Within sight of downtown Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Here too is evidence of 10,000 years of human history, from pirates and shipwrecks to pineapple farmers and presidents. Outdoors enthusiasts can boat, snorkel, camp, watch wildlife or simply relax in a rocking chair gazing out over the bay.
The Basics
Hours:
The water portion of Biscayne National Park is open 24 hours a day. Adams Key (accessible only by boat) is a day use area only.
Convoy Point, location of the par'ks headquarters and visitor center, is open daily from 7:00 am to 5:30 pm.
The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Address:
9700 SW 328 Street
Homestead, FL 33033
Phone:
305-230-7275
Phone:
305-230-1144
Fax:
305-230-1190
Map
Directions
From the North Convoy Point can be reached from either the Florida Turnpike or from US-1.
From the Florida Turnpike Take the Florida Turnpike south, to Exit 6 (Speedway Blvd.). Turn left from exit ramp and continue south to S.W. 328th Street (North Canal Drive). Turn left and continue to the end of the road. It is approximately five miles, and the entrance is on the left.
From US-1 Drive south to Homestead. Turn left on SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive), and continue to the end of the road. It is approximately nine miles, and the entrance is on the left.
From the South Traveling on US-1 (Overseas Highway), drive north to Homestead. Turn right on SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive — first light after Florida Turnpike entrance), and continue to the end of the road. The entrance is approximately nine miles on the left.
Climate
Summers are generally warm, with high humidity and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are typically mild and dry, but windy. Weather conditions can change rapidly, so be prepared with rainwear at any time of year.
There is a $10/night camping fee on Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key. The fee covers up to 6 people and two tents, but does not include boat transportation to the island.
Reservations
Reservations are not accepted for campsites, but are available for boat transportation.
Things To Do
Boat trips, canoe tours, ranger talks, Family Fun Fest, Discovery Series lectures, concerts and art exhibits... Biscayne National Park offers a variety of ways to help you get to know and enjoy your national park better.
For Kids
Kids will enjoy snorkeling in the bay or on the coral reef, poking along the rocky shoreline at Convoy Point, and canoeing along the park's mangrove coast. The Dante Fascell Visitor Center has great exhibits to help kids learn about Biscayne's watery world, and our touch table provides lots of opportunities for one-on-one learning with a park ranger. From January through March, the park offers a three-day/two-night residential environmental education camping program on Elliott Key for fifth and sixth grade classes. Special events throughout the year offer families a great opportunity to learn about the park together. On the second Sunday of each month from January through May, the park hosts Family Fun Fest, three full hours of hands on activities for kids and kids-at-heart. Come celebrate the National Park Service's birthday on the last Sunday in August. Cleanups are a great way to spend a day in the park and help benefit it at the same time.
Outdoor Camping
There are two campgrounds in Biscayne National Park. Both are located on islands, and the only access to these islands is by boat. Private boats can access the campgrounds year round. During the winter and spring, the park's concessioner provides access to the islands for a fee. To arrange for transportation to the island with the park's concessioner, call 305-230-1100.
Fees:
$10/night/site
$15/night/site if you have a boat in the harbor.
Fees are the responsibility of the camper, and should be paid upon arrival. Any vessel in the harbor after 6:00 p.m. is considered an overnight stay, and fees must be paid in cash (bills or coins, $20 or under only) at the kiosk near the harbor.
There is no RV camping in Biscayne National Park.
Boca Chita Key is the park's most popular island, and features an open, waterside, grassy camping area with picnic tables and grills. Toilets are available on the island, but there are no sinks, showers or drinking water.
Elliott Key is the park's largest island, and features both waterside and forested camping areas. Picnic tables and grills are available. Restrooms with sinks and cold water showers are available. Drinking water is available on the island, but bring some of your own as a precaution should the system go down. Two trails tunnel through the island's tropical hardwood hammock. One trail runs the entire 7-mile of the island (14 miles roundtrip), and another loops for approximately one mile near the harbor.
Guided glass bottom boat tours, snorkeling trips and scuba diving trips are all great ways to experience Biscayne. All trips are subject to passenger minimums, and may not operate in poor weather. Be sure to call and confirm your trip before departing home.
Additional trips, such as excursions to Elliott and Boca Chita Key, are often available throughout the year, especially from January to April.
Visiting the reefs and islands of Biscayne National Park are a highlight of any visit. Windy conditions, common during winter months, will allow you to explore the Florida Keys on foot with less annoyance from insects, while calm conditions afford an opportunity to see the spectacular world of the coral reef. Sea turtles, dolphins, and colorful tropical fish are just a few of the surprises you might encounter on this three-hour boat tour. Reservations are recommended. Fee is $24.45 plus tax for adults, $16.45 for children under 12 years, and $19.45 for seniors. Eight passenger minimum.
Snorkeling Trip One Trip Daily 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
One of the best ways to appreciate the beauty of the park is by snorkeling in Biscayne Bay, or on the living coral reefs offshore. Reservations are recommended. Water time: 1 hour. For trips to the coral reef, fees are $35.00 for adults, and $29.95 for kids under 12. Bay snorkeling trips are priced at $25.95. Prices do not include tax, but do include all required equipment. Eight passenger minimum. A brief orientation, conducted by a park ranger, begins 30 minutes before departure.
