Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Very beautiful park, with beaches ranging from lively to peaceful. Can go out to bbq or play soccer or foot tennis with your friends. Really beautiful park overall, with the price being quite cheap for something that can be enough for a day trip. If you're not a local, make sure you watch for the jellyfish that wash up on the beaches.

The lighthouse is open only 10am to 12pm, we reached at 12 so we were unable to get the view from the top but i am sure it was beautiful, people on the top seemed happy. The beach was clean but too windy today for a swim. Our experience was good, a day well spent.

The beach was large enough to fit everybody on a busy day! The water was definitely warm enough to swim, and the park itself was beautiful. There was some seaweed, but the beach was still extremely clean and pleasant.

Calm, serene and scenic spot for sunset. Plenty of parking spots available. Good for trail running/walking and biking. Good to visit Lighthouse. Parking for a single vehicle (car) is $8. Highly recommend!

Lovely beach and lighthouse! But the hours for tours are very limited. You can also see stiltsville from the park with binoculars.

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is absolutely beautiful and full of history. The Light house is perfectly persevere and organized. The staff were super nice and the little house was so pretty. The beach and seawall are well kept. The water is transparent and gorgeous. Beautiful place to spend with family.

Absolutely gorgeous views! I wish we could have went up in the light house but got there too late. The beach was gorgeous and the water crystal clear. Lots of famous were enjoying there time together.

It was a lovely place , good to spot sunset and spend an evening with your family and friends , but I did not understand the hype around it !

Went for a hike in this beautiful park and I think I will return again to go to the beach . Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park State park located in Key Biscayne, Florida, USA Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area occupies approximately the southern third of the island of Key Biscayne, at coordinates 25°40′25″N 80°09′34″W. This park includes the Cape Florida Light, the oldest standing structure in Greater Miami. In 2005, it was ranked as having the 8th best beach in the country, and in 2013 Forbes ranked it at ... The park was named in honor of Bill Baggs, editor of The Miami News from 1957 until his death in 1969. He worked to protect the land from development and to preserve some of the key in its natural state. In 2004 a large historical marker was erected at the site to mark it as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Trail, as hundreds of Black Seminoles, many fugitive slaves, escaped from here to freedom in the Bahamas, settling mostly on Andros Island. In the early 1820s, some 300 American slaves reached the Bahamas, aboard 27 sloops and many canoes. The US National Park Service is working with the Bahamas, particularly the African Bahamanian Museum and Research Center (ABAC) in Nassau, to develop interpretive programs at Red Bays, Andros. Recreational activities The park has more than a mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront, where snorkeling and swimming is possible. Besides the beach and tours of the lighthouse and keeper's quarters, activities include boating, canoeing, kayaking and fishing from the seawall along Biscayne Bay, bicycling, hiking and wildlife viewing. The park has such amenities as picnicking areas and youth camping. It also has a visitor center, a museum with interpretive exhibits and concessions. No Name Harbor, a natural harbor in the park, is used for anchorage.

Beautiful gem right here in Miami.. just go and explore! The scenery is nice, the park is clean, everyone comes to the park to enjoy the beauty nature offers. Next time I'll pack a bathing suit and a few fishing poles!

Such a beautiful park with cool things to do. You can rent surrey bikes, go to the beach, rent pavilions for special occasions or have a picnic on one of their tables (subject to availability) or even do a brief tour to check out the lighthouse. The lighthouse was awesome but I'm still sore a few days later lol. The tours are available at 10:00am or 1:00pm and when I went on a Saturday the 1:00pm had a lot of people attending. You may be waiting a while to go up the lighthouse depending on where you stand in the line due to them only allowing up to 10 visitors inside at a time. Thankfully they do that because it would be extremely hot waiting inside the stairwell for your turn to get to the top and also coming back down there aren't any rails to hold on to unless you're using the opposite side. Also, if you have little ones they have height minimum which is 42 inches unless they are in a sling. It is 4 dollars a person and kids under a certain age don't pay (forget the age range).

Have been to this park many times and most recently for a beach picnic and birthday. Last year we had our annual Friendsgiving here as well. Shelter A2 is pretty close to the beach across the bathrooms and a 5 min walk to the the Boater's Grill. Plenty of parking spots as well. Bathrooms clean with plenty of soap and toilet paper. The grills and the picnic tables need some TLC but overall a great place for your event.

