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Did you know Florida is home to three National Parks? Before my husband and I started researching our cross-country road trip, I had only heard of one: the Everglades. But there are two other little-known parks in the Florida Keys: Biscayne National Park + Dry Tortugas. Both of these parks are primarily marine parks, but there’s plenty to do here even if you can’t get into the water. My husband and I captured a travel video of our experience:
The day we were able to visit Biscayne National Park was very windy + cold, especially for south Florida January day. But we didn’t want to miss our opportunity, so we signed up for the day trip by boat to Boca Chita Key.
Exploring Boca Chita Key
If you don’t have a boat, you can book a trip with the Biscayne National Park Institute. The tours depart from the main visitor’s center and cost $39 per person for the half-day experiences. Despite the cold, we had fun exploring the short trails around Boca Chita Key, the seashell-covered white sand beaches, and the iconic ornamental lighthouse built by Mark Honeywell.
Albeit beautiful, the lighthouse is a reminder of what the fate of these northern keys could have become if they were developed instead of protected as a National Park.
The park is home to 4 distinct ecosystems and is 95% underwater. If you happen to visit on a warmer day, I highly recommend renting a kayak or other boat so you can snorkel or explore more of the park than one island. There is even overnight camping permitted on both Boca Chita and Elliot Keys.
As with most National Parks, one visit feels like I’ve barely scratched the surface of what the park has to offer. However, since this park is in the shadow of Miami, a major metro area + vacation destination, I’m surprised it’s not more well known. And I know I’ll be back.
Have you visited any of Florida’s National Parks? Which is your favorite?
