On our previous trip to Florida, we spent a few days in Miami to explore the area. Our main objectives were the Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. However, on one of our “free” days, we stumbled on Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, only a 15-minute drive from downtown Miami. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is a wonderful park with sandy beaches, fun trails, and a beautiful historic lighthouse that you can actually climb all the way to the top. Just the views on the top of this Bill Baggs Cape Florida Lighthouse alone are worth the visit.
Stats
Where
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
1200 S. Crandon Blvd. Key Biscayne FL 33149
Parking
There are a few paved parking lots throughout the park. There is one decent size near the lighthouse.
Restroom
There are restrooms along the park
Important Things to Know
- Lighthouse tours are available at 10 am and 1 pm, Thurs thru Monday. The tower is closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- You must be at least 42 inches tall to climb the stairs
- In the winter, Portuguese Man-O-War sometimes invades the beach. Their stings are very painful! Dustin got stung when we visited Biscayne National Park. So, if you see warnings posted at the ranger station, stay out of the water.
Fee
It’s $8 per car (2-8 people) to enter the park. For updated price, check out the park’s website. You also need to pay the toll on Rickenbacker Causeway.
Hours
8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year
Pet-friendly
Pet are allowed in picnic areas, and on all walking paths but they are not allowed on the beach. They will also need to be on leashes.
Weather
Video
The Adventure
The first thing we saw after pulling up to the parking lot is a sign for the Cape Florida Lighthouse. Dustin and I both found lighthouses very fascinating. Therefore, the lighthouse was the first thing we explored getting to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
Cape Florida Lighthouse
The short trail to Bill Baggs Cape Florida Lighthouse is quite beautiful. It is lined with tall palm trees, framing the 65ft tall lighthouse at the end. Built-in 1825, the lighthouse is the oldest structure in Miami-Dade. The Cape Florida Lighthouse was built to guide sailors around the dangerous reefs of the Florida Keys. It survived almost 200 years of harsh weather, as well as an attack by native Seminole Native Americans. The lighthouse suffered years of neglect after being deactivated in 1878 before the State of Florida purchased the site in 1966. Now, Cape Florida Lighthouse becomes a cultural landmark and part of the National Register of Historic Places.
Climbing Up the Lighthouse
Although unplanned, we were lucky to arrive at the lighthouse during the ranger-led tours. The ranger-led tours are the only time that the lighthouse opens for you to climb to the top. These tours are at 10 am and 1 pm Thursday to Monday. We loved this lighthouse tour! The ranger(s) stayed at the bottom of the lighthouse and sent a maximum of 10 people up at one time. You can explore the lighthouse at your own pace. It is a bit of a climb though. There is 109 spiral step that leads up to a circular room that opens to a cast-iron balcony. Inside the room, there is a small ladder to climb up to a small room above, where the lamp is. It is pretty neat to check out.
If you got up here, you should go out to the balcony. The views are breathtaking, especially during sunset. This is the best part about the Bill Baggs Cape Florida Lighthouse. We visited a good amount of lighthouses, however, this is the only one (that we know of) that let you get out to the balcony. The balcony is quite narrow, with barely enough room for 2 people. Besides the balcony, there isn’t any other protection. So, if you’re afraid of height, you might want to skip going out. However, if you are able to get out, the view from out here is totally worth it. You’ll get a panoramic view of the surrounding areas including Miami, Biscayne Bay, and the gorgeous beach below.
The Beach
Talking about the gorgeous beach, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has over 1 mile of sandy beach with clear, emerald water. It is a perfect place for swimming due to the gentle surf. Because of a large sand shoal offshore, there are few waves and very rare cases of rip currents. There is also a good selection of marine life here as well. We actually spotted a few sting rays from the lighthouse.
If you don’t mind the crowd, the area near the lighthouse, on the southern end of the beach, is busier with a lot of families. If you prefer to have the beach to yourself, go toward the northern end, near the entrance.
Other Things to Do
Besides the beach and the lighthouse, there are also other things to do here. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park has several miles of paved biking trails as well as hiking trails. Some of the trails give views over Biscayne Bay and Stiltsville, while other extends into the mangrove wetlands. If you need to rent a bike, the park also offers bike rentals.
If you love wildlife, Baggs Cape Florida State Park is also a great place for watching wildlife. This area has more than 50 species of butterflies, 170 species of birds, plenty of iguanas, and sea turtle nests. We also saw the cutest mischievous raccoon near the entrance to the beach. It was super cute!
If you’re visiting Miami, don’t forget to put Baggs Cape Florida State Park on your to-do list. This place is definitely worth the visit! We wished we had more time to spend here. Some of other cool things to do in this part of Florida is Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, and our favorite, Dry Tortugas.
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
- Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30. or tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
- If you’re hiking or biking, make sure to bring a lot of water. We usually bring our the Camelback L.U.X.E. or the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L.
- Although there are a few restaurants here, it’s always good to bring snacks. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
camera gear
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