Where to start.. I love this park You can ride bikes, enjoy nature and the beach. The are two restaurants.. one is only known by locals, it's well hidden and my favorite place to sit down, have a cocktail, listen to the band playing live music, and watch the sunset.

Such a tranquil spot. You can see Stiltsville in the distance. Great spot to catch a sunset and watch people fishing.

I didn't have time to explore this massive park due to the inclement weather but it looks like there is lots to do here.

Yo estuve ahi, hoy mismo un lugar muy bonito, pero me sacaron porqué fui con un detector de metales, y dicen ellos que ahi es ilegal, cuando no ahi una señalizacion al respecto, me sentí muy mal, quiero hablar con el comisionado. Por favor sii alguien me dice el número de teléfono, Gracias. Contactar 786-857-7206.

Was interested in going to another beach that is not Miami Beach in the Miami area so decided to come to Bill Baggs. There is an entrance fee of $2 a person just just so you are aware whether you are by car, foot, or bike. The walk to the beach from the entrance is around 15 minutes which is not too bad but I would recommend renting our bikes for this park and to see the rest of Key Biscanye. Would make your life a lot easier and wouldn't have to care about parking. Here are my favorite things about the park/beach: - There is literally no one here, especially if you go to the east side of the beach. It feels like you have a private beach to yourself which is nice as a getaway from the noisy and crowded Miami Beach. You can hear the ocean waves so clearly and the see the stretches of white sand. - The views are so gorgeous. I can't think of a better place to take a walk as you get the distant views of Miami with the white expanse of the I guess Atlantic Ocean. - The paddle-boarding rental is probably the cheapest I have ever seen at $15 an hour. Unfortunately I wasn't able to try it as the waves were pretty big and there were no lifeguard on duty, but I would definitely come try it out the next time that I am here. Would recommend stopping by for an alternative view of Miami Beaches if in the area. Do be prepared to pay an entrance fee, although not very significant but still exists.

Very clean. A little crowded, but we went on a Sunday so that is expected. Overall great beach.

I lovee this spot, very beautiful, quit & peaceful! When you call for cab make sure give them the right spot, or else you will be so lost out there! Miami is fortunate to have one of Florida's most beautiful state parks on a bridge. Saved from development by Bill Bugs in the 1960s, this fully preserved wilderness is a great place for a family beach day trip. One of the main attractions is the 1.25-mile soft sandy beach with stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean. The park is long and relatively small, and where you park depends on what you want to do. If you only want to access the beach, park near access number 6. If you want to visit the beach or the historic lighthouse, park at Access # 7. Park in the washroom parking lot on the other side of the street and go to the fishing dock or stand by the breakwater. Park is also a hotspot for migratory birds. For a chance to see the birds, hike the Robins Bird Watching Trail.

Clear water with small rolling waves. Good beach for skim boarding! Lots of seaweed on the beach in winter, but no blue bottles/man o' war so we were able to swim! You can rent umbrellas & chairs for $30. Theres a snack bar and bathrooms close to the beach. 2 miles of nature trails & sidewalks for biking. The lighthouse was closed for renovations so we couldn't climb up, but you can get close for pictures. Several tables available for picnics near the parking lot. Great family beach & park -- highly recommended! Note: there are no lifeguards, but the surf is very gentle and shallow for a while out.

My only hesitation giving Bill Baggs Park 5/5 stars is that it may help the park become too popular and overrun with people. Beautiful piece of land at the southern most tip of the southern most island off of Miami, surrounded by Biscayne Bay on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The park is a great area for bird watching during the migratory times in the fall and spring.

So our work Whatsapp chat last week turned from a "what's everyone doing this weekend" to an impromptu beach day at "El Farito" to celebrate the weekend. Yes, the Miami nickname for it is due to the lighthouse (which I didn't tour) at the south end of the park. I'd definitely come back to tour the namesake lighthouse. Parking is $4 for solo riders, and $8 for a car load, for the whole time you're in the park. This is a grand bargain compared to other local beaches! When our group was there, the water was pretty clean and since geographically it's a little more exposed than Miami Beach, a decent amount of waves. The sand was clean and compacted enough to play kickball on. They also have camping facilities, walking trails and pedicab rentals (I'd love to try next time). I also want to check out their bar and grill. That's the only reason I'm keeping it at three stars, since I didn't have the opportunity to fully experience everything.