Scuba Diving 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturdays & Sundays
Certified divers can discover the wonder and pristine beauty of South Florida's living coral reefs. A two tank dive is $54.00 plus tax (weights included; additional equipment rental extra). Reservations are required and eight passenger minimum applies.
Outdoor Boating and Fishing
Fishing
Although Biscayne National Park is part of a federal agency, fishing and other harvesting activities are largely governed by state law.
Recreational Saltwater Fishing License
A valid Florida State Recreational Saltwater Fishing License is required to fish in Biscayne National Park. You do not need a license if you are:
Any child under 16 years of age.
Any resident who is a member of the United States Armed Forces and not stationed in this state, when home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders.
Any person fishing who has been accepted as a client for developmental disabilities services by the Children and Family Services, provided the department furnishes proof thereof.
Any resident fishing in saltwater from land or from a structure fixed to the land.
Any person fishing from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter, party boat) that has a valid vessel license.
Any person fishing from a vessel, the operator of which has a valid vessel license issued in the name of the operator of the vessel.
Any person who holds a valid saltwater products license (SPL).
Any person fishing for recreational purposes from a pier that has been issued a valid pier saltwater fishing license.
Any resident fishing for a saltwater species in fresh water from land or from a structure fixed to land.
Any resident fishing for mullet in fresh water who has a valid Florida freshwater fishing license.
Any resident 65 years of age or older who has in her or his possession proof of age and residency. A no-cost license under this paragraph may be obtained from any tax collector's office upon proof of age and residency and must be in the possession of the resident during hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing activities.
Any employee of the commission who takes freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game as part of employment with the commission, or any other person authorized by commission permit to take freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game for scientific or educational purposes.
Boating
Boating is the perfect way to explore Biscayne National Park. With your boat you can enjoy the protected waters of Biscayne Bay, travel to the northernmost Florida Keys, and visit and explore living coral reefs. Your access to all of these magnificent resources is limited only by your available time and your skills as a boat operator.
Boating skills are of primary importance while you are in the park to both ensure your safety and to protect fragile resources. With this in mind:
Know boating's "Rules of the Road" and always keep Boating Safety in mind.
Have and use the Nautical Chart for the area you are in. NOAA Chart 11451 covers the waters of Biscayne National Park and is readily available in the park’s area.
Always comply with Slow Speed Zones.
Watch the water depth and avoid running aground.
Use Mooring Buoys when they are available.
Most of the waters in Biscayne National Park are very shallow and knowing the tides is very important.
Personal watercraft (JetSkis, SeaDoos, Waverunners and other brand names) are prohibited in National Parks.
Canoeing and Kayaking
Canoeing and kayaking are great ways to explore the park's mangrove-fringed shorelines and shallow bay waters. More experienced kayakers may enjoy crossing Biscayne Bay's 7-mile expanse to camp at Elliott Key or Boca Chita Key. Using the islands as a base camp will allow exploration of the lagoons, creeks and channels south of Caesar Creek. Many of these places are far to shallow for any type of motorized vessel, so canoeists and kayakers are likely to have these places all to themselves.
Shallow Jones Lagoon is a great place to see sharks, rays, upside-down jellies, huge schools of fish and large wading birds. Hurricane Creek, named for the fact that oldtimers would tie their boats here during big storms, offers excellent snorkeling beneath mangrove roots to observe sea squirts, crabs, anemones and other marine life. Rocky ledges and giant sponges provide hiding places for spiny lobster, though this area is within the Biscayne Bay-Card Sound Lobster Sanctuary, and harvest is prohibited all year.
Visitors with canoes or kayaks of their own can launch them for free at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. Leaving a vehicle in the parking lot overnight is permitted when camping on one of the park's islands, but stop into the Visitor Center to fill out a free parking permit. The park's concessioner can sometimes provide transport to Elliott Key for campers and their canoes and kayaks, allowing exploration of the islands and creeks without the potentially daunting crossing of Biscayne Bay. Rentals are also available.
The Dante Fascell Visitor Center offers a number of indoor options. A museum highlights the park's four ecosystems with exhibits, sound and video. The Gallery highlights the works of contemporary local artists inspired by the park's resources. Several films highlight various aspects of the park, and Biscayne National Park: A Spectrum of Life is an excellent introduction. Kids and adults will find plenty to discover in the Touch Table, and kids can get started on earning a Junior Ranger badge.
Places To Go
With 172,000 acres, there are lots of places to go in Biscayne National Park. Visitors with boats have full access to most of the park, although the shallow nature of the bay and reefs can preclude larger vessels. Those without a boat of their own will find many activities available at Convoy Point, including offices of the Biscayne National Underwater Park, Inc., the park's sole authorized concessionaire. This is the place to make arrangements to take a guided snorkeling or glass bottom boat trip, an excursion to one of the park's islands, or to rent a canoe or kayak to explore the park's shoreline.
