Beat The Heat And Take Your Boat Or Kayak To One Of South Florida’s Sandbars – Here Are 5 Of The Best

The Florida summer heat can get a bit much even for those who really love the heat, am I right? That’s what our wonderful oceans are there for. And what could be better than spending a day on the beach or on the water? Well, I’ll tell you what’s better: spending a day on a beach, or submerged beach, surrounded by water! And that’s where my sandbars come in. I’m bringing you the 5 best sandbars of Miami and the Florida Keys.

Some of these sandbars belong on the list of “easy places to kayak to in South Florida”, but with others, you really do need a boat. Having said that, all of the following sandbars can “potentially” be reached by kayak, it’s just that some trips are a lot more adventurous and challenging than a 10-minute leisurely paddle.  I have known some kayak groups paddle as far out as Stiltsville in Biscayne Bay, which is a good distance south of Nixon Sandbar.

So it’s not impossible, but would I kayak to Nixon Sandbar or the Snipe Keys?

Nope.

The other sandbars mentioned here are very close to the shore and being able to kayak to them makes these trips some of the cheaper things to do in the South Florida area. You may have to pay for boat ramps, or entry fees at Oleta for example, but otherwise it’s a low-cost adventure. I can’t think of many other things to do in south Florida that are so much fun and pretty much free.

Marathon Sandbar At Curry Hammock State Park

There is just one favor I need to ask from you, but to be honest, it probably doesn’t even concern my readers. I am pretty sure you are the good guys and the people who should be reading this probably never will, but here goes: In the last 5 years we have noticed not only an upturn in boat and people traffic at all of these sandbars, but also an increase in noise (very loud music from boaters), and an increase in trash floating around.

While this is a general problem here, especially in the Keys, it is regrettable. We spend much of our time out there picking up trash and trying to get away from loud disco music where before – just a few years ago – we used to watch the local wildlife in relative peace and quiet.

There is a time and place for loud parties, by all means, enjoy them at the Haulover and Islamorada “party” sandbars. But I believe there is also a time and place for quiet reflection and wildlife watching at some of the other sandbars, especially when they are adjacent to state parks and nature reserves.

My big wish is that we can all come together and be respectful to not only the environment as a whole, but also those we share it with, be it humans or animals. And please take the trash with you and don’t let items blow off your boat. Thank you!

Here is my list and please note that I have not numbered the sandbars according to preference, as I like them all for different reasons:

Haulover Sandbar – North Miami Beach

This is your go-to sandbar for partying, music, lots of people, and skimpy bikinis. Do not come here expecting a quiet and peaceful outing, but if you’re up for a party it’s great fun. There is even a concessions boat with anything your hungry heart could possibly desire – please say “hi” to Diann from D’s Sandbar Munchies from me. She is the best!

Burgers, Salads, Ice Cream? Diann Has It All!

How do you get there? Well, by boat it’s fairly easy and you could even put in at Haulover boat ramp which is literally a stone’s throw north of the sandbar. If you don’t have a boat but still want to have fun on the water, like yours truly, you can get to Haulover Sandbar by kayak from Oleta State Park.

It’s an easy and short paddle, all you have to do is cross the boating channel as you come out of Oleta State Park, heading for the other side of the intracoastal. Please be extremely careful as that boating channel gets busy, especially on the weekends.

Nixon Sandbar On Key Biscayne

Let’s stay in Miami and head a little further south. Nixon Sandbar is west of Key Biscayne, just outside Hurricane Harbor, and also has a big party reputation – well, it is Miami after all! I am writing this post over July 4th weekend and can’t help but think that it must be one of the top things to do in South Florida this weekend.

Now, I am probably not best qualified to talk about this one, as it has been many years (about 6 or so) since I have been there, and haven’t been back since. However, I remember very vividly that the water was beautiful and refreshing, even on a hot summer’s day. The sandbar also had a fierce current running through it at the time.

Nixon sandbar is relatively close to Stiltsville so if you’re boating there why not check out the historic houses on stilts? Do pay close attention to the depth finder though as there are quite shallow parts in this area. Definitely stick to the channels here.

Stiltsville – Don’t Hit “Rock Bottom” Here!

Islamorada Sandbar 

This is the last of the party sandbars I am going to cover. Located in the beautiful Florida Keys, it is definitely one of the top things to do in South Florida and the Keys for boaters, jetskiers and kayakers alike. On weekends, and particular holiday weekends, the sandbar is crowded with lots of watercraft and sun worshippers. You can see all the boats from the overseas highway for miles, and it always kills me to be driving past when I would rather be there…

GPS Track of our paddle to the sandbar (image courtesy of GoogleEarth)

So how do you get there? The sandbar is located just off the Postcard Inn Resort oceanside, and quite easy to reach with a boat from anywhere in the Keys. The sandbar is also ideal for kayakers or paddleboarders as it isn’t far offshore and the short paddle to get there is mostly through shallows where you’ll encounter few boats. It can get quite choppy on a windy day, however.

