52 beaches & parks in 21 towns between Jupiter and Key West, ordered north to south and grouped by county, then town. Use the filters to narrow by county, town or tag, or open any town heading for that town's complete guide to things to do, events and where to eat.
North to south, Jupiter to Key West · Updated September 2026
Park
11,500 acres on the Wild & Scenic Loxahatchee; 25 mi of hiking, 9-mi Camp Murphy mountain bike network. The kayak/boat-tour concession closed June 2026 — bring your own or launch from Riverbend Park. Scrub trails are brutal in Sept; go early or wait for Nov.
Park
Limestone blowholes spout 50 ft at high tide with big surf — most dramatic during a fall nor'easter or offshore hurricane swell.
Park · Free
680 acres, 10+ mi of shaded trails, best put-in for the cypress-canopied upper Loxahatchee. Jupiter Outdoor Center rents kayaks ($40) and bikes ($20) on site.
Park · Free
Short scrub trails; Juno Dunes climbs a 45-ft dune with ocean views.
Beach · Free
2.5 miles of off-leash beach, sunrise to sunset, free parking and bags. The gold standard; ~75 min away — pair it with a Jupiter dive, surf check or brewery.
Beach
Longest rights in the area on N-NE swell; Juno Pier is the most reliable fall wave and the best check-in spot.
Beach
Island Water Sports runs FREE group lessons every Saturday 7–9 am at Deerfield Pier (register online, gear included). Also Ocean Magic and Blueline (Jupiter), EZride and Living Water (Broward), South Beach Surf Lessons (Miami).
Dog-friendly
Birch State Park loop, Riverbend Park, Jonathan Dickinson, Loxahatchee NWR levee, Oleta, Bill Baggs, Big Cypress boardwalks, Barnacle Historic State Park grounds.
Park
Boardwalk over Lake Worth Lagoon, 2 mi of beach, snorkel-from-shore reef at high tide, kayak rentals.
Swimming hole
South Florida has no natural springs — they all sit north of Orlando. Local stand-ins: the spring-fed Venetian Pool in Coral Gables (1924 lagoon pool, $23, closed Mondays), the atoll pool at Matheson Hammock, the Snyder Park dog lake, and Peanut Island's snorkel lagoon.
Beach · Free
Quietest natural beaches: Blowing Rocks / Hobe Sound NWR, MacArthur Beach, Mizell-Johnson, Cape Florida. Haulover's north section is Miami-Dade's legal clothing-optional beach. Closest everyday strand to Coral Ridge is Vista Park / NE 18th St with free street parking on the west side of A1A north of Sunrise. September heat rule: before 9 am or after 5 pm — sand and pavement burn paws midday.
Beach · Free
Often called the best shore dive in the US: 5–20 ft, marked snorkel trail, seahorses, octopus, eagle rays. Go within an hour of high tide only. Force-E and Pura Vida rent gear nearby.
Beach
Snorkel lagoon and east-side reef; weekdays in October are quiet, weekends are a sandbar party.
Park · Free
Cypress boardwalk plus a 16.6-mi shadeless levee loop for gravel bikes (Nov only).
Dog-friendly
Bark Park at Snyder, Holiday Park, Riverside and Poinciana (FTL), Barkham at Markham, Woofing Waters at Quiet Waters, Tradewinds Park, Mizner Bark (Boca), Pooch Pines at Okeeheelee (WPB), Blanche & Kennedy parks (Coconut Grove).
Dog-friendly
Kimpton Shorebreak & Goodland (FTL; no fee, no size limit), The Ben and Canopy (WPB), Brazilian Court (Palm Beach), The Seagate and The Ray (Delray), Hard Rock Guitar Hotel and Margaritaville (Hollywood), Kimpton EPIC / Surfcomber and 1 Hotel (Miami Beach), Biltmore (Coral Gables), Mayfair House (Coconut Grove).
Beach
South Florida's big-wave spot — only breaks on major N/NE swell (hurricanes, Nov fronts). Experts only; residential walk-in parking.
Beach
Fall is the season: Sept–Oct tropical systems send groundswell; November's first cold fronts bring 2–4 days of NE windswell each. Surfline cams at Juno Pier, Reef Road, Deerfield and South Beach; NOAA buoy 41114 (Fort Pierce) for incoming swell; the National Hurricane Center for swell-producing storms.
