Manager's Message

Have you ever been on a beach that was voted one of the Top 10 Beaches in the U.S. looking out to sea and ask, “Can it get any better than this?” Well, at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park we think we can make that perfect moment even better. The staff and volunteers would like to invite you to join them and see the beach from a bird’s-eye-view. Be ready to ascend the 109 steps to the lighthouse watch room and enjoy the view of the beach, Miami and Biscayne Bay from the top. You may also view a 20-minute video on the history of the Lighthouse and the 1996 restoration that runs all day in the restored cook house building. The Lighthouse tower and compound are open for free Thursday through Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Guided tours take place at 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. and include a visit to the Light Keepers House. Tours are free and begin promptly under the awning at the outside gate near the picnic area.

The Lighthouse has just been repainted for the second time since the major restoration of 1996, following several years of wind and water abrasion from hurricanes and tropical storms. This series of coatings was guided by principles set forth by the U.S. National Park Service in a treatise on Historical Lighthouse Preservation. Cement was added to the titanium dioxide and lime in decreasing proportions, over three successive coats, providing uniform protection, breathability and sparkling beauty to the final outermost coating. The tower was repainted entirely by brush the old-fashioned way, though the painters worked from a small travelling scaffold that descended from the uppermost railed porch.

Complete your perfect day with a sample of authentic Cuban Cuisine or fresh seafood at the Lighthouse Café by the beach or Boater’s Grill overlooking No Name Harbor. The café is open seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. until sunset, and the Grill is open seven days a week from 9:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. (Sunday through Thursday) and 9:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. (Friday and Saturday). Then you will say, “It can’t get any better than this!”

Welcome to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Cape Florida is the home of a historic lighthouse built in 1825 and reconstructed in 1846, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Visitors come to the park to sunbathe, swim, and picnic on over a mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront. Biking and kayaking are also popular activities. Anglers can throw in their lines from the seawall along Biscayne Bay for some of the best shoreline fishing in the region. Guided tours of the lighthouse and lighthouse keeper´s cottage are given twice daily, Thursdays through Mondays. The Boater´s Grill offers casual waterfront dining, or picnickers can reserve a pavilion and grill their own dinner. Bicycles, beach chairs, and umbrellas are available for rental. Overnight boat camping is allowed in No Name Harbor, and a primitive campsite is available for organized youth groups. Located at the southern end of Key Biscayne off the Rickenbacker Causeway, south of downtown Miami.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, please call 305-361-5811.

Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is located on Key Biscayne. From Miami, take I-95 to the Rickenbacker Causeway, all the way to the end.

Park Fees

Admission Fee:

$5.00 per vehicle, including up to 8 visitors.

Single-occupant vehicle = $3.00.

$1.00 each per bicycle/individual walk-in.

Picnic Pavilion Fees:

The park has 18 picnic pavilions that may be reserved up to one day in advance by paying the required fee at the park entrance station. All visitors attending a picnic or party are still required to pay the park entry fee. The rental fees are as follows:

We have 15 pavilions with 6 picnic tables that accommodate 40 people. These rent for $100.00 plus tax per day.

We have 3 large pavilions with 10 tables that accommodate 80 people. These rent for $150.00 plus tax per day.

Electricity is available for $15.00 per day, only at the large shelters.

There is a $50.00 cleaning fee that may be assessed if the shelter and immediate vicinity is not cleaned prior to the group leaving. The group is responsible for leaving the pavilion and grounds in the same condition as it was when received.

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

1200 S. Crandon Blvd.
Key Biscayne, Florida 33149
Phone: 305-361-5811
Fax: Contact Park for Number

Citizen Support Organization

Friends of Cape Florida, Inc.
c/o Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
1200 S. Crandon Blvd.
Key Biscayne, FL 33149

Visitor Service Provider

Lighthouse Café, Inc.
P.O. Box 490604
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
Lighthouse Café: (305) 361-8487
Fax: (305) 361-0061
Lighthouse Restaurants