I had been to Miami a few times in my life for various reasons and I never really liked any of my experiences there. I felt it was so busy and the people, in general, were not very friendly. Driving there was a nightmare. Growing up in Orlando, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what it was like to drive in an aggressive environment, but Orlando has nothing on Miami!
Now, the drive to Bill Baggs Cape Florida was incredible. I had never gone over the bridge and onto Key Biscayne. I have to say, I love Key Biscayne, it is one of the prettiest places I have seen in the state. The GPS led me to the end of Key Biscayne and right into Bill Baggs. There were plenty of places to park so I went in the middle. I beelined straight for the lighthouse because I have a slight obsession with lighthouses. You can actually tour the lighthouse twice a day, 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (check the website before you go) but I arrived to the park about 5 p.m. so no tour for me!
Since I could not explore the lighthouse I roamed around the rest of the park, discovering a couple of places to eat. There were also many people taking advantage of the picnic areas and the grills. The beachside was amazing, it looked like a scene from a movie with the crystal clear water and the blue umbrellas lining the shoreline. I was drawn to the lighthouse and got a great, up-close look at it from the beach. I stayed there, watching the people, and the wildlife. Admiring the sand dunes as they shifted slightly in the faint breeze. I was so just hanging out in my happy place, content to stay forever.
Before you visit, make sure you check out the parks website for all of the up-to-date park information: https://www.floridastateparks.org/index.php/parks-and-trails/bill-baggs-cape-florida-state-park
