Matheson Hammock Park: the atoll pool, fees, swimming hours and the rules
How Matheson Hammock's tidal atoll pool works, what entry costs, when you can swim, when lifeguards are on duty and what you cannot bring.
Kurz gesagt
- Where: 9610 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, on Biscayne Bay.
- Entry: $7 plus tax per car on weekdays, $10 plus tax on weekends and holidays.
- Atoll pool, winter hours: 9 am to 4:30 pm weekdays, 9 am to 5:30 pm weekends.
- Lifeguards: Weekends and holidays only.
- Not allowed: Pets, grills, tents and pool floats on the beach.
Matheson Hammock is the calmest swim in Miami for small children: a tide-fed pool in the bay, cheap to enter, but come on a weekend if you want lifeguards, and leave the dog and the grill at home.
Bevor du gehst
- Pay $7 plus tax on weekdays or $10 plus tax on weekends by Pay-By-Phone, ParkMobile or at the park office
- Check the atoll pool hours: they change between summer and winter, and close for wildlife or water quality
- Come on a weekend or holiday if you want a lifeguard on duty
- Leave pets at home: they are not allowed anywhere in Matheson
- No tents, grills, cooking or open flames in the beach area
- No floats or inflatables on the beach, under county code
What the atoll pool is
Matheson Hammock Park, at 9610 Old Cutler Road in Coral Gables, is a Miami-Dade County park on Biscayne Bay. Its signature is the atoll pool: a man-made, ring-shaped lagoon that the tides of the bay flush naturally, with a sandy beach around it. The water is calm and shallow, which is why families with young children come here instead of the ocean beaches.
Because it is tidal, conditions change. The county says the pool is open seven days a week but its hours can change because of wildlife, natural events or water quality. It is bay water, not a swimming pool, so closures can happen at short notice.
Atoll pool swimming hours
| Season | Monday to Friday | Saturday and Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | 9 am to 5:30 pm | 9 am to 6:30 pm |
| Winter | 9 am to 4:30 pm | 9 am to 5:30 pm |
The county page does not say on which dates summer and winter hours switch; ask the park office which schedule applies on your date. Lifeguards are on duty on weekends and holidays.
Miami-Dade Parks, Matheson Hammock Park page, checked October 2026
What it costs
| Item | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Car, weekdays | $7 plus tax | Pay-By-Phone, ParkMobile or the park office |
| Car, weekends and holidays | $10 plus tax | |
| Bus or RV | $15 plus tax per day | |
| Annual park pass | $165 plus tax | $50 plus tax for seniors 62 and over; free for eligible veterans |
| Tiki shelter | $150 plus tax | Up to 25 guests; $150 refundable cleanup deposit |
| Coral Rock Shelter | $300 plus tax | Up to 75 guests |
The City of Coral Gables' attraction page still shows older, lower fees; the county runs the park, so its page is the one to trust.
Miami-Dade Parks, Matheson Hammock Park page, checked October 2026
Food, kayaks and the marina
The historic coral rock building above the beach holds Noma Beach at Red Fish, a sit-down restaurant serving seafood, pasta, chicken and steak, open Wednesday to Sunday, and the Grill snack bar for a casual lunch. Since grills and cooking are banned on the beach, those two are your hot-food options.
PADL runs a self-service kiosk for kayaks and paddleboards, and the county lists kiteboarding at the park. The marina is the county's second-largest, with about 330 boats, a fuel dock, a bait-and-tackle shop and a boat ramp with 11 lanes open from sunrise to sunset. The park office opens daily from 8 am to 5 pm.
The bay park with the tide-fed atoll pool, a palm-ringed beach, the coral rock restaurant building and a large marina.
Lifeguards work weekends and holidays; on weekdays the pool is unguarded.
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
The City of Coral Gables notes that Matheson Hammock wraps around the north and west sides of Fairchild, the tropical botanic garden.
Fairchild charges its own admission, so check tickets and hours on its site and pair it with a morning at the pool.
Wo sie sind
Häufige Fragen
How much does it cost to get into Matheson Hammock Park?
Miami-Dade Parks lists $7 plus tax per car on weekdays and $10 plus tax on weekends and holidays. Buses and RVs pay $15 plus tax per day.
Can you swim at Matheson Hammock?
Yes, in the atoll pool during its posted hours: in winter, 9 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5:30 pm on weekends. Lifeguards work weekends and holidays.
Are dogs allowed at Matheson Hammock Park?
No. The county says pets are not allowed in Matheson.
Can you grill at Matheson Hammock?
Not in the beach area: tents, barbecue grills, cooking and open flames are banned there. The park's shelters can be rented for groups.
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