Living in Cutler Bay Florida: A Home Buyer's Guide to the Town and Capistrano
In this article
"Cutler Bay Florida is a Town in southern Miami-Dade County with its own Town Council, its own parks, and a mix of older and newer neighborhoods. For a buyer, that means Town-run parks, a regional mall, a hospital nearby, and a short list of famous sights in Homestead. Capistrano, a community of new one-story homes, sits in the 33189 ZIP code of this Town.
What Cutler Bay Florida Is
The Town of Cutler Bay is in southern Miami-Dade County. Its Town Hall is at 10720 Caribbean Boulevard. Voters chose to incorporate in January 2005. That word means the area became its own Town with its own government. The Town Charter was approved on November 8, 2005, and took effect the next day, according to the Town's own history page.
The Town runs under a five-member Town Council and a Council-Manager form of government. In plain words, the council sets the direction. A hired manager runs the daily work. The Town also has its own Parks and Recreation Department, which matters if you like a ballfield or a walking path close to home.
A Short History That Explains the Map
Street names in Cutler Bay tell a story. The Town's history pages say early settlers cut a trail that joined the old town of Cutler to Coconut Grove. That trail was the start of Old Cutler Road. You can read more about that road in our guide to getting around Cutler Bay.
Franjo Road comes from a farming community named ""Franjo,"" after two brothers, Francis and John Earhart. The big Cutler Ridge neighborhoods came later. The first section, Cutler Ridge Section One, was laid out in 1954. Other neighborhoods followed through the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s. In 1983, builders started Section One of Lakes by the Bay.
Why does this matter to you? Because the Town is not one style of home. You will see older streets and newer streets side by side. A new community like Capistrano adds brand-new one-story homes to that mix.
Cutler Bay Parks the Town Runs
The Town's Parks and Recreation page lists twelve parks: Bel-Aire, Blue Heron, Coastal Ridge Preserve, Cutler Ridge Park and Pool, Dothan, Franjo, Lakes by the Bay, Lincoln City, Saga Bay, Saga Lake, Veterans and Whispering Pines. You can see the full list on the Town's parks page.
Here are a few, with facts from the Town's own pages:
Lakes by the Bay Park is at 8551 SW 216th Street. It covers 45 acres. It has three lighted ball fields, two lighted soccer and football fields, a .6-mile exercise path, a covered playground and a canoe and kayak launch. Read the park page for details.
Saga Bay Park is a 5-acre park at 8000 SW 205th Street. It has lighted tennis courts, lighted pickleball courts, a covered playground and a paved walking path.
Franjo Park is at 20175 Franjo Road. It has three lighted baseball and softball fields and is the long-time home of the Perrine Baseball and Softball Association.
Cutler Ridge Park is a 10-acre park at 10100 SW 200th Street. The Town says it has a multi-purpose recreation building, lighted and unlighted athletic fields, a picnic pavilion and a covered playground. It also has a pool, but pool status can change, so check the Town's page.
Coastal Ridge Preserve is an 8.43-acre property at 18551 Old Cutler Road. The Town bought it in 2020 to keep it as open space.
The Town also lists guided kayak tours of the 23-acre lake at Lakes by the Bay Park. Tour dates and sign-up rules are on the Town's site, so check them before you plan a Saturday.
Parks change. A field may close for work, and a program may change. Always check the Town's page for the park you want before you go.
Where Daily Needs Are Met
Shopping. Southland Mall is at 20505 S Dixie Hwy. Its own website calls it ""an enclosed regional shopping center featuring nearly 100 stores, dining, and entertainment."" You can read more on the mall's About page. For more shops and places to eat, see our post on dining and shopping near Capistrano.
Health care. Jackson South Medical Center is at 9333 SW 152nd Street in Miami. You can find it on the Jackson Health page for the hospital.
Schools. Public schools here are run by Miami-Dade County Public Schools. We do not tell you which school a home is assigned to, because that can change. Use the district's school lookup for a specific address at dadeschools.net. The Town's website also lists schools inside the Town limits. That list is helpful, but it is not the same as a school assignment.
Getting around. The Town offers a circulator bus and an on-demand ride service, and Miami-Dade has a busway with a bus rapid transit line. We explain each one in our getting around guide.
What Is Near Cutler Bay
Two well-known places sit a bit farther south, near Homestead.
Biscayne National Park has its visitor center at 9700 SW 328th Street in Homestead. The National Park Service says you can reach it from Florida's Turnpike or from US Highway 1. See the park's directions page.
Coral Castle is at 28655 S Dixie Hwy in Homestead. Edward Leedskalnin built it between 1923 and 1951. Its own site is coralcastle.com.
For more ideas on what to do close to home, read our post on things to do near Cutler Bay.
Where Capistrano Fits In
Capistrano is a D.R. Horton community in the Emerald Series. Every home is a single-family home on one story. That means no stairs to climb. There are two plans, and both have 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a 3-car garage.
The Destin has 2,315 square feet of air-conditioned space. It has recently started in the low $900,000s.
The Fraser has 2,533 square feet of air-conditioned space. It has recently started in the high $900,000s.
Prices change, so call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers. You can also ask what incentives are available today, because those really do change.
The sales office and model are at 10103 Bahama Drive. The homes are on Bahama Drive and Bahia Drive. Map data from OpenStreetMap places Bahama Drive in the Cutler Ridge part of Cutler Bay, the same area the Town's history page describes as its first large planned neighborhood. The best way to see how the streets work for you is to visit and look at the site plan.
Buying new still calls for a good inspection. Our guide to a new construction home inspector shows what to look for.
What to Ask on Your Visit
A tour is the best way to learn a Town. Bring a short list of questions:
Which streets are the homes on, and where is the model?
Where can I see the site plan?
Which incentives are available today?
When can I book an independent inspection?
Write down the parks and stores you care about most. Then ask us to show you where they sit on a map. We are builder-neutral, so we will also tell you if another community is a better fit for you.
Ready to see the streets, the homes and the Town for yourself? Call 561-704-0091 or use Explore Capistrano in Cutler Bay - Book Your Visit to pick a time.
Common Questions
Where is Cutler Bay Florida?
Cutler Bay is a Town in southern Miami-Dade County. Its Town Hall is at 10720 Caribbean Boulevard, Cutler Bay, FL 33189.
Is Cutler Bay a city or a town?
It is a Town. Voters chose to incorporate in January 2005, and the Town Charter was approved on November 8, 2005. A five-member Town Council governs it.
What parks does the Town of Cutler Bay run?
The Town lists twelve parks, including Lakes by the Bay Park, Saga Bay Park, Franjo Park, Cutler Ridge Park and Pool, and Coastal Ridge Preserve. Check the Town's parks page for current details.
Which school will my Capistrano home be assigned to?
We cannot say, and it can change. Use the school lookup from Miami-Dade County Public Schools with the exact address.
Is there a hospital near Cutler Bay?
Jackson South Medical Center is at 9333 SW 152nd Street in Miami. See the hospital's page for services and details.
What kind of homes are in Capistrano?
Capistrano has one-story single-family homes. The Destin and the Fraser both have 4 bedrooms, 3 baths and a 3-car garage. Call 561-704-0091 for today's numbers.
Not sure where to start? Call 561-704-0091 or see Capistrano - schedule a visit."