An excellent place to relax! They've got plenty of amenities and parking here too with a historic 1855 lighthouse!

Great park where lately we have been using for picnics and days on the beach with our group. Though it is part of the Florida State Parks they belong more to Key Biscayne and they do things different. For example, if you want to rent a shelter you have to go there in person to rent it as opposed to most other Florida State parks that this can be done online. I guess it is just a way to keep less people coming from other areas. Key Biscayne can be like this, exclusive. Once you get past this, the park itself is pretty good with clean bathrooms and a nice beach. There is one restaurant/cafeteria so bring your own food and cooler. There are grills in mostly okay conditions by each shelter, but make sure to bring aluminum foil as these are never cleaned. The fishing areas have been closed forever and I don't think there is a date to reopen. I still like it as it is close to me.

I had most of the day to kill before meeting my boss at the Miami airport at 5pm. After lunch, I decided to drive out here and get in some beach time. $4.00 to get in (solo driver) or $8.00 per car. Tons of parking near the beach and light house. No shade though! Bring/rent an umbrella if you are sun sensitive. Water was warm, and nice and calm. I had a great couple hours just laying on the sand and getting in the water whenever I got hot. Great beach for families and small kids. Also, the lighthouse! (Oldest structure in Miami/Dade County) Had a blast and would definitely come back!

If you're wanting to find a beach spot in Key Biscayne that is quiet and beautiful, this is it. Lots and lots of parking - I went on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon and it was easy to find a spot. Even better - they charge $4 if you are the only person in the car. $8 otherwise for a carload which is still a great deal. On my recent trip there was a lot of seaweed on the sand from that "blob" that washed up, but the water was still crystal clear and lovely to swim in. Lots of picnic areas and bathrooms. Great beach spot.

I've lived in Miami for a few years and don't know why it took me so long to visit this place. Only 8$ entry fee per car. The beach near the lighthouse is beautiful. There is plenty of parking, bathroom facilities, and a cafe. Also plenty of picnic tables and pavilions for parties, I would just recommend getting there early to reserve.

First time to Key Biscayne since I was a kid. Nice ocean front park. Classic lighthouse that you can walk to the top. Some sand beaches near lighthouse. Most of the key is breakwall. Nice ocean front path around the island for biking or walking. Some restaurants along the waterfront. Good facilities bathrooms, parking, etc.

Wow what a great park! Easy to get to and only $8! We went for the day and checked out The Cleat for a drink and some bites. It's great to relax there and enjoy the view at sunset. We went to the lighthouse and spent some some time at the beach which is also a fun time. It's super clean and a great place to spend the day! Happy Earth Day!

Came here to watch the sunset on the Winter Solstice which is the shortest day of the year. It was beyond beautiful. Has to be one of the best places in South Florida to see a sunset! This park also has ample parking and great walking trails along with a large fire pit by the lighthouse for gatherings. Saw many people fishing here as well.

What's is going on here ?? You have to pay to get in but there is no trash cans close to the beach ( & don't give me bs about animals ) the showers are not working??? & neither are the bathrooms?!!! This was during spring break ? When they are anticipating a bigger crowd???

We came here to go to the beach, but we didn't stay long. There's a lighthouse which we walked around and explored for a bit. There's plenty of parking too. We went to look at the beach, but it was really small, crowded, and completely covered in seaweed. We decided not to stay and went elsewhere for a beach. You also have to pay $8/car to get into the state park. I'd recommend checking out the beach at Crandon Park instead.

