Located on the idyllic barrier island of Key Biscayne, right on Biscayne Bay, Crandon Park is popular for its beautiful beach, rich coastal environment, unique fossilized mangrove reef, protected wetlands, birding sites and extensive range of sports and outdoor activities.
In 1908, a wealthy businessman by the name of Commodore William John Matheson purchased 1,700 acres of northern Key Biscayne property and turned it into a coconut plantation. In 1940, the heirs of Commodore Matheson donated the plantation to Miami-Dade County with the condition that it be used as a public park. To thank the Matheson family for the donation, Charles H. Crandon, Chairman of the County Commission, offered to have the county build a causeway – now Rickenbacker Causeway – connecting Key Biscayne to mainland Miami. The park was eventually named after Charles H. Crandon, and today it is visited by locals and tourists from across the globe.