One Day in Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park is one the most unique parks in our National Park System! What makes this park so unique is that 95% of the park is underwater. Instead of protecting mountains, forests, canyons, and deserts, the park preserves the turquoise waters of Biscayne Bay, including it’s offshore coral reefs and enchanting islands.
About Biscayne
Biscayne National Park is home to a wide diversity of plant and marine life, including more than 500 species of fish, manatees, and sea turtles. The park also protects six shipwrecks from as early as 1878, which provides a unique underwater opportunity for snorkelers and divers. Because the park is primarily water, most visitors enjoy exploring the pristine waters of Biscayne Bay via boating, fishing, and diving.Today, the park comprises over 170,000 acres and has no entrance fees.
Location
Biscayne Bay National Park is located on the southeast coast of Florida, approximately 20 miles south of Miami. The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is easily reached from the Florida Turnpike or from US Highway 1.
Weather/Best time to visit
The subtropical climate of South Florida provides sunshine over 300 days out of the year. Winter is the ideal time to visit, as the weather is normally dry and mild, with only occasional passing rain and wind. Summer is typically hot and humid with scattered thunderstorms in the afternoons. The risk of hurricanes increases during hurricane season, which runs from June through November.
Read on for: How to Spend One Day in Biscayne National Park
One Day in Biscayne National Park
With only one day in the park, I’d highly recommend booking a guided tour with Biscayne National Park Institute to optimize your time at Biscayne. The Institute offers a variety of tours which allows visitors to see the highlights of the park in one day.
Biscayne National Park Institute
Biscayne National Park Institute is a unique partnership between Biscayne National Park and the Florida National Parks Association, the park’s official non-profit partner. The Institute provides half and full day eco-adventure tours that include snorkeling, paddling, and sailing in Biscayne Bay. Boat cruises to Boca Chita Key and it’s historic lighthouse are also available. Most tours depart from the park headquarters at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, however, the Institute also offers select experiences departing from Deering Estate.
Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure
For our one day in Biscayne, we elected to do the Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure. One of the best ways to explore the shallow bay shores and mangroves of the park is by kayak. Trips start with a 30-minute ride out to the lagoon on a powerboat. Once at the lagoon, visitors disembark the boat and enjoy a guided paddle (kayak or stand up paddle board) through the shallow waters. The clear, calm water of Jones Lagoon is an excellent place to spot fish, rays, baby sharks, and upside down jellyfish. The tour runs for 3.5 hours and is offered daily at 9am and 1:30pm. The trip starts and ends at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, located in Homestead, FL.
Other Tours Offered by Biscayne National Park Institute
For a full day of adventure, a popular option is the Snorkel and Paddle Eco-Adventure. This tour incorporates three of the park’s top activities; boating, snorkeling, and paddling. In addition to paddling through Jones Lagoon, the trip also offers the chance to snorkel around a shipwreck. The tour runs for 6 hours and is offered daily at 10:15am. The trip starts and ends at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, located in Homestead, FL.
A favorite among families is the half day Deering Estate Boca Chita Key Cruise because there is no snorkeling or paddling involved. This tour provides a guided boat trip and visits the island of Boca Chita. On the island, visitors can see the Boca Chita lighthouse up close and hike the half-mile trail on the island. The tour runs for 3 hours and is offered on Saturdays and Sundays at 12pm. The trip starts and ends at Deering Estate, located at 16701 SW 72nd Ave, Miami, FL 33157.
Hike
Because the park is 95% water, there are very few hiking trails. The only trail on the mainland is the Jetty Trail, which is a short and easy (1.0-mile roundtrip) path. It starts on a boardwalk in front of the Visitor Center and ends at the Colonial Bird Protection Area at the end of the Jetty. This is a great way to stretch your legs before or after a tour with Biscayne National Park Institute.
*** The Convoy Point Jetty Trail closed to the public in early August for a storm recovery storm recovery project. The trail was significantly damaged during Hurricane Irma in 2017. The estimated project completion date is March 2022. Be sure to check the NPS website for updates.
The other four trails (Boca Chita Key Loop, Adams Key Loop, Elliott Key Loop, and Spite Highway Trail) in Biscayne National Park are located on the offshore islands.
Explore the Visitor Center
Start and end your day exploring Biscayne National Park at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. The Visitor features an art gallery and exhibits on the park’s natural history. There is also a ranger-staff information desk, picnic area, and restrooms. The Office of Biscayne National Park Institute is also located within the Dante Fascell Visitor Center. It is located at 9700 SW 328th St, Homestead, FL 33035 and is open daily from 9am-5pm.
Other Florida National Parks
Florida has some of the most unique parks in our national park system. In addition to Biscayne National Park, the Everglades and Dry Tortugas National Parks are located in South Florida.
Everglades
The entrance to Everglades National Park is only about an hour from Biscayne! Making it incredibly easy to visit these two parks together on one trip. Everglades National Park preserves 1.5 million acres of wetlands on the southern tip of Florida. The area protects native and endangered species like the manatee, American crocodile, and Florida panther. The city of Homestead is located in-between the two parks and makes a great homebase for visiting both Biscayne and the Everglades.
For more information on what to do while exploring Everglades National Park, check out this awesome blog “20 Of The Best Things To Do At Everglades National Park” by my friend, Paige.
Dry Tortugas
Dry Tortugas National Park is located in the Gulf of Mexico about 70 miles west of Key West, Florida. The park consists of seven small islands and the surrounding picturesque blue waters. Protected by the park are incredible coral reefs, marine life, and the 19-century Fort Jefferson. The park is only accessible by boat or seaplane, making it more difficult to travel to, but is well worth a visit!
For more information on Dry Tortugas National Park, check out the Dry Tortugas National Park website.
We had an excellent time exploring Biscayne National Park on the Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure! I highly recommend booking a tour with Biscayne National Park Institute to optimize your day at the park. I hope this guide inspires you to visit!
