Key Biscayne

Earlier this week Millie and I spent an afternoon on Key Biscayne. The island lies south of Miami Beach and east of Miami. Its original claim to fame was as the largest coconut plantation in the United States. In 1940 the owner (Matheson) donated over 800 acres of the island for a public park in exchange for the county building a causeway to the island.

The remaining Matheson property, stretching across the middle of the island, was then sold off to developers. In 1951, you could buy a new home on the island for $9,540. In 2013 the average single family house was valued at $900,000.

private residence in the village

President Richard Nixon purchased three waterfront homes, forming a compound known as the Florida White House. His first big scandal happened here when his friend and bank owner Bebe Rebozo was caught laundering a $100,000 donation from Howard Hughes to the Nixon election campaign. 

at the Cape Florida lighthouse

The island is also home to Cape Florida Lighthouse, first built in 1825, it was burnt down in an Indian attack ten years later. The present lighthouse was built in 1847. It has been in and out of service several times over the years and extinguished for the last time in 1996 when it was decommissioned by the Coast Guard.

The structures in the bay behind the sailboat are all that remain of Stiltsville*

Crandon Blvd is the main road that transects all three sections of the island.

The light house is in the southern end in Bill Paggs State Park. Admission is $8 a car with up to four passengers. Tours of the light house are available twice daily, 11am and 1pm.

The center comprises the Village of Key Biscayne. To the west of the Crandon Blvd is mostly residential and has an air of affluence. I think I can safely say no poor people live in Key Biscayne. The little bit of commerce along the boulevard is architecturally discrete, no flashy franchises, no beach stores, no tourist attractions. The eastern side of the village is predominantly condominium complexes and large resorts, the flagship resort being the Ritz Carlton. They are all gated so getting around on that side is a puzzle. The village is mighty pretty and worth a visit, you can stay a while if you want, the Ritz will put you up for about $580.00 a night. 

Ritz Carlton - Key Biscayne

The northern end of the island is the 808 acre county park (Crandon Park), it has a large marina, beautiful golf course, tropical paradise like beach and many other outdoor activities. 

The beach at Crandon Park

I suspect that if entire the island had been developed commercially and it did not have the two public parks, there would be a guarded gate on the causeway and we mere mortals would not be welcome.

Mere mortals on Key Biscayne 

The causeway and bridges from Miami to Key Biscayne cross a small island called Virginia Key. We stopped there at Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill and enjoyed lunch on the patio overlooking the Miami skyline. Good food, but as usual you have to pay for the view. Grouper sandwich with fries was $15.99 

Miami skyline from Whiskey Joe's 

RV facts: There are no RV Parks on Key Biscayne. The big park (Crandon) has a large parking lot, I don't know if there is parking for long rigs. The state park (Bill Paggs) has limited parking and I saw no designated RV parking area. The town is definitely not RV friendly, actually it is not visitor friendly at all. There is very little public parking and no where you could put an RV. The residential streets on the west side of town are very narrow with tight traffic circles at most intersections. All the resorts and condo areas on the east side of the main road are gated. Fuel on the island was $.50 higher than it was on the mainland, $2.50 vs $3.00 per gallon for regular gas.

 *Stiltsville has a colorful history that dates back to the 1930s, when "Crawfish Eddie Walker" built the first shack on stilts above the water. Over the years more buildings were constructed, and the area took on an aura of mystery. Accessible only by water, the area was the place to see and be seen when visiting the winter resorts on nearby Miami Beach. Stories of illegal alcohol and gambling led to several police raids on the Bikini Club and Quarterdeck Club. At its peak in 1960, there were 27 structures on the flats, but hurricanes, fires and the ravages of being in such an exposed place made every building relatively short-lived. In 1985, the bottom land on which the stilt structures sit was deeded by the State of Florida to the Federal Government as part of Biscayne National Park.