Day Trippin' › Florida › From Miami › Best beaches and lakes
Our picks for the best beaches and lakes within 3 hours of Miami: 32 places, 4 under an hour away, 14 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 33130.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is Oleta River State Park, 25 min northeast of Miami.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0
#1 · Beach · 2 hr 28 min southwest
Some of the best natural beaches in the Keys, plus a view from the old railroad bridge.
Heads-up: Old bridge span status. Lots fill on weekends.
Photo: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0
#2 · Small town · 53 min north
Walkable Atlantic Avenue with cafes and galleries that runs right to the beach.
Heads-up: Busy on weekend nights.
Photo: Fred Ward, Public domain
#3 · Small town · 1 hr 37 min northwest
Sugar town on the south shore of Lake Okeechobee, a base for bass fishing and airboat rides.
Heads-up: Hot in summer. Services are spread out.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#4 · Aquarium · 1 hr 26 min north
Sea turtle hospital in Juno Beach where you can see patients recovering. Free to visit.
Heads-up: Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The beach next door is good for a swim.
Photo: Daniel Di Palma, CC BY-SA 4.0
#5 · Bike trail · 25 min northeast
Florida's largest urban park, with miles of mountain bike trails, paddling and a calm beach.
Heads-up: Trails close after heavy rain.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#6 · State park · 40 min north
Green escape across from Fort Lauderdale Beach with paddling, trails and a lagoon.
Heads-up: Tunnel under A1A leads to the beach.
Photo: Johnskate17, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · Wildlife · 59 min north
Boardwalk over wetlands in Delray Beach, packed with nesting birds and gators.
Heads-up: Hours. Little shade.
Photo: User:Johnskate17, Public domain
#8 · Wildlife · 1 hr 10 min north
The northern Everglades near Boynton Beach, with a cypress boardwalk, marsh trails and a canoe trail.
Heads-up: Headquarters area 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Visitor center 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pets only on the perimeter levee.
Photo: Nortonedits, CC BY-SA 4.0
#9 · Museum · 1 hr 10 min north
West Palm Beach art museum with a sculpture garden and strong American and Asian collections.
Heads-up: Hours.
Photo: Florida Memory, Public domain
#10 · Historic site · 1 hr 13 min north
Henry Flagler's 1902 Palm Beach mansion, Whitehall, with his private rail car.
Heads-up: Hours and prices.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#11 · Beach · 1 hr 23 min north
Long natural beach on Singer Island reached by a boardwalk over the lagoon. Good snorkeling at the reef.
Heads-up: Check surf before snorkeling.
Photo: Averette, CC BY 3.0
#12 · Family fun · 1 hr 31 min southwest
Marine park in an old quarry with dolphin and sea lion shows and a lagoon beach.
Heads-up: Open 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Last shows start at 2 p.m. Cashless. Free parking.
Photo: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · State park · 1 hr 45 min west
Mangrove forest park with a paddling trail, a hiking trail and a historic walking dredge.
Heads-up: Mosquitoes in summer. Campground status.
Photo: Yinan Chen, Public Domain
#14 · State park · 1 hr 53 min southwest
Oceanfront park with a paddling trail through mangroves and an observation tower.
Heads-up: Status after storms.
Photo: stannate, CC BY 2.0
#15 · Beach · 2 hr 6 min southwest
Uncrowded beach and calm water in Marathon. Good kayaking.
Heads-up: Windy days make paddling hard.
Palm Beach Zoo (1 hr 8 min), Rapids Water Park (1 hr 14 min), Indian Key Historic State Park (1 hr 39 min), Flamingo (1 hr 40 min), Anne's Beach (1 hr 43 min), Tigertail Beach (2 hr 4 min), Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park (2 hr 7 min), Fort Pierce Inlet State Park (2 hr 8 min), National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum (2 hr 9 min), McKee Botanical Garden (2 hr 12 min), Koreshan State Park (2 hr 13 min), Sombrero Beach (2 hr 17 min), Barefoot Beach Preserve (2 hr 17 min), Lovers Key State Park (2 hr 20 min), Fort Myers Beach (2 hr 26 min), Sebastian Inlet State Park (2 hr 39 min), Sanibel Island (2 hr 42 min)
Our top picks are Bahia Honda State Park (2 hr 28 min), Delray Beach (53 min), Clewiston (1 hr 37 min), Loggerhead Marinelife Center (1 hr 26 min) and Oleta River State Park (25 min). The page lists 32 places in all.
32: 4 under an hour away, 14 between 1 and 2 hours and 14 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 33130.
Oleta River State Park, about 25 min northeast of Miami.
3 need no pass or fee, including Clewiston, Delray Beach and Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Fees change, so check each place.
23 of the 32 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.