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Matheson Hammock Park costs $10 plus tax per car on weekends and holidays. Weekdays run $7 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks. Families headed for the swimming lagoon get the better deal on a weekday visit. Boaters launching from the marina pay a separate ramp fee on top of parking. Anyone renting a shelter for a group event pays another fee beyond that. One rule changes the plan more than the price does. Pets, tents and open cooking flames are not allowed on the beach, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
I’ve spent enough time around South Florida marinas to check a park’s rules before the car is loaded. Storms change them overnight, and a closed gate is a wasted morning.
Matheson Hammock Park Miami
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Weekday car entry | $7 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks |
| Weekend/holiday car entry | $10 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks |
| Park office hours | 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, per Miami-Dade County Parks |
| swimming lagoon (summer) | Mon–Fri 9 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Sat–Sun 9 a.m.–6:30 p.m., per Miami-Dade County Parks |
| Pets | Not allowed, per Miami-Dade County Parks |
Here is the arithmetic on the $165-plus-tax annual pass, using the county’s weekday and weekend car rates. One vehicle covers everyone riding in it. A couple sharing a car pays the same per-visit rate as a solo visitor. At the $7 weekday rate, the pass does not pay off until visit 24. Twenty-three weekday visits total $161, and a 24th pushes paid entry to $168. At the $10 weekend rate, the pass pays off sooner, at visit 17. Sixteen weekend visits total $160, and a 17th pushes paid entry to $170.
| Visits per year | Weekday-rate total | Weekend-rate total | Annual pass ($165) | Cheaper option |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 visits | $35 | $50 | $165 | Pay per visit |
| 10 visits | $70 | $100 | $165 | Pay per visit |
| 17 visits | $119 | $170 | $165 | Pass if weekends, per-visit if weekdays |
| 24 visits | $168 | $240 | $165 | Pass |
Matheson Hammock Park Entrance Fee
A car pays $7 plus tax on a weekday. Weekends and holidays run $10 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks. A bus or RV pays $15 plus tax daily. Anyone launching a boat from the marina pays a separate ramp fee on top of that. It runs $20 plus tax Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday and holidays run $30 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
Matheson Hammock Beach Hours
The swimming area is a man-made lagoon, ringed by sand and cut off from Biscayne Bay by a rock jetty. The tide fills and empties it twice a day, so there is no chlorine and no pump. Picture a sheltered ring of water rather than a stretch of open shoreline. The county calls it the atoll pool. It runs seasonal hours, with lifeguards on duty on weekends and holidays, per Miami-Dade County Parks. Summer hours run 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekends. Winter hours shift earlier, closing at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 5:30 p.m. on weekends. Building the visit around those closing times avoids arriving after the lifeguard shift ends.
Miami Dade County Park Annual Pass
Only past a certain number of trips a year, based on the math worked out above. Occasional visitors come out ahead paying per visit. That means anyone under about 16 weekend trips or 23 weekday trips a year. Regulars who treat the pool as a weekly routine save real money on the $165-plus-tax pass. Seniors 62 and older get a $50-plus-tax annual rate, per Miami-Dade County Parks. That pays off far sooner than the standard pass.
Matheson Hammock Park What to Do
Get there by 9 a.m., when the swimming lagoon opens. You beat the heat and you get a parking spot, and by late morning you will not. Swim first. When the sun gets serious, move to the mangrove trail, where the shade does the work. Eat lunch under the oaks near the entrance. Bring it from home, because tents, grills and open flames are banned on the beach, per Miami-Dade County Parks. Go back in the water once the morning crowd thins out after lunch. Leave before 5 p.m., when the park office closes. Boaters run on a different clock, set by the fuel dock and pump-out hours.
Matheson Hammock Restaurant
The park has two options, and they sit at opposite ends of the price range. A concession stand near the swimming lagoon handles casual food and water-sports rentals. NOMA Beach at Redfish is the waterfront restaurant, a sit-down room helmed by chef Donatella Arpaia. Entrees run about $35 to $65, per Coral Gables Magazine. The setting also draws weddings and private events, so call ahead before you plan a meal around it.
