Cannon Beach unfurls along the ocean side of Key Largo as a low-key stretch where locals bring folding chairs and coolers rather than expectations of postcard perfection. The sand here is narrow, giving way quickly to shallow flats carpeted in turtle grass—a nursery for juvenile tarpon and snapper. You'll hear the rustle of Australian pines and the occasional splash of a pelican diving for baitfish. The water stays knee-deep for dozens of yards, warm enough that even January visitors skip the wetsuit.
“One of the few Upper Keys beaches where you can snorkel living patch reefs from shore without a boat or guide.”
Credit: FlickrPacific Coast Majesty
Snorkeling draws most visitors: scattered coral heads and limestone ledges lie within easy swim distance, hosting parrotfish, sergeant majors, and the occasional nurse shark nosing through the sand. Visibility shifts with tide and wind, but on calm mornings you'll spot spiny lobster tucked under ledges and schools of blue tangs grazing algae. Families appreciate the gradual slope and forgiving conditions—no riptides, no pounding shore break.
The beach itself is unpretentious, with picnic tables shaded by palms and a small parking area that fills by midday on weekends. You'll share the space with snorkeling outfitters launching clients and retirees walking the tide line at dawn. It lacks the manicured charm of resort beaches farther south, but that scrappy authenticity is precisely why regulars return: this is the Keys as working waterfront, where the reef still feels close enough to touch.
