Definitely worth a visit.
Written October 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

psuallie
Champion, PA30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020 • Family
We arrived at 9:00 and it was the perfect time to get there. We were able to breeze through the entrance pay station ($9 for 2 adults and 2 kids) and get a great parking spot and a great picnic table. The beach is in a little cove with a jeddy for flying kites. We stayed until 2:00 and by then there was a huge line to get into the park and people were having difficulty finding parking.
Written January 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

chak1014
Kolkata (Calcutta), India350 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
The turquoise water of the ocean , the white sands and the rocks create a spectacular view and provide a perfect background for amazing pictures. There are a lot of picnic tables available in the shady area of the beach that people can use to have a picnic if they are planning to spend the whole day in the beach. We had to pay $5 for two people to get in thru the gates that provide access to the beach as well as to the Fort.
After spending some time on the beach, we visited the Fort too. Since we were short on time, we were able to stay there only for 30 minutes and look thru the exhibits. It would have been nice if we could do the guided tour.
Written February 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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