How to Spend 8 Hours in Miami: Key Biscayne by Bus to Cape Florida
Updated October 12, 2026
The Cape Florida Lighthouse, first lit in 1825, is the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County, and Metrobus Route 26 runs from Brickell to the park gate. Walk the beach and climb the tower, eat at Boater's Grill on No Name Harbor, then swim at Crandon Park.
Key Biscayne is a barrier island across the Rickenbacker Causeway from Brickell, with state and county parks at both ends. At its southern tip, Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park holds the Cape Florida Lighthouse, beaches, seawall paths and a view west to the stilt houses of Stiltsville in the bay. Crandon Park, further north, has a long beach with calm water behind an offshore sandbar. Metrobus Route 26 runs from Brickell station down the island to the state park gate, and pedestrians pay only a small fee. The ride is slower on weekends, when buses run less often.
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The 8 hour plan, stop by stop
Stops and travel: 4 hr 12 min to 5 hr 42 min of 8 hours
The park covers the southern tip of Key Biscayne, with a mile of beach, a seawall walk along the bay and the brick lighthouse, rebuilt in 1846 after an attack during the Second Seminole War. Rangers lead lighthouse tours Thursday to Monday, and the climb ends at a balcony with views over the ocean. As of October 2026, entry is $2 for pedestrians and people dropped off by a ride service. The park is open every day from early morning until sunset.
Tip: Ask at the ranger station when the next lighthouse tour starts, since tours are offered only a few times a day. Walk the seawall on the bay side toward No Name Harbor to see Stiltsville.
- Time here
- 2 hr to 2 hr 45 min
- Website
- floridastateparks.org
NaviTime to head out from Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park for Boater's Grill. It's a 16 minute walk if you leave now. Here's the link
Boater's Grill sits on No Name Harbor, a sheltered cove inside the state park where sailboats anchor for the night. It serves Cuban and Latin seafood, from whole fried fish to paella and shrimp, on a covered terrace by the water. Boaters tie up at the docks and walk straight in, so the crowd is relaxed and sandy. It opens daily from late morning into the evening, with later hours at the end of the week.
Tip: Ask for a table by the water and order the whole fried snapper to share. The walk from the beach takes about a quarter of an hour along the park road, so carry water.
- Time here
- 45 min to 1 hr
- Website
- boatersgrill.com
NaviTime to head out from Boater's Grill for Crandon Park. It's a 26 minute transit ride if you leave now. Here's the link
Crandon Park's beach runs about two miles along the Atlantic side of Key Biscayne, with palm groves behind it and shallow, usually calm water protected by an offshore sandbar. There are lifeguards, showers, picnic areas and a long boardwalk, and the beach is free for anyone who arrives on foot. At low tide, sea grass beds and sandbars appear offshore, and families spread out under the palms. It opens daily from morning until sunset.
Tip: Get off the bus at the main beach entrance and walk north along the sand for quieter stretches. Catch the bus back from the stop on Crandon Boulevard before the late afternoon crowd heads home.
- Time here
- 45 min to 1 hr 15 min
- Website
- miamidade.gov
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