Port Largo is a well-established oceanside neighborhood in Key Largo, Florida, near Mile Marker 100, featuring a canal grid with direct Atlantic access, a mix of waterfront and non-waterfront homes, and a voluntary homeowners association with a community park and boat ramp. It sits within easy reach of the Upper Keys' best water, dining, and recreational amenities. For buyers who came to the Florida Keys to actually use the water, that location matters.
The neighborhood was developed in phases over several decades, and its history runs deeper than most people realize. Ocean Cay Drive, one of the neighborhood's oceanfront streets today, was once a runway. Port Largo Airport operated from the late 1960s until 1985, a dredged-from-the-ocean-floor airstrip that briefly had commercial commuter service to Miami. When it closed, the land became what is now some of the most sought-after oceanfront property in Key Largo.
Most homes in Port Largo sit on canals with direct access to the Atlantic. Some properties front open water with true oceanfront exposure. Others are non-waterfront but fully inside a neighborhood built around the boating lifestyle. That range gives buyers at different points in their search a legitimate path into one of Key Largo's most sought-after addresses. Browse Port Largo homes for sale or visit PortLargoHomes.com to search current listings and market data.
What Is Boating Like in Port Largo, Key Largo?
Port Largo's oceanside position is the defining feature for anyone who fishes, dives, sails, or simply wants open water close. The Atlantic is accessible directly from the neighborhood's canal network. You are not routing around the island to reach open water. You leave the dock and the ocean is there.
Reef fishing and offshore fishing are both practical from Port Largo. The nearshore reefs hold snapper, grouper, and more. Push a little further out and the Gulf Stream runs close to the Keys, putting mahi, wahoo, and tuna within range for a reasonable day trip. Light-tackle fishing on the nearshore waters is excellent, and guides who know these waters work out of marinas nearby.
Diving and snorkeling from Port Largo is as good as it gets in Florida. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater park in the United States, is minutes away by boat or by car. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary encompasses the waters surrounding Port Largo, protecting the living reef ecosystem that defines Keys diving. The Christ of the Abyss statue, Molasses Reef, and the Spiegel Grove wreck are all within reach. Visitors travel from around the world to dive these sites. Port Largo residents have them in their backyard.
Sailors have used these waters for decades. The Atlantic is right there, the trade winds are reliable, and the stretch between Key Largo and the reef line is some of the most scenic water in South Florida. Whether you keep a sailboat behind your home or trailer to the nearby ramp, you will not be disappointed.
A Living Piece of Movie History
Here's something most neighborhoods can't claim. The African Queen, the actual 1912 steamboat from the classic Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn film, is docked at Marina Del Mar at Mile Marker 100 and runs daily canal cruises through the Port Largo canals out to the Atlantic. The boat is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests can take the helm, hear the history, and watch Key Largo slide by from the deck of a genuine piece of cinema history.
The Key Largo Princess glass bottom boat operates from the same marina, offering reef tours over living coral without getting wet. Both experiences sit at Port Largo's front door.
These aren't just tourist attractions. They are part of what makes living in this particular neighborhood feel different from living anywhere else in the Keys.
What Amenities Does Port Largo Offer?
The photo above was taken decades ago, when Port Largo was newly platted and the lots were largely bare. The canals were freshly dug, a handful of early homes were taking shape, and the young palms lining the community park had just been planted. The waterfront basin and rock jetty you see were part of the original design. The community understood that a boating neighborhood needed a shared waterfront, and they built one from the start.
Port Largo homeowners can join the voluntary Port Largo Homeowners Association, which provides access to a community park with a boat ramp and trailer storage while your boat is in the water. For buyers without direct dockage on their lot, that access is meaningful.
Key Largo Community Park is walking distance from most of Port Largo. The park includes a public swimming pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, and pickleball courts. For buyers relocating from metro areas, that kind of active lifestyle infrastructure matters. Port Largo is not just a place to keep a boat. It is a place to actually live.
Where Is Port Largo Located in Key Largo?
Mile Marker 100 is central Key Largo. Grocery, restaurants, and fuel are all close. Card Sound Road is nearby, giving Port Largo residents an alternate route to the mainland that sidesteps US-1, a practical advantage for anyone making the Miami run regularly.
North Key Largo and Ocean Reef are a short drive up the road. Islamorada is a short drive south. Port Largo sits in the middle of everything the Upper Keys offers.
Why Do Buyers Choose Port Largo Over Other Key Largo Neighborhoods?
There is a difference between buying in Key Largo and buying in Port Largo. Buyers who know the island understand that oceanside position, a canal grid with direct Atlantic access, an established neighborhood character, and proximity to the best water in the Upper Keys do not always come together in one address. In Port Largo, they do.
New construction is active in Port Largo. Established homes are bought and sold here regularly. The neighborhood has been here for decades and it is not going anywhere. That kind of staying power means something in a market where waterfront addresses are finite and the water only gets more valuable.
Explore Nearby Oceanside Neighborhoods
Port Largo sits at the heart of Key Largo's oceanside market, but buyers sometimes cross-shop the neighboring communities in the same area. Key Largo Beach and Key Largo Ocean Shores are both oceanside neighborhoods nearby with their own character and price points. If you want to understand how these communities compare before making a decision, that is exactly the kind of local conversation worth having.
Browse current listings for homes on the oceanside of Key Largo at KeyLargoOceanside.com.
Frequently Asked Questions About Port Largo
What is Port Largo in Key Largo, Florida?
Port Largo is a well-established waterfront neighborhood on the oceanside of Key Largo near Mile Marker 100. It features a navigable canal grid with Atlantic access, oceanfront homes, and non-waterfront properties, along with a voluntary homeowners association that provides boat ramp access.
Is Port Largo a good neighborhood for boaters?
Yes. Most homes in Port Largo sit on canals with direct Atlantic access. The neighborhood is oceanside, meaning the canals connect to the Atlantic. The voluntary PLHOA provides a community park with boat ramp and trailer storage while the boat is being used, for homeowners without direct dockage.
What amenities does Port Largo offer?
Port Largo homeowners can join the voluntary Port Largo Homeowners Association for access to a community park with boat ramp and trailer storage. Key Largo Community Park, which includes a public pool, tennis, pickleball, and basketball courts, is walking distance from the neighborhood.
What water activities are available near Port Largo?
Port Largo is minutes from John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and some of the best reef fishing, offshore fishing, diving, snorkeling, and sailing in the United States. The African Queen and Key Largo Princess glass bottom boat operate from Marina Del Mar at Mile Marker 100.
Jim Signor - Florida Keys Real Estate