getting to Biscayne
You can fly into the Miami International Airport (MIA) which is 33 miles (approximately 45 minutes) or the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) which is 64 miles (approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes) to the Dante Fascell Visitor Center of Biscayne National Park. This is the only visitor center for the park and is a launching point for mangrove and boat tours. Guided tours are operated from the Biscayne National Park Institute. Some tours leave from Deering Estate and Coconut Grove as well. So much of this park is explored via the water.
getting Around biscayne
You can easily drive to the Visitor Center at Biscayne National Park but majority of your exploration of this beautiful National Park while take place via boat. If you don’t have you own car you can take the Homestead Trolley from the historic downtown in Homestead to the visitor center. This trolley operates from November through April. That makes sense since 95% of the national park is water! You can canoe, kayak, paddle board around the mangroves or take a boat out to snorkel the reefs or explore the small islands or explore the Boca Chita Lighthouse. Some great places to canoe and kayak include Hurricane Creek and Jones Lagoon.
where to stay
Homestead is the closest town and does have some great touristy things to do. Many people opt to stay in nearby Miami which has everything you would ever need as a tourist from great restaurants, bars and activities. There are all different levels of accommodation located in town from motels, hotels to resorts.
Camping is also available within the park on both Boca Chita Key and Elliott Key. Campsites are available for reservation on recreation.gov but are first come first serve. Boca Chita has toilets, grills, picnic tables but no showers or drinking water. Elliott Key has restrooms with showers and drinking water in addition to the site, grills and tables. The only access to these islands is via boat. It is $35 a night to dock your boat and camp or $25 to camp only.
when to visit
This park is absolutely beautiful year-round and wonderful to visit.
Summer is great for hot weather but does often bring some scattered thunderstorms typically in the afternoons. Winters are more dry and mild. Hurricane season is from June 1 through November 30.
Fees
This wonderful park has no fees to visit it! You can bring your own kayak, canoe or boat to get around. There is a fee for overnight docking and camping but day use has no fees. If you wish to go on a guided tour you can visit the Biscayne National Park Institute which has a variety of options from boating, island visits, kayaking, snorkeling and more. Visit: https://www.biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org/
things to do
The great thing about this park is you really need to get out onto the water to explore it.
visit the visitor center
You can easily visit the Dante Fascell Visitor Center near Homestead Florida. This center is a wealth of information about the park, has a rotating art exhibit and also a point of joining tours.
Snorkeling
Snorkeling to see all the reefs, coral and fish below is a great way to explore this park. This park boasts awesome reef system but also the unique experience of snorkeling near mangroves and has some cool shipwreck sites.
Boating
You can rent a boat, canoe, or kayak and go out on your own or join a guided tour of the mangroves. Almost all of this park is best explored via boat since 95% of it is water. With boats you can also visit Elliot Key, Boca Chita Key and Adams Key. Cool places to kayak/canoe include Jones Lagoon and Hurricane Creek.
Fishing
Catching fish and lobstering is an amazing experience. You do need a Florida fishing license in order to do this. For specific regulations please check out the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website.
Visit the Boca Chita Lighthouse
This iconic and historic lighthouse was constructed in the 1930s and is one of the famous landmarks of the park. It makes Boca Chita the most visited island in the park. Boca Chita also is a great place to camp.
Wildlife Viewing
There is so much wonderful wildlife in Biscayne National Park. You can see over 600 native fish, corals and sponges. Also there are sea turtles and manatees. There is also incredible bird watching.
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