Florida Bay backcountry
The bay side of the island is protected from the open Atlantic by the Keys themselves — calmer, clearer, with far more shallow sand patches than any exposed beach ever gets.
Key West Sandbar Charter · Perry Hotel & Marina
The hidden Key West sandbars only the captain knows.
Most sandbar charters out of Key West run the same two or three spots — the ones on every tourist map, packed with party boats by 11 a.m. We don't run those. Our USCG-licensed captain runs a private boat to the local sandbars off the radar, picked that morning for the wind and the tide.
Perry departures include complimentary Perry Hotel pool and gym access — an approximately $35 value.
Local crew. Small groups. Private experiences.
Leave the public-tour crowd behind. Your local captain plans the sandbar day around conditions, timing, and the kind of experience your group wants.
USCG-licensed captain
Private boat — your group only
Up to 6 guests
From $1,195
Make a day of it on the water
Toys & gear for your charter.
Some of it already comes with your Jeanneau. A couple of things you can add — just mention it when you book.
Comes with your Jeanneau
18′ Floating Lily Pad
108 sq ft foam swim platform for lounging at the sandbar.
O’Brien Paddleboard
Glassy mornings, sandbar laps, mangrove poking.
Add for the day
Waydoo Subnado
Underwater scooter for reef & sandbar tours without the kick. Beginner-friendly.
$100/person · $150/person for a connected pair
Reserve at least 2 days ahead.
Add a Waydoo →
Specialty · book ahead
eFoil The Keys
Electric hydrofoil lessons and a sandbar add-on with our eFoil partner.
Reserve at least 5 days ahead — high demand.
See eFoil options →Add-ons are arranged on your Six Fins booking — mention them when you reserve. All toys & add-ons →
First time? Start here
What's a sandbar, exactly?
A sandbar is a shallow patch of white-sand seafloor that rises almost to the surface of the ocean, surrounded on every side by deeper turquoise water. The bar itself is usually knee- to waist-deep — sometimes ankle-deep at low tide — with a soft, bright bottom you can walk on barefoot. No current, no waves once you're anchored, no rocks or coral to dodge.
The way it works: we cruise out, the captain reads the depth, drops anchor in the deeper water at the edge, and you hop off the swim platform straight into shin-deep saltwater. Some people stand around with a cold drink. Some swim laps off the deep edge. Some float, picnic, take photos, or sprawl on a noodle. There's no schedule once we're there.
It's the closest thing to a private beach you'll find in Key West — except the beach is a mile offshore, the water is clearer than any city beach, and you're not sharing it with anyone but your group and the captain.
Why Key West
Why Key West's sandbars are different.
A lot of places have sandbars. Florida has them up and down both coasts. The reason Key West is the place to do this comes down to three things working together.
Wind options, every day
East wind? Run to the bars on the west side. South wind? A different protected bar becomes the best one. A local captain knows which sandbar is glass-flat for that morning's forecast.
The bottom is alive
Walking the bar, you'll see starfish, sand dollars, conch trails, the occasional stingray, and bait schools flickering in the shallows. Not just a swimming pool — a working slice of reef at knee-deep range.
The Six Fins approach
A private boat, a local captain, and the bar that's best today.
The reason this works is the captain. USCG-licensed, grew up running these waters. We don't publish a fixed sandbar — we publish the captain, the boat, and a four-hour window. He picks the bar that morning based on wind, tide, and how many other boats are already at the obvious ones.
The flagship trip is called the Secret Local Sandbar Escape — private, four hours, up to six guests, from Perry Hotel & Marina. It's our most-booked boat charter and the one we'd recommend if you've never done this before.
A day on the bar
What a Key West sandbar charter actually looks like.
A standard four-hour Secret Local Sandbar Escape, hour by hour. Yours will flex with the weather.
10:00
Meet
Perry Hotel & Marina
Park free at the Perry, walk to the dock, meet the captain. Quick safety brief and we shove off. No line, no kiosk — just your group and the boat.
10:30
Cruise out
The slow cruise out
25–40 minutes depending on the day's sandbar. Captain takes it easy — this is when you spot dolphins, sea turtles, and the occasional tarpon working a tide line.
11:00
Anchor up
Anchor up. You're on the bar.
Captain drops anchor in the deep edge so the boat swings free. You step off the swim platform into knee-deep water. The next two-plus hours are yours.
11–1:30
On the bar
Swim. Wade. Picnic. Float. Repeat.
Swim laps off the deep edge. Walk the bar looking for sand dollars. Eat the sandwiches you brought. Open a cold seltzer. Take the photo your friends won't believe is real.
1:30
Head back
Pull anchor, slow cruise back
Towels and a fresh-water rinse waiting. Relaxed cruise back, sometimes a different route through the mangrove channels if the tide's right. Back at the dock by 2 p.m.
Pack light
What to bring. What's already on the boat.
Half the fun is how little you need to think about. Sunscreen and a swimsuit and you're 90% there.
🍱 What to bring
- Reef-safe sunscreen
- Sunglasses on a strap
- A hat — sun bounces off the sand
- Swimsuit, worn under your clothes
- Food and drinks of your choice
- A small dry bag for your phone
✅ Already on board
- USCG-approved life jackets, all sizes
- Cold water and ice in a stocked cooler
- Towels and freshwater rinse
- Swim ladder off the back
- Pool floats and noodles for the bar
- Bluetooth speaker — bring your playlist
- Marine head (bathroom) on board
Pricing
Flat-rate private charters. Up to six guests.
Pricing is per boat, not per person. All trips include captain, fuel, and gear.
