Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Just a quick trip from downtown Miami, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park offers a dose of everglades-like mangrove habitats, as well as one of the country’s most beautiful beaches. Spanning some 400 acres (160 hectares) of Key Biscayne island, the park exemplifies Florida’s seaside beauty, and sunset is a particularly popular time to soak up the scenery. Its historic sites are notable, too, including the Cape Florida Lighthouse (completed in 1825, and one of the oldest structures in the state), and a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom trail marker.

Whether you plan to boat, sunbathe, or bike along nature trails, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is one of the Miami area’s most popular outdoor recreation areas. That and its accessibility from the city make it easy to explore independently.

• Visitors must pay a small fee, with rates depending on whether they’re traveling in a car, on a motorcycle or other single-occupant vehicle, arriving by boat, or entering on foot.

• The park operates 18 picnic pavilions that must be paid for and reserved at least 2 days in advance. Several eateries are also located on-site.

• There are eight designated fishing areas in the park; it is not permitted to fish on the beach or in the mangroves.

• Free tours of the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse and keeper’s quarters are held once in the morning and once in the afternoon from Thursday through Monday; reserve your space in advance.

• All pets must be leashed while in the park, and are not permitted on the beach.

• The park has sections that are wheelchair accessible, and it also rents two beach and two water wheelchairs on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Shower stations and restrooms are available at the park.

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is located on Key Biscayne island, southeast of Miami. If traveling by car, it’s roughly 20 minutes from downtown via the Rickenbacker Causeway. The park can also be reached via the B bus from Brickell Station, and is even accessible by boat.

The park is open from early morning until sunset throughout the year, and is especially popular on weekends and during the summer. If you plan to visit during those peak times, arrive early in the morning, as the park can close for several hours when at peak capacity. It also closes during hurricanes and inclement weather, so keep an eye on the forecast.

If you want to soak up Florida’s tropical scenery (and greenery), you have plenty of options for getting out in the great outdoors in Miami. In addition to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, highlights include David T. Kennedy Park, Bill Sadowski Park, Crandon Park (a neighbor to Bill Baggs), and Biscayne National Park.