-: 95% water, Biscayne protects a stretch of turquoise bay, mangrove shoreline, and coral reef just south of Miami — most of the park is only reachable by boat.

Park Pass

Join the National Parks Club

A single day is enough for a boat tour of the highlights, while 2 to 3 gives you time to add snorkeling or a paddling trip.

No special permit is required for general visits; boaters bringing their own vessel should check current mooring and navigation rules.

Homestead is the main gateway town, close to the visitor center and boat launch.

There's no entrance fee to the park itself; boat tours and rentals through the park's concessioner have their own separate cost.

Why Visit?:

Biscayne flips the usual national park experience — 95% of it is water, so you're not hiking to the highlights, you're boating to them. That makes it one of the most unusual parks in the system, and a great pairing with Everglades if you're already in South Florida.

Below the surface is a living coral reef, one of the largest in the country, along with shipwrecks and mangrove-lined shoreline that's home to manatees, dolphins, and a huge range of tropical fish.

To use this map - use the buttons on the bottom right to toggle between the Parks, Places to stay (lodging), and Spots to visit in the parks (Spots)

Things to Do:

A guided boat tour through the park's concessioner is genuinely the best way to see Biscayne, since most of the park simply isn't reachable otherwise — options range from glass-bottom boat tours to full snorkel trips out to the reef. If you have your own kayak or paddleboard, the mangrove shoreline near Convoy Point is calm, accessible water worth exploring on your own.

Diving certified? The Maritime Heritage Trail lets you snorkel or dive a series of historic shipwrecks scattered through the park — a genuinely unique way to experience it.

Get the Full Itinerary

Closest airports: Miami International Airport (MIA) is the closest major airport, about 45 minutes from the park, with by far the most flight options in the area.

Nearby Attractions:

Everglades National Park is about an hour away and pairs naturally with a Biscayne visit, and the Florida Keys stretch out just to the south for anyone extending the trip.