The Continental US' Southernmost Point Is A Popular Key West Photo Op Spot With Serene Ocean Views

A trip to Key West typically includes palm trees, clear ocean waters, and, of course, a couple of Instagram-worthy photos with an epic beach background. Since the archipelago is a one-hour flight or a four-hour car ride south of Miami, this means your South Florida adventure can begin in one of America's best cities for nightlife and end at one of the most photographed places in the U.S., the Southernmost Point Buoy, named after the southernmost point on the continental U.S.

The red, white, navy blue, and yellow concrete buoy became a Key West staple in 1983 when it replaced the wooden signs that kept getting stolen from the location. Talk about turning lemons into lemonade ... or, shall we say, thieves into influencers? The 12-foot-tall buoy is now an epic landmark where you can take a photo in Key West. While Tripadvisor reviewers claim there are long lines to snap a picture, many say it's worth the wait. It was also considered a 2024 Travelers' Choice on the travel site. A good rule of thumb may be to get there early, during sunrise, or late, around sunset. No matter when you decide to go, it's a bucket-list moment worth including in your itinerary.

The Southernmost Point Buoy has lived through decades of Florida's natural disasters during hurricane season. In the early '80s, a local artist, Danny Acosta, painted the buoy, and it wasn't until Hurricane Irma in 2017 (more than three decades later) that the paint and stucco was then destroyed. However, it was later repainted. The buoy stayed strong until New Year's Day in 2022, when two men set a Christmas tree on fire next to it, per NBC 6. Fortunately, the paint repairs were quickly completed days later. The history that the landmark has endured not only adds to Key West's character but also helps explain why tourists love a good picture next to it.

After your photo op is complete, it's worth walking about eight minutes into the city to visit the Key West Lighthouse or heading to one of the best secret beaches in the Florida Keys. Then, take a short car ride west to a little-known state park with a beautiful beach that rivals the Caribbean, Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. Bring your towel to lay out and enjoy the vitamin D near the sparkling waters, as well as a book to pass the time — unless you're too busy scrolling through all of the pictures you took by the Southernmost Point. You know what they say: "Pics or it didn't happen!"