BeachesWith
Smathers Beach: sandy beach with palm trees, dune fence, and calm ocean water6 photos
Photo: Juliancolton, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons (source)

Smathers Beach

Key West, Florida

Ocean beach in Key West, facing south-east, with parking and bathrooms within walking distance.

  • Hotels nearby
  • Warm water 8.3
  • Bathrooms
  • HoursClosed now, opens 7:11 am
  • Parking$5 per hour
  • DirectionsGoogle Maps
4.5/ 10Fair
How we score beaches
Calm water
4.7 of 10
Water
89 Ftoday
Sunset
7:36 pmover land
Parking
$5 per hour
Families
Fair
63of 100

Today, Thursday, Sep 10

Fair beach day

Very warm water. Watch: 29% rain chance, wind, waves.

84 Fclear
High
89 F
Sea temperature
89 F
Waves
2.1 ft
Wind
7 mphup to 20 mph
Rain chance
29%
UV index
8high
Sun
7:11 am to 7:36 pm
Tidesnext low at 2:38 am
  1. Low2:38 am0.5 ft
  2. High9:11 am2.5 ft
  3. Low3:33 pm0.4 ft
  4. High9:40 pm2.0 ft
  1. 8:00 am85 Fclear, 25% rain, 10 mph
  2. 11:00 am81 Fdrizzle, 21% rain, 20 mph
  3. 2:00 pm86 Fovercast, 15% rain, 9 mph
  4. 5:00 pm · best89 Fovercast, 6% rain, 8 mph

Forecast for Thursday, Sep 10, local time (GMT-4). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, refreshed hourly. Sea temperature and waves are model values for the nearest offshore point. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS station Key West, south side, White Street Pier (8724557), 0.9 mi from the beach, heights above MLLW.The rating rule is on the methodology page. Planning a future date? See typical weather by month.

Great for

  • FamiliesFairCalm water 4.7, bathrooms nearby
  • SwimmingGoodWaves around 3.1 ft, sea 82 F on average
  • SunsetsLimitedsets over land
  • ConvenienceLimited16 parking lots, no food mapped
How the Beach Score is calculated: 4.5 of 10

The score is the sum of the components below. Clear water counts only where a clarity source exists. Rankings never take revenue as an input.

ComponentPointsFact
Facilities1.8 of 3Within walking distance: parking, bathrooms.
Calm water0.9 of 2Mean daily maximum wave 3.1 ft.
Warm water0.8 of 1Mean sea temperature 82 F.
Sunset over water0.0 of 1The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

Ranks #18 of 168 for warm water in Florida, #28 of 37 for beachfront hotels in Florida, #45 of 60 for hotels nearby in Florida, #71 of 81 for bathrooms in Florida, #93 of 124 for parking in Florida. All beaches in Florida.

Verdicts on the cards come from the same facts. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026). The formula is on the methodology page.

Aerial view of Smathers Beach in Key West, Florida, shoreline and surroundings, USDA NAIP imagery from May 2023
Smathers Beach: sandy beach with palm trees, calm blue water, and clear sky
Smathers Beach: wooden boardwalk through dunes with palm trees at sunset

Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2023 via USGS National Map, public domain (source) · Photo: edgardo.campos@ymail…, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source) · Photo: Max and Dee Bernt from Boulder, CO, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)View all 6 photos

Amenities

  • Parking16 nearby
  • Free parkingNo
  • Bathrooms1 nearby
  • ShowersNo
  • Restaurants and barsNo
  • Beachfront hotels1 nearby
  • Hotels nearby1 nearby
  • Beachfront campingNo
  • Camping nearbyNo
  • PierNo
  • BoardwalkNo

Water, sand, and nature

  • Calm water4.7 of 10
  • Warm water8.3 of 10

Nearby means within walking distance of the beach centre (980 ft to 1,640 ft, by kind), from OpenStreetMap. Scores are 0 to 10. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026); the method for each is on the methodology page.

Hours, fees, and rules

Hours
sunrise to sunset, daily (restrooms 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.)
Parking fee
Parking $5 per hour
Operator
Run by City of Key West
Address
Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, Key West, FL 33040

From City of Key West, checked Sep 6, 2026. Hours and fees change; the official page is the final word. Address from OpenStreetMap (nearest road, approximate).

Sunset and sunrise

The shore faces south-east (157 degrees). The sun sets over land all year.

