Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West

When Florida seceded from the Union in January 1861, Captain John M. Brannan marched his garrison from Key West's army barracks into Fort Zachary Taylor under cover of darkness, securing the fortress for the United States government. Throughout the four years of the war, Fort Taylor served as the nerve center for the East Gulf Blockading Squadron, intercepting roughly 300 Confederate blockade runners attempting to slip into Atlantic and Caribbean waters.

During the 1898 Spanish-American War, the fort's upper brick tiers were demolished and modernized with Endicott-era concrete emplacements, during which dozens of Civil War smoothbore cannons and 100-pounder Parrott rifles were buried inside the walls as fill material. Rediscovered during an archaeological excavation in 1968, this represents the largest collection of Civil War cannons found anywhere in the nation. Walking along the ground-level casemates, you can inspect these massive iron guns up close.

Unlike Smathers Beach or Higgs Beach, which feature shallow sandbars and sea-grass beds, Fort Zachary Taylor has a natural limestone rock bottom protected by stone breakwater groins. This rocky structure functions as a mini-reef ecosystem, attracting schools of yellowtail snapper, blue tangs, sergeant majors, rainbow parrotfish, and occasional juvenile nurse sharks.

The best snorkeling zone lies along the western rock jetty near the park boundary. Enter the water carefully wearing water shoes until you reach swimming depth, then slip into your fins. Visibility is highest during incoming high tide when clean Atlantic water pushes in from the reef. Avoid snorkeling during strong westerly or southern winds, which can kick up milky sediment along the shore.

Fort Zachary Taylor is remarkably visitor-friendly. Shaded Australian pine groves run along the entire beachfront, offering dozens of wooden picnic tables and charcoal barbecue grills where you can relax out of the harsh midday tropical sun.

The park's Caye Hueso Cafe provides fresh Cuban sandwiches, Nathan's hot dogs, cold draft beer, fruit smoothies, and Key lime pie slices. Adjacent to the cafe, the beach rental desk provides high-backed loungers, large sun umbrellas, and sanitized snorkel masks and fins. Clean air-conditioned restrooms and outdoor freshwater rinsing showers are situated right between the beach path and the parking area.