Dog-friendly
LauderAle, Yeasty Brews, Saltwater, Civil Society, Grandview Public Market, The Oasis Wynwood, Lagniappe, Yellow Green market, LOOP market, Aventura Mall, Gulfstream Village, Wynwood streets, Worth Ave, Design District, Coconut Grove.
Beach
Mellow sandbars north of the pier; Boynton's south jetty is a classic.
Park
Northern Everglades: cypress boardwalk, 12-mi levee bike loop, 5.5-mi canoe trail. Wintering ducks arrive in Nov.
Park · Free
Elevated boardwalks over wetlands — the region's best easy birding, excellent at fall migration.
Beach
Snyder Park dog lake (FTL), Canine Cove at South County Regional Park (West Boca), Lake Ida Dog Park (Delray), Amelia Earhart Bark Park dog pools (Hialeah), Perrine Wayside (Palmetto Bay).
Dog-friendly
Snyder Park dog lake (FTL), Canine Cove (West Boca), Lake Ida (Delray), Amelia Earhart Bark Park pools (Hialeah).
Dog-friendly
Fairchild Dog Dates (monthly), Riverwalk 'Mutts & Martinis' / Hound Halloween (Oct), LOOP Pooch Parade, Delray Howl-O-Ween (late Oct), Wynwood Halloween dog costume contest, Humane Society of Broward Walk for the Animals (typically Nov). Check goriverwalk.com, bringfido.com/event and Eventbrite as dates post.
Park
Sea turtle rehab tanks and hammock boardwalk; park free at Gumbo Limbo and walk across A1A to snorkel Red Reef.
Beach · Free
Artificial reef 20–50 yd out in 2–12 ft — the easiest beginner snorkel. Park free at Gumbo Limbo.
Beach · Free
Deerfield is the Broward standard and where the free lessons happen.
Park
430 acres, paved loop, MTB trails, Ski Rixen cable park, Woofing Waters dog park.
Beach
The local checks; small, uncrowded, learner-friendly on windswell.
Beach
The only Broward town with a reef within easy swim (~100 yd); the SS Copenhagen wreck is a longer swim or kayak. Flat, low-wind days.
Park
Broward's biggest mountain-bike system (~12 mi), 3.5-acre Barkham dog park.
Park
10 min from Coral Ridge. 1.9-mi paved loop, freshwater lagoon paddling, beach via the A1A tunnel. The default after-work dog walk.
Park · Free
Lakes and trails plus the city's fenced Bark Park with a dog swim lake (7–7).
Swimming hole
The one 'spring' on the southwest coast: 85°F mineral pool, spa vibe. Closest true spring to Fort Lauderdale.
Beach
The neighborhood dog beach. Fri–Sun only, evening hours (roughly 3–7 pm in winter, later in summer — hours conflict across sources; call 954-828-7275). Permit required, bought in person at Holiday Park with vaccination records.
Park
2.5 mi of undeveloped beach, glass-calm Whiskey Creek paddling with rentals, jetty snorkeling.
Beach
Rock ledges and jetty; lobstering at night in season (permit + gauge).
Park
1,500 acres of mangrove estuary, 5-story observation tower, marked kayak trails with rentals.
Beach
Fri–Sun afternoons (3–7 or 4–8 pm). Small friendly crowd.
Park
Florida's largest urban park: 15 mi of MTB single-track, mangrove kayak trails, Friday sunset and full-moon paddles.
Beach
The only seven-day-a-week dog beach in the region (8 am–sunset) plus fenced runs.
Beach · Free
Daily morning windows (7–9 or 9–11 am) and Fri–Sun afternoons.
Beach
Fires only on strong N-NE swell after fronts, but it's a scene when it does.
Park
Man-made atoll pool flushed by the bay, mangrove trails, next to Fairchild Garden.
Park
Lagoon-calm beach, kite launch, then the lighthouse (free tours Thu–Mon 10 & 1) and a 1.5-mi bike path.
Park
9+ mi of purpose-built MTB trails; Sunday morning scene.
Beach
Unofficial: shallow calm bay water where dogs swim all day; also the windsurf/wing launch. No facilities.
Park
15-mi paved loop to a 65-ft tower: tram $34, bike rental $27, or bring your own. Wait for mid/late Nov when the dry season concentrates gators along the canal.
Park · Free
Kirby Storter boardwalk, Oasis Visitor Center gator canal, 24-mi Loop Road gravel scenic drive. Best in November.
Park
The best 0.8-mi wildlife boardwalk in the park; Flamingo has boat tours.
Beaches & Parks in a single town, north to south from Jupiter to Key West.