Loved this place!! $8/car and closes at 6pm it's the perfect place for a family or friends outing. Plenty of trails (shaded or open!). We explored the latter part of the park from beach entrance 6 onwards. Great family oriented beach ambience, plus the water was very mellow when we went whereas miami beach was choppy at the same time. There are at least two restaurants inside, one right by the front gate of the park and one close to the lighthouse. Throughout the park there is a kayak launch area, camping grounds, bicycle rentals, and fishing deck all prepped to make the experience enjoyable. Close to beach access 7, we found a playground that was all shaded and plenty of BBQs towards the end of the park. There were large cement gazebos that you could reserve in advance and plenty of bathrooms everywhere. Dogs seemed to be allowed except on the beach itself. This is the kind of place that you bring a cooler and plenty of food to stay all day. Note though: racoons are real and around in the middle of the day, so keep an eye on the food! A definite improvement that is much needed are to increase the trash bins... There were only a few which is a shame, so bring enough extra plastic bags. I can't wait to come back!

I had never been here before and I absolutely loved it!! There was pretty much nobody there as we went on Tuesday - a day after Labor Day. The weather was perfect, the water was nice. Parking lot was pretty much empty. Large green space with bbq options. White sand beach. Don't litter and take your beach trash back to the bins in the park!!

Bill Baggs is a truly amazing place to visit for leisure, workout, or both. I have been coming here for many years and can say it is one of my favorites parks, hands down. There are trails, beach, water activities, marina, food/bev, bbq, fishing spots, etc. you are definitely guaranteed a good time here! I can say the beach here is one of my absolute favorite-- white sand and crystal clear water. A true marvel! If driving, my rec is to visit early on to avoid traffic and parking congestion. Walking is easy as you enter through a trail and it is a nice walk. About 90-120 mins full loop. Definitely a must on cooler, not hell-hot days! Overall this park is great! Please visit if around or looking to do/try something new.

I absolutely love coming to the beach at this park. This is definitely one of those Miami spots you have to visit while you're in Town if you're not from around here and it's more than worth the $8 entrance fee. Miami Natives lovingly call this place "el farito" for the beautiful lighthouse at the end of the island. But that's not all you'll see when you visit; there's so much wildlife roaming around, you shouldn't freak out if you see a raccoon or iguana or even a huge school of fish swim by if you're in the water. For $25 you can rent two beach chairs and an umbrella and have the best beach day ever like I did in the photos attached. During the summer, the waters are mostly crystal clear and the riptide isn't too bad. Sharks have been spotted here before but I think South Beach gets much more shark action lol There are two restaurants in Bill Baggs. My favorite one is the one at the end nearest the lighthouse. They have tons of food and it's really fresh and delicious. The park has really clean bathrooms and trash bins everywhere for collecting garbage, which is really convenient because everyone has things they wanna get rid of before leaving their beach day and heading back to the car. Fresh water showers are also available. All CDC guidelines for COVID-19 and social distancing are in place with signage and park service aides riding around/keeping an eye out. Excellent park to visit during the week if you have a day off because it's really quite empty. Perfect spot most deserving of the full 5-star rating.

Este lugar, conocido como "El Farito", es una maravilla. Les invito a disfrutar mas de los parques estatales y nacionales. La entrada son solo 8 dólares por carro y también ofrecen membresía anual individual y familiar. La membresía es una manera de poder apoyar el cuidado y limpieza de estos parques, así que vale la pena.

