Swim for Alligator Lighthouse: Where Saltwater Stories Are Made
Athletes rounding Alligator Reef Lighthouse as part of their 8 mile journey during the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse
Every September, long-distance swimmers from around the globe converge on Islamorada for the Swim for Alligator Lighthouse, an open-water odyssey that’s equal parts endurance challenge, tropical festival, and small-town homecoming. The race itself is an eight-mile round trip to the historic Alligator Lighthouse, a weathered sentinel that has guided mariners for over a century, all through the turquoise waters off the Florida Keys.
But the magic of this event happens before the first stroke and long after the last swimmer comes ashore.
A Keys Takeover
The Amara Cay Resort becomes the beating heart of the weekend. From the moment athletes arrive, the space is filled with swim suits drying on balconies, goggles perched on tiki bars, and salty stories traded poolside. It’s an international village with a decidedly Keys twist—equal parts pre-race strategy and swim family reunion.
Traditions That Keep You Coming Back
For those coming into town early, there’s happy hour on Thursday at Florida Keys Brewing. You can feel the community wrap around you as you walk out back cold craft beer in hand, the perfect reward after a long day of travel.
Friday morning at Founder Park, the local pool, allows swimmers a chance to shake out the limbs, or simply enjoy hanging on the wall and shooting the breeze.
Every year an artist custom designs the paintings that are featured on the event shirt, some new and some more familiar names like Wyland rolling casually through from time to time.
The post-race pool party is pure Florida Keys: steel drums, tired but triumphant bodies sinking into cool water, and the satisfying sip of pina colada after hours in the ocean.
The awards ceremony is its own work of art—literally. Trophies are crafted locally, from the weathered wood of old Keys lobster traps. Salt-crusted symbols of both victory and place, telling their own story of the sea.
And then there’s the buffet—an unapologetic feast of Keys favorites: from Conch fritters, Key West pink shrimp, mango-glazed mahi, and enough Key lime pie to make you reconsider your wetsuit size. While the menu changes from year to year, the pride The Green Turtle and Bud & Mary’s take in hosting does not, and the large covered sea side venue offers the perfect mix of shade, sunset and warm breeze.
Swimming With Purpose
Beyond the turquoise glamour, this event has a mission. All proceeds go toward preserving Alligator Reef Lighthouse—saving a vital piece of maritime history—and funding scholarships for local kids on the swim team. In the Keys, the ocean isn’t just a backdrop; it’s a lifeline. Supporting this event means supporting the community that has called these waters home for generations.
For the athletes, it’s a bucket-list swim. For the locals, it’s a celebration of heritage and a way to keep the lighthouse shining. And for anyone lucky enough to attend, it’s a weekend you’ll taste, hear, and feel long after you’ve dried off.
Because in the Keys, the best stories are written in saltwater—and this one is still being told, one stroke at a time.