Matheson Hammock Park Rules
A full grill setup should stay in the trunk. Barbecue grills and open cooking flame are banned in the beach area, per Miami-Dade County Parks. A packed lunch works instead. Pets have to stay home entirely, since animals are not permitted anywhere in the park. Inflatable floats belong on a different beach too. Flotation devices are restricted under county code at the swimming area — a snorkel mask works better for a calm day at the swimming lagoon. For a beach day where floats and coolers are welcome, a nearby Key Biscayne beach allows more of that setup.
Matheson Hammock Park Trails
In South Florida a hammock is not something you lie in. It is a patch of dense hardwood forest on ground just high enough to stay dry. That is where the park gets its name. West Matheson covers about 109 acres of it, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
Near the front of the park, a trail runs through the mangroves from the parking lot. It is a good one for a walk or an easy bike ride. The shade keeps it noticeably cooler than the open beach at midday.
Beside the entrance is a shaded stretch of big old oak trees, with a small pond and picnic tables. For a birthday or a family party it beats the beach, because nobody spends the afternoon hunting for shade.
Hours across the whole park can change on short notice, for wildlife, storm damage or water quality. Check the county’s page the morning you go.
Matheson Hammock Park & Marina
Matheson Hammock Park has a marina with roughly 330 vessels from 30 to 50 feet. It has wet slips, dry storage and 11 boat ramps. There is also a fuel dock, pump-out facilities and a bait-and-tackle shop, per Miami-Dade County Parks. Launch fees run $20 plus tax Monday through Thursday. Friday through Sunday and holidays run $30 plus tax. Both are separate from the car entry fee. Trip costs and booking details for a reef day are in our guide to John Pennekamp snorkeling. It describes a similar South Florida boat-to-reef day from a different launch point.
Matheson Hammock Kiteboarding
Kiteboarding is popular here, and on a windy weekend there will be a crowd of them. Kiters and windsurfers go out on the bay side. Most of it is shallow, roughly waist to chest deep. That is why they like it. Fall off and you can stand back up. Low tide is the catch. Some stretches get too shallow to ride, per a local kite spot guide. The wind often blows onshore here, pushing you back toward the beach. Kiting rules are posted on a sign, so read it before you rig.
Matheson Hammock Park Coral Rock Shelter
Three shelter tiers are available at Matheson Hammock Park. A Coral Rock Shelter holds up to 75 guests at $300 plus tax. Tiki Shelters hold up to 25 guests at $150 plus tax. Open pavilion areas start at $140 plus tax, per Miami-Dade County Parks. Every rental also requires a $150 refundable deposit. Budget for that hold on a card alongside the rental fee. Booking ahead matters, since shelters at popular county parks fill weekends well before the date. A party sized for 75 guests needs the Coral Rock Shelter rather than a Tiki option. Choosing the wrong size shelter usually means paying again for a larger one. Match guest count to capacity before booking.
Matheson Hammock Park Beach
A roped-off lagoon beats open water with chop when you have young kids or a nervous swimmer. That is exactly what the swimming lagoon is. Come on a weekday morning, before 10 a.m. Bring a packed lunch rather than a grill, since open flames are not allowed. Budget $7 or $10 for the car, depending on the day.
More in Miami: the weekend itinerary, Virginia Key Beach Park and the Everglades day trip. If you are also sailing, the PortMiami parking guide compares the garages.
Frequently asked questions about Matheson Hammock Park
Is Matheson Hammock Park dog friendly?
No, pets are not permitted anywhere in the park, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
How much does the Matheson Hammock boat ramp cost?
$20 plus tax Monday through Thursday and $30 plus tax Friday through Sunday and on holidays, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
What time does Matheson Hammock Park close?
4:30 p.m. on weekdays and 5:30 p.m. on weekends, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
Does the Matheson Hammock parking fee cover everyone in the car?
Yes, the per-vehicle fee covers parking and entry for everyone in the car, per Miami-Dade County Parks.
Is Matheson Hammock Park open today?
Yes. Hours can shift for wildlife activity, storm damage or water-quality issues, per Miami-Dade County Parks. A same-day check is worth doing before a long drive.
Prices are approximate, current as of publication, and change frequently — confirm the latest price with the park, operator or provider before you go.
Updated September 23, 2026.