Today I want to tell you about my trip
to Biscayne National Park
, which is located very close to
Miami Beach
in
South Florida.
This is a marine park. Because most of its territory is water expenses from Key Biscayne to Key Largo.
Today I will tell you how to get to Biscayne Park, what is interesting there and what you can do, and whether it is worth going there from Miami on an excursion and what to expect from a visit to Biscayne National Park.
Let’s start with general info.
Biscayne Park was created in 1980, and at first it was supposed to be part of
the Everglades Park
but in the end, Biscayne immediately became an independent
national park.
Now, let’s move to the location:
Where is Biscayne National Park?
It is in the Southeastern offshore barrier reefs of
Florida.
Biscayne National Park is a marine nature reserve in the Southeastern United States, located on the territory of Biscayne Bay and the offshore barrier reefs of Florida.
One of the main attractions of Biscayne Park is
Elliot Key (Island)
– the only one of the
Florida Keys
that is completely formed from a petrified coral reef.
Why Is It Called Biscayne?
The Bay was named for a Spanish explorer called El Biscaino, who came from the Spanish province of Biscaya Area.
Is Biscayne National Park Worth Visiting?
Yes!
Come to this Biscayne National Park for the whole day and take a boat across the bay to the lighthouse.
Then there will be a complete picture of this national park .
If I compare it with other marine parks that I visited, then I say that Biscayne is much richer in fauna and flora.
Biscayne Park protects a four-part natural ecosystem: coastal mangroves, shallow aquamarine waters of Biscayne Bay, limestone coral springs and a barrier reef with a wide variety of underwater life .
Here you can go boating on your own or go on an excursion, go snorkeling, diving, fishing, camping in nature or just relax in a rocking chair, enjoying the beautiful panoramic view of the Atlantic Ocean.
How Popular is Biscayne National Park?
The Park is very popular among tourists and locals.
The park has gained popularity not only due to the uniqueness of the natural landscape, but has also become one of the most popular diving areas in the United States, since 95% of its total park area is covered with water.
The coast of the bay is covered with vast thickets of
mangrove forest.
What is So Special About Biscayne National Park?
Dead corals became the basis for this National Park, an amazing colorful underwater life.
The park has a unique beauty like a child’s drawing: clear blue water, bright yellow sun, azure sky, rich green forests.
The protected area is dominated by a subtropical climate, which means that the weather here is always favorable.
All this forms a wonderful recreation area with wild, untouched nature.
From the very beginning, it became clear to me that Biscayne Park is a unique place, for several reasons at once:
The Florida Keys are reefs that were formed in exactly the same way as the Maldives.
Here and there, dead corals became the basis for islands of land and were used to build buildings.
Here you can see strong platforms were even erected from this natural stone.
The barrier reef protects Biscayne Bay well from the strong currents of the Atlantic Ocean and high waves.
And since there are reefs in the water, it means that colorful underwater life flows in Biscayne Bay, which experienced divers can see with their own eyes.
Where is Biscayne National Park?
What City is Biscayne National Park in?
It is located in Miami-Dade County , Florida.
Miami-Dade is the largest county in Florida by population and the seventh largest in the United States.
The county has 34 incorporated cities and was created on January 18, 1836 by the United States Land Act. It was named after Dade County until 1997.
What Region is Biscayne In?
Biscayne is located in southern Florida, east of the city of Homestead in a protected area of the incredible beauty of Biscayne Bay.
What Is the Closest City to Biscayne National Park?
Homestead andFlorida City are cities that are close to Biscayne National Park.
The nearest cities to Biscayne Park, in addition to Miami, are Homestead and Florida City.
It is also more convenient to settle in Homestead because on weekends there is a bus from there directly to the entrance to Biscayne, as well as to the Homestead Bayfront Park beach, which is located nearby .
When is it Better to Visit Biscayne National Park?
First of all, you need to keep in mind that there are two seasons in South Florida:
Warm, humid summers from May to October;
Pleasant dry winter from November to April.
Important to know: it often rains in the afternoon in summer and autumn.
Also in autumn, you can expect storms and hurricanes, which are always warned in advance on TV.
I visited Biscayne at the end of May and it was very hot and humid.
I purposely arrived early in the morning so as not to overheat in the sun and not get caught in the traditional evening rain.
Excursions in Biscayne National Park
The entrance to Biscayne Park is absolutely free.
But a trip to the islands (transfer) or other activities are already paid, and ticket prices depend on the excursion you have chosen and its duration.
Most people come to Biscayne National Park to take a sightseeing boat tour around the bay and take pictures of the Boca Chita lighthouse on the island.
These Boca Chita Key tours with a ranger take place from Thursday to Sunday twice a day: at 10:00 and 13:30.
The trip lasts three hours and costs $35 per person.
A full-day tour with the opportunity to go snorkeling, with
visiting the Keys
of Boca Chita and Adams, go kayaking is much more expensive – $ 150 per person.
How To Get To Biscayne National Park?
The most convenient way to get to Biscayne is by car.
So ,getting to Biscayne National Park is very easy.
The park itself is located south of Miami.
As with Everglades Park, from Miami you need to take Highway 1 to the city of Homestead.
Then, at the sign at the intersection, turn left and continue on SW 328th Street.
This road will take you to Convoy Point, where the main visitor center of Biscayne Park is located.
If traveling on the Florida Turnpike, take exit 6 on SW 137th Ave.
From Key West , take the first highway to Homestead in the same way, and then turn right onto SW 328th Street.
There are signs everywhere so it is hard to be lost.