How Do You Get To Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park is a Florida national park that is 95% water! The park protects 270 foursquare miles around the northernmost grouping of living coral reefs in the United States. Biscayne was officially designated a national park in 1980, but the fight to protect this area began much earlier.

In the 1950'southward, Americans were taking more vacations to Florida and the Keys. A vision to dredge a canal to the ocean for a new city and a major seaport was forming in the area that Biscayne occupies today.

Luckily, a small group that disagreed with this plan began to fight for public support to protect this expanse. Biscayne was declared a national monument by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 and was designated a national park most a decade later.

Entry to Biscayne National Park is free but there is little to exercise without purchasing a guided tour. This mail covers things to practise in Biscayne National Park, when to visit and more than things to know almost visiting this underrated national park.

How to Get to Biscayne National Park

A large Biscayne National Park sign at the entrance of the park. The sign includes a scene of fish made of bricks — Biscayne National Park Sign

Biscayne National Park is located on the South Florida coast less than an hour's drive from Miami. Many of the h2o activities and tours will begin at the Dante Fascell Visitor Centre, located a 45 minute drive away from the Miami international airport.

Y'all can also fly into the Fort Lauderdale Airport, which is a little over an hour from Biscayne National Park.

When to Visit Biscayne National Park

Lydia sitting on a paddle board floating through a mangrove tree tunnel — Jones Lagoon

Looking off a boat at a narrow waterway surounded by mangrove trees on both sides. — Sands Key

There is really no bad time to visit Biscayne National Park. If you'll exist pond, the weather may be nicest to visit during the summertime when the temperatures are warm. If y'all want to military camp on 1 of the islands, you may want to avert the estrus of the summer. Likewise go along in mind that hurricanes are most likely to occur between Baronial and September.

I visited in March and it had very nice weather!

Where to Stay When Visiting Biscayne National Park

Camping ground in Biscayne National Park

If you lot take a gunkhole or arrange transportation by boat, at that place are two islands in Biscayne that allow camping. The more than popular pick in Boca Chita Key. This island has a lighthouse, picnic tables and grills. There are toilets but no drinking water or showers available.

The other island is Elliott Key, which is bigger. Elliott Cardinal has some hiking trails along with cold water showers and drinking water.

Hotels in Homestead

If you would similar to stay in a hotel, the closest area is Homestead. Homestead is 20 minutes from the Dante Fascell Visitor Heart. This is besides a nifty base for exploring Everglades National Park during your trip!

A couple of mid range options with good reviews in Homestead are the Uptown Suites Extended Stay, Hilton Garden Inn and the Hampton Inn & Suites.

Things To Practise in Biscayne National Park

There are a handful of bout operators authorized to requite tours within of the park, merely Biscayne National Park Plant is the just non-profit. The institute offers a diversity of tours, including a celebrated gunkhole tour, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing and scuba diving.

Tour Options with the Biscayne National Park Found:

Heritage of Biscayne Cruise: Covers the history of the park and takes about 3.v hours. A pop option if you don't want to get moisture.
Small Group Snorkel Experience: Includes two snorkel locations and takes most 3.5 hours.
Snorkel and Paddle Eco Adventure: Includes snorkeling, paddle boarding and a stop on Boca Chita and takes about six hours. This is the tour that I did.
Jones Lagoon Eco Risk Paddle: Paddle boarding in the Jones Lagoon area for three.5 hours.
Paddle the Mangroves and Seagrass Meadows: 1.5 hours of kayaking.
Scuba Eco Adventure: 6 hours of scuba diving.
Canvass, Paddle, Snorkel and Isle Visit: This bout includes a mix of snorkeling, paddling and a visit to Boca Chita on a sailboat. It takes vi hours and the snorkeling will be in the calmer waters effectually mangrove trees.

Other Bout Companies that Operate in Biscayne

In addition to Biscayne National Park Establish, there are a few other tour operators authorized inside of the park. Wind Addict Florida and South Florida Kiteboarding offer kiteboarding lessons and Explore Miami, Ocean Force Adventures and Miami Sailing Charters offer different options for sightseeing.

My Experience on the Snorkel and Paddle Eco Adventure Tour

The Snorkel and Paddle Eco Take chances is a slap-up option to spend the solar day seeing a multifariousness of the park. This bout includes both paddling and snorkeling, so you'll get to see unlike types of scenery and accept a lot of adventure along the manner.

