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In
the words of Dr. Beach
Cape Florida State
Recreational Area, at the south tip of Key Biscayne, is one of
the best beaches in the country, regularly making the top 20
list in my annual Best Beaches survey. With its clear,
emerald-colored waters and gentle surf on a fine, white coral
sand beach, it is the Best Swimming Beach in the Southeast.
A large sand shoal offshore knocks down the waves, and rip
currents are nonexistent except perhaps during stormy weather
when only a fool or dedicated surfer would be in the water
anyway. The water drops off so gradually that the beach
is safe for small children.
The Cape Florida
Lighthouse stands proudly at the south end of the beach,
having survived the storm waves and surge of Hurricane Andrew
in August, 1992. This category 4 hurricane did
considerable damage to the subtropical forest that formerly
enveloped the area, providing shaded trails for hiking and
exploring. The park staff are actually glad that the
Australian pine forest was decimated so that native vegetation
could be planted in its place; the vegetative canopy is
returning nicely.
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"Cape Florida is the home of a historic lighthouse built in
1825 and reconstructed in 1846, the oldest standing structure
in Miami-Dade County. Visitors come to the park to sunbathe,
swim and picnic on more than one mile of sandy Atlantic
beachfront. Biking and kayaking are popular activities.
Anglers can throw in their lines from the seawall along
Biscayne Bay for some of the best shoreline fishing in the
region. Guided tours of the lighthouse and lighthouse keeper´s
cottage are given twice daily, Thursdays through Mondays. Two
restaurants, Lighthouse Café and Boater’s Grill, offer
authentic Cuban cuisine or picnickers can reserve a pavilion
and fire up their own grill. Bicycles, beach chairs, and
umbrellas can be rented. Overnight boat camping is allowed in
No Name Harbor and a primitive campsite is available for
organized youth groups."
Source: Florida State Parks website
Click
icons below for additional online resources
(each link opens in
a new window)
Admission fees:
$8.00 per vehicle. Limit 2-8 people per vehicle.
$4.00 Single Occupant Vehicle.
$2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in
vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass.
A mile and a
quarter of Atlantic beach is open to swimming. There are no
lifeguards, so swim at your own risk. The beach is accessible
from access points in Areas A, B, & C by making any left turn
once you enter the park. During the winter, please watch for
Portuguese Man-of-War Warnings posted at the Ranger Station.
Source: Florida State Parks website
Click to view current marine forecast
and sea surface temperature.
Locate the
beach flag warning signs for information on beach safety and
rip currents.
The collection,
destruction or disturbance of plants, animals or park property
is prohibited.
Source: Florida State Parks website
Beach
wheelchairs are available with advanced notice.
Florida's State Parks is committed to offering accessible
facilities, events and programs to all visitors.
Source: Florida State Parks website
All pets must
be on a 6-foot leash and well behaved at all times. Pets may
not be left unattended. Pets that are noisy, vicious,
dangerous, or intimidating to other persons, or damage park
resources, will be asked to leave the park with their owners.
Pet owners must pick up after their pets and properly dispose
of all droppings in trash receptacles. You may walk your
pet in the picnic areas, along the sea wall, bike trails, and
hiking trails.
Pets are not
allowed on the beach, wetlands, playground, Youth Camp,
lighthouse, keeper's cottage, Lighthouse Café or Boater's
Grill.
Guide and
Service animals are excluded from the above restrictions.
Source: Florida State Parks website
Find local shopping
and services in Key Biscayne.
Bicycle Rentals,
Beach Rentals, Watercraft Rentals, Camping, Hiking and Nature
Trails, Picnic Pavilion, Playground, Cold Showers for Day
Visitors,
Concessions and Restaurants.
Bicycling, Camping, Boating, Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing,
Hiking and Nature Trails, Historic Site (Cape Florida
Lighthouse), Picnic Pavilion, Playground, Swimming, Tours and
Wildlife Viewing.
Ponce de Leon named this area ‘Cape of Florida’ when he led
the first Spanish expedition to Florida in 1513. The Cape
Florida lighthouse was completed in 1825 but was damaged
during the Second Seminole War. The rebuilt tower, completed
in 1846, remains the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade
County. The island served as a secret meeting place and port
for runaway slaves and Black Seminoles waiting to rendezvous
with sea captains or board dugouts for a passage to safety in
the British Bahamas. Although the lighthouse was built to save
lives and ships, its unflinching light brought an end to this
avenue of escape. In September 2004, Cape Florida was
designated a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom
Site.
Dr. Beach has
previously named Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park beach "Best Swimming
Beach" in the Southeast.
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