Parks & Recreation

The County's Treasures - Crandon Park

With its golf and tennis facilities, unique eco-adventures and breathtaking beach, Crandon Park offers something for everyone. Join us for a whirlwind tour!

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The Crandon Park Visitor and Nature Center is located on the breathtaking barrier island of Key Biscayne, with the Atlantic Ocean on the east side and Biscayne Bay to the west.  The hours of operation are Monday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors to the park can explore the various ecosystems of the Key including the dunes, mangroves, and coastal hammock and seagrass beds; and observe herons, ospreys and many brilliantly colored butterflies.  The Island is also home to rare and beautiful plants like the beach peanut, Biscayne prickly ash and the coontie.

The beautiful sandy beach, coastal dunes and tropical hardwood hammocks are an important nesting and feeding ground for migrating songbirds, hawks and sea turtles.  Seagrass beds provide a home for mangrove snapper, parrotfish, crabs, shrimp, sea stars and puffer fish.

The Bear Cut Preserve located in Crandon Park is a designated natural Environment Study Area, and serves as a window to the wilderness that was once South Florida.  Miami-Dade Parks’ naturalists guide visitors through the Preserve to explore the hammock, ocean and beach communities and see the amazing animals and plants that inhabit South Florida.

• Eco-Adventure tours offered
• Contains Nature Center and Self – Guided Nature Trails, a mangrove boardwalk to a fossilized reef overlook
• Kite-Boards and Kayaks Available for Rental at North Concession
• Guided tram tours of Bear Cut Preserve
• Bird and butterfly walks, historical nature walks through a preserve
• Offering a wide variety of field trip opportunities
• Cabana Rentals

The Beach

Crandon Park's beautiful two-mile beach is consistently named among the top ten beaches in the nation. It is one of the most popular recreation destinations in all of Miami-Dade County, enjoyed by millions of residents and tourists each year.

The beach is celebrated for its pristine sand, calm water, winding promenade, concession stands, multiple picnic areas with tables and grills, and convenient parking for over 3,000 vehicles. Near the beach is Crandon's Family Amusement Center. Crandon's famous offshore sandbar protects swimmers from a crashing surf. The sandbar changes constantly because of seasonal squalls, storms and currents. It is enjoyed by many people who swim to it and walk or wade along its length.

Crandon's ocean and waves offer challenging sails for wind warriors. Kite-Board equipment rentals and lessons are offered at the park's beachside water sports concessions

The beach is what's called a lagoon style, or low surf impact beach, and the shoreline varies--sloping from wading depth to six to twelve feet, depending on the tide. Lifeguards patrol from thirteen elevated towers, set about 150 yards apart in the areas of heavy usage. They keep beach-goers informed as to surf, sand and weather conditions.

To assist those who are mobility impaired, special beach wheelchairs, have been placed at beach areas.

Crandon Park has a rich history. It was once home to Indian tribes, soldiers and pirates; and was once used as a huge coconut plantation.

Cabana Rentals

Located on the south end of beautiful Crandon Park amid tropical palm trees and balmy breezes, our cabanas offer a respite from the sun, sand and the hustle-and-bustle of a day at the beach. For more info...

Access for Persons with Disabilities

The tennis center, nature center, amusement area, cabanas, marina and gardens are accessible to persons with disabilities.  The best beach access for wheelchair users is at the north end of parking lot 3, where there are accessible parking, shelters, showers, concession stand and chickee hut in sand with connecting sidewalk. See "find a beach" for beach wheelchair information.