An underwater photo of a mangrove root with coral and greenery growing on it

Mangrove trees next to water

Snorkeling Among the Mangrove Trees

What To Expect:

This is a small group bout! The group for my tour was merely half dozen people.
At this writing, this tour costs $179 per person.
Snorkel and paddling gear is included but luncheon is not.

What to Bring:

A packed luncheon
Reef Friendly Sunscreen
A hat
Bathing suit
Towel
Sunglasses
Bug spray

A view of the Boca Chita lighthouse from the water. The lighthouse is made of gray stone and there is a viewing balcony at the top. It is surrounded by palm trees and the ocean water in the foreground is aqua blue.

A spiral staircase inside of the lighthouse

Boca Chita Island

The tour began with a long boat ride out from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center to our snorkeling location. On the fashion, our guide told us about the history of the park and the surrounding area.

From the boat, you'll exist able to see the Turkey Point Nuclear Powerplant. One interesting thing about the powerplant is that the saltwater cooling ponds and adjacent freshwater ponds for the powerplant form an ideal environment for endangered crocodiles. The crocodiles are monitored here and this has been a crucial area for increasing the population of crocodiles in Florida.

There are far less crocodiles than alligators than Florida. Crocodiles are larger and have more of a V-shaped snout.

Unfortunately, it was too windy on the day of my tour to become to the Atlantic side and snorkel amongst the coral reefs. Typically on a nice conditions 24-hour interval, you would visit the coral reefs. Instead, we snorkeled alongside mangrove trees at the keyhole of Sands Central. We saw schools of fish, plantlife on the mangrove roots and fifty-fifty some lobsters under a rock ledge.

Afterward snorkeling, nosotros headed to Boca Chita Island to eat our packed lunches. I was a scrap surprised to run into so many boats docked upwards on the island playing music, cooking and having a good time. (It honestly took away from the peacefulness of the national park). On the island, our guide unlocked the lighthouse for u.s.a. and nosotros climbed to the peak for an amazing view of the island and the aqua-colored h2o.

A view of Boca Chita Island from the lighthouse. There is a narrow bit of land with palm trees and bright blue water on both sides.

A dolphin swimming in the bay with a fin above the water

Boca Chita Island

The lighthouse on Boca Chita, along with the other structures on the isle, were congenital by Mark Honeywell in the 1930'due south. It was built as their vacation resort and was meant to be used for parties. The lighthouse actually faces inland instead of at the sea, because it was built to impress guests instead of providing navigation.

In addition to the lighthouse, the island had restrooms, a chapel and picnic tables. We didn't accept much time to explore whatever other part of the island. Today, all of the buildings on Boca Chita are leftover from the 1930'southward, except for the restroom facility.

The best part of Boca Chita was seeing some dolphins swimming effectually the bay. There were two that were jumping out of the water and swimming around almost the entire time nosotros were there.

The front of a paddle board in the center looking out at the water with mangrove trees on either side — Paddle Boarding in Jones Lagoon

The tertiary part of the tour was paddle boarding in the peaceful waters of Jones Lagoon. On the fashion, we passed by Adams Key, another isle in the park that visitors tin can explore for twenty-four hour period apply. There are picnic tables and a brusk trail on the island.

When nosotros reached Jones Lagoon, nosotros were surrounded past beautiful mangrove copse. Each guest had the pick of SUP paddles or kayaking paddles as nosotros made our way through mangrove tunnels. While paddling, nosotros saw nurse sharks, jellyfish and stingrays. It was a cute area to paddle and explore.

A nurse shark in the shallow water of Jones Lagoon

Clear and shallow water in Jones Lagoon. You can see the ocean floor and there are mangrove trees in the background.

Paddle Boarding Views

Overall, I had an amazing day trip with the Biscayne National Park Plant and learned a lot about the history and geology from my guide. I highly recommend an experience like this for your day trip to Biscayne National Park.

Dante Fascell Visitor Center

Be sure to explore the Dante Fascell Visitor Heart before or after your tour. There is a museum area upstairs where you can learn nearly the wild fauna and ecosystems in the park. In that location are also some educational films and a touch area where you tin can feel things like sea sponges and corals.

Nearby Biscayne National Park

Portions of Everglades National Park are located less than an hr from Biscayne. On your way to the Everglades, be sure to stop at the Robert is Here Fruit Stand for exotic fruit or a milkshake! For more information on visiting the Everglades, read my Everglades itinerary.

Biscayne is likewise very shut to the commencement of the Florida Overseas Highway, which leads to Key W. If you are planning a Florida Keys road trip, I accept a five twenty-four hour period itinerary that includes both the Upper Keys and Key Westward.

Thanks for Reading!