The Parks Department

South Pointe Park

South Pointe Park is one of my favorite places in all of Miami Beach. Sitting at the southern tip of the island (hence the name), the park extends from the bay side all the way out to the ocean on the other end. A great example of how a park can fit into the urban landscape, you can get great views of the Atlantic Ocean, Fisher Island, the Port of Miami and Downtown Miami all in one place. There’s even a Miami branch of the famous steak restaurant Smith and Wollensky if you desire high end steak and seafood by the water.

The park is basically on the edge of the water, bordered by Government Cut. There is a concrete walkway with only a thin patch of grass and rocks until you reach the water. It makes for a very nice walk up and down the island as you are always surrounded by the water to your immediate south. Among other views, you can sometimes catch cruise ships leaving from the Port of Miami as they enter into the Atlantic Ocean.

Bordering the walk way is open space, perfect for lounging on the grass, tossing a ball around or playing with the dog. While the western part of the park tends towards a basic open space, the eastern part of the park becomes more controlled, but with a very unique hill that is a mixture of natural grass and concrete steps. In the flat, sea level city of Miami Beach, it is not often that you see even the slightest bit of elevation, and it gives the park a unique trademark.

As you walk further east, you get to the 1st street beach area and a rock pier that you can walk out onto. The rock pier runs parallel to the old wooden pier, which in my opinion should reopen, because what a great walk it would be out into the Atlantic Ocean! The rock pier begins smoothly but soon becomes a mound of jagged rocks that is not as inviting to me as perhaps it is to others.

If you are looking for a park with great views, close to the beach and a place to take the dog or just lounge around with friends, consider South Pointe Park. It does not have the wide open area of other parks reviewed in this blog, but for scenery and location, it cannot be beat! More pictures below!

View of exclusive Fisher Island, richest zip code in the country

Off kilter statue for an off kilter city

On top of the hill, looking at the ocean

David T. Kennedy Park

David T. Kennedy Park is in the Miami neighborhood of Coconut Grove, the city’s oldest neighborhood and certainly one of its most vibrant. The park sits on the eastern edge of the city, just before Miami gives way to the water. Public access to waterfront land is a big thing that is missing from Miami, but as long as places like Kennedy Park exist we should take full advantage of them. Though at times the water might be hidden behind trees entirely, you can never truly forget it is there. In a way it is comforting, knowing that at some point the land must stop, Miami’s rapid development must stop, we can all stop to sit and look out at the ocean.

When I first came to Kennedy Park, it was to play soccer, and we picked one of the many open space areas to set up matches. At times there were even nets to play with, although they were absent on this visit. There is also a sandpit and nets set up for beach volleyball.

Other features of the park include a playground for young kids, a bike path that surrounds the whole park, and a dock that leads you to the other side of the park, bordered by the water and mangroves. Mangroves surround the park, and the area is dotted with a mixture of different kinds of trees, from pines to palms. The most interesting trees to me were those seen below, all bending at the same way towards the water.

Once you cross the small dock to the other side of the park, there are two separate, fenced off areas exclusively for dogs. Although there were many dogs on leashes in the other parts of the park, this would seem to be the area where dogs can truly stretch their legs, roam free, and just act like dogs. There is even a water fountain fit for man and beast!

On a hot day like today, you might be tempted to jump right into the water that borders the park. Luckily there is A.C.’s Icees, a Miami institution! Quench your thirst with a frozen lemonade or delicious fresh squeezed juice.

Kennedy Park would be a cool place even away from the water, but sitting on the edge of Coconut Grove along Biscayne Bay really sets it apart. What Miami needs is public access to waterfront land, and more of it! More waterfront parks, more public beaches, more places where we can go and enjoy the coastal region we all live in. Thank you to Michelle for taking the photos, there are more after the jump.