The Barnacle in Coconut Grove: visiting Miami's 1891 bayfront house
The Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove: new 2026 hours, the $2 entry, house tour times and prices, where to park and the moonlight concerts.
En bref
- Open: Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 5 pm; closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
- Entry: $2 per person on foot or by bike; 5 and under free.
- House tours: 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm and 2:30 pm; $3 ages 13 and up, $1 ages 6 to 12.
- Address: 3485 Main Highway, Coconut Grove; no public parking on site.
- Evenings: Moonlight concert season runs October to April; doors at 6 pm.
The Barnacle is the best $5 you can spend in Coconut Grove: time your visit for a guided house tour, walk down to the bay, and remember it is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Heure par heure
- 9 amGates open · Walk in from Main Highway through the hardwood hammock Munroe kept between the road and his house. Pay the $2 entry.
- 10 amFirst house tour · The house is open only on a guided tour. Buy the tour ticket at the Carriage House Ranger Office before it starts.
- 11 amThe lawn and the boathouse · After the tour, walk down the lawn to Biscayne Bay and the boathouse, where volunteers still build boats.
- NoonLunch on Main Highway · Bring a picnic for the lawn, or cross Main Highway to Greenstreet Cafe.
- AfternoonThe rest of the Grove · Our Coconut Grove guide covers the rest of the neighborhood. If you arrive later, the house tours also run at 1 pm and 2:30 pm.
What the Barnacle is
The Barnacle is the house Ralph Middleton Munroe built in 1891 on the shore of Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove. Munroe was a yacht designer who drew plans for 56 boats, a photographer, a writer and one of the Grove's first settlers. He bought 40 acres of bayfront in 1886 for $400.
He first built a two-story boathouse in 1887 and lived above the workshop. When that got too crowded, he built a one-story bungalow on the ridge above it, raised on wood pilings, and moved in in 1891. In 1908 he had the whole house lifted and built a new first floor underneath. That is the house you tour today.
The Florida Park Service bought the remaining five acres from his descendants in 1973. Munroe also kept the tropical hardwood hammock between the road and the house, which is why the entrance feels like a forest in the middle of the Grove.
Barnacle hours and fees
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Grounds hours | Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 5 pm |
| Closed | Every Tuesday and Wednesday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day |
| Entry | $2 per person, on foot or by bike; ages 5 and under free |
| House tours | 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm and 2:30 pm, guided only |
| Tour tickets | $3 ages 13 and up; $1 ages 6 to 12; 5 and under free |
| Where to buy | Carriage House Ranger Office |
| Phone | 305-442-6866 |
Florida State Parks says these hours took effect on February 10, 2026. Older listings showing a different closed day are out of date. Prices may change during special events.
thebarnacle.org visit page and Florida State Parks (page text as returned by search), checked October 2026
Avant de partir
- Check the day: the park is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday since February 2026.
- There is no public parking at the park. Use the metered street parking in the neighborhood.
- Use 3485 Main Highway; the visit page warns that the address shown on Google Maps is wrong.
- Bring small change for the $2 entry and the $3 tour.
- Metrobus routes 22, 27, 42 and 48 serve the park from the Douglas, Coconut Grove and Government Center Metrorail stations.
- Pack a picnic; the park invites it.
Moonlight concerts and evening events
The Barnacle Society, the park's support group, runs a moonlight concert series on the lawn by the bay. The season runs from October to April, and its page says the new season begins in October 2026, with doors at 6 pm. Ticket types include members, non-members and children 6 to 18. Prices were not posted when we checked, and no pets are allowed at concerts.
The Society also lists 16mm film screenings and a Holiday Barkzaar. Check its events page for 2026 dates before you plan an evening around one.
Greenstreet Cafe
Greenstreet Cafe is a longtime Coconut Grove cafe with a patio on the same stretch of Main Highway as the Barnacle's gate. It serves from breakfast through late night, which makes it the easy stop before or after a morning tour.
Les questions qu’on se pose
How much does it cost to visit the Barnacle?
Entry to the grounds is $2 per person on foot or by bike, free for ages 5 and under. A guided house tour is $3 for ages 13 and up and $1 for ages 6 to 12.
What days is the Barnacle open?
Thursday to Monday, 9 am to 5 pm. It is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Can you go inside the Barnacle house?
Yes, but only on a guided tour, at 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm or 2:30 pm. Buy tickets at the Carriage House Ranger Office.
Where do you park for the Barnacle?
The park has no public parking. Use metered street parking nearby in Coconut Grove, or take Metrobus 22, 27, 42 or 48.
Who built the Barnacle?
Ralph Middleton Munroe, a yacht designer and Coconut Grove pioneer, built it in 1891. The state bought the remaining five acres in 1973.
Autres guides
Things to do in Coconut Grove: Vizcaya, the Barnacle, the Saturday market and the bayCoconut Grove · Coconut grove · Things to do · 5 min de lectureBars in Coconut Grove: the tiki hut, the speakeasy, the rooftop and the late onesCoconut Grove · Coconut grove · Bars · 5 min de lecture
Deering Estate: tickets, tours and what is open while the Stone House is closedLandmarks · Nature · 4 min de lectureHours, fees, tours, parking and transit from thebarnacle.org (visit, history and concerts pages); February 10, 2026 hours change from Florida State Parks page text as returned by search (site refused fetching); checked October 2026.