Biscayne National Park
A national park that's 95% water, with coral reef, mangroves and the northernmost Florida Keys, just south of Miami.
Revisado octubre de 2026
For boaters, snorkelers, paddlers and anyone willing to book a tour; 4.7 from about 3,000 Google reviews. The trade-off: without a boat or a trip planned, you'll mostly be looking at the water rather than out on it.
Getting on the water
Ninety-five percent of this park is water, which tells you how the day works: the mainland is the starting point, not the destination. Guided eco-adventures leave from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, and that's the simplest route if you don't own a boat. Canoes and kayaks suit the mangrove-fringed shorelines and shallow bay. Boaters will find mooring buoys placed to keep anchors off the fragile reef. Fishing and lobstering are allowed under the applicable regulations, so read them before you drop a line. Show up with no plan and you'll get a breeze and a view, which is pleasant but only a sliver of the place.
Boca Chita and Elliott Key
Boca Chita Key is the park's most popular island, the one most people mean when they say they went out to Biscayne. Elliott Key is the largest. It was once a community of pioneers who farmed pineapples, sponged and salvaged wrecks; now it's for camping, picnicking, wildlife watching and a hiking trail. The park itself recommends island trips in winter, when temperatures are mild and the bugs are easier to deal with. Take that seriously. Summer on a mangrove island is a different sport, and the mosquitoes are winning it.
Reef, wrecks and turtles
The park protects 72,000 acres of the northernmost stretch of the Florida Reef, and snorkeling is the most direct way to see it. Loggerhead, green and hawksbill turtles are all commonly spotted in park waters. There's history under the surface too: the Biscayne Maritime Heritage Trail ties together a set of shipwrecks, and the park's interactive story map shows 3D images of some of them, worth a look before you go so you know what you're seeing. The human record here runs about 10,000 years, from prehistoric tribes to pineapple farmers to presidents.
Cómo llegar
- No boat? Guided eco-adventures depart from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center.
Bueno saberlo
Hours aren't listed here; check the park's alerts and hours or call 786-335-3620 before driving down.
Lo que pregunta la gente
Where is Biscayne National Park?
It's south of Miami near Homestead, with a mailing address at 9700 SW 328th Street (Sir Lancelot Jones Way). Guided trips leave from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center there.
What are Biscayne National Park's hours?
We don't have confirmed hours, so check the park's website or call 786-335-3620 before you go.
When is the best time to visit Biscayne National Park?
Winter, according to the park: temperatures are mild and the bugs on the islands are easier to deal with.