Wanderbrush

For the final day of our Florida adventure, we said goodbye to Key West in the morning and began our slow journey back up through the Florida Keys. With a 10 p.m. flight ahead of us, we had one last goal in mind: visiting our final Florida park—Biscayne National Park.

Unlike the other parks in the state, Biscayne is 95% water, which makes exploring it a little different and a lot more exciting. The best way to experience the park is by booking one of the excursions through the Biscayne National Park Institute, which offers everything from guided paddling and snorkeling to heritage boat tours and even scuba dives. Since we had a flight that evening, we chose their 3.5-hour snorkeling tour, which struck the perfect balance of adventure without overextending our day.

The drive from Key West to the Dante Fascell Visitor Center took about three hours. We broke up the trip with a quick seafood stop at Twisted Shrimp in Islamorada – nothing fancy, but a perfect Keys-style bite. As we drove, we soaked up our final glimpses of turquoise water, colorful cottages, and breezy palms, already dreaming of our next trip back.

We arrived at the visitor center around 1:00 p.m., just in time to check in for our 1:30 p.m. tour. With a few extra minutes, we browsed the gift shop and grabbed a couple of souvenirs – because of course we did. We read about the history of the park and all of the different wildlife and sea creatures that call the Biscayne Bay home.

From the visitor center, we made our way down to the docks to gear up with our snorkeling equipment before boarding the boat. Once everyone was settled in, our captain gave a brief but informative safety talk and shared a bit of background on the park and the marine ecosystems we were about to explore.

Our first snorkeling stop was a shallow site featuring a sunken barge, now transformed into a rust-covered reef teeming with life. The once industrial structure had become a thriving underwater habitat, with schools of colorful fish darting in and out of its crevices. It was vibrant proof of how nature reclaims and repurposes in the most fascinating ways.

I brought along my underwater film camera and attempted to capture some of the sea life we spotted at this first breathtaking stop. It was a colorful scene beneath the surface. An abundance of angelfish and parrotfish glided past us with effortless grace as we floated above the reef. At one point, we even spotted a few sleek barracudas, hovering nearby with their signature stillness and unmistakable glint. It felt like swimming through a living postcard.

We snorkeled at this first location for 45 minutes before the captain whistled and called for us to return back to the boat to start our journey to our second location.

For our second stop, the captain anchored near a shallow shoreline lined with mangrove trees, where a long stretch of vibrant reef awaited us. This spot was absolutely teeming with life. Fish and sea creatures darted by in every direction, making it feel like we’d dropped into an underwater highway.

The water here was so shallow that we could simply float and watch the scene unfold beneath us. Angelfish, parrotfish, snapper, grunts, and countless others drifted by, weaving through the coral and mangrove roots. It was peaceful, colorful, and endlessly mesmerizing.

Another 45 minutes slipped by in what felt like seconds as we soaked in the beauty of this incredible spot. Eventually, we were gently called back to the boat to begin the journey back toward the visitor center. But before heading to the dock, our captain made a slight detour, hoping to treat us to a glimpse of one of the area’s most beloved residents: manatees.

The boat slowly cruised through a quiet section of the marina, where fishing boats were returning from their trips and cleaning their catch. In the center of it all sat a fish-washing station, which, as we learned, plays an unexpected role in local wildlife sightings.

Manatees are drawn to freshwater, and runoff from the cleaning station often creates the perfect conditions to spot them. Sure enough, within moments, a few gentle giants surfaced right beside our boat, their round snouts breaking the water with slow, graceful breaths. It was a magical and peaceful end to an already unforgettable afternoon. It happened so quickly I did not get any pictures, but this is a memory that will stay in my mind forever.

After this thrilling experience and the perfect way to end our tour, we returned to our dock, said goodbye to our captain and tour group and started our journey to get food before catching our flight back home.

Biscayne National Park is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated gems in the National Park system. With its crystal-clear waters, thriving coral reefs, and vibrant marine life, it offers a completely different kind of park experience, one that is immersive, peaceful, and deeply connected to nature.

What makes Biscayne truly special is how untouched it feels. The commitment to preserving both the ecosystem and the cultural history of the area is evident in every part of the experience, from the knowledgeable guides to the carefully maintained snorkeling sites.

For anyone looking to step off the beaten path and experience the wild beauty of Florida beyond its beaches and theme parks, this park is a must. Whether you’re paddling through mangroves, diving among coral reefs, or simply floating in the shallows watching fish drift by, Biscayne has a quiet magic that stays with you long after you leave. It absolutely deserves a spot on any nature lover’s bucket list.

So long Biscayne and so long to Florida (for now) – you were nothing short of amazing.