Last updated on December 7th, 2024 at 10:55 am
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park was the first undersea state park in the country, created to protect the only living coral reef in the continental United States. It’s so special that it is rated as the #1 Florida state park on TripAdvisor and it’s on the must-see list for many visitors.
The park extends three miles into the Atlantic Ocean and ranges 21 miles in length, adjacent to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which protects the continuation of coral reefs within its 2,900 square nautical miles of waters from the Keys to the Dry Tortugas.
Pennekamp’s biggest draw is snorkeling
Coral reefs have declined in recent decades — blame high water temperatures. But they are still the main attraction at Pennekamp.
There are many ways to visit offshore reefs aboard dive boats, snorkel tours or glass-bottom boats. (The reefs are too far from shore to visit by kayak.)
The day we went out on a glass-bottom boat to Molasses Reef, the seas were rough and the sun remained behind clouds, but the boat was stable and the weather barely dulled the bursts of color on the reef or the fish swarming around it.
You can sign up for the glass-bottom boat and snorkeling tours at the park concession building near the visitor center.
Glass-bottom boats are available several times a day and the tour is 2.5 hours. Cost is $50 for adults. The tour guides are knowledgeable and the trip was fun. (Note: Those prone to sea sickness should inquire about conditions. Looking through the glass window at the bottom of the boat as it moves rhythmically with the waves has been known to induce motion sickness in some.)
Snorkeling tours leave the dock several times a day for 1 to 1.5 hours water time. Cost is $50 for adults. Bring your own snorkel, mask and fins, or rent them ($5 fins, $5 mask, and you can’t rent but must buy the snorkel for $15.) Corrective lens mask available.
Scuba diving trips leave the Marina at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for two-location dives for $105 per person. Certification is required, and equipment is additional. The full gear package with the tour is $40. Scuba instruction is also offered. Call (305) 451-6322 for information and rates.
There are numerous private outfitters throughout Key Largo offering glass bottom boat and snorkeling tours, as well as diving expeditions. We list a few in our Visitors Guide to Key Largo.
While it’s not comparable to going to a reef, we’ve enjoyed snorkeling right from the beach at Pennekamp. See details in the beach area below.
We liked the kayaking trails
Pennekamp is not just about snorkeling. It’s also an excellent place for kayaking and paddleboarding, with miles of mangrove trails through the park.
On a recent calm and sunny November day, we launched our own kayak here and found the mangrove trails to be beautiful and full of sea life. The water is shallow and remained clear even when we paddled in water six or seven feet deep. We saw many schools of fish and two large stingrays gliding under our boat like underwater birds.
The kayak outfitter issues laminated trail maps to those renting kayaks or SUPs. We brought our own boat, so we stopped at their kiosk and photographed both of the maps. (One shows the most commonly paddled trails and one offers a broader view of the waterways.)
We paddled for an hour and didn’t explore all the trails. If we had more time, we could easily have spent another hour or two here, and we liked it enough to return one day.
Sheltered Largo Sound offers excellent open-water paddling, and experienced kayakers may want to venture beyond the protection of the mangroves on nice days with calm seas.
While the closest mangrove trails can have plenty of kayakers, if you paddle beyond them, you can find trails where you are away from the crowds.
Some of the waterways here are used by power boats, which the map marks. The key for paddlers: When in the channel with power boats, stay close to the shoreline and out of their way; cross the channel with great care.
As you enter the park, you reach the kayak and canoe rentals shortly after the visitor center and main concession, just before the bridge. On the other side of the bridge, you’ll find the kayak launch for people with their own paddlecraft. (It’s not well-marked.)
Powerboaters can use the boat ramp at the marina for $10, and moorings are available for boat camping. Call (305) 451-6325 for more information.
Beaches, hiking and biking
There are two beaches at Pennekamp, both great places to relax, swim and snorkel.
The main beach is Cannon Beach, the busier of the two, near the visitor center.
Snorkeling off Cannon Beach you can see artifacts from a 1715 Spanish ship wreck. It can make a good snorkeling experience, especially for children. Considerable marine life may be observed off both beaches in the seagrass beds.
My choice is the more remote Far Beach, a short walk or bike ride on a paved trail. From Far Beach, visitors can snorkel along the mangrove-lined shore, where small fish and crabs can be spotted.
