Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
According to most sources, the best place to snorkel directly from the beach in Florida is Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne, which allows you to access the water and snorkel right from the white-sand beach.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is the home of a historic lighthouse built in 1825 and reconstructed in 1846, and is the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Visitors come to the park to sunbathe, swim and picnic on more than one mile of sandy Atlantic beachfront, currently ranked #7 on the list of “Top 10 Beaches in America” by Dr. Stephen Leatherman, aka ‘Dr. Beach.’ Biking and kayaking are 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. Two restaurants, Lighthouse Café and Boater’s Grill, offer authentic Cuban cuisine, or picnickers can reserve a pavilion and fire up their own grill. Bicycles, beach chairs, and umbrellas can be rented.
Overnight boat camping is allowed in No Name Harbor.
Other notable spots for shore-based snorkeling in Florida include:
- Phil Foster Park in Riviera Beach: Features an 800-foot long artificial reef, considered excellent for beginners.
- Bahia Honda State Park in the Florida Keys: Offers great shore-accessible snorkeling.
- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: Known for its reefs close to the shore.
- Point of Rocks at Siesta Key: A good spot for snorkeling with reef fish and small sea creatures.
