Matheson Hammock Park

So very nice on a weekday or partially cloudy weekend. The drive on Old Cutler Road to get there is stunning. They have some of the most beautiful Banyon trees in Florida. The Atoll is awesome to see and we found it very clean. The Restaurant is beautiful and the menu looks great. Old Stone buildings and covered pergolas. A great place for a small intimate wedding… I highly recommend a trip if you are in Miami for an extended stay. It’s a small fee to get in $ 5.00 during the week and 7 on weekends… So much better than a movie.

Close to the city. Nice quite and shallow salt water «pool» is great fun and safe for kids. There are lots of parking space, a small restaurant and clean restrooms for changing.

This place is a boater’s heaven, but everyone else is just an afterthought. The atoll pool and beach area are a nice idea, but don’t work out in practice. This area is kind of like meeting someone at a club; from far away you’re totally stoked by what you see, but the closer you get, the more apparent your mistake becomes. The water smells really bad – ocean water shouldn’t smell so bad (fresh water, yeah, maybe). It is also really murky. If I had kids and liked them (i.e. wanted them to live a long and healthy life), I wouldn’t let them go anywhere near the water. I didn’t even want to put my towel down on the sand that got wet from the water. There all also a lot of small rocks, sticks and broken shells that make this sand more uncomfortable to lay on than SoBe or Crandon Beach. Despite the fact that there are about 800 trashcans in the beach area, people still manage to not be able to take their trash to one of them. The marina entrance is also right near the atoll, so I think there is a lot of pollution from the boats that gets into the atoll area. So, that also adds to the gross factor. On a typical (read: non-​holiday weekend) Saturday, you should have plenty of parking near the atoll area if you arrive by 11. I was leaving at this time and the parking lot was still quite empty (maybe ¹⁄₅ full).
Miamians (Miamiites?), there are still A LOT of places in the rest of the world that don’t accept credit cards. I lived in a state capital that *gasp* had parking meters that only took coins. Yes, still in 2014. You will need cash to get in here if you come without a boat. It’s now $ 7 on the weekend for cars.
Bottom line: Stick with Key Biscayne or Miami Beach for your la playa needs. Matheson isn’t worth the cost of entry for non-​boaters.

Beautiful beach, perfect for kids, and its not so crowded.

This is great spot for a beach that closer than Miami beach. But is more a pool or marina than a beach with an ocean. Though, just bring a blanket and a picnic basket and you sit in the grass or find a shady spot in the sand near the water. Great for a run or walk on the nearby trail.

I like this beach but HATE the $ 5 cash policy. Who carries cash now a days? They also don’t have an ATM machine near by. Always a mission as I rarely ever carry cash.
The beach itself is ok (if you have children) if you don’t, you are better off taking a trip to sobe (South beach). There are no waves which makes it easier on us parents to watch the kids while they play.
The sand is not very pretty, not pretty at all actually… but again, great beach for those of us with children.
Life guard on duty!
Parking is near by, which is great!
Back to the whole cash thing… bah… Let us use cc and you get your next star :) I find it annoying that you can pay the charge with cc if you brought your boat, but if you are just a mom, in a car full of kids screaming beeeeaaach, then you must first stop at walgreens to take out cash. Lol
No boat = cash only
Boat = cc accepted

$ 5 weekdays/​$ 7 Weekends to park.
Creepy open air «changing stalls» in the parking lot.
No soap in the bathroom.
Shallow water for the tiny tots.
Small fish swim in the atoll.
Beautiful views.

Every now and then I watch a movie like Fern Gully or Avatar and wish i lived somewhere lush and green… well the closest thing to being magical and green is Matheson Hammock. The drive alone is picturesque and looks like it was taken straight out of a movie and the park itself is beautiful. Huge trees shade the area and are great for picture taking and picnics. This is by far one of my absolute favorite parks. There’s a scenic lake, a few pavilions with charcoal grills, benches, picnic tables and also nature trails and biking opportunities. Further down in the park, there is a pay station with an entrance fee of $ 5 for weekdays and $ 7 on weekends. Once passed the pay station there is a marina, docks, adventure sports and of course… Red Fish Grill serving fresh seafood, etc… with an awesome view.

Tourists beware! This park isn’t traveler friendly. We were surprised to be greeted by Oscar the Grouch at the entrance. The booth worker is the face of Matheson Park and he struggled to crack a friendly smile for us in NYE.
Matheson Park’s vehicle entrance fee is $ 5.00 and they accept NO credit cards, only cash (this tax-​payer funded park is still operating in the dark ages). Also, there is no ATM close by so don’t plan on getting a tan, you will get stuck in Miami traffic in your attempt to make it back. The grouch at the gate gave us the option to either pay the $ 12.00 boat fee or return with cash. Oh, and a Tesla pulled up in front of us — they paid $ 0.
#Miami #Mathesonhammock

Very nice park next to Fairchild Gardens.
Unique feature is the atoll which is a lagoon surrounded by a ring of land.
Nicely landscaped with palms and provides a nice relaxing beach setting overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Some of the parks roads could use some upkeep, but overall a great place.