There are three short nature trails, the Wild Tamarind Trail, Grove Trail and the Mangrove Trail, which takes you out to an observation tower where you can view the park from a slight elevation.
Bicycles are good for transportation around the park from the campground with access to the paved bike trail alongside the Overseas Highway. This section of the trail is not picturesque. You would be better off racking your bikes further south.
Visitor center’s aquarium tanks for easy view of sea life
The visitor center is worth visiting to view the 30,000 gallon saltwater aquarium filled with local reef fish. There are several smaller aquariums with fish, invertebrates and other marine creatures, including live coral.
Camping at Pennekamp State Park
I was not impressed on my first camping experience at Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. The are decent enough, but they are too close together and the gravel pad leaves no room to pitch a tent on smooth ground.
While we were comfortable in my travel trailer, a group of college kids in the neighboring site slept in their cars because their tents were uncomfortable on the gravel.
On my second visit to the campground, we shuffled between a couple of sites and found them a little more spacious, but still not up to the standards of other state parks.
Considering the comparatively affordable price of these campsites — $43 per night including utilities (see below) — you can be sure they stay booked year around. Reservations can be made up to 10 or 11 months in advance, and I highly recommend that you book your site the first day they become available.
While Pennekamp allows bookings up to 14 days, the only way you’ll get stays of several days is to make your reservation on the first day it’s available. Otherwise, you’ll be picking up the scraps from cancellations.
Florida residents have the advantage and can book up to 11 months in advance, while the reservation window for non-residents is 10 months in advance. These sites are in high demand and are often snapped up on the first day they are available.
There is an upside: Early bookings often are cancelled (cancellation fee is $17), but this means scattered availability and requires diligent monitoring of the reservation web site.
Tent campers might be better off looking elsewhere: Best Tent Camping in the Florida Keys
Pets are allowed in camping areas, as well as other areas of the park, but not on beaches or concession areas.
Convenience stores outside the park entrance don’t carry very much, but there is a Publix Supermarket two miles south and a Winn-Dixie is 4 miles north on U.S. 1.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Mile Marker 102.5, Key Largo, FL 33037. (305) 451-1202. Day use admission is $8 per vehicle. Camping: $36 plus $7 utilities per night, state and local taxes and a one-time $6.70 booking fee. For reservations, go to reserve.floridastateparks.org
Other campgrounds near Pennekamp
KEY LARGO CAMPRGROUND & MARINA, 101551 Overseas Highway, Key Largo; (305) 451-1431. Moon’s Florida Camping says this private campground is the best in the Keys, and it’s only a mile south of Pennekamp. It has 32 primitive tent sites and 171 sites with full hookups, and sites range in price from $75 (tent) to $156 (waterfront with full hookups) per night. I did a quick tour of this campground a few years ago and would have no problem recommending it, especially the shady sites.
KINGS KAMP, 103620 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo; (305) 451-0010. Park has 60 sites, but only seven are available for RVs and a few for tents. Sites are $70 to $135.
BLUE FIN ROCK HARBOR MARINA, MM 97.5 Oceanside, Key Largo; (305) 852-2025. Mostly seasonal residents. Occasionally you can get an RV site.
Map of Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
FAQs on John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Is the Christ of the Deep statue here? Yes, the 9-foot-tall bronze statue was installed in 1965 in an area called Dry Rocks. It is located about 8 or 10 feet below the surface and thus is best seen by scuba divers. Snorkelers can see it, but will be viewing it from above. Snorkel or scuba trips can be arranged here, although if it’s important to you to see it, make sure to determine if it’s included as not all boat tours go here. Glass bottom boat tours do not go to the statue.
How warm is the water in winter? Water temperatures in the winter are in the low 70s.
Can I swim to or snorkel to the reefs? No. The reefs are located between 3 and 8 miles off the coast, too far to reach by anything but powerboat.
Who was John Pennekamp? The park is named after an editor with the Miami Herald who led a fight to protect the reefs.
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Can any one tell us if there is any thing special going in May of 2023 , we will be there for two weeks attending a key largo wedding this is our first time visiting the keys . We will be staying at the John pennekamp sp,
We have a calendar of annual events and the one event that happens in the Keys in May is the Key West Singers and Songwriters Festival, which is described this way: “Musical performances and conversations with major artists. Most shows are free and occur at beaches, boats, bars, resorts and theaters. Shows start early afternoon and play into the late night.”