Parks & Preserves
Does the perfect getaway for you include hours spent exploring green, open spaces? Look no further than Greater Miami & Miami Beach, where pristine natural spaces are a surprising part of this urban landscape. Here, more than 280 Miami-Dade County Parks teem with lush flora and local fauna you can check out from land and by water – not to mention the beloved state and national parks that beckon visitors all year long.
Each park offers its own experience. Enjoy the sun and sand as you learn the story behind Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, which was a segregated swimming spot during the Jim Crow era and is now an urban oasis with plenty of space on the beach, cabanas for rent and even a vintage carousel with a view. Paddle amid the mangroves at Oleta River State Park, where you’ll forget your urban surroundings. Experience a marine wonderland at Biscayne National Park, which is 95% under water. It is home to various endangered or threatened species and the only living coral barrier reef in the United States. And, of course, explore nearby Everglades National Park, an incomparable destination with a seemingly endless expanse of wetlands that invite you to explore by foot, kayak and boat.
Your outdoor exploration in Miami starts now. Find the scoop on the region’s best parks for hiking, kayaking, swimming, wildlife-spotting and camping – from the parks you know and love to wild, off-the-beaten-path spaces you’ll be glad you checked out.
