Founders Park

This was a really nice park well maintained by the visitor center. There was a beach, basketball court, baseball field, soccer, so much to do for kids, adult adults and seniors . The entrance to the dog park is located inside of here across from the beach. There is a small fee for non residents $8. Free if you take classes at the rec center.

We enjoyed visiting Founders Park. This is a very large complex with exercise facilities, a large swimming pool, soccer fields, tennis courts a baseball field and lots more. There is also a marina with lots of boats docks. The park is very well kept and landscaped. They also feature separate large and small dog parks.

Nice park, beach, playground and outdoor sports for families. But beware the hords of mosquitoes during sunset - simple sprays will not bother them.

Bring picnic table clothes or covers, bug spray, towels. Beach chairs..spf,umbrellas and water shoes.tons of rocks and just soft sand. No big waves just calm waters. Tons of picnic table, some in Shadded areas Great for families .great place to relax! Bathroom is not the best . Showers are outside on the sand area

Very well organized, with lots of activities if you want to do sports and stuff, like beach volleyball, etc. Even has bbq pits. The beach water is very shallow, so the water was hot. Good place considering here there was sand and almost no other spot on key largo has sand.

I had a wonderful experience at Founders Park Beach in Islamorada today. Parking was free in celebration of Thanksgiving, but even on regular days, the fees are very reasonable—$8 for adults and $5 for those under 18. The park itself is incredibly clean and well-maintained, offering a comfortable and inviting atmosphere for everyone. There are plenty of picnic areas that make it easy to enjoy a meal with family or friends while taking in the beautiful surroundings. For families, the playgrounds are a big hit with the kids, and for those looking to stay active, the beach volleyball court is a fantastic addition. It’s the perfect spot for a fun day outdoors, whether you want to relax or stay active. Founders Park Beach truly has something for everyone, and I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting Islamorada!

Very cute little kind of fair we even had snow lol

Beautiful community park where you can stop by to enjoy the beach and do many activities. As a visitor, there is $8 (per person I think) park admission fee. As a resident, we’ve been coming here over 15 years. My husband launches his boat, and all my three kids trained with Olympians at the pool for every season. This is our first time playing pickleball and it was so great! We didn’t have paddles but the office had so many paddles & balls we could borrow. Dog park, sports fields, beach, pool, tennis and pickle ball courts, marina, playground, picnic tables with bbq.. anything you need the Founders Park has! On special days, they host live concerts and nautical flea market. It holds so much memories for our family and we look forward to coming here with our extended family in a future.

Went here for the beach area and to walk around the park to get some exercise. Free admission with proof of stay in the area. Beach area is very nice with shady spots over by picnic tables with bbq grills. Lots of room to sunbathe and even have showers and a restroom by the beach. No alcohol or dogs allowed on beach. The park also has a small and large dog park if bringing your pet with you to the keys and want to let them run around. There is a pool as well but did not check into how much it would be for the day to go to the pool as our hotel had a pool. Pretty nice park to stop and see if staying in islamorada.

Absolutely love Founders there's so much to do solo, as a family, or a with a group of friends. Once you pay the entrance make your way to either thr baseball fields to catch a game, the pool, or head to my favorite spot,the beach. Alcohol and smoking nor loud music is allowed so this spot is very relaxing and non hectic at all. You can grab a bench along with a grill as it's first come first served as long as it's not reserved. There's also a small park and sand hill for kids to play in. So you have it all in one spot And if you're like me and enjoy it so much you might as well purchase the annualor 3 month pass, trust me it's worth it for all this tranquility.

Very nice park for families and dog owners. The park is expansive, with various walking routes and paths for a stroll. There's facilities available for comfort, including outdoor showers to rinse from the beach, plenty of shade and picnic tables, a dog play area, and plenty of parking. The fee was $10 per child and $15 per adult, with access until sunset. The pool is not included in this, it is $3 per person separately. (We found this out after we got in the park). Definitely worth checking out and spending a day if you're in the area!!

