The Aquamarine Waters of South Florida: Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park preserves almost 180,000 acres of coral reef and marine ecosystems off the coast of Miami, Florida, and offers visitors a range of outdoor recreation, hands-on education, and wildlife observation. The vast majority of the park is hidden below the aquamarine waters and features a network of coral reefs across Biscayne Bay. he park also includes the ten northern Florida Keys— each of these uninhabited barrier islands is geologically considered an exposed ancient coral reef. The most visited of which is Boca Chita Key, also the location of the park’s most photographed spot— the 65-foot-tall historic lighthouse. Biscayne is a short daytrip for the millions of people living in the nearby communities and is exceedingly popular for fishing, scuba diving, snorkeling, kayaking, boating, and wildlife viewing.

Travel Tip: Start your visit at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, Gallery and Museum, located in Homestead, Florida. The center offers short films, educational exhibits, and a contemporary art gallery. While visiting, inquire about boat tours and ranger-led programs that leave from the center. If you have time, the short films and museum-quality exhibits provide a great introduction to the park.

Things to Do

• Biscayne Bay is considered a world-class fishing destination— the ecosystem supports a diverse number of species including snapper, grouper, tarpon, and bonefish.
• Paddle along the shoreline and explore the shallow bay waters of the park in a canoe or kayak. The Jones Family Historic District and Lagoon, located near Islandia is an ideal spot to launch and explore Jones Lagoon as well as nearby Porgy Key and Totten Key.
• Discover six underwater shipwrecks while scuba diving along the Maritime Heritage Trail. The wrecks are located along Long Reef and include the Lugano steamship, Erl King three-masted auxiliary steamship, and the Mandalay windjammer cruise ship.
• Since 95% of the park is water, guided boat tours are the best way to experience the park. Join a ranger-guided tour or choose one of the approved concessionaires to learn about the park’s four ecosystems, see local wildlife, and visit a few points of interest. Don’t miss Stiltsville, a group of 1930’s homes that were built above the water in the northern portion of the park.
• Hike the trails and spend the night on Boca Chita and Elliott Keys. Water transportation is required to reach the only approved campgrounds in the park. For any national park enthusiast, this is a bucket list experience!

Wildlife Viewing

Taking into consideration its close proximity to a large human population, the park is home to an incredible variety of fish, birds, and plant life. The Biscayne Birding Trail offers an opportunity to see both local and migratory birds, including species of pelicans, wading birds, raptors, and shorebirds, to name a few. Below the water, there are hundreds of colorful reef fish to discover while snorkeling and scuba diving. Larger mammals that thrive in the bay include dolphins, whales, and manatee. Along the shoreline, rabbits, opossum, squirrels and deer are common to the area. There are also plenty of reptiles in the area, from alligators to a variety of turtles, lizards, and snakes.