Homestead Bayfront Park: A Guide From Baywood II
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Homestead Bayfront Park is a Miami-Dade County park on Biscayne Bay at the east end of SW 328th Street, next door to the headquarters of Biscayne National Park. It has a saltwater atoll pool, a beach, the Herbert Hoover Marina with boat slips and launch ramps, a bait and tackle shop and a waterfront restaurant. For anyone looking at Baywood II, D.R. Horton's single-family community in Florida City, it is the closest place to put your feet in the bay.
This guide covers what is at the park, how the atoll pool works, what the marina offers, and how it fits with the national park next door.
What Is at Homestead Bayfront Park
According to Miami-Dade County Parks, the park has:
An atoll pool, a saltwater swimming lagoon fed by the bay, open from sunrise to sunset
A beach along the bay
Herbert Hoover Marina, with boat slips, launch ramps, fuel and a bait and tackle shop
La Playa Grill Seafood Bar, a restaurant at the marina
Views of Biscayne Bay and the mangrove shoreline of the national park next door
The county charges a per-car entry fee, with a higher rate on weekends and holidays, and a separate launch fee for boat trailers. The amounts change, so check the county page for today's rates before you go.
The Atoll Pool
This is the reason most families come. Biscayne Bay near Homestead is shallow, with a soft bottom and mangroves rather than a sandy ocean beach. The atoll pool solves that. It is a ring-shaped saltwater pool that takes its water from the bay, so you swim in bay water with a clean bottom and calm conditions.
The county lists the pool as open sunrise to sunset. It also notes that flotation devices are not allowed on its beaches under county code, so leave the inflatable rafts at home and bring towels and shade instead.
The Marina
Herbert Hoover Marina is at Convoy Point, the same point of land where Biscayne National Park keeps its headquarters and visitor center. The county lists:
Boat slips for vessels up to about 50 feet, with water and 50-amp electric
Launch ramps, open from early morning to late evening
Fuel, a pump-out station and trailer dry storage
A bait and tackle shop
Outdoor showers and restrooms
For a boat owner buying at Baywood II, this is the nearest full-service marina, and it opens straight onto the bay and the reefs beyond. The marina office keeps its own hours, listed on the county page.
Biscayne National Park Next Door
Biscayne National Park is a national park that is almost all water: the bay, the keys along its east edge and the coral reefs beyond. Its Dante Fascell Visitor Center sits at Convoy Point at the east end of SW 328th Street, right beside the county park.
That makes Homestead Bayfront Park a two-for-one. Swim and picnic at the county park, then walk to the national park visitor center to look at the exhibits, watch for manatees and birds along the shore, or book a boat trip out to the reef with the park's concession. Check the park's website for what is running, because boat tours depend on the season and the weather.
How to Get There From Baywood II
Baywood II is at 625 NE 3rd Street in Florida City, near U.S. 1. Head north on U.S. 1 into Homestead, then turn east on SW 328th Street, also called North Canal Drive, and follow it to the end at the bay. The county park entrance and the national park visitor center are next to each other at Convoy Point.
We do not publish drive times because they change with traffic. It is two roads: north on U.S. 1, then east on SW 328th Street.
When to Go
Mornings are calmest for the atoll pool and coolest for the beach.
Weekends and holidays are busiest and carry the higher entry rate.
Summer brings afternoon storms and mosquitoes along the mangroves; bring repellent.
Winter is the season for boat trips to the reef and for birding along the shore.
The restaurant, the marina shop and the tour concession change hours and owners over time. Confirm before you rely on any of them.
More Water Near Baywood II
Bayfront Park is the closest bay access, but not the only water day at this end of the county.
Everglades National Park, the other national park, has its main entrance at the west end of State Road 9336, reached from Florida City along Palm Drive. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is just inside the entrance.
The Florida Keys start where U.S. 1 leaves Florida City and heads south. Key Largo is the first stop.
And for the land side of a weekend, the Redland farm country is north of Florida City. Our guides to Knaus Berry Farm and Schnebly Redland's Winery cover the two stops people ask about most.
Why This Matters If You Are Buying at Baywood II
Living in Florida City means living between two national parks, with a county park on the bay at the end of one road and the Keys at the end of another. That is what you get for being at the south end of Miami-Dade.
Baywood II has four two-story plans, from 2,046 to 2,790 square feet, with four or five bedrooms and a one- or two-car garage. Homes have recently started in the high $570,000s. See all four in Baywood II floor plans compared, read about the construction in our concrete block house guide, and see how the bedrooms measure up in average master bedroom size.
Common Questions
Where is Homestead Bayfront Park?
At the east end of SW 328th Street, also called North Canal Drive, on Biscayne Bay in south Miami-Dade County. It sits at Convoy Point, next to the Dante Fascell Visitor Center of Biscayne National Park. From Florida City, go north on U.S. 1, then east on SW 328th Street to the end.
What is the atoll pool at Homestead Bayfront Park?
A ring-shaped saltwater swimming pool fed by Biscayne Bay. It gives families calm, clean bay water to swim in, since the natural shoreline is shallow and lined with mangroves. The county lists it as open sunrise to sunset.
Is there a fee to enter Homestead Bayfront Park?
Yes. Miami-Dade County charges a per-car entry fee, higher on weekends and holidays, and a separate launch fee for boat trailers. The amounts change, so check the county's park page for today's rates.
Can you launch a boat at Homestead Bayfront Park?
Yes. Herbert Hoover Marina at the park has launch ramps open from early morning to late evening, plus slips, fuel, a pump-out station, dry trailer storage and a bait and tackle shop. There is a launch fee for trailers.
Is Biscayne National Park the same as Homestead Bayfront Park?
No, but they are next to each other at Convoy Point. Bayfront Park is a Miami-Dade County park with the pool, beach and marina. Biscayne National Park is a federal park that is mostly water, with its visitor center beside the county park.
Can you bring floats to the beach?
No. The county notes that flotation devices are not allowed on its beaches under county code. Bring towels, shade and sunscreen instead, and swim in the atoll pool or along the beach without rafts.
Call 561-704-0091 or Tour Baywood II and Then Hit the Bay to see the homes with Simon and end the day at the atoll pool.
Related reading: Knaus Berry Farm: A Guide From Baywood II, Schnebly Redland's Winery: A Guide From Baywood II, Baywood II Floor Plans: All Four Homes Compared, Concrete Block House: How Baywood II Homes Are Built, Average Master Bedroom Size, and the Baywood II community page.