Where to launch your kayak can be a challenge here. If you are staying at one of the resorts in the area, such as the Drop Anchor or (what is now) Fisherman’s Inn, you should be able to use their boat ramps – and it’s an easy peasy paddle along the shore. In fact, you will be able to see the sandbar in the distance, especially at low tide.

We were able to launch our kayaks, for a fee, from the Harborlights Motel boat ramp (now the Fisherman’s Inn), but I suggest to call them ahead of time to find out if they still let people launch from there. This one is really convenient as it’s not far to paddle. There is also a boat ramp just south of the Postcard Inn, next to the road, but again I am not sure they let kayakers launch. I imagine that boat ramp gets quite busy.

Islamorada Sandbar Fun

If you get a chance to be there on a weekday, you may have the place virtually to yourself, in stark contrast to the weekends when it turns into one of the most popular things to do in the Keys. The water is crystal clear and you can see all kinds of critters if you are lucky, such as starfish, crabs, rays and lots of different fish cruising through the area. On the weekends you’ll most likely be people watching, which can be fun too.

A Quiet Day at the Islamorada Sandbar

Marathon Sandbar At Curry Hammock State Park

This is one of the quieter sandbars where you can still observe some wildlife and enjoy the peace. In recent times, unfortunately, it has become a little more popular with boaters and the usual music and noise, but this is mainly the case on the weekends and it tends to be only a handful of boats rather than dozens. On a weekday it is still a quiet and hidden little paradise.

Marathon Sandbar

This sandbar is easily reached from Curry Hammock State Park. All you have to do is paddle slightly north along the shoreline for a few minutes and then head east (into the ocean) over some seagrass flats – and you can already see the shallow and sandy bottom in front of you.

It’s quite close to shore and no more than a 15-minute paddle away, which makes it great for wimps like me who are not very comfortable with open water kayaking. Mind you, since this is what the locals call “oceanside” (the Atlantic coast of the Keys), it can get a bit choppy on windy days, especially when the winds are out of the east.

The wildlife here (when there are no noisy boats) is really abundant. If you keep your eyes open you are sure to see starfish, crabs, baby bonnethead and nurse sharks, and even quite large southern stingrays sometimes. Also, especially during dawn and dusk and at very low tide, you will most likely see wading birds fishing close to the mangroves in the shallows. We love this sandbar and hope it won’t become too popular with partying boaters, as it is nice to have a quiet spot to go to and just enjoy nature – and we already have plenty of party spots in other parts of the Keys.

The Sandbar is North-East of Curry Hammock State Park (image courtesy of Google)

Snipe Keys Sandbars

This is for those who really want to get away. It’s also not a single sandbar as such, but a whole area offshore bayside in the Florida Keys, that has numerous sandbars and beaches, particularly at low tide. The area is in the lower Keys, close to Key West and can be reached easily and quickly by boat from Sugarloaf Key.

Yes, on the weekends you will find boaters here and music as well, however, it is much easier to find a little escape in the mangroves or just keep out of the way of the more popular spots if you want to find quiet. Or you could just go on a weekday. You’ll most probably be by yourselves.

The Snipe Keys are a few miles out from the shoreline of the Keys, in the “backcountry”, and therefore would be quite a mission to kayak to. Some people do it, but I would not recommend the paddle, unless you have ocean-worthy kayaks, lots of energy, and a very good map or GPS. It’s an approximately 20-mile round-trip paddle, so a whole day’s worth for sure.

If you are not quite that adventurous (and I am certainly not), you can get there by boat from Sugarloaf marina. You would need a local boating map and/or local knowledge as there are some shallows to be aware of. Alternatively, you can do what we did and get out there with Reelax Charters and the lovely Andrea Paulson.

We had a wonderful time with Andrea, who not only knows these waters very well, she also knows the local weather extremely well and this is important when you are out there in the summer, as storms can build in mere minutes. She also brings kayaks, so once you are out there, you can kayak around to the sandbars at your heart’s content and swim, watch wildlife, and generally just enjoy this tropical paradise.

You might even spot some dolphins. Sadly we did not, but Andrea informed us that it’s quite a common occurrence to see dolphins on her trips.

For peace and quiet as well as wildlife and nature, the backcountry simply can’t be beaten, so if you really want to get away from it all and just need a day to completely relax, this is the sandbar for you. It was definitely one of the best days of my life and will be etched in my memory forever.

Sandbars, Sandbars Everywhere!

This post is just a taster of some popular and easily accessible sandbars in the South Florida area. There are so so many other sandbars, small and large, dotted all around south Florida and south-west Florida, perhaps you have a favorite one?

I love the many tiny sandbars off the beaches on the west coast, for example around Fort Myers (Lovers Key) and Sanibel and Captiva.

Tigertail Beach Sandbar on Marco Island

Many of the sandbars are teeming with wildlife and provide shallow water nurseries for all kinds of fish and critters. We always find something interesting, whether it is a curious hermit crab or a massive horse conch.

Small Sandbar off a Beach On The South-West Coast of Florida

Horse Conch on a Sandbar Just off the Beach 

Some of those sandbars you will only find with local knowledge and they disappear at high tide. Do you have one in your area? Do you have a favorite one?
Let me know, I am always looking for new places to discover…