Matheson Beach is great for beginners, or those who simply enjoy a peaceful practice session. Matheson Hammock Park is a lovely scenic park with an unusual feature--a man-made atoll pool, which is flushed naturally with the tidal action of nearby Biscayne Bay. Its tranquil breeze-swept beach is a haven for families who enjoy its warm, safe waters and beautiful waterside views. 

Matheson is also a prime spot for Kite-Boarding. Its active breezes and calm shallow waters make launching easy. 

The park also has a full-service marina, snack bar and restaurant built into an historic coral rock building, picnic pavilions and nature trails. Matheson also contains a sailing and power boat school.

Marina

A nearby bayside park makes this one of our most popular marinas. Dock here and you'll enjoy a tropical hammock, sailing with the pros at Castle Harbor Sailing School  and a sandy beach and natural atoll pool with a first-class restaurant.

Matheson Hammock Park also has a scenic lake bordered by a large coral rock picnic pavilion and smaller pavilions with charcoal grills, picnic tables and benches. Nature trails and bike trails weave throughout the park.

Red Fish Grill Restaurant

The Red Fish Grill was featured on the Cooking Channel and awarded the 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in the Nation, 2016. The restaurant on the beach serves fresh seafood, pasta, chicken and steak nightly, except Mondays. You can dine inside the historic coral rock building or outside, overlooking the beach and Biscayne Bay. The Grill's snack bar offers casual food for lunch, daily. View the menu, make a reservation or get directions to the restaurant by visiting Red Fish Grill's website.

In 1930, William J. Matheson and his son Hugh donated approximately 85 acres of tropical hardwood hammock forest off Old Cutler Road to Dade County, to be used and maintained as a botanical garden. Referred as “Matheson Botanical Hammock”, it was the original extent of Matheson Hammock Park, which was also the first public park to be established in Dade County.

In 1934-35, Dade County purchased an additional 420 acres of lands adjacent to Matheson Hammock Park, increasing its size to over 500 acres. Matheson Hammock opened in 1930 by the county's first director of public parks, A. D. Barnes, and designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillip; today it is owned and managed by Miami-Dade County.

• Read more about the history