Alligator Reef Lighthouse
Alligator Reef Light
An iron-piled lighthouse completed in 1873 offshore from Islamorada, with a popular snorkeling reef beneath it.
Alligator Reef Light stands on the outer reef about 6 km southeast of Islamorada. It is a 19th-century iron-piled lighthouse named after the USS Alligator, a U.S. Navy vessel that ran aground and sank here in 1822. The shallow reef around the lighthouse is full of fish, often with sea turtles, barracuda, and spotted eagle rays. It is the most popular snorkeling destination in Islamorada, and some boat operators also run sunset cruises. The lighthouse itself cannot be climbed, so you can only admire it from the boat.
Opening hours
Depends on the boat tour
Nearby sights
- Indian Key Historic State Park
- Florida Keys Memorial (Hurricane Monument)
- Robbie's of Islamorada
- History of Diving Museum
- Theater of the Sea
- Lignumvitae Key Botanical State Park
- Anne's Beach
- Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park