

Crandon Park Gardens boasts over 200 acres of lush tropical habitat and carefully designed botanical gardens. The Family Amusement Center sports a refurbished carousel, outdoor skating rink, beachfront playground, and splash fountain. The Visitors' and Nature Center has a gift shop and hosts numerous nature walks and programs. In addition to the beach, the park maintains walking trails, picnic and cookout areas, and concessions. This two-mile stretch of beach is a great destination its clear water protected by the offshore sandbar and several lifeguards always on duty. Make a day of it and have some lunch at Red Fish first and then get some water play in. Priscilla's expert tip: If you've got kids, this is a great spot as the man-made beach is shallow and perfect for splashing in.
BEACH LIFE OF MIAMI PLUS
Recommended for Beaches because: Matheson Hammock Park Beach features one of the most scenic views of any beach plus unlike other beaches, you won't have any parking struggles here. As a bonus, there's also an awesome view of downtown from across the bay. A snack bar, picnic pavilions and locker/restrooms make Matheson a convenient spot for families to take in the sun and saltwater. Shallow enough for babies and attended by a lifeguard, it's also perfect for kite-boarders because, while calm and gentle, stiff breezes sweep through here. Matheson Hammock Park, which also harbors the full-service Matheson Hammock Marina, offers several enticing features: natural, native landscaping, featuring old live oaks, mangroves and palm trees a hammock trail (different from the main road, which some also call a trail) for a gorgeous, scenic walk that actually leads into Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden Red Fish Grill, an upscale restaurant carved into an historic coral rock building, where prime dining hours are between sunset and star shine and a man-made atoll pool that is fed by Biscayne Bay. Whatever your inclinations, check out our list to find the right beach for you. Crandon features an outdoor skating rink and an educational visitor's center, while Bill Baggs is home to a gorgeous historic lighthouse. Both of these are located on Key Biscayne, and each bring their own flavor of beach life to visitors. Located right on the world-famous Ocean Drive, and lined with palm trees and Art Deco buildings, Lummus Park is the go to place for tourists.įor a more family-friendly beach excursion, there are beaches like Crandon Park Beach and Bill Baggs State Park. What most folks are usually imagining is actually the stretch of land known as Lummus Park Beach. While most people think of South Beach when they think of Miami's beaches, they don't realize that it's actually a rather expensive area that changes personality every few blocks. Our 10Best list highlights the best places to work on your tan, take a dip, collect seashells, have a picnic, jump on a jet ski or even do a little fishing. If your perfect vacation day includes soaking up the sun, playing in the sand, or swimming in the ocean, then our Miami guide is just what you need.
