Boca Chita Key(Biscayne National Park)

Located in the northern portion of the Florida Keys archipelago, Boca Chita Key is an island that has multiple unnamed white sand beaches. Boca Chita Key is situated in Miami-Dade County and it is a part of Biscayne National Park. Some of the beaches in Boca Chita Key Beach have coastal vegetation. Forests are present near some of the beaches in Boca Chita Key. 

Although the beaches in Boca Chita Key do not have lifeguards, Boca Chita Key has many other amenities including picnic areas with grills, restrooms, a harbor, a pavilion, and trails. Dogs are not allowed in Boca Chita Key. 

Boca Chita Key offers many fun activities including picnicking, sunbathing, wildlife watching, hiking, beachcombing, fishing, swimming, kitesurfing, windsurfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, camping, paddle-boarding, snorkeling, jet-skiing, surf-skiing, water-skiing, and wake-boarding. If you are planning to enter the water near Boca Chita Key, we recommend being careful as the water here has unpredictable rip currents. In addition, swimming is also prohibited in some portions of the water near Boca Chita Key. Depending on the time of the year, you can view many kinds of animals in the water near Boca Chita Key including dolphins and sea turtles. If you are planning to fish in the water near Boca Chita Key, please make sure that you follow the local fishing regulations. 

Boca Chita Key has a beautiful landscape, which visitors can explore via a half-mile hiking trail present on the island. The island is also home to the Boca Chita Key Historic District - this historical district consists of multiple structures built in the 1930s by an industrialist named Mark Charles Honeywell (who was the founder of Honeywell International Inc.). These structures are a part of the United States National Register of Historic Places. One of the most prominent structures on the island is a 65-feet tall lighthouse. This lighthouse, while no longer functional, has an observation area that offers Instagram-worthy views of the Biscayne Bay and the Southern Florida shoreline. Boca Chita Key also has a campground that accommodates tents. If you are planning to camp in Boca Chita Key, we recommend visiting Boca Chita Key’s webpage at the National Park Service’s website for more information regarding camping rules and amenities.

Getting to Boca Chita Key is difficult as the only way to access this island is via boat. If you don’t have a private boat, the Biscayne National Park Institute offers boat tours to Boca Chita Key. These boat tours usually depart from the Deering Estate (present at 16701 South West 72nd Avenue). If you are planning to book a tour to Boca Chita Key, you can visit Biscayne National Park Institute’s website for more information regarding the tour charges and details. It is important to note that the beaches in Boca Chita Key Beach can be closed to public access between May 1st and August 15th as they are used as nesting spots by shorebirds and sea turtles during this time. 

There are many attractions near Boca Chita Key in the nearby mainland Miami-Dade County within a 20-minute drive. The Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens (more commonly called the Miami Zoo) is home to more than 3,000 animals from 500 different species including 130 endangered animal species – the zoo’s animals are from Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. The zoo is also home to more than 1,000 species of plants and it also has over 100 informative exhibits. Coral Reef Park is a 50-acre recreational park that has open grassy areas, a canal, a pinelands preserve, a walking/biking path, a tennis center, racquetball courts, picnic areas, open play areas, a concession stand, a meditation garden, a gazebo, a bandshell, exercise stations, a covered playground, sports fields, and volleyball courts. The park is also home to many native wildlife species and offers an amazing wildlife watching experience. If you are looking for another attraction near Boca Chita Key, Homestead Air Reserve Park is a recreational park which has a large grassy area, picnic areas, and a recreation center. The Family Paintball Center often organizes fun paintball matches in this park. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants near Boca Chita Key in the nearby mainland Miami-Dade County. Samurai is an upscale Japanese steakhouse that offers amazing steaks and gourmet teppanyaki-style Japanese dishes. In addition, the restaurant’s chefs also offer exciting tableside performances while preparing your food. Bulla Gastrobar offers amazing Spanish-inspired Tapas-style dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner including paella and patatas bravas. This restaurant has also been voted by the readers of Miami New Times newspaper for having the best brunch menu. If you are looking for another restaurant near Boca Chita Key, Caribbean Delite Restaurant serves excellent Caribbean-Indian cuisine including dhalpuri and Caribbean paratha.

If you are looking for a hotel near Boca Chita Key, there are many great options in the nearby mainland Miami-Dade County. If you are looking for an upscale option, the 4-star Miami Marriott Dadeland offers many amenities including a bar/lounge, two restaurants, a fitness center, and a pool. A more affordable hotel is the 3-Star Holiday Inn Express & Suites Miami-Kendall, an IHG Hotel which offers many amenities including a pool with a hot tub, a putting green, a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast. If you are looking for another good and affordable hotel near Boca Chita Key, the 2-Star Motel 6 Cutler Bay, FL offers many amenities including a coin-operated laundry, a pool, and complimentary morning coffee.