If you're staying on Islamorada, this is free entry with a hotel receipt. Except it isn't. Pool is still $2-3/person. Pool is ice cold. Summer camp for kids during the day. Adults are out of place. Beach is open if you want to swim with critters. Park is clean and well kept but with an ice water pool, I won't be back

We stopped in and there's plenty to do here. If you live in the area, or you're staying at a hotel in Islamorada, you can get in for free. You just need your hotel receipt or itinerary, your room key won't work. If you can't prove one of those, it's $8/person. The pool looks good and is $3/person no matter if you live or are staying in the area. You can also rent sports equipment from the office with an ID.

The park is nice and features a nice baseball field and mini beach but way way too many mosquitoes.. they swarm you like bees if you knocked down their hive and a $16 entry fee may be subjectively unjustified

We visited Founder's Park a few times this trip. They have yoga on the beach several times a week and the instructor Heather is great! The drop in fee is only $8 as well which is super reasonable considering most drop in classes at home are anywhere from $12 to $15. And it's on the beach! They also have other classes offered throughout the week such as Zumba and something called Body Blast. You can also swim and rent bikes. Our last day there they held something called Holiday Fest. It was truly incredible. They brought in fake snow and had suds coming from the large Christmas Tree to look like snow. There were also dancers, arts and crafts, and an ornament competition in addition to the large variety of food trucks, street vendors, and a spot for kids to take their picture with Santa. You can walk along the dock and view gorgeous boats decorated for the holidays. The parade was super fun too. Great community and happy we got to be a part of the celebration.

Founders Park has been called by some reviewers a tourist trap of sorts. It's not a free park, but there are nice amenities such as the pool. The entrance is at MM 87 in Islamorada. Signage for Founders Park is good. Pay the entrance fee of $8 and go through the gate. The area is nicely landscaped and clean. There is plenty of parking. The Ron Levy Aquatic Center is public pool available daily for residents at $3 and non residents $11. Enter through the building. There is a small locker room available. The long course 50 meter eight lane outdoor pool built in 2001 is a beauty. The pool can easily adjust to short course accommodating eight lanes, The pool is kept heated to 82°. There are two 1M and two 3M diving boards. Probably the most popular area is the beach. However, there is not much to it and no wave action. Truth be told the Keys are not known for their beaches. There is also a basketball court, baseball field and a amphitheater. During several visits I have not seen many people around. It's a shame considering the resources the city spent in early 2000 to construct the complex. If your at Founders Park for only a beach stop you may be disappointed. However the pool is awesome and to me worth admission.

This is a nice park with small beach area, huge marina, pools, lots of grass covered fields and a good amount of parking. I like the layout and how it's located a good distance from the highway. The beach has nice sand and the water is crystal clear. Because of the small size, you may want to not go during peak times as it gets busy.

There really aren't all that may good beaches in the Keys, but Founders Park is one of them. That however is only if you miss the infestation days of jellyfish or stinky rots of algae. Beware of the park rule: No Alcohol and no glass bottles; and the fact that it is heavily patrolled and I would say vigorously over enforced. Non-Resident Adult (18-64yrs) rates are Gate $8.00 plus $3.00. What the plus $3.00 is all about, I haven't a clue. Then, Non-Resident Youth/SR (3-17yrs) (65 & Over) are $5.00 plus $2.00, the plus meaning of which I am also clueless. The best part of Founders Park for me was the marina and docking facilities. Some appear to be for sort term but other for live aboard.

Entrance fee 29$. Beach is to small and very crowded. The ocean is not very deep and dirty. a lot of algae.

Delightfully beautiful park! The park & mini beach is incredibly clean and well kept. There are rules posted everywhere and with good results. Theres a good size playground with swings and slides and tables nearby. There's a pavilion with lots of tables and benches under placed nicely in the shade with lots of breeze. The restrooms are pretty big and clean as well. The beach part is gorgeous and full of relaxing vibes. The sand and water is so beautiful i must've taken 134578 photos lol its not very big but not super crowded. if you go early enough it's sure to feel like it's your own little private beach. There is a per person fee thats a bit pricey but when u look at all the amenities, the cleanliness and the peaceful of it...its not so bad for a once in a while visit.

Nice clean and lovely park--friendly and helpful gate person. Played pickleball and tennis. Great facilities!

