By Lori Kahn
In the heart of Hialeah, you'll find a fun place for the whole family at the 515-acre Amelia Earhart Park.
As impressive as the woman it's named after, this park has five lakes, extensive watersports, a farm village with a petting zoo and pony rides, a skate park, mountain-bike trails, and a five-acre "bark park" for dogs.
On the Water
Located on the 90-acre freshwater lake at Amelia Earhart Park, you'll find watersports for the whole family to enjoy. Miami Watersports Complex is the place where visitors can do anything from cable and boat wakeboarding to wakesurfing, waterskiing, kneeboarding and paddle boarding. This watersports complex is equipped with two full-size cables and one tower cable so beginners and advanced riders alike can enjoy the help of wakeboarding coaches riding alongside helping improve their skills and technique.
Farm Animals and Treehouses
The kids will love the Bill Graham Farm Village, a real farm replica where visitors can see horses, cows and sheep. Visitors can also get close to the animals in the petting zoo, shop at the country store, explore authentic crop fields, and visit the nearby insect museum.
Kids will also want to explore Tom Sawyer's Play Island, a fort-style treehouse designed for children ages 2-12 and is fully accessible for all-inclusive play. They will have hours of fun with climbers, spinners, slides, balance beams, swings and even musical instruments for your little ones to play with.
Finally, the newest addition to the park, the Soccer 5 mini-soccer complex, is as fun as it is functional. It has state-of-the-art soccer facilities for kids and adults alike, including enclosed 4G turf fields.
Mountain Biking and Trails
Craving a competitive day outdoors? Hop on a mountain bike and navigate the park’s eight miles of single-track and fire road biking trails. Designed for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders alike, these trails are free to use and dotted with hidden climbs, downhills and banked corners.
If you don’t have your own bike, rent one from the onsite Genesis Mountain Bike Rentals, which is open every weekend from 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. The price for bike rentals is $25 for one hour and a half, $30 for two hours and $35 for three hours.
Doggie Bark Park
If you brought your furry friend, head to the five-acre dog park. It has separate areas for both large and small dogs to run around. There are even washing and grooming areas, doggy swimming pools and an obstacle course.
History of Amelia Earhart Park
Today, Amelia Earhart Park is one of the most popular outdoor hangouts in Hialeah. But flashback to the early 1900s, and it was a large mass of undeveloped land that once belonged to the Naval Air Station in Miami. Eventually, the flight facilities became Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport, but thanks to community leaders who lobbied for the property, half of the Naval Air Station land was reserved for a park.
The park was named in honor of famed female pilot Amelia Earhart, who took her last flight from Miami in Hialeah in 1937. Paying another nod to history, the popular farm village at Amelia Earhart Park was named after Bill Graham, who was the developer of the Miami Lakes, the son of former state senator Ernest R. "Cap" Graham, and one of the leading lobbyists to secure the land for Amelia Earhart Park.
The Where and When
Amelia Earhart Park is located at 401 East 65th Street, Hialeah, FL 33013. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, while the office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Parking is free Monday through Friday, but costs $7 per vehicle on weekends and holidays.
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