Coco Plum Beach
The verdict on Coco Plum Beach
- Who it suitsTravellers who want a quiet natural shore for shelling, a slow wade, turtle nests and a leashed dog walk, away from the busier town beaches.
- Best spotThe flats at higher tide for a gentle paddle, and the strand line for shelling, with the pavilion for shade in the middle of the day.
- One thing to knowThis is shallow tidal water that recedes far at low tide, so it is a wading and nature beach, not a deep swim. For that head to Sombrero or Bahia Honda.
Published 23 May 2026. Last reviewed 23 May 2026
Coco Plum is the Marathon beach you go to when you want the Keys to be quiet. Tucked at the end of a residential lane on the Atlantic side near mile marker 54, it is a free city beach with none of the buzz of the town strands, and that is exactly the appeal. You come here for the slow stuff, a shelling walk at the tide line, a barefoot wade across the warm flats, the marked turtle nests in season, and a dog on a leash, which is a rare thing in these islands. Read it for what it is and it delivers. Arrive expecting a clear deep swim and you will be disappointed.
The water is the honest catch. This is a shallow Atlantic flat that pulls back a long way at low tide, leaving soft seagrass and a silty bottom rather than the clear turquoise of the postcards. At higher water you get a gentle warm paddle that small children enjoy, but it never becomes a proper swimming beach, and the seagrass and the occasional sandflies after rain are part of the deal. The trick is to read the tide, come on the push toward high water, and treat the shallows as a wade and a wander, not a place to strike out and swim.
What Coco Plum does have is character. It is one of the better shelling beaches in Marathon precisely because so few people walk it, so the strand line keeps its small conchs, sea glass and driftwood. It is a designated sea turtle nesting beach, and from mid April to the end of October you will see protected nests roped off in the sand, a quiet reminder of what the shore is really for. Keep well clear of any cordoned area, never disturb a nest, and let the place stay wild.
Come to Coco Plum for the quiet, the shelling and the dog walk. For the best free swim in Marathon go to Sombrero Beach, for the one great natural beach in the Keys head to Bahia Honda State Park, and for another easy free wade up the chain see Anne's Beach in Islamorada. For verified day options use our Florida Keys beach clubs directory.
Day options near Coco Plum
Coco Plum is a natural city beach, not a private beach club, and we never invent venues, prices or status. There are no sunbed concessions or bars on the sand here, so for a full service beach day in Marathon you look to the resorts and day clubs along the chain. Anything we cannot verify for the current season we list as to be confirmed. For verified day options, use the Florida Keys beach clubs directory.
Marathon resort and day clubs
For loungers, a pool and food on the water in Marathon you look to the resort beaches and day passes along the Overseas Highway rather than to Coco Plum itself. Availability, day rates and any minimum spend change through the season, so we list them as to be confirmed and point you to verified details rather than inventing any.
Sombrero Beach for the swim
For an actual swim and a shore snorkel in Marathon, Sombrero Beach is the free public choice a few minutes away, a clean palm backed cove with calmer clearer water than the Coco Plum flats. Pair the two for a full day, the quiet shelling wade at Coco Plum and the swim at Sombrero.
Coco Plum Beach, Marathon, Florida Keys
Coco Plum Beach sits at the end of Coco Plum Drive on the Atlantic side of Marathon in the Middle Keys, off the Overseas Highway near mile marker 54. It is a short turn off the highway into a quiet residential area, which is why it stays calmer than Sombrero and the town beaches. Use a map app to find the access point and the small parking area, and arrive earlier on busy winter weekends for a spot. The beach is typically open from around 7:30 in the morning until dusk, with the current hours best confirmed before you go.
Pack for a natural beach rather than a resort, with your own shade beyond the pavilion, plenty of water, reef safe sunscreen and reef shoes for the seagrass and shell strewn bottom. Bring a bag for shelling, time your visit toward higher tide for the gentlest wade, and after summer rain expect a few sandflies near dusk. If you bring a dog, keep it leashed and clean up, and through nesting season from mid April to the end of October keep well clear of any roped off turtle nests. Treat the calm and clarity as typical rather than guaranteed.
Plan a beach day near Coco Plum
Send your details and we will help arrange a beach day, a family outing or a watersport session near Coco Plum and around Marathon. We confirm current rates and availability with the operator before you commit. Nothing is charged here.
Coco Plum Beach FAQ
Is Coco Plum Beach worth visiting in Marathon?
Yes, if you want a quiet, natural local beach for shelling, a slow wade and turtle nesting rather than a polished swim. Coco Plum is a free city beach on the Atlantic side of Marathon with very shallow tidal water, a covered pavilion and restrooms, and it is one of the few Keys beaches where dogs are welcome on a leash. For a proper swim go to Sombrero Beach in Marathon or Bahia Honda down the chain.
Can you swim at Coco Plum Beach?
You can wade and float at higher tide, but Coco Plum is not a true swimming beach. The Atlantic flats here are very shallow and the water can recede a long way at low tide, exposing seagrass and a soft bottom, so it reads as a paddling and shelling shore rather than a deep clear swim. Time a visit for higher water if you want to get in, and treat conditions as typical rather than guaranteed.
Are dogs allowed at Coco Plum Beach?
Yes, Coco Plum is one of the few beaches in the Florida Keys where dogs are officially welcome, kept on a leash with owners cleaning up after them. That makes it a genuine find for travellers with a dog, since most Keys beaches do not allow them. Check the current city rules before you go, as access and any restrictions can change through the year.
Is Coco Plum Beach good for seeing turtles?
Coco Plum is a known sea turtle nesting beach, and through the nesting season from mid April to the end of October parts of the sand may be roped off to protect the eggs. You will not be guaranteed to see a turtle, since nesting happens after dark and nests are protected, but the marked nests and the quiet natural setting make it a special stretch. Keep well clear of any cordoned area and never disturb a nest.
Does Coco Plum Beach have facilities and parking?
There are basic amenities, a covered pavilion, restrooms and a parking area, and the beach is typically open from around 7:30 in the morning until dusk. It is a low key city beach rather than a resort, so do not expect sunbed concessions or food on the sand. Bring your own shade, water and snacks, and confirm the current hours with the City of Marathon before you visit.
Where is Coco Plum Beach?
Coco Plum Beach sits at the end of Coco Plum Drive on the Atlantic side of Marathon, in the Middle Florida Keys, off the Overseas Highway near mile marker 54. It is a short drive off the highway into a quiet residential area, so it stays calmer than the better known town beaches. Use a map app to find the access point, and arrive earlier on busy winter weekends for a good parking spot.