Things to Do in Cutler Bay (2026 Guide)

Walkway and flagpole at Lakes by the Bay Park in Cutler Bay

Cutler Bay is a town that loves to get outside. It has a big lake you can paddle, lighted courts for pickleball, shady neighborhood parks and lighted ball fields. It also throws some big town parties. This guide covers the Town’s parks, yearly events and nature projects.

PADDLE AND PLAY AT LAKES BY THE BAY PARK

Start with the Town’s biggest park. Lakes By the Bay Park covers 45 acres at 8551 SW 216th Street, one block east of SW 87th Avenue, right behind Whigham Elementary School.

On the Town’s side you will find:

Three lighted baseball and softball fields
Four batting cages
Two lighted fields for soccer, football and lacrosse
A 0.6-mile exercise path with fitness stations
A covered playground
Restrooms, a concession building and parking for about 100 cars

The best part may be the water. A canoe and kayak launch opened here in December 2020, along with three pavilions. Use the entrance on SW 85th Avenue, just south of SW 212th Street, or walk the short trail from the north end of the main lot.

Want a guide? Nature Postings runs guided kayak tours on the park’s 23-acre lake. The tours run from 10 to 11:30 a.m., cost $10 per person and include all the gear. Kids as young as 5 can go. Each tour is capped at 24 people, so sign up early. For questions, call (786) 732-6719.

Take a walk while you are there. The Town has been planting a tropical hardwood hammock in the park. It started as a resident idea in 2016. The first phase added 73 trees, and the second phase added 76 more canopy trees along the walking trails and benches. The trees give shade and a home for wildlife.

PICKLEBALL AND TENNIS AT SAGA BAY PARK

Saga Bay Park is the place for racquet sports. This 5-acre park at 8000 SW 205th Street, on the corner of SW 79th Avenue, has two lighted tennis courts and six lighted pickleball courts. There is also outdoor fitness equipment, a covered playground, a paved walking path and restrooms.

The court lights stay on late. They run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

QUIET PARKS FOR A SLOW AFTERNOON

These smaller parks are good for a picnic or some time in the shade.

Saga Lake Park. This 5-acre park sits on Saga Lake along SW 198th Street. It is mostly a quiet park, with a picnic pavilion and lots of shade. It also has a paved fitness path and a practice baseball and softball field.

Whispering Pines Park. At 8800 Ridgeland Drive, this 1.3-acre park is in the middle of the Whispering Pines neighborhood. It is well shaded and has a covered playground and a picnic pavilion. It sits next to the Ned Glenn Nature Preserve. Since the 1960s, it has been the meeting spot for the Whispering Pines 4th of July Parade.

Lincoln City Park. This is one of the Town’s smallest parks, at just over half an acre. You will find it one block north of SW 216th Street and one block west of Old Cutler Road. A 2018 study found the land qualified as environmentally endangered, so the Town named it a Pine Rockland natural preserve. A state forestry grant helped pay to replant trees and bring the park back to its natural habitat.

BALL FIELDS AND YOUTH SPORTS

Youth leagues play at Town parks all year:

Youth baseball and softball (Perrine Baseball and Softball Association)
Youth flag football (Under Armour Flag Football)
Youth tackle football (Palmetto Raiders)
Youth soccer (Albion Soccer Club)
Youth swim and water polo (Miami Riptides)

These leagues run on their own, so you sign up and pay through each group directly.

Franjo Park, at 20175 Franjo Road, is the longtime home of the Perrine Baseball and Softball Association. The 5-acre park has three lighted fields, batting cages, restrooms, a community room and a concession building. It just got new LED sports lights, shade canopies and dugouts.

Bel Aire Park, at 18500 SW 97th Avenue, is home to the Palmetto Raiders tackle football and cheer program. It has a lighted field, restrooms and a picnic pavilion.

CUTLER RIDGE PARK

Cutler Ridge Park is a 10-acre park at 10100 SW 200th Street, next to Cutler Ridge Elementary School. It has a recreation building, lighted and unlighted fields, a picnic pavilion, a covered playground and picnic areas for small groups.

Please note that the pool at Cutler Ridge Park closed on Feb. 27, 2026. The Town suggests these nearby pools instead:

Goulds Pool at Joe and Enid W. Demps Park, 11350 SW 216th Street
West Perrine Park and Pool, 10301 SW 170th Terrace
Helen Sands Pool at South Dade Park, 28151 SW 164th Avenue
Ruby George Park and Pool, 201 SW 11th Avenue, Homestead

TOWN EVENTS TO PUT ON YOUR CALENDAR

Cutler Bay knows how to throw a party. Watch for these each year.

Chili Cook Off. This is the big one. The 16th Annual Chili Cook Off on Jan. 24, 2026, drew more than 6,200 people to Cutler Ridge Park, a new record. Guests tried free chili, salsa and cornbread samples and visited food trucks and vendor booths. Hometown band Cutler Stew played, and kids had a zone with inflatables and face painting.

Wings Over the Bay. Each March, local restaurants and home cooks bring their best buffalo, grilled and parmesan wings to Cutler Ridge Park for a judged contest. Guests vote for a People’s Choice winner too. The 9th annual event was held March 14, 2026.

Read the full issue »

Summer and holiday fun. The Town also hosts a 4th of July Celebration and a Golf Cart Parade. Details on this year’s Holiday Golf Cart Parade, Toy Drive and Winter Celebration are coming soon.

Giving back. You can also roll up your sleeves. Read how 200 volunteers turned out for the Town’s largest cleanup, and how the Cutler Bay Open golf tournament raised money for the community.

FOR ACTIVE ADULTS

Cutler Bay residents age 55 and up can join the Town’s Active Adults program. It runs all year with classes, events and trips. Recent offerings have included line dancing, painting and a Frost Museum field trip. Call the Parks and Recreation office at (786) 573-5502 to learn more.

NATURE PROJECTS TO WATCH

The Town is working to protect more green space near the bay.

Coastal Ridge Preserve. The Town bought this 8.43-acre property at 18551 Old Cutler Road in 2020. It sits next to the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands and acts as a natural buffer against storms and rising seas.

Veterans Park. At 20002 Old Cutler Road, this future quiet park will honor all veterans.

Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands. In December 2025, the Town joined federal, state and regional partners to celebrate the completion of this big restoration project. It is meant to improve water quality and make the coast stronger.

One more note: Blue Heron Park, at 21900 SW 97th Avenue, is temporarily closed.

GET OUT ON THE BAY

Cutler Bay is close to some of the best water in South Florida. Black Point Park and Marina is just down the road. Our guide to South Dade on the water has more on it and other bayfront spots. For a full day trip, see our guide to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. If you want to explore the next towns over, try Things to Do in Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay or Things to Do in Downtown Homestead.

FAQ

What is the best park in Cutler Bay for little kids?

Lakes By the Bay Park, Saga Bay Park, Cutler Ridge Park and Whispering Pines Park all have covered playgrounds.

Can I kayak in Cutler Bay?

Yes. Lakes By the Bay Park has a canoe and kayak launch off SW 85th Avenue. Guided tours cost $10 per person, with gear included.

Is the Cutler Ridge Park pool open?

No. The pool closed on Feb. 27, 2026. Nearby pools include Goulds Pool at Demps Park and West Perrine Park and Pool.

Where can I play pickleball in Cutler Bay?

Saga Bay Park, at 8000 SW 205th Street, has six lighted pickleball courts and two lighted tennis courts.

What are the biggest yearly events in Cutler Bay?

The Chili Cook Off in January is the largest. Wings Over the Bay comes in March, and the Town also hosts a 4th of July Celebration and a holiday golf cart parade.