On the weekdays, you’ll think you’ve discovered Miami’s best kept secret. On the weekends, you may be wondering why you ever came.
This place is great on a quiet day when you happen to have a day off, but the rest of the world doesn’t. Weekends, holidays… this place is kind of a mess.
The pros: incredible views, good amount of parking, shallow water you can wade into without waves, quiet place to read on the weekdays
The cons: limited beach space (I’ve ended up on the grass on busy days), shallow water without waves (sometimes you want them!), public bathrooms that appear to have been forgotten about, an odd smell of dead fish more often than I’d like to admit, & more children than I realized lived in all of Miami-​Dade Co. on busy days
This is a great place for kids but at this point in my life, hearing them scream on the beach isn’t my idea of relaxing. If you’re like me, my advice is to head here during the week and avoid it on the weekends… and make sure to go to the bathroom before you leave home.

After eating dinner and realizing we had a little over two hours to kill before we had a play, I found this place by opening Google Maps! What a treat.
This place has a lot to offer, scenery, a marina, fishing, recreation areas, and a beach. It’s huge. The views are spectaular. One of the most breath taking places I’ve ever been.
If you get a chance to check it out, do! Pack a picnic or snack and enjoy!

I got married at Matheson Hammock Park so the place obviously holds a special place in my heart. Since I’ve gotten a few messages from people interested in getting married there too, I figured I’d update my review with my tips for planning a Matheson wedding.
First off, I rented the stone pavilion for my wedding near the entrance of the park and it was absolutely gorgeous. The park is a beautiful setting that needs minimal decoration to enhance the beauty. Plus its super affordable to rent!
Tips for hosting wedding (or event!)
1. Rent early as spots fill up quickly
2. It will be windy plan to have heavy center pieces to hold down tablecloths
3. Plan on a battery operated sound system as there are only a few outlets and cords are a hassle
4. Plan for rain, sun, bugs and the cold (I didn’t expect cool weather in April!)
5. Create signs so guests know exactly where to go in the park
6. Use the list of approved vendors offered by the park (we used Harveys BBQ for catering and it was awesome!)
7. Avoid glass (its against the rules plus see 2 about the wind)
8. Don’t worry too much about the long set of rules of rental, they’re pretty relaxed at the park as long as you’re being respectful
9. Have fun!

If you’re looking for a place to sit down and enjoy nature with a Corona or some wine in hand, this is definitely the place to go.
I had been to the marina a long time ago since back then I had a boat but ever did I notice this wonderful quaint beach. Awesome for kids to have fun while being safely supervised by a lifeguard. Parents can just relax and unwind.
Kayaking, windsurfing, fishing and more. It’s awesome, my 7 year old and I really enjoyed it.

This a great park with several ameneties. I am a avid fisherman and the boat ramp and marina is top notch and is well maintained. The beaches are a nice attraction but my favorite is the red fish grill that has the best view in miami. Great park for the entire family.

Went here for the beach. Entered at 5.30. Paid $ 6 (for weekend price). Parking attendant let us in without telling us that the beach is closed at 6pm. Yes, we went on the beach, didn’t have a chance to put our towels down and the lifeguard blew whistles saying the beach is closing. Drove out. But of course that parking attendant wasn’t there anymore.
On the gate it says OPEN SUNRISE TO SUNSET. Sunset isn’t until at least 7pm okay. It’s july, people.
Other than that, the mangroves are cool though.
I’ll give it another chance next time.

I love this «man made «beach. If you have children, that is the beach that you are looking for (no waves).
If you want to go alone and just relaxe, that is the place
Always a lot of breeze .
Also good for a picnic .
«it features a manmade atoll pool flushed naturally by the tide, a beach, marina and boat launch. A prime spot for kiteboarding, you can also rent kayaks and standup paddleboards from the park’s concessions.»

Enjoy taking my son here.
Close by parking, shallow waters and hasn’t been overly crowded the times we’ve gone.
Nice scenery for taking photos.
We’ve been here a couple of times and love it enough to keep coming back.
Weekdays are pure bliss. Barely anybody. So much tranquility and peace.

We love this park. I have been visiting for many years and never get tired of coming here. There’s so much to do: walk, run, bike ride, kayak, kite surf, wind surf, or even relax on the beach/​pond. The marina/​boat ramp is great if you own a boat. It’s very accessible and easy to put your vessel down.
My favorite activities to do are: kayak, bike ride, and walk. You can launch from the parking lot across Red Fish Grill (a family favorite!). Take a stroll by the different canals to enjoy the houses and gorgeous views of downtown Miami, Miami Beach, and Key Biscayne.
If you don’t own a kayak, you can rent one (or many) from Adventure Sports. Their rates are competitive and they are really professional.
happy adventurin’

Gorgeous spot for a shady hammock hike!
I’ve been told about Matheson Hammock for quite some time, and even though it’s right next to Fairchild, I’ve never actually stopped by until this past weekend. A friend suggested that we take our dogs on the trails and I was quite surprised to find such a nice expanse of trails, shady hammocks and open field — all in one spot!
Now, I know that I just scratched the surface of this park and I can’t wait to go back!