Biscayne National Park guide · 2 min read
No Boat, No Park: Getting Around Biscayne
Most of Biscayne is water, roughly 95 percent of its area, so a boat is how nearly everyone gets around.
Nine in ten visitors arrive by vessel. Islands and campgrounds have no bridge or ferry link to the mainland, and the entire park has only one mile of road. Once you leave the grounds around the visitor center, the only way forward is by water.
Without a boat, you can still spend part of the day on land. Start at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center at Convoy Point, where you can explore the building itself. Convoy Point is the one spot where you can step directly from the mainland into the park. Here you might stroll the brief jetty trail, take part in a ranger-led program, catch a film, or eat lunch at a picnic spot.
Guided tours offer another route onto the water. The Biscayne National Park Institute runs boat rides to a range of locations in the park, departing from Convoy Point, Deering Estate, and Dinner Key. For current tour details, check the Institute's website or contact it directly.
If you own a boat, four marina parks run by Miami-Dade County provide access. Homestead Bayfront Park's marina lies just south of the visitor center, right beside park headquarters at Convoy Point. The Black Point Park marina sits on the mainland in the park's central section and serves Adams and Elliott Keys. Matheson Hammock Park's marina lies toward the park's northern limit, while Crandon Park's marina sits on Key Biscayne, close to Stiltsville.
Plan around the tides, since park waters are shallow, and check tide predictions before you head out. Carry a nautical chart; chart 11451 from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration covers park waters. Tie up to mooring buoys when they are available, keep to slow speed zones, and note that personal watercraft, including jet skis and waverunners, are prohibited.
