A beginner’s beach
Swimming is a skill taken for granted by many of South Florida’s beachgoers. But if you’re not ready for the open ocean or you have kids who are still too young, head to Matheson Hammock’s wading beach, where everybody in Miami learns to stay afloat.
Bike or drive through the dark, cool mangrove tunnel that leads to the shallow, doughnut-shaped beach. A man-made atoll pool surrounded by a wispy shoreline has been the unofficial swimming academy of South Miami for more than 80 years. It’s the incubator for the city’s youngest swimmers – from babies to toddlers; the pond where helpless tadpoles get their legs, lose their tails, and mature into frogs. The education is free. The parking, however, is not.
Info
Address 9610 Old Cutler Road, Miami, FL 33156, +1 305.665.5475, www.miamidade.gov/parks/matheson-hammock | Hours Sunrise to sunset (office hours 8am–5pm)| Tip If the Red Fish Grill is too pricey, take Sunset Dr west from Old Cutler and you’ll find a variety of unique, more affordable restaurants, like Old Lisbon (5837 Sunset Dr, South Miami) and Shula’s 347 Grill (6915 Red Rd, Coral Gables).
On weekdays, the essentially empty Matheson Hammock becomes a personal paradise. Launch your boat and head out to sea from the park’s marina. Rent a kayak or paddleboard from one of the concession stands. You can even learn how to kiteboard here; harness the sea breeze and shred the calm waters below. Climb the rock formations that cordon off the bowl’s calm, shallow waters, which advance into and recede from the pool through submerged vents, directed by the alternating tides. Circumnavigate the waters of this huge saltwater puddle. Set up camp and sprawl out along any stretch of shoreline, moving your towel or chair to align with the sun throughout the day. Palm trees stitch the sand around the edges of the pool, evoking the feel of a desert island. In the distance, downtown Miami’s skyline shimmers. Adjust your perspective so that the cityscape lies perfectly between two palms, like a postcard come to life.
Cap off your day of swimming and sunbathing at the elegant Red Fish Grill on the shores of the wading beach. Grab a Corona and a piece of grilled local snapper, and watch the sky fade from pale blue to deep orange to dusk. Class dismissed.
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