One of Miami-Dade’s most treasured county parks, Matheson Hammock Park, sits on a peninsula that extends into Biscayne Bay. The park spans 630 acres of coastal Miami just south of Coral Gables, surrounding parts of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. It first opened to the public in 1930, after William J. Matheson donated prime waterfront property to Miami-Dade County.
The park includes vast stretches of Florida mangroves and hardwood forests, as well as planned green spaces designed by landscape architect William Lyman Phillips. Along with Matheson Hammock Park, Phillips designed Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in 1938.
The park is thoughtfully laid out. Phillips worked closely with the Civilian Conservation Corps to design a park that would feature South Florida’s beautiful water views and offer a welcoming atmosphere for visitors. Its winding road was designed to take visitors through three important Florida landscapes, starting with swamp and dense mangrove forests and ending at an open cove overlooking Biscayne Bay.
Matheson Hammock Park’s natural backdrop also makes it perfectly suited for special occasions, such as outdoor weddings.