Things to Do in Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay (2026 Guide)

Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay sit side by side along Old Cutler Road. Between them they hold two botanical gardens, a bayfront estate, a nature center and more ball fields than you can count. Most of it costs $8 or less. Hours and prices below were checked in October 2026.

Pinecrest Gardens

11000 Red Road, Pinecrest. Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $8 for ages 2 to 64, $5 for seniors 65 and up, and free for kids under 2 and for active military families. Parking is free.

This 14 acre garden is the old Parrot Jungle site. Your ticket covers the nature paths, the playground, the picnic areas and the mini viewing zoo, open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Splash ‘N Play water area runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closes when the temperature drops below 75 degrees. The Banyan Bowl amphitheater hosts jazz, family concerts and the Nights of Lights holiday festival in December.

Tip: Come on a Sunday. The farmers market sets up in the south parking lot from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and leashed dogs are welcome in the garden on Sundays 9 to 5 and Wednesdays 9 to 2. Pack a lunchbox, since coolers are not allowed.

Deering Estate

16701 SW 72nd Avenue, Palmetto Bay. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., gate closes at 4 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Adults 15 and up pay $18 plus tax, seniors 62 and up $16, kids 4 to 14 $10, kids 3 and under free. Parking is free.

Charles Deering’s 1920s bayfront estate is now a county park with historic houses, a mangrove boardwalk, the Garden Brook nature trail and a wide lawn on Biscayne Bay. A guided museum tour at 11:30 a.m. is included with admission. From October through May a nature preserve tour leaves daily at 12:30 p.m. The Stone House is closed for restoration.

Tip: Picnic in the Palm Grove overlooking the bay, but leave the grill and the dog at home. For the view alone, Deering Point at 17350 Old Cutler Road and the People’s Dock are open sunrise to sunset at no charge. More bayfront spots are in our South Dade on the Water guide.

Thalatta Estate Park

17301 Old Cutler Road, Palmetto Bay. From Sept. 1 through May 31, open Sunday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Summer hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thalatta is about four acres with a 1926 Mediterranean Revival house, gardens and a walking trail to the edge of Biscayne Bay. The village bought it in 2005 for $3.6 million to keep a developer from tearing the house down. It is the only village park with direct access to the bay.

Tip: The park closes early on Fridays and Saturdays for weddings. Go on a weekday morning. The trail connects to the Old Cutler bike path, so you can ride in from Deering next door.

Coral Reef Park

7895 SW 152nd Street, Palmetto Bay. Open sunrise to sundown. The Recreation Center is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and weekends 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Phone 305-253-8655.

This is Palmetto Bay’s big one at more than 50 acres: ball fields, a soccer field, a tennis center, beach volleyball, pickleball, batting cages, a covered playground and a walking path with exercise stations. A canal runs through it and a patch of native pineland is kept wild. There is a bandshell, a meditation garden and a cafe.

Tip: The tennis center is open weekdays 8 a.m. to noon and 3 to 10 p.m., weekends 8 to 8.

Ludovici Park and the Palmetto Bay Branch Library

17641 Old Cutler Road, Palmetto Bay. The park is open every day 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The library is open Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sundays. Phone 305-232-1771.

Ludovici is a small, shady park built around the library. The branch runs free programs all week: toddler story time Tuesday mornings, a teen group on Wednesdays, a monthly adult book club and Saturday crafts for kids. Some crafts need registration, so check the branch calendar first.

Tip: Deering Estate is a half mile south. Park once and do both.

Evelyn Greer Park

8200 SW 124th Street, Pinecrest. Open Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Phone 305-234-2110.

Ten acres of ball fields, batting cages, a shaded playground, a jogging track and outdoor exercise stations. The gazebo has a Wi-Fi spot and rents for $200 plus tax for three hours, a cheap option for a small birthday. Leslie Bowe Hall holds 150 people for bigger parties.

Flagler Grove Park and Suniland Park

Flagler Grove Park, 7551 SW 104th Street, Pinecrest, is a soccer and lacrosse park with a tot lot. Suniland Park, 12855 Pinecrest Parkway, has baseball, football and basketball, a playground, a gazebo and a meeting room. Both fill up with youth league games on weekends.

Tip: Call Pinecrest Parks at 305-284-0900 for field schedules before planning a pickup game.

Pinecrest Community Center

5855 Killian Drive, Pinecrest. Open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Saturday 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Phone 305-284-0900.

Inside is a full gym, group fitness classes, an indoor play zone for little kids and a cafe. Outside is a large playground. The indoor spaces are for fitness members and program participants, but anyone can use the playground and the restrooms next to it.

Pinecrest Branch Library

5835 SW 111th Street, Pinecrest. Open Monday through Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sundays. Phone 305-668-4571.

A quiet county branch a few blocks from Pinecrest Gardens. Any Miami-Dade library card works here. Our Moving to South Dade guide walks new residents through getting one.

Bill Sadowski Park and Nature Center

17555 SW 79th Avenue, Palmetto Bay. Nature center and trails open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone 305-255-4767.

Thirty acres with three habitats packed in: pineland, tropical hardwood hammock and a drained Everglades slough. The nature center has live native fish, reptiles, amphibians and bugs. A trail leads past solution holes in the limestone to a canal where you can fish or launch a canoe.

Tip: This is a county park, so camps and programs are booked through ParkLink.

Chapman Field Park

13601 Deering Bay Drive, just north of Pinecrest. Open sunrise to sunset. Phone 305-665-3837.

At 483 acres, this former Army airfield is the biggest green space on this stretch of the bay, with nature trails, lighted ball fields and a 3.5 acre off leash dog park. The county runs guided kayak trips from here.

Tip: The canoe and kayak launch ramp is closed until further notice for construction. Check the county park page before you load the boat.

Perrine Wayside Dog Park

16425 S. Dixie Highway, Palmetto Bay. Open every day 8 a.m. to sundown. Phone 305-259-1234.

Three landscaped acres built for dogs and their people, right on U.S. 1. Pinecrest’s own off leash spot is Pawcrest Park on SW 130th Street, with separate areas for big and small dogs.

The Falls

8888 SW 136th Street, Miami. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The open air mall at U.S. 1 and SW 136th Street is the closest big shopping and dining stop for both villages. Macy’s, Apple and Sephora are here, along with Bulla Gastrobar and an Arcade Time game center.

FAQ

Which of these places charge admission?

Pinecrest Gardens ($8 adults) and Deering Estate ($18 plus tax for adults). The village and county parks and the libraries list no admission charge on their websites.

Where can I bring my dog?

Perrine Wayside Dog Park, Pawcrest Park and the dog park at Chapman Field are built for it. Pinecrest Gardens allows leashed dogs on Sundays and Wednesday mornings. Deering Estate does not allow pets.

What is free to do with kids?

The playgrounds at Coral Reef Park, Evelyn Greer Park and the Pinecrest Community Center, the nature trail at Bill Sadowski Park, and the story times and Saturday crafts at both library branches.

Which spot is best for a picnic on the water?

Deering Estate’s Palm Grove has picnic tables with a bay view, and admission covers it. Thalatta Estate Park has benches and a trail to the water, but note the short Friday and Saturday hours.

Where do I find this week’s events?

The South Dade events calendar lists concerts, markets and festivals across the area. Headed farther south? Read our Downtown Homestead guide.

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