Spending Time With Nature in South Florida

Spending Time With Nature In South Florida

The following is a table of interesting natural (and a few "unnatural") places in South Florida that are
open to the public and worth visiting.Contact the specific sites regarding operating hours, driving directions
and fees (which may change without notice) and click on the links for more information.

On the Florida Mainland | In the Florida Keys | Southwest Florida | Northward on the Atlantic Coast

Miami-Dade Parks' Department Home Page | Miami-Dade Parks' Nature Center Activities

City of Miami Parks' Department | Broward County Parks Department

On the Florida Mainland

Site	Location	Features
AD Barnes Park 305-662-4124	3401 SW 72 Ave, Miami	hiking, biking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching
Arch Creek Park 305-944-6111	1855 NE 135 St, North Miami Beach	hiking, biking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, canoeing
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area 305-361-5811	1200 South Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne	biking, birding, picnicking, photography, snorkeling; mangrove forest; $4 entrance fee / car
Bill Sadowski Park 305-255-4767	17555 SW 79th Ave, Miam	hiking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, free Star Parties hosted by The Southern Cross Astronomical Society (call their Hotline at 305-661-1375 for a current schedule of events)
Biscayne National Park 305-230-7275	9700 SW 328 St, Homestead	swimming, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, canoeing, snorkeling tours to reefs; no entrance fee
Black Point Park & Marina 305-258-4092	24775 SW 87 Ave, Homestead	crocodiles and manatees in the boat basin around the marina; picnicking, biking, nice restaurant at the marina
Castellow Hammock Park 305-242-7691	22301 SW162 Ave, Homestead	hiking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, botanizing in the hardwood hammock
City of Miami's Alice Wainwright Park 305-856-6794	2845 Brickell Ave, Miami	picnicking, wildlife watching, best public exposure of Silver Bluff geological formation (Miami oolite)
City of Miami's Simpson Park 305-856-6801	55 SW 17 Rd, Miami	remnant of the Brickell Hammock (tropical hardwood forest), wildlife watching; botanizing
City of Miami's Virginia Key Beach 305-575-5256	Virgina Key, east side of Rickenbacker Causeway opposite Miami Seaquarium	natural beach with coastal dune and hammock communities, swimming, picnicking
Everglades National Park Main entrance 305-242-7700	10 miles west of US1 on State Rd 9336, Florida City	38 mile road to Flamingo on Florida Bay crosses sawgrass 'glades, pine rocklands, hardwood hammocks, coastal prairie and mangrove forests; birding, biking, photography, hiking, camping, picnicking; wildlife concentrations greatest Nov-Apr; $10 entrance fee / car good for one week
Everglades National Park Shark Valley entrance 305-221-8776	approx. 40 miles west of Palmetto Expressway on US 41 (Tamiami Trail)	15 mile bike path on tram road through sawgrass 'glades, hiking, birding, photography; most wildlife found Nov-Apr; $8 entrance fee / car
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden 305-667-1651	10901 Old Cutler Rd, Coral Gables	world class tropical botanic garden; plant shows and sales, Ramble-A Garden Festival, International Mango and Orchid Festivals, cultural events, tram and walking tours, birding, bookstore; $15 admission fee
Greynolds Park 305-945-3425	17530 W Dixie Hwy, North Miami Beach	hiking, biking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching - esp the wading bird rookery
Historical Museum of Southern Florida 305-375-1492	101 West Flagler St, Miami	historical displays of South Florida and Caribbean; $5/adult, $4/student/$2/child entrance fee
Kendall Indian Hammocks Park 305-596-9324	11345 SW 79 St, Miami	hiking, biking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, botanizing in the oak hammock
Larry & Penny Thompson Park 305-232-1049	12451SW 184th Street, Perrine	birding, hiking, biking on trails through pine rocklands; birding; picnicking; no charge; freshwater slide into swimming lake open Memorial Day to Labor Day (fee)
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center 305-361-6767	within Crandon Park on Key Biscayne; enter at North Beach and turn left.$4/car parking fee	birding, hiking, wading, swimming, photography, exploring dune, mangrove, coastal hammock and seagrass communities.
Matheson Hammock Park 305-665-5475	9610 Old Cutler Rd, Coral Gables	biking, birding, picnicking, photography, snorkeling; mangrove forest; $4 entrance fee / car
Miami Metrozoo 305-251-0400	12400 SW 152 Ave, Miami	world class zoo; photography; features many endangered and threatened animals;$8+ tax entrance fee/adult and $4+ tax/child
Miami Seaquarium 305-361-5705	4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key	marine-science themed park with emphasis on local marine life; $22.95 + tax/ adult & $17.95+tax /child entrance fee
Miami-Dade County Landfill aka "Mount Trashmore"	adjacent to 24775 SW 87 Ave, Homestead	birding; watching garbage trucks; easy to bike around on public roads surrounding the landfill
Miami-Dade's 58th Street Landfill 305-594-1500	NW 58 St & 97 Ave, Doral	400 acre wildlife refuge; birding; photography; tours
Museum of Science & Space Transit Planetarium 305-854-4247 (Museum) 305-854-2222 (Planetarium)	3280 South Miami Ave, Miami	hands-on science center with live, native wildlife displays; star and laser shows;$10/adult & $6/child
Oleta River State Park 305-919-1846	3400 NE 163 St, North Miami Beach	hiking, biking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, canoeing; $4 entrance fee / car
Parrot Jungle & Gardens 305-2-JUNGLE	1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Watson Island, Miami	walk-through aviary featuring hundreds of parrots and exotic birds; wildlife shows; photography; admission fee
Redlands Fruit & Spice Park 305-247-5727	24801 SW 187 Ave, Homestead	32 acres of tropical and subtroipcal vegetables, fruit, nut and spice trees; bookstore; $3.50 entrance fee
The Barnacle State Historic Site 305-448-9445	3485 Main Hwy, Coconut Grove	historic home of Commodore Ralph Munroe - early Miami pioneer; $1 entrance fee
The Charles Deering Estate 305-235-1668	16701 SW72 Ave, Miami	hiking, picnicking, photography, wildlife watching, canoeing;$6/adults & $4/child entrance fee

