Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park
A barrier island just south of Miami with state-park beaches, a historic lighthouse, and nature trails.
The call
Worth it if you are watching the budget and you only have one day.
Why
- 01
The antidote to South Beach — calmer water, fewer crowds, a 19th-century lighthouse to climb, and skyline views across the bay.
Our read - 02
The catch: you need a car (and pay a park toll plus the Rickenbacker Causeway), and there are fewer amenities than the busy beaches.
Our read
Is it a fit?
Go if
You are watching the budget
Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park earns the spend, even on a tight budget.
You only have one day
Short trip or not, keep Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park.
You are traveling with kids
With kids, Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park is an easy yes.
You are traveling as a couple
As a couple, Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park is an easy yes.
Think twice if
You are planning for two
Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park offers some romance, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
You want something active
Key Biscayne / Bill Baggs State Park offers some adventure, but not enough to make it the reason to go.
Plan it well
- Cost
- Park entry ~$8/car + causeway toll
- Timing
- Morning to claim a calm beach spot and climb the lighthouse before the heat.
- Booking
- Park entry ~$8/car at the gate.
- Allow
- Half to full day
- Accessibility
- Beach boardwalk and main areas accessible; lighthouse climb is stairs only.
- Getting there
- Via the Rickenbacker Causeway (toll); a car is essentially required.
Consider instead
Sources and method (2)
- Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park sits at the southern tip of Key Biscayne; its Cape Florida Lighthouse, first built 1825 and rebuilt 1846, is the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. floridastateparks.org ↗
- Visitors can climb the lighthouse's 109 spiral steps for views of the Atlantic, Stiltsville and the Miami skyline. floridastateparks.org ↗