Key Biscayne as Text:
View from Cape Florida Light. Photograph by Marco Samuely Lund-Hansen
Key Biscayne is a modern neighborhood which is located on a barrier island between two state parks: Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. There is a variety of activities to do on Key Biscayne especially centered around nature. To get to Key Biscayne you can drive if you have rented a car, take the line 102 bus or if you love biking there are 9 miles of continuous bike lanes which can take you all the way to Bill Baggs. Incorporated in 1991, Key Biscayne was Miami-Dade’s newest municipality in over 50 years.
Key Biscayne has two of the best beaches in Miami that must be visited. Starting off with Crandon Park which was a donation in 1940 from Commodore James William Matheson who used Crandon Park as a coconut plantation. Today Crandon Park consists of 808 acres and a two mile long beach that offers a range of nature activities. These activities include kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, snorkeling, kiteboarding and windsurfing. If you are not much of a beach person, there is a golf course and tennis center at Crandon Park. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Nature Center is also a must-visit in Crandon Park as interactive nature tours are offered. Visitors can experience the hatching of sea turtles, go on seagrass tours with naturalists and also learn about the local animals and plants from the Nature Center staff.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is another one of the beaches that is worth paying a visit to. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park opened on January 1, 1967 and was named after Bill Baggs, an editor of the Miami News who was known for being an advocate for the preservation of Key Biscayne. Not only does the park have a variety of activities to offer, but also has the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County: The Cape Florida Lighthouse. The Lighthouse was built in 1825 and before it was built, black Seminoles and slaves would board ships to the Bahamas which offered them freedom. This was known as the Saltwater Railroad, so when the Lighthouse was built it blew their cover. There is a lot of history to learn about in Bill Baggs, which can be complemented with running, biking and walking trails, fishing charters and wildlife tours.
Key Biscayne also has many restaurants from different cuisines all around the world, which range from Indian to Argentinian food. The Rusty Pelican offers not only a spectacular view of the Brickell skyline, but a variety of seafood to choose from. Novecento is an Argentinian restaurant that has everything meat and wine. Finally, Costa Med Bistro + Wine includes the best of Mediterranean cuisine. These places can be expensive, but there is also a Winn Dixie on the island which is more economic and makes for great picnics. Village Green Park is located centrally in Key Biscayne and has a playground, jogging course, two soccer fields, a community center with a pool and a nice spot for a picnic. Key Biscayne is thankfully not marketed like Miami Beach, making it less crowded and a peaceful place to enjoy paradise.
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