Higgs Beach(Key West Garden Club)

Located in the southern part of the island-city of Key West, Higgs Beach is a popular two-mile long beach with white sand. This beach is a part of a larger recreational county-managed park named Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach Park. Higgs Beach is not a natural beach - this beach has been created from sand sourced from the Caribbean. 

Higgs Beach does not have lifeguards. However, the beach and the area around it have many amenities including children’s playgrounds, picnic areas, tennis courts, restrooms, volleyball courts, barbecue spots, showers, two pavilions, and rental facilities for water-sporting equipment, beach chairs, and umbrellas. While dogs are not allowed in Higgs Beach, there is a dog-friendly area near this beach. A pier is also present on this beach. 

Higgs Beach offers many fun activities including sunbathing, beachcombing, picnicking, fishing, wildlife watching, biking, swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, surf-skiing, jet-skiing, waterskiing, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, and boating. The shallow water near Higgs Beach makes it ideal for beginner swimmers, kayakers, canoers, and paddleboarders. In addition, snorkelers also enter the water near this beach in order to explore its vibrant biodiversity - the water near this beach is a part of a marine park called Key West Marine Park and you can view many kinds of animals in the water near the beach including manatees, dolphins, corals, and sea turtles, along with a wide variety of fish including parrotfish, sting rays (which deliver a powerful sting when disturbed), barracuda, and snapper. However, if you are planning to go into the water near Higgs Beach, we recommend being careful as the water here is known to have unpredictable rip currents. In addition, the water here is also known to have organic and inorganic debris, which makes aquatic activities difficult here. If you are planning to fish in the water near Higgs Beach, we recommend that you ensure compliance with the local fishing regulations. A popular and exciting local jamboree named the Full Moon Experience is organised on this beach - the Full Moon Experience takes place from dusk to midnight on full moon nights between October and June. Many fun events are organised on this beach during this time including yoga sessions, DJ and live music performances, performances by artists, magic performances, and fun games.

Many interesting landmarks are present on and around Higgs Beach, one of them being Key West’s African Refugee Cemetery (also known as African Cemetery at Higgs Beach) - this site is known to be the internment location for the remains of 294 African refugees. These refugees were rescued from American slave ships by the United States Navy in 1860 and were brought to Key West for nourishment and rehabilitation. However, 294 refugees out of the nearly 1,500 rescued Africans perished within three months of their liberation, owing to health problems caused by inhumane conditions of the slave ships. These dead refugees were interred at this cemetery. This site is currently known to be the only cemetery for African refugees in the United States and is a part of the United States’ National Register of Historic Places. Another interesting landmark present near Higgs Beach is The Key West Garden Club at West Martello Tower. This garden club is situated on the site of a 19th-century military installation built for protecting the nearby Fort Zachary Taylor. Today, this site has many kinds of interesting gardens including a native plant garden, a waterfall-garden, a butterfly garden, a cactus garden, and an orchid area. In addition, the site also has a lily pond. Another point of interest present near Higgs Beach is the Edward B. Knight Pier (also known as White Street Pier) which offers amazing Instagram-worthy views of the Key West shoreline and the Florida Straits. This pier is also a great bird watching spot. Another popular activity in Edward B. Knight Pier is fishing - you can catch many kinds of fish in the water around this pier. However, if you are planning to fish in the water near Higgs Beach and Edward B. Knight Pier, please make sure that you follow the local fishing regulations. The Key West AIDS Memorial is also present near Edward B. Knight Pier’s entrance - this memorial is dedicated to victims of AIDS-related complications and their loved ones. The granite monument has names of people who died due to AIDS-related complications engraved on it, along with poems by Kahlil Gibran, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Rachel Hadas.

Getting to Higgs Beach is easy - the beach is situated near 1,000 Atlantic Boulevard, where a free parking lot is also available. However, we recommend visiting this beach early as the parking lot here is known to quickly fill up.

There are many attractions near Higgs Beach. The Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House is set in a late 19th-century building called the Custom House.  The Custom House has beautiful Richardsonian Romanesque architecture and it used to house Key West’s customs office, postal service, and district courts. The museum currently has interesting artistic, cultural, and historical exhibitions. Key West Turtle Museum has interesting exhibitions about sea turtles and it also seeks to improve public awareness about these wonderful creatures. If you are looking for another attraction near Higgs Beach, Waterfront Playhouse offers a wide variety of amazing plays.

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Higgs Beach. Cafe Sole is an upscale restaurant that serves amazing seafood with French culinary influences. In addition, the restaurant also serves pastas, steaks, lamb, and duck. Key Plaza Creperie is famous for its delicious crepes and galettes. In addition, the restaurant also serves excellent soups, salads, sandwiches, and quesadillas. If you are looking for another good and affordable restaurant near Higgs Beach, Garbo’s Grill is a food truck that offers amazing fusion dishes which have Polynesian, Caribbean, and Asian culinary influences.

If you are looking for a hotel near Higgs Beach, there are many great nearby options. The 4-Star Opal Key Resort & Marina offers many amenities including two bars, a restaurant, a spa, a gym, a pool, and a marina. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Amsterdam's Curry Mansion Inn that was built in 1869 and housed Florida’s first millionaire.  This hotel offers many amenities including a hot tub and a pool. In addition, the restaurant also offers complimentary breakfast and afternoon cocktail parties. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Higgs Beach, the 2-Star NYAH Key West offers many amenities including complimentary continental breakfast, three pools, and two hot tubs. In addition, the hotel also offers a daily happy hour.