One national park spanning three counties and another with islands, mangroves and coral reefs: nature in Miami-Dade comes in many different dimensions. Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres in South Florida and extends across Monroe, Miami-Dade and Collier County. Biscayne National Park is in Miami-Dade County; its landscape combines subtropical islands and coastal areas with coral reefs.
In Biscayne National Park, the landscape protects mangrove forests, barrier reef habitats and clear, shallow waters in Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Comparing the two parks takes you from the vast, multi-county expanse of the Everglades to a coastal and island world where reef habitats and shallow water are defining features.
Coast, trails and outdoor activities
Crandon Park brings together a variety of natural features and beach amenities: the park has a beach with calm waters, a winding promenade and several picnic areas. Visitors can explore dunes, mangroves, coastal hardwood hammocks and seagrass meadows. Herons, osprey and colorful butterflies can also be spotted there. Watersports concessions at the beach rent kiteboarding equipment and offer lessons.
The Rickenbacker Causeway is one of the most-used cycling and running routes in Miami-Dade County and also the only land access to Crandon Park. On Elliott Key, two trails wind through a tropical hardwood hammock; one runs the full seven-mile length of the island. A self-service kiosk for kayaks and paddleboards is available at Matheson Hammock Park. These examples range from woodland trails to on-the-water activities, without requiring a single, unified itinerary.
Gardens and agricultural heritage
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden combines tropical plants with garden trails, butterfly and hummingbird exhibits, and talks on horticulture and conservation science. It also offers a free, narrated ride on the garden railway. Those interested in garden design and history can take an audio tour at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, available through an app or web browser, which offers insights into both.
Fruit & Spice Park celebrates the agricultural diversity of Redland. The park was created from a vision to showcase this agricultural heritage. The only tropical botanical garden of its kind in the United States, it is home to more than 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, nuts and other commercially important plants. Visitors can explore different regions through tastings. Guided tours also help visitors identify produce that is ripe, edible and tasty. The collection thus offers a hands-on culinary discovery.
Historic places and wildlife
Deering Estate is a historic house museum, a national landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also part of the Biscayne Bay Important Bird Area and the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail. Historical significance and designated natural areas come together in one place. Zoo Miami offers another way to see animals: more than 2,000 wild animals live there in an environment that closely resembles their natural habitats. Zoo Miami is the only zoo in the continental United States located in a subtropical climate.
Discover more destinations: Miami, Miami Beach, Hialeah, Homestead, North Miami Beach, Kendall, Cutler Bay, Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Virginia Gardens, Surfside, Key Biscayne, North Bay Village, Pinecrest, El Portal, Naranja, Bal Harbour, Coral Gables, Doral, Florida City, Country Walk, Ives Estates, Bay Harbor Islands, Golden Beach, South Miami Heights, North Miami, Glenvar Heights, Opa-locka.
For the broader travel overview: Florida.