Charter
Duration
Best for
Price
Secret Local Sandbar Escape
4 hours
The flagship trip — one sandbar, plenty of time
$1,195
Custom Combo Charter
6 hours
Three sandbars with margin for tide timing
$1,395
Custom Combo Charter
8 hours
Four or five sandbars, picnic on the boat, snorkel detour
$1,795
Custom Combo Charter
10 hours
Full-day expedition — six or more sandbars plus reefs
$2,195
Prices include captain, fuel, ice, water, life jackets, and on-board gear. Gratuity not included. Want to add snorkeling? See the Custom Combo Charter or Private Snorkel Adventure.
Sandbar questions, answered
Sandbar questions, answered.
What is a Key West sandbar charter?
A sandbar charter is a private boat trip to shallow, clear water where you can step off the boat, stand in the ocean, float, swim, take photos, and relax with your group.
Six Fins' sandbar charter is private, not shared. Your captain chooses the best sandbar for that day's wind, tide, water level, and boat traffic instead of forcing every guest to the same crowded spot.
Which sandbar will we visit?
Six Fins does not publish or guarantee one fixed sandbar because the best spot changes by day. Wind direction, tide, water clarity, boat traffic, and crowding all matter.
Your captain may choose a local backcountry sandbar, a quieter hidden patch, or a protected shallow-water area that fits the conditions. That captain-picked approach is what keeps the trip from feeling like a tourist-boat parade.
Why choose a private sandbar charter instead of a shared boat?
A private sandbar charter gives you the boat, captain, cooler, music, timing, and swim stop without strangers on board. You are not stuck on a fixed party-boat schedule or sharing the ladder with 40 people.
Six Fins runs the day around your group: families, couples, birthdays, bachelorette groups, or friends who simply want quiet water and room to float.
How much does the Secret Local Sandbar Escape cost?
The Secret Local Sandbar Escape is $1,195 for a 4-hour private charter for up to 6 guests. Pricing is per boat, not per person.
The charter includes the USCG-licensed captain, fuel, cooler with ice, bottled water, USCG safety gear, and onboard gear listed for the trip. Gratuity is not included.
Can we bring food and drinks?
Yes. Bring your own food, snacks, drinks, and playlist. The boat has a cooler with ice and bottled water on board.
Alcohol is allowed for guests, but keep it sensible. The captain remains in charge of vessel safety, and the charter should stay fun, safe, and respectful of the water.
Is a sandbar charter good for kids?
Yes. Sandbar charters are one of the most family-friendly ways to get on the water in Key West because the water is shallow, calm when anchored, and easy to enjoy without needing to snorkel or ride a jet ski.
Six Fins carries USCG-approved life jackets, and the captain chooses the location based on safety, depth, tide, and conditions.
Can we add snorkeling, dolphins, or another stop to a sandbar charter?
Sometimes, but if you want to combine sandbars, snorkeling, dolphin watching, eco touring, harbor cruising, or multiple stops, the better fit is usually the Custom Combo Charter.
The Custom Combo Charter is Six Fins' most popular private charter because it gives your group 6 or 8 hours to build the day around more than one activity. The standard 4-hour sandbar charter is best when the main goal is relaxing at one great sandbar without rushing.
What should we bring?
Bring reef-safe sunscreen, swimwear, towels, sunglasses, a hat, food and drinks, and a small dry bag for phones or valuables.
Six Fins provides the private boat, captain, fuel, safety gear, cooler with ice, bottled water, and the onboard amenities listed for the charter.
Is the sandbar destination guaranteed?
No specific sandbar is guaranteed. The captain chooses the safest and best available sandbar for the day's wind, tide, water level, and marine traffic.
That flexibility is a feature, not a drawback. The goal is not to check a name off a map; the goal is to put your group in the best shallow water Key West has available that day.
What happens if weather is unsafe?
If Six Fins or the captain determines conditions are unsafe, guests may be rescheduled or refunded according to the applicable booking policy. If the day is safe but one sandbar is not ideal, the captain may choose a different protected location.
The best sandbar day is the one that matches the water, not the one forced against it.
Named Key West sandbars
Know where you want to go?
We run private charters to all of these. Some are half-day; a few are full-day expeditions. Each page has distances, what to expect, and pricing.
South of Key West
Sand Key
1853 lighthouse, shallow reef, sandbar at low tide. 7 miles south.
Details → Backcountry NESnipes Keys
Locals-only crescent sandbar. Crystal-clear, almost always empty.
Details → Backcountry NorthJewfish Basin
The biggest backcountry sandbar. Room for groups to spread out.
Details → BackcountryMud Keys
Mangrove island cluster between Jewfish and Snipes. Birding, channels, quiet.
Details → Refuge WestWoman Key
Uninhabited refuge island. Snorkel-grade water, pairs with Man Key.
Details → Refuge WestMan Key
Sister to Woman Key. Quieter, fewer boats, same clear water.
Details → Lower KeysMarvin Key
The locals' weekend sandbar off Sugarloaf. Full-day, big crescent.
Details → West · Full DayBoca Grande
Uninhabited island on the Marquesas approach. Sea turtles, empty beach.
Details → Expedition · 25 Miles WestMarquesas Keys
The only natural atoll in the Western Hemisphere. Pristine inside the ring.
Details →Pick a day. We'll pick the sandbar.
Same private boat, same USCG-licensed local captain — with the best bar for that day's wind already in mind by the time we shove off. Four hours, up to six guests, from Perry Hotel & Marina.
Prefer to write first? info@sixfinscharter.com · Or text (305) 906-2880.