In the Florida Keys

Site	Location	Features
Bahia Honda State Park 305-872-2353	12 miles southwest of Marathon on US 1, Bahia Honda Key	tropical dune hammock, tidal pools along rocky shoreline; hiking, diving, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, wildlife observation, photography; fee; $4/car entrance fee
Dry Tortugas National Park 305-242-7700	70 miles west of Key West; accessible by seaplane and boat from Key West	Ft Jefferson - Earth's largest brick structure; coral reefs and beaches; birding, diving and limited fishing; fee
John Pennekamp State Park 305-451-1202	mile marker 102.5, Key Largo	tropical hardwood hammocks, mangrove forests, reefs; diving, snorkeling, canoeing, kayaking, birding, botanizing; $4/car entrance fee
Key Largo Hammocks State Botanical Site 305-451-1202	Card Sound Road (SR 905),>1 mile north of intersection with US 1, Key Largo	tropical hardwood hammock; birding, botanizing; fee
Lignum Vitae Key State Botanical Site 305-664-4815	1 mile west of US 1 at mile marker 78.5; accessible only by private or charter boat; canoable from the Overseas Highway	largest remaining tropical coastal hammock forest in FL; hiking, snorkeling, wildlife observation, photography; tours $1/person if you arrive by your own boat; $15/person includes transportation
Long Key State Park 305-664-4815	mile marker 67.5, near Layton on Long Key	tropical coastal hammock and mangrove swamp thickets; picnicking, swimming, fishing, wildlife observation, photography; $3.75/car with one person; $1.50/ person additional entrance fee
National Key Deer Refuge 305-872-2239	north on Watson Blvd off US 1 at mile marker 30.5, Big Pine Key	tropical hardwood hammocks, pine rocklands, mangrove swamp forest; wildlife observation esp of Key Deer, botanizing
Windley Key Fossil Reef State Geological Site 305-664-9814	mile marker 86.5 on Windley Key, Islamorada	tropical hardwood hammock over the fossilized coral reef (Key Largo limestone); walking trails through the quarries that supplied rock for construction (WW1-1960s); wildlife observation; photography; $1.50 entrance fee

Across the 'Glades & Big Cypress Swamp to Southwest Florida

Site	Location	Features
Big Cypress National Preserve 941-695-4111	ccess on US 41 west; stop at Visitor Center for information and maps of trails	wildlife observation, hiking, photography; few trails are marked
Collier-Seminole State Park 941-394-3397	on US 41 17 miles southeast of Naples	hardwood hammock, pine flatwoods, freshwater and tidal marshes; boat tours through mangrove forest; hiking, canoeing, wildlife observation; $3.25 / car entrance fee
Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary 941-348-9151	from US Hwy 41 nine miles north of Naples, drive east 21 miles on FL Hwy 846 to Sanctuary	2-mile boardwalk through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, marsh, lakes and the world's largest old-growth bald cypress forest; wildlife observation, photography; $8 entrance fee
Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve 941-695-4593	drive west on US 41 then north on US 29; watch sign for turn off to Preserve on left	largest drainage of the Big Cypress Swamp; cypress and hardwood swamp forest; hiking on numbered logging trails, wildlife observation, photography
J.N. "Ding" Darling Wildlife Refuge 941-472-1100	Sanibel Island	hiking, canoeing, wildlife observation, photography; closed Fridays; $5 / car entrance fee

Up the Atlantic Coast

Attraction	Location	Features
Art Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge 561-734-8303	Exit I-95 at#44 (Boynton Beach); drive 7 miles west to US 441; turn south 2 miles to Refuge entrance	exceptional birding esp Nov-Apr; hiking, canoeing, photography; $5 / car entrance fee
Blowing Rocks Preserve 561-747-3113	I-95 North to exit 59A; east to US Hwy 1; north on US1 past lighthouse to Beach Rd. North 1.5 miles on Jupiter Island	largest outcropping of Anastasia limestone on Atlantic Coast; high tides and onshore winds create dramatic plumes of water through holes in cliffs; coastal dunes; photography; beachcombing; $3 entrance fee
Fern Forest Nature Center 954-970-0150	Exit I-95 at Atlantic Blvd (Pompano Beach); drive west past the Turnpike to Lyons Road; go south to 201 Lyons Rd, Coconut Creek	cypress-maple swamp, hardwood hammock, oak-cabbage palm forest, freshwater prairie; hiking, wildlife observation, photography
Grassy Waters Preserve 561-659-8085	4 miles west of I-95 on Northlake Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, Palm Beach County	exceptional wildlife viewing esp Nov-Apr
Jonathan Dickinson State Park 561-746-1466	I-95 North to exit 59A; east to US Hwy 1; north on US1 5 miles to Hobe Sound	endangered Sand Pine scrub community; freshwater marshes along Loxahatchee River; camping, canoeing, wildlife observation, hiking, photography; $3.25 / car entrance fee

All photographs on this page including background are © Christopher P. Migliaccio except where noted and may not be used for any purpose
without the express written permission of Christopher P. Migliaccio

I welcome your comments and suggestions for other sites to add to this list.