We have started a tradition in our family of taking a big trip instead of a gift for our children the year they graduate high school. We started really big with my oldest a couple of years ago by taking a seven-week, once-in-a-lifetime cross-country trip as a family.
My daughter knew that her trip this year could not be that long, but she got to choose the location and plan the adventures. She chose Florida and among other things, we fit in visits to three national parks!
(For this series, I will use the term National Park to mean any park site, including historic sites, monuments, etc.)
I shared a couple of weeks ago about our stop in the Everglades, and today I’m excited to share about Biscayne National Park
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Features of Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park is located just outside of Miami, Florida, and is a unique and delightful park. Biscayne is actually 95% water and encompasses several different ecosystems.
You can access the visitors center and a short hike through the mangroves from the mainland, but much of the park must be accessed by boat.
First Stop: Dante Fascell Visitor Center
As with most National Parks, I recommend stopping at the visitor center first. The visitors center has a small educational display with information about the various plants and animals that live in Biscayne. They have a variety of educational films that they show on request about different aspects of Biscayne.
This is also the site from which many of the boat and kayak tours depart and you can purchase tickets online or on site. I do recommend purchasing online as the tours seem to sell out regularly.
There are also generally a variety of ranger led programs happening throughout the day that begin at the visitors center.
In addition, this is where you can get your National Park Passport stamped and pick up any Junior Ranger books you need. This site had more Junior Ranger books than most, and my boys were excited to complete several new books and earn several badges, including a fishing Junior Ranger book.
There are also restrooms, water fountains, and a gift shop available.
Mainland Hiking and Fishing
From the visitors center you can take a short hike down the Convoy Point Jetty Walk. This is a round trip .8 mile hike that includes some great informational kiosks and beautiful views. We had to dodge some rain the day we went, but it was worth it!
There are also some great fishing spots accessible from the visitors center, just make sure to do your research on fishing permits.
Boat Tours
There are a variety of boat tours available to fit different interests and needs. Some are scenic tours where you stay on the boat, some allow for time off the boat on an island, and others allow you to snorkel out in the bay. There are also kayaking tours that allow you to paddle through the various parts of the park.
Normally, we focus on the free options at National Parks, as they are so abundant, but I would make an exception for Biscayne and book a boat tour if possible. There is so much that you cannot see from the visitors center and the so much you can learn from the guided tours.
Many of the tours begin and end at the visitors center, however, there are a few that leave from a harbor in Miami. Due to weather conditions and availability (remember I said to book online, I learned the hard way that they sell out) we did one of the tours that left from Miami Harbor.
This particular tour focused on one of the unique historic aspects of Biscayne National Park, Stiltsville. While many of the tours focus on the area’s ecosystems and science, this tour showcased a very different, unique part of the park. If we go back, I’d love to take one of the ecotours, but we very much enjoyed the Stiltsville tour as well.
Science in Biscayne National Park
There is so much to learn at every national park, and Biscayne National Park is no exception. The area is full of interesting animals and plants, including over 500 species of reef fish. Learn more about them in the visitors center and then go outside and see for yourself!
Finally, A Bit of History in Biscayne
While the primary focus of Biscayne is science, the history showcases a really fun and unique era. The area known as Stiltsville has a variety of houses that were built on stilts out in the water. The first house was built in the 1930s, and by the 1960s, there were 27 structures. Many of those structures have since been lost to fires and storms, and only seven remain, preserved by the Siltsville Trust.
It was neat to see the houses, learn about how they were built out there on the water, what they were used for, and more.
Nearby Stops
I mentioned the Robert is Here fruit stand when I talked about the Everglades, but we were lucky enough to also stop by during our visit to Biscayne as they are located fairly close together.
There are also a lot of smaller local fruit stands and Cuban food trucks. We found the best tamales I’ve had since my time in Mexico, and a little roadside stand between Biscayne and our campground, so save a little time to enjoy some tasty treats after your park visit.
Robert Is Here is a large produce stand with animals, food trucks, a large picnic play area, and more.
We were impressed by the variety of produce and the knowledge of some of the employees. We had some of the best avocados and mangoes I’ve ever had, and also tried several fruits that we had never seen before.
They even cut some of the fruit for us to try right there in the store, adding lime and salt. It was really more than just a fruit stand, it was an experience.
If you get a chance to visit Biscayne National Park, let me know how you like it. Don’t forget to take your park passport and get it stamped! We have found that the passport is a great way for the children to collect souvenirs at each park, with no additional expense beyond the initial purchase.
Where:
9700 SW 328th Street
Sir Lancelot Jones Way
Homestead, FL 33033
Hours of Operation:
The park waters are open 24/7 year-round, but the Dante Fascell visitors center is open 9:00-5:00.
Costs: Free for entrance and use, but they do charge for boat tours and activities.
Homeschool Discount: If you have a fourth grader, you can get a free annual pass for your family to all the National Park sites, but that is not needed at this site.
Website: https://www.nps.gov/bisc/index.htm
Food: There are a few snacks sold in the gift shop, but no restaurant on site. There are some picnic areas available.
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