Computed from the OpenStreetMap coastline and the sunset azimuth for each month.

Planning a trip

Early October is usually warm, with very warm water, a higher chance of a rainy day and waves that are often rough.

Water
85 FVery warm
High
83 FWarm
Rainy day
53%Rain is common
Waves
3.4 ftOften rough

What to expect

  • Very warm swimming water, around 85 F
  • Waves often around 3.4 ft or more
  • Rainy days are common in October (16 a month)
  • October is within Atlantic hurricane season, at its peak
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peak from mid-August to late October. Storm history near this beach

3 October storms within 62.1 mi since 1980, about one every 15 years, 2 at hurricane strength. Most recent in any month: Tropical Storm Elsa, July 2021, 54.9 mi away. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks, counted at tropical storm strength or stronger. Season dates from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Smathers Beach through the year

Warm water
Low rain
Calm water

Darker is better: warmer water, fewer rainy days, calmer water. Monthly means, 2023-2025, from Open-Meteo. Values for a date blend the nearest two months; the bands and the rule are on the methodology page.

When to go

  • Best overallMarch to Mayvery warm water · fewer rainy days · warm days
  • Warmest waterJuly to September89 F average
  • DriestNovember4 rainy days a month
All monthly averages, 2023-2025Smathers Beach: sea and air temperature by monthMonthly mean sea surface temperature and daily maximum air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.60708090100JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSea temperature (F)Air, daily max
MonthSea tempAir maxRain daysWave height
Jan75 F (24 C)73 F (23 C)63.6 ft
Feb76 F (24 C)74 F (23 C)53.5 ft
Mar77 F (25 C)76 F (25 C)53.4 ft
Apr79 F (26 C)78 F (26 C)63.7 ft
May83 F (29 C)82 F (28 C)62.3 ft
Jun86 F (30 C)84 F (29 C)172.5 ft
Jul88 F (31 C)86 F (30 C)162.1 ft
Aug89 F (31 C)87 F (30 C)202.3 ft
Sep87 F (31 C)85 F (30 C)192.2 ft
Oct84 F (29 C)82 F (28 C)163.6 ft
Nov81 F (27 C)78 F (26 C)43.8 ft
Dec77 F (25 C)74 F (24 C)73.8 ft

Monthly means, 2023-2025. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Wave height is the mean of daily maximum significant wave height.

Explore Smathers Beach

Parking, food, stays, and facilities around the beach, mapped in OpenStreetMap within 0.7 mi.

All places near Smathers Beach as a list (61)

Beach access Access 5 and 7 more · Nearest parking at the beach · Nearest food and drinks 2,430 ft · 9 min walk · Nearest restrooms 300 ft · 1 min walk

Distances are straight-line to the nearest point of a 600 m stretch of shoreline around the beach's mapped point (OpenStreetMap maps this beach as a point); walking times assume 80 m a minute. Access points are where OpenStreetMap paths, steps, and boardwalks meet the beach. Coordinates 24.5514, -81.7710. Open this spot in OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Missing or wrong? Fix it in OpenStreetMap and it appears here after the next weekly update.

Nearby beaches

Questions about Smathers Beach

Is there parking at Smathers Beach?

Yes. 16 mapped parking areas within 1,310 ft. Source: OpenStreetMap.

How warm is the water at Smathers Beach?

Sea surface temperature averages 88 F (31 C) in July and 75 F (24 C) in January. Source: Open-Meteo marine model, monthly means.

Is the water calm at Smathers Beach?

Calm water scores 4.7 of 10. Mean daily maximum wave height is 3.1 ft. Source: Open-Meteo marine model.

Can you see the sunset over the water at Smathers Beach?

No. The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

When is hurricane season at Smathers Beach?

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the peak from mid-August to late October, per the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Since 1980, 15 named storms passed within 62.1 mi of the beach, 7 at hurricane strength, most in August, September and October. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks.

Sources

  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Storm tracks from the NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 archive, public domain (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station Key West, south side, White Street Pier (8724557), public domain
  • Rip current risk, surf, and alerts from the National Weather Service KEY office for Monroe Lower Keys (FLZ078), public domain

Licenses and refresh dates for every dataset are on the data page. Something wrong? Every beach page has a report button; corrections are logged with a date.

© OpenStreetMap contributors. Beach location, shoreline, and amenity positions are from OpenStreetMap under the ODbL. Data updated Sep 10, 2026.