I love coming here for a nice afternoon outdoors. There's plenty of amenities to enjoy and suitable for the whole family. Once you pay your entrance fee, you'll find a parking spot and be able to access any of the amenities shown on your map. There's fishing areas, a pool, playground, beach, volleyball courts, showers, restrooms and so much more. Make sure you're properly equipped with all your essential items before entering as leaving is sort of a mission. There's plenty of benches and shaded areas to lounge at. The park is kept very clean and it's always a nice spot to launch your paddleboard or kayak at as well. The sanded beach area has plenty of shaded areas to post up at although I recommend bringing an umbrella. I like the option of having a pool to jump into after hours of swimming in the saltwater. It's a great way to chill out while visiting the Florida Keys.

We wanted a scenic view of the keys but did not want to drive all the way to the most southern part so me and my girlfriend decided that Islamorada is going to be the furthest were going to drive this time.. We passed up a lot of attractions on our way of course coming from miami asking the locals in the keys for beachy key west advice but many said no beaches in the keys which kinda bummed me out So we stumbled upon this park which was pricey to get into so we thought we were going to witness something worth our money but unfortunately even though some parts had nice views the park itself had a beach area but infested with jellyfish where it made it so hard to enjoy the water. We laid out on the sand and enjoyed the sun which was a plus but we could not enjoy sharing a drink or two because the park did not allow it.. so you pretty much have about 40 yards of sand to share with people and their families in the blistering sun but cannot be able to dive into the water because of the jelly fish and cannot have a drink to unwind or give you that beach experience .. I'm going to rate it as a 3 star spot because of the somewhat scenic views it had to offer other than that this park has a lot of work to do to satisfy their customers..

Went here for the morning with the kiddos (just a beach review). Their visitors policy was super nice since we all got in for free! With all of the algae around right now, we were pleasantly surprised that they clean their beach every morning and there was absolutely no stinky algae anywhere. The beach was the perfect size for kiddos, and the water is very clear. We were able to see a lot of little fish as well as some of the needlefish. A local said they also had a mother give birth to baby sharks a few months ago (but they were long gone by the time we were there), as there are mangroves right next to the beach. They also have a sign that says they test the water weekly. There's some shaded areas, some picnic tables, and when the kiddos got tired of the beach there were two parks right by the beach. It was a perfect way to spend the morning!

Drove from Fort Lauderdale to Key Largo for a day of relaxing. Was recommended founders beach but when approached by the park ranger, our entire experiences changed. I asked "is this your only beach, or are there other areas to go to?" He looked at me and said, "We aren't Fort Lauderdale sweetie" in a very condescending tone. We left and went to Harry Harris. A much better option.

If you are looking for a nice beach, this isn't it. It's a park with some sand near the water. Cool to look at the fauna in the water. Daughter got stung by something though. Admission is &5 for kids and $8 for adults. Aquatic center is $3 more. Very quiet

My favorite local beach. Clean, scenic and great place for events. Ball field, soccer and indoor pool for those few rainy/cold days. There is a fenced dog area, one for larger dogs and one area for smaller, great! I've spent most of my of my time at the beach. Clean sand and there's usually a huge pile that kids love to play on. The water is a nice depth and there are a few shady areas both close and further from the water. There is a play ground for kiddos. A bathroom and an outdoor shower area for rinsing sand off. There is a shaded Pavillion with picnic tables but you have to get there early... it's always been taken when I've been there. Plenty of close parking.

Wonderful place. Great dog park. Place is clean and feels safe. One time saw a handful of waterspouts out on Florida Bay- really cool. Place has always been nice, except right after Erma at which point it was a cleanup transfer station

Founders Pool is my favorite because of the location, layout, and grass! They offer a lot of different programs, there is something for everyone! Also there is a park with playground and sabdy beach!!!

The nicest staff ever! I didn't realize that if you live on the island, or are staying in the hotel, there's no fee to visit. Tons of activities. I highly recommend!

Very nice park and very well kept. We came out here for the day and decided to go back home to bring back charcoal and food to do a bbq. Didn't realize that alcohol/glass bottles weren't allowed so we mistakenly brought a beer bottle, however, we immediately threw it away as soon as the park security informed us that we weren't allowed to have them. I just wish we were able to enjoy the rest of the day without feeling like we were being patrolled by them. Totally understand why they did so, but it made us feel uncomfortable for the rest of the time that we were there. Many others around us were drinking alcoholic beverages but we ended up feeling like the only ones restricted in doing so because security kept passing by us as if we were some kind of delinquents when all we were doing was trying to enjoy a nice day out with the family. Really wish the atmosphere would have been a little more laid back considering that were on island time....

