Biscayne National Park

🌲 Park Overview

Just 20 miles south of downtown Miami, Biscayne National Park protects 173,000 acres of aquamarine Biscayne Bay, the northernmost Florida Keys, living coral reefs, and a coastal fringe of tropical mangrove forest. With 95 percent of the park under water, Biscayne is a snorkeler’s paradise and a haven for sea turtles, manatees, and more than 600 native fish species. Paddle through gin-clear shallows, explore 19th-century shipwrecks, or simply lounge beneath Boca Chita’s historic lighthouse—every visit is an immersion in subtropical island life, inches from one of America’s busiest cities.

🌟 Fun Facts

Biscayne preserves the only living coral barrier reef in the continental United States.

The park’s Maritime Heritage Trail features six wrecks dating 1870–1966; all are snorkel-accessible.

Stiltsville, a community of pastel houses built on pilings in the 1930s Prohibition era, still stands on the park’s northern sand flats.

Endangered American crocodiles and threatened West Indian manatees both call the park home.

Underwater archaeologists continue to map artifacts from the legendary 1733 Spanish Plate Fleet wreckage.

📅 Best Time to Visit

Season

Weather & Water

Wildlife & Events

Watch-outs

Nov – Apr (Dry)

70-80 °F air • 72-76 °F water

Clear visibility, manatee congregations, guided paddles every weekend

Fronts can bring windy chop; popular tour seats fill fast

May – Oct (Wet)

80-90 °F air • 80-86 °F water

Loggerhead turtle nesting (Jun-Aug), warmest snorkeling temps

Afternoon thunderstorms, high humidity, heavy mosquitos on the keys, hurricane season

🎯 Things to Do

Families

Glass-bottom-boat tour to the reef – stay dry while spotting parrotfish & rays.

Junior Ranger booklet scavenger hunt at Dante Fascell Visitor Center.

Picnic & lighthouse climb on Boca Chita Key (36-ft tower, breezy lawn).

Adventure-Seekers

Paddleboard Jones Lagoon: nurse-shark nurseries & upside-down jellyfish.

Two-tank scuba dive on Mandalay wreck & Emerald Reef.

Sail-and-camp overnight on Elliott Key (primitive docks & tent sites).

Photographers

Sunrise reflections at Convoy Point Jetty.

Golden-hour aerials of the Florida Reef Tract (seaplane tour).

Milky Way over Stiltsville (summer new-moon nights).

🥾 Top Trails, Paddles & Snorkel Spots

Activity

Distance

Highlights

Boca Chita Loop Walk

0.6 mi

Lighthouse, 360° bay views, historic picnic shelter

Elliott Key Spite Highway Trail

7 mi (one-way)

Tropical hardwood & abandoned Cold-War missile base ruins

Jones Lagoon Paddle Route

3 mi

Shark nursery, eagle rays, mangrove creeks

Maritime Heritage Trail – Mandalay Wreck

15-ft depth snorkel

1928 luxury yacht hull, resident barracuda

👨‍👩‍👧 Kid-Friendly Activities

Touch-tank Saturdays at the visitor center (summer).

Ranger-led “Fish Football” game teaching reef food webs.

Build driftwood “sailboats” on Elliott Key’s ocean beach.

♿ Accessibility Notes

Visitor center exhibits, film, restrooms, and jetty boardwalk are wheelchair-accessible.

Glass-bottom boat main deck accepts standard wheelchairs—reserve 48 hrs ahead.

Boca Chita and Elliott Key harbors have accessible composting restrooms; beach wheelchairs available with advance request.

🗓️ Itinerary Ideas

1-Day “Reef Sampler”

9 a.m. Glass-bottom-boat cruise (2 hr) – see star coral & sea turtles.

Pack lunch & ferry to Boca Chita Key for lighthouse climb + picnic.

Afternoon snorkel on the Mandalay wreck (half-day charter).

Sunset back at Convoy Point jetty, manatee watch & photo ops.

Weekend “Paddle & Camp”

Sat: Morning paddle to Jones Lagoon → snorkel seagrass flats → sail to Elliott Key → tent camp & stargaze.

Sun: Hike Spite Highway to missile site ruins → swim ocean beach → return via Stiltsville photo loop.

🧳 Planning Tips

Access: The only road leads to Convoy Point; everything else is boat-in. Public concession boats run daily Nov–Apr, Fri–Mon off-season.

Mosquitos & “no-see-ums”: Peak May–Oct—bring 30 % DEET & wear long sleeves at dusk.

Snorkel gear & kayaks rent at park headquarters or local outfitters in Homestead.

Lodging: No hotels on the keys; camp on Elliott Key or stay 15 min away in Homestead/Florida City.

🚧 Permits & Rules

Fishing: Florida Saltwater license required; no-take zones around reefs & shipwrecks.

Anchoring: Use mooring buoys—anchors damage coral.

Wildlife: Keep 50 ft from manatees & turtles; no drones.

🌄 Compare This Park With

Dry Tortugas NP: Similar remote reefs plus Civil War fort; Biscayne easier day-trip from mainland.

Virgin Islands NP: Caribbean cousin with coral reefs & mangrove lagoons.

Channel Islands NP: Temperate kelp forests vs. Biscayne’s tropical coral.

🔗 Internal Links (for your site)

Blog post idea – “Shipwreck Snorkeling: Biscayne’s Maritime Heritage Trail Ranked.”

Printable – “Biscayne Snorkel Bingo & Reef-Safe Sunscreen Checklist.”

📥 Printable Downloads (Placeholder)

Boca Chita Camping Gear List

Jones Lagoon Paddle Map

Maritime Heritage Shipwreck Cards

🔍 SEO Keyword Targets

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Biscayne snorkeling tours

Stiltsville boat trip Miami

Elliott Key camping tips

Jones Lagoon kayak trail

Biscayne Maritime Heritage Trail

Boca Chita lighthouse history

Biscayne National Park map pdf

Family activities Biscayne NP

Miami day trip Biscayne

(✔ Full-template guide complete. Next up: Black Canyon of the Gunnison? Let me know and I’ll spin it into its own document.)