Travel site Islands has ranked the best sandbars in America, and guess who made the list? Well, you’ll never guess (Unless you read the title, and who does that?), so let me just tell you. Our own Snipes Key, that’s who!
This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about sandbars; Snipes Key is a lovely sandbar, and one of our favorite spots to take guests to show them Key West’s best beaches. It’s got expansive sand at low tide, a welcoming vibe on the weekends, and postcard-perfect scenery every day of the week.
Our hometown sandbar had to beat out some tough competition to make the cut. It bested Islamorada’s Holiday Isle sandbar, one in Hawaii that’s too much trouble to get to, and the Florida Panhandle’s Crab Island, which gets its name not from nautical crustaceans but from the frequent outbreaks of pubic lice attributed to the location.
Is Snipes Key really the best sandbar in Key West?
Perhaps I’m biased, but I think the Snipes Key sandbar, and Key West in general, blows those other sandbars out of the water. Firstly, Key West has tons of incredible sandbars, of which Snipes Point is only a single example. There’s also Jewfish Basin, Woman Key, Boca Grande…the list goes on. All are accessible from Key West, an innocent island in the ocean surrounded by marauding sandbars.
It’s hard to pick a favorite sandbar in the area because they all offer something unique. Snipes Key sandbar is home to the famous Instagram-friendly swing, so maybe that’s why it tops many people’s lists. But the best sandbar varies with the day of the week, the tides and winds, the season, and what you want to see. Some are secluded and quiet, loaded with birds and wildlife. Others are floating party cities. Key West sandbars offer a little something for everyone.
Finally, there’s the question of doing things before and after your sandbar adventure. Key West has all those great attractions you already know about: Duval bar crawls, kayaking in the mangroves, or lazy/drunk biking around Old Town. Where would you rather be, in cracker and crab-filled Destin or Key West? Sure, they both have pluses and minuses, but Key West has beautiful open water, living coral reefs, and a tiny bit of soul left in it. Destin is, well, Destin-Fort Walton Beach of Florida’s Emerald Coast©™. You know that emerald-green color in the water comes from algae, right?
Exploring the Snipes Key sandbar for yourself
Key West, our fair island in the sun, sits at the nexus of the Gulf and Atlantic. Clear water flows all around, and the island chain is loaded with sights to see. But, what makes those Key West sandbars worth it is that it’s impossible to see them without a boat. The Lower Florida Keys comprise at least dozens of islands, maybe even hundreds or thousands of them. No one knows, because we always get bored and lose count. But zipping around them in a boat, with the sun shining and the sea breeze in your face, is one of the best experiences you can have.
The Key West sandbars are great to visit any time of year. During the winter, we can occasionally get a chilly wind, but most of the time, it’s 75 degrees and sunny. During the summer, the sandbars provide the perfect spot to cool off. All you have to do is grab your Lily Pad and float in lovely 80-degree water all afternoon while the island bakes in the sun.
In Key West, Florida, Snipes Point Sandbar is just the start to your adventure.
If you’re ready to explore the Snipes Point sandbar or any other great Key West sandbars, give me a call and let’s work out a private boat charter while you’re in town. The Casual Monday gets you there fast and in style, and we can even do a little snorkeling or lobstering while we’re out.