This park and beach turned out to be our favorite spot during our vacation. Great walking trails, a dog park, a pool ($3.00), fishing, and a beach. Stop by the visitors center when you first arrive--you won't be disappointed.

Great park with a small, quiet beach. Showers and bathrooms, nice sand and a safe area to swim and see some sea life. Pool (for a few dollars) was fun with two spring boards and two more high springboards. Lifeguards were awesome! My son and I had a lovely day!

I do not know where to begin . First of all , the park is great I have nothing to complain. The reason why I'm giving one star is due to the fact that it was our first time taking out our boat on the marina located at this park. There is only one ramp . We were charged $60 which seemed very overpriced. The guy was very rude to us since we got there he was older and supposedly his name is Mark. When we came back to take out the boat from the water he screamed at us to move back that someone else was first so we let them . He repeated this three times we were waiting for an hour. The third time we parked the boat on the ramp meanwhile we got out car and he was screaming telling me to move the boat and take it out . And I said no because it would've been the fourth time we waited . Another guy that was there told me we were supposed to park it on the side meanwhile we get the car .**WE DID NOT KNOW THAT AND THE "Mark guy" never said anything. He just screamed at me very rudely I felt the discrimination and racism towards us deeply.

It was the better one from all the ones on the way from Homestead up to that point. We will keep traveling down little by little and hopefully we find better beaches.

We only went to the beach so only gave 4 stars. But it was the best public beach we found after checking out 4 others! Nice size, great sand and beautiful view.

Do not bring your pets here, even if they're service dogs. The workers were very rude due to the fact the my service dog was young. If I could zero stars I would.

Great park, but a bit expensive for someone visiting just a couple of hours. Cell died upon arriving so could not take photos for 'ya, but they had a nice playground for the kids, and a cute little beach to enjoy. We were staying in a nearby hotel, no need for beach, hence why I think it is a bit overpriced.

These employees have a huge amount of attitude for no reason they are not friendly people the beach isn't even good the water was hot and the pool was ok 2/10 feels like discrimination not only that but the beach had rotten water that made one start to itch

Great spot to visit! I just wish key largo residents also had free or discounted entrance fees.

For those of you looking for a beach to take the kids to somewhere close to Islamorada. We came for the weekend, stayed at a hotel that said it had a beach but really didn't so we wanted to take the kids somewhere to enjoy the water and sand. Most of the other beaches were about an hour from where we were staying but Founders Park was right up the street. For those complaining about price, seriously, it's $8 and $5... relax... and it's for all day.. less than the price of a movie at the theater. And for the beach itself, it was perfect for what we wanted, we have a 9 year old and 4 year old and we were able to sit on the beach and watch them play in the water (which is pretty shallow) without having to worry about them swimming too far out, it's roped off a little ways out. There was hardly anyone there even though it was a Saturday which is a nice change from the crowded beaches in Miami we are used to. Bathrooms, picnic tables, playground right next to the beach... what more could you ask for. If you need a decent beach to enjoy with the kids for the day close to or in Islamorada then this one will be perfect. Also a side note, those complaining about jelly fish, I saw what they were talking about and after talking to a local found out they were actually fish egg sacks! Which was pretty cool and the kids had a blast finding and picking up, like big snot balls lol. Hope this helps anyone that was in our position and was desperately looking for somewhere to go on our quick weekend getaway.

This is not a beach, it's a very small cove with no waves. Not worth the money paid to get in and you have to pay extra for the pool. Very disappointed.

This place is great! They have two platforms with two diving boards on each. Below is a twelve foot pool. There are three life guards at all times. There is also a little water park for the younger ones. And a water slide for the older ones. The oldest you can be is twelve. And there is also bathrooms with lockers and showers. It's two dollars a person and you can be in and out all day until six. And that's just the pool!!!! I have one complaint though. That ran out of crunch bars.