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is located on the barrier island of Key Biscayne. Key Biscayne is divided into thirds, the first being Crandon Park, the middle is the Village of Key Biscayne, and at the south end is the 442 acre Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. In the 1950's Bill Baggs was slated to become hotels, homes, and a condominium development. Every tree including the mangrove wetlands were cut down and the ground was filled in with dredged materials in order to level it for building. Bill Baggs was the editor of the Miami News. He supported conservation and got the developer to sell the land to the state before the development took place so that it could become a park. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park opened on January 1, 1967. Unfortunately by this time the land had become overrun with invasive Australian Pines. After Hurricane Andrew knocked down all of the pine trees, the park service decided to restore the land to it's before development condition. Two decades later the trees the park service planted have matured and now there is an expanding hardwood hammock with a canopy of sea grapes, strangler figs, and gumbo limbo. Admission to Bill Baggs is $8 per car load, $4 single occupancy and motorcycles. Admission includes a free tour of the Cape Florida Lighthouse completed in 1825. At the base of the lighthouse is a small museum in the lighthouse keepers cottage. The park has more than a mile of beachfront for snorkeling and swimming. Dr. Beach has consistently rated the beach here one of the top 10 beaches in America. Activities in the park include boating, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, biking, hiking, picnicking, camping, and wildlife viewing. There are 8 fishing piers along the western shoreline of the park. Bicycles can be rented in the park. They have both single and quad bikes. There is a 1.5 mile paved bike bath. If you have a boat for a fee of $20 you can anchor overnight in No Name Harbor. Boaters Grill is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and there is a second restaurant in the park, the Lighthouse Cafe. Nature trails are located on the west side of the park. The lighthouse, beautiful beach, and other amenities make this park an absolute gem. How lucky we are that Bill Baggs has the foresight to preserve this special area. There is so much history here. Pre Columbian artifacts relating to hunting and fishing have been discovered here. In the 1800's Key Biscayne was an important site on the Underground Railroad for escaping slaves. Abolitionists would take fleeing slaves to the Bahamas. Today you can bask in some of the best Florida splendor Mother Nature has to offer. If you have not been to beautiful Key Biscayne you have been missing out and Bill Baggs is one of the best places to experience all it has to offer.

My husband had been wanting to kayak to Nixon Beach and found that Bill Baggs Park was super close and had a kayak launch point. This park costs $8 to get into, but it's a large park with bike trails, a cafe, kayak launch spot, beaches, fishing areas and pavilions. It also wasn't super packed, but please note it was not in-season so it could be busier in winter months. The downside for trying to get to Nixon Beach from here is that the kayak launch spot is on the ocean side and on the north end of the park. We would have to kayak about 5 miles around Key Biscayne to the other side to get to the sandbar. So that was a huge disappointment. We launched from the southernmost beach by the light house. This is when I could see houses on stilts in the distance. You can kayak from this park out to Stiltsville about 1.5 miles which was super cool. The park has a historic lighthouse you can go up in and the views are supposed to be amazing. The beach areas here are very clean and fairly wide and there are showers to wash the sand off along with bathroom structures. This park has a lot to offer for many outdoor needs at a very reasonable price for Miami.

Wow so happy I found this little gem!!! What an oasis in the middle of Miami! I always go to south beach but now that I'm "older" aka 31 I wanted a more chill vibe for the beach and I found it with this place! First of all key Biscayne is so beautiful with tons of green space, buildings and bikes everywhere. Keep driving and you'll hit the peak of the key where this park is- $8 per car and I think $2 for pedestrians or bicyclists. Well worth the $8 honestly! Tons of parking once inside and numerous places to enter onto the beach. There's an old lighthouse from the 1800s that you can climb up and two restaurants once your inside. The water was crystal clear and the sand so white and perfect. Was a bit odd because we saw raccoons everywhere during the day, but they didn't seem to bother any people. So many activities to do here, fishing, bike riding, kayaking etc. They have their own bike rentals for $9 an hour and also these larger bikes that fit about 4 people in them. Absolutely loved this place and will be coming back for sure!!

Beautiful walking area, not too far from Miami south beach or Miami Brickell area. Not too many bugs, even though it is pretty wooded/swampy/near the ocean... If you like nature (or even want a slightly more remote beach day), would absolutely recommend.

Really nice beach. Not too chaotic or anything. Just people enjoying themselves. Make sure to bring your own chairs & umbrellas. They have many of them set up, but you have to pay $10-$20 to use them.

Beautiful park for walking, view of sunset, public beach. Must see for visitors. Highly recommended for families.

Great state park with a family beach vibe right next to the lighthouse! You do have to purchase an entry for $8 but it's open 7am to 8pm so definitely not bad. You can ride bike, swim, hike, and fish in this state park next to the ocean. The light house is closed at the moment due to covid but will resume hopefully soon!

This park is a great place for family with varieties of activities you can do here including BBQ, fishing, boating, hiking, rollerskating and cycling. There aren't crazy amount of people even on a long weekend. They have bike (with rooftop) rentals in the park which costs $9 per hour and $12 for 2 hours. You can also choose to hike along the paved oceanside path or the forest path since it's short. You can also wall to a beautiful lighthouse and climb up. They also offer boating activities in the park. Parking is $8 a day.

