Today at Cape Florida
Rip current risk · Miami-Dade beaches
Sun 1 Nov · surf 3 to 4 feet
Mon 2 Nov: High, surf 3 to 5 feet
NWS Miami surf zone forecast, issued Sun 1 Nov, 3:31 PM
Water · Atlantic (Lake Worth Pier)
Warm · typical for November (typical 77–81°F)
NOAA reading Sun 1 Nov, 5:00 PM
UV Index · Key Biscayne
Protect your skin: shade at midday, SPF 15+, hat and sunglasses (EPA).
EPA forecast for Nov/01/2026
Tides today · Miami Harbor Entrance (Government Cut)
- High 1:28 AM 3.0 ft
- Low 6:49 AM 0.6 ft
- High 1:18 PM 3.1 ft
- Low 7:35 PM 0.9 ft
NOAA predictions (MLLW datum)
Rip Current Statement until Tue 3 Nov, 7:00 PM (NWS Miami)
Coastal Flood Advisory until Mon 2 Nov, 7:00 PM (NWS Miami)
About Cape Florida
Cape Florida is the wild end of Key Biscayne: about 1.25 miles of Atlantic beach backed by dunes and sea oats rather than hotels, with the oldest standing structure in South Florida, the 1825 Cape Florida Lighthouse, rising over the south end. The park credits a reef six miles offshore for its gentle waves.
There are no lifeguards, so this is a beach for strong swimmers and paddlers on calm days, and for long walks, picnics and the lighthouse tour on rough ones. Weekends fill the car parks quickly; come early. The west side of the park faces Biscayne Bay, with a seawall, No Name Harbor and the sunset.
Facts, checked on the official page
- Hours
- 8 a.m. to sundown, every day of the year. [1]
- Entry
- $8 per vehicle (2–8 people), $4 single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle, $2 pedestrians, cyclists and extra passengers. The Rickenbacker Causeway toll applies on the way to Key Biscayne. [2]
- Lifeguards
- None. The park says swimming is at your own risk. [1]
- Facilities
- Restrooms; outdoor showers at Areas A, B and C and beach accesses 4, 6 and 7; picnic tables, grills and 18 bookable pavilions; a playground. [3]
- Food
- Lighthouse Café on the ocean side, and Boater's Grill on No Name Harbor. [3]
- Rentals
- Beach chairs $15, umbrellas $25, or two chairs and an umbrella for $40; bikes and quad bikes. [3]
- Dogs
- Not on the beach. Leashed pets (6 ft) are allowed in picnic areas, along the seawall and on trails. [4]
- Accessibility
- Two beach wheelchairs and two floating swimming wheelchairs, free, first come first served, at the bicycle rental area; a Mobi-Mat at Beach Access 6 by the Lighthouse Café. [3]
- Without a car
- Metrobus Route 26 runs from Brickell Metrorail station down Crandon Boulevard; walkers and cyclists pay $2 at the gate. [5]
- Parking
- Park lots in Areas A, B and C; the park warns that weekends fill up quickly. [1]
Not stated on the official pages we read (so we don't claim them): whether the fishing platforms and Beach Access 3 have reopened (a repair-closure notice from 2023 was still on the park page); the walking distance from the Route 26 stop to the gate.
Tides near Cape Florida
NOAA predictions for Miami Harbor Entrance (Government Cut), the nearest tide station. All tide stations.
Nearby
- Cape Florida Lighthouse: Built 1825. Tours Thursday to Monday, 10 a.m. to noon; climbers must be at least 42 inches tall (park page).
- No Name Harbor: Sheltered bay-side anchorage inside the park, with Boater's Grill.
- Crandon Park: The guarded county beach, about 4 km north.
Worth knowing
- Ponce de León named the cape during the 1513 Spanish expedition. [1]
- The park is part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom: escaped slaves and Black Seminoles left from here for the British Bahamas. [1]
Photos
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Sources
- Florida State Parks: Bill Baggs Cape Florida, checked 2026-10-26
- Florida State Parks: hours and fees, checked 2026-10-26
- Florida State Parks: experiences and amenities, checked 2026-10-26
- Florida State Parks: pet policy, checked 2026-10-26
- Miami-Dade DTPW: Better Bus routes, checked 2026-10-26
Fees, hours and rules change. If something here is out of date, the official page wins.