Hiking Highlight
Recommended by Sue
This Highlight is in a protected area
Please check local regulations for: Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
Smathers Beach, named after George Smathers (1913-2007), a former U.S. Senator from Florida and a friend of President John F. Kennedy, is the largest public beach in Key West, stretching about half a mile along the Atlantic Ocean. It begins at mile marker zero and is beautifully lined with coconut trees. On September 2, 2013, long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad made history by arriving at Smathers Beach after swimming 110 miles from Havana, Cuba, becoming the first person to complete the journey without a shark cage.
April 8, 2025
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