Bill Baggs is a long time favorite park of mine. I've been coming here since I was a little kid for the beaches (Known in our family as El Farito!) and now came to enjoy it even more for the lighthouse tour and the trails that run along the gorgeous coastline. The tours for the lighthouse are at 10am and 1pm, where a ranger will give an interesting talk explaining it's history before you ascend 109 steps to the top of the view where you can take in the island of Key Biscayne and Miami stretching out before you. The entrance fee is $8 per car, the initial parking is closest to the beach. After that you have the lighthouse cafe, farther down you can park right near the lighthouse tour starting area, and beyond that is the trailhead. To the right of that you have a paved shaded trail with a view of the ocean that takes you all the way to No-name Harbor and Boater's Grill. Past that are more trails - paved and unpaved. Love coming here. Get a sweat on, cool down, see some sights, and have a few moments of Zen.

A clean large state park at the end of Key Biscayne. Perfect for walking and hanging out at the beach. The entrance fee per vehicle is only $8 for the day with friendly state park staff to tell you all about it. If you arrive late in the day, the cost drops to $4. Parking was convenient and the beach absolutely beautiful. People behaved themselves really well too. Great to spend the day at and not as crowded as other Miami area beaches.

Beautiful beach and lighthouse! Sand is so soft and the water is clear here. Also much less seaweed than nearby beaches. Only frustrations were people litering, drinking excessively, and people bringing dogs (without leashes or controlling them). Even when park rangers told them to take them off the beach, people still ignored it. Essentially if there's a rule, people were breaking it.

Bill Baggs is by far one of my favorite beaches in South Florida. Very family oriented, clean, quiet, and it's nothing compared to Miami Beach. The water is usually always nice, minus the seaweed on the shoreline. I love the tour they offer about the history of the lighthouse, bike rentals, places to fish, and umbrella and chair rentals. Also, there is a cute café steps away from the beach/lighthouse!

Nothing juicer than Miami history in its most rustic state. Well, that's Bill Baggs State Park is all about. Named after a true Floridian conservationist, this immense slot of paradise sits at the southern tip of Key Biscayne with nature flourishing in every crevice. There's beauty in nature and it doesn't take a panoramic view of the ocean to guess that Miami captures South Florida's flora scene at a quintessential level. There's a reason DJ Khaled says "We da best." Usually it's referred to as "El Farito" for its pivotal lighthouse located at the end by Miami locals but the plentiful variety of trees encompassing its lushly vegetative surroundings are truly awe-inspiring. You tend to find yourself in nature which is something we all need more of in our overly congested and sometimes overwhelmingly intense city. The second you drive into Key Biscayne, a sense of peace surrounds you and this park is a perfect example of such. Now go hug a tree or something...

Great park, terrible staff and facilities. the bathrooms are either broken or in complete disarray. We would come here more often if there was a place to change that wasn't a complete mess

Beautiful state parks with one of the nicest beaches in south florida other than the over populated and over rated south beach

What a beautiful beach to come visit. My family and I volunteered this morning for a beach clean up. Although we were sad to see trash, we had a great time as a family. We will be volunteering again!! Hoping to also take my kids for a sneak peak inside the lighthouse one day.

Wonderful area, perfect Florida Park. Clean and beautiful. Take a bike ride out and back.

This place is beautiful, if you have not been, visit. Take your time. Enjoy the park, visit the lighthouse, BKA "el farito" enjoy the beach, have lunch. Enjoy the day. One of my favorite places to take a bike ride or roller blade. :)

Pros: Cool lighthouse, lots of fish to see on the fishing pier. If you love fishing, you probably want to check this park out. Cons: 2.50 to cross the bridge, 8.00 to park. I personally don't feel the beach is worth the price of entrance. We have great beaches near us in south FL, we really have no need to return to this park. The lighthouse made for a pretty picture, but I'd rather take a pretty picture for free. The Miami area has much prettier and cheaper beaches to enjoy.

We loved visiting the park! Climbing to the top of the lighthouse is kind of scary if you're afraid of heights. It was a fun experience though. We visited the house and walked around the grounds. Very nice afternoon!