This is a wonderful community park complex. The sour reviews seem to come from vacationers looking for a beach. This is a COMMUNITY CENTER, not a vacation destination. If you want a beach, stay on the mainland. What they do have here is sports programs, including soccer, volleyball, tennis, swimming, etc. They have recreational camps for kids and water aerobics for adults. The pool is fabulous, and there are several exercise machines outdoors. There are sports competitions and other special events. I could go on. Enjoy the park for those activities, and look elsewhere for surfing.

It truly saddens me when people like John C Place a review like that in our area without even understanding the history and the way that God created the beaches in our beautiful state of Florida first of all you need to understand everyone that the way that the Florida beautiful coastline from north to south east and west is created with totally different dynamics totally different beaches and totally different sand.... so you know Panama City is called the sugar sand it's just a different type of sand when you come on down the coast you'll get a little bit different sand little bit more course then you get Miami Beach and on the East Coast that has more of a fluffy sand more of a full body. that's why it looks that way in like a postcard of the" beach look" and when you come on down to the beautiful Florida Keys our beaches are totally different they are A type of sand that's called silt sand and I'm going to put the definition with the link right here are beautiful Florida Keys are probably one of the most exquisite areas to be in because you are protected by the reefs that work along the coast out 3,4,7,8 miles out that breaks the large waves that's why you have the type of sand beaches that you have in the Florida Keys. Silt - Clay - Mud - Sand: What Is The Difference? - Kremesti.com kremesti.com ' water ' silt_clay_mud Silt is granular material of a size somewhere between sand and clay whose ... over the past half billion years, by various forms of life like co.... I encourage everybody to educate yourself about the area that you go in the way that God created it by the way the winds are the way the currents are the sand the beautiful trees many people don't realize when they come to the Florida Keys it wasn't about the coconut trees originally it was about the beautiful mahogany Ironwood Buttonwood and so many other hardwoods that are exquisite in the Florida Keys so I'm sorry that John C really missed the beauty of the Florida Keys and what we have to offer and how it varies from Miami Beach to Naples to Jacksonville to Panama City we are all blessed to live in Florida and have a beautiful area for beaches. We'd love for all of you come down to the Florida Keys look us up we have a vacation rental and we're happy to host you and talk about our beautiful Florida Keys I've lived here since 1968 and it's my home and I am so happy to share it with all of you BennettsBeachEstate.com. There are some beautiful private beaches that you can only get two through paddling as well and yes we do have white sandy beaches but again refer to the website that I gave you that explains that is between a sand and clay and that's because of the way that God created the currents and the sifting through the corals that you get the beautiful sand that you can actually walk out on pick up shells look at beautiful sea life and it's a nice hard surface you don't sink into the sand and have to pull yourself out. When you're coming on the islands you do have to expect that there are incurred prices everywhere whether it's a state park or whether it's a local park our landmasses not such that it's like Miami Beach or Fort Lauderdale or Delray but what I can say is that they are true Gems... timeless and lovely and the locals love to talk about our beaches of the Florida Keys thank you and God bless you all Leslie Bennett

The pool here is amazing! You can swim laps, free swim, and even work on your diving board skills. If you're staying in Islamorada park entrance is free. The beach is nice and they have yoga classes on it in the morning.

Pricey but nice. The kids had a great time in the playground, then went swimming in the beach. The water was shallow and very clear. $8 each adult, $5 each child, $10 for a beach chair!

Amazing gem! We weren't exactly sure where we were headed other than the Florida Keys. Key Largo seemed pretty packed so we continued southerly and thanks to some local tip, we ended up at Founders Park. The place is indeed a piece of paradise with all sorts of incredible benefits such as, pristine beach, amazing snorkeling, shallow warm water for kids & adults, shady spots, picnic areas, showers, and more! Place even has a dog park area. We saw lots of incredible fish while enjoying the warm, calm, and shallow waters of this bay side beach & park. For us it was well worth the two hour drive from Miami. Can't wait to go back!

It should be known the Florida Keys does not have the best beaches to swim like Hollywood,FL; Ft.Lauderale,FL, or South Beach....but Founders has nothing to offer for the price at the gate. Super expensive with the little pond they call a "beach". $8/Adult, 5/kids at the gate plus additional fee for on-site pool access is just high way robbery when you can get the same if not better beach like feel for FREE 15 minutes south.

Wonderful park, very pretty. There's even a small beach and a rinse off area. Be careful of the sea lice.