Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

This place is like an all-inclusive paradise 😌You get fresh air, beautiful nature, and plenty of space to explore. There are great hiking options, like the Beach Hammock Trail and an unpaved trail for a more rugged adventure. There’s so much to do—visit the Butterfly Garden, relax in Marti’s Meditation Garden, have a picnic in the North Picnic Area, or check out the Public Floating Boat Dock and Adventure Rentals. And if you’re in the mood for the beach, it’s just a five-minute walk away ☺️ For only $4 entry, this spot is a perfect weekend plan. Trust me, it’s one of the best choices you can make😎

Absolutely loved our time at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park! From the moment we stepped into the shaded trails filled with massive, twisting banyan trees to spotting a wild green iguana soaking in the sun—this place felt like a hidden jungle in the middle of the city. The Beach Hammock Trail offered a peaceful 20-minute walk through Florida’s natural beauty and history, and the air was fresh with that earthy, coastal scent you only get near the ocean. This park is the real Florida—lush, wild, and magical. Perfect for families, nature lovers, or anyone looking to escape the noise for a little while. Highly recommend taking your time here, and don’t forget your camera! We’ll definitely be back.

My new favorite nature park! Many walking trails through dense foliage, the biggest Banyan Tree I've seen in awhile, a nice covered Tiki Restaurant & Bar, lots of BBQ Grills & picnic tables on the Intracoastal that you can pull your car up to, and the best part is they only charge $6 for all day parking and you can walk across the street to the beach! All right there on the corner of Sunrise & A1A! I can't believe I just discovered this hidden gem after living in this area for 30 years! 🏖🌞🏝🌊🌅 🛳🛥🚤

5/30/25 Ashley, Bronco, and I went on walk through the nature trails at the State Park, very beautiful, saw different birds, trees, and a turtle. Peaceful busy park, well kept, recommend going. Another entrance is via the beach area as well.

Hugh Taylor Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale is a hidden gem that offers a perfect blend of nature and recreation. The lush, tropical landscape, with its towering trees and serene waterways, creates a peaceful escape from the city hustle. I loved hiking through the hammock trees near the mangrove-lined canals, spotting wildlife like raccoons along the way. The park’s well-maintained trails are great for walking or biking, and the beach access is a fantastic bonus for a quick dip in the ocean. The picnic areas and playgrounds make it family-friendly, while the quiet corners are ideal for solo relaxation. The staff is friendly, and the park is clean and welcoming. Whether you’re a local or a visitor, this park is a must-visit for a rejuvenating day outdoors!

Stopped by Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and loved the nice looped trail! The 2-mile paved path is perfect for a quick walk or bike ride, winding through shady trees and along the water. Easy to navigate and super relaxing—great spot for a chill outdoor break!

I've visited this park the last 4yrs with my Homestead PAL Members and it's been phenomenal. We rent out the primitive camp site and take advantage of the fishing, kayaking, bicycling, nature trails and beach day, as everything is centrally located within our 100yds outside of the park. The staff there it's amazing.

Really lovely park with nice trails inside. Direct beach access (you just have to walk through the restaurant (I don’t recommend their food)). The signage within the park isn’t great. We paid $6 entrance fee to get in (2 ppl), it was worth it.

I love this state park! It does get crowded in the weekend at the entrance, but once you get in there's so many spots for you to choose from. It's a perfect place to have a picnic.

I have not been in this park in a few years and just coincidentally ended up walking in there Saturday with a friend and on Sunday with a different friend. I saw parts of the park that I had not seen before. On Saturday we walked through the butterfly garden, although there were no bushes in bloom or butterflies to be seen. We also walked through the meditation Garden which I knew existed however had not seen it before. There are lots of benches to sit on and meditate however they are in the sun. Wish they had created it in a more shaded area. On Sunday I walked into the area where the women's gardening center is. There is a beautiful huge Kapok tree in that area. This is a wonderful Park that also provides beach access to many due to the parking lots on the east side.

The Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is conveniently located at A1A & Sunrise Blvd in East Fort Lauderdale. We entered the park on foot and paid $2.00 each. Walked about ten minutes down a road surrounded by trees and small wildlife. Bee hives, Gopher Tortoises and tranquil pedestrian paths throughout. Finally, we arrived at the Fort Lauderdale water taxi dock where we were picked up to start our adventure.

Located in the middle of Fort Lauderdale City, Hugh Taylor Birch State Park offers a nice escape from the busy city life. You can go camping, picnicking, kayaking, canoeing. It is a good place to park your car for a much cheaper rate than at the beach. It is full of lush greenery and a nice place to bike as well. There is a 105 year old banyan tree. There is a small restaurant inside. Water taxi has a stop here.

Went here with a friend to have a coffee and take a walk around the park. We paid $3 each to get in on Tuesday, the day before New Years. It is a huge area with plenty of places to park and to hike. There are also beautiful areas to sit and watch the boats and yachts sailing on the Intracoastal Waterway. There is a nice cafe where you can get a bite to eat or something to drink and sit on tables facing the ocean. It is very pretty there and there are quite a few shaded areas. While it was pretty crowded being in the holiday season, there was still plenty of areas to find seclusion. We arrived at about 11:30 AM. While your there, you can also access the beach, if you want to have some beach time. Definitely, a great place in the middle of so much development.

Even I am surprised that I have never visited this park. I enjoyed walking the interior of the park and enjoying the views of the waterfront. I didn't get to try out the restaurant but would love to return and spend more time here. Great for downtime and relaxing.

I have never been here before. Today I went to Fort Lauderdale beach and noticed I was literally right opposite this park. I had a quick look, walking through their outside cafe and through to the park. From what I saw I was impressed. I plan to come back on another day in my car to drive around the whole area to see whats what!

Nice peaceful state park in the middle of the Fort Lauderdale beach area; by A1A and Sunrise Blvd. I come here every week to visit my LW memorial bench facing the Intracoastal. Real peaceful; she liked the water.

A nice afternoon out with the family. Trees, plants, flowers, animals. Walking, hiking, bicycling, boating. There's a lot. It would take hours to explore it all.

My friend and his family were coming down from Tampa to escape the hurricane (total role reversal, right?) and wanted somewhere cool to go kayaking. I did a frantic search during the week, which led me to High Taylor Birch State Park. I had seen it many times before because I go to the beach for sunrises and full moon swims in that area. Additionally my friends from Aikido have been wanting to come to Park and Ocean (located within HTBSP) for drinks after class for a long time, but it just hasn't happened yet. I was unsuccessful in trying to get a hold of someone when I called during the week, but I figured if worse came to worse, we could just spend the day at the beach instead. I showed up early on Saturday to find out if we would be successful with our plan. The staff at the entrance were extremely helpful in directing me to the kayak rentals and navigating the park in general, as they could tell I'd never been there before. They let me know that the kayaking facilities were operated by Park And Ocean and gave me a map of the park and directions to the kayaks as well. The park is lush and very well maintained, with access through Park and Ocean to the beach. I'll get to the kayaking adventure in the review for Park and Ocean later. There were many cyclists earlier in the morning, so there may be riding trails here as well. After we finished our kayak day complete with rain, and went to the ocean for a bit, HTBSP has an educational reptile show at 1:00pm. It was extremely informative and Mark was able to answer all of our questions. All of the snakes were native, nonvenomous, and unique. It was a great addition to our day. I love our South Florida State Parks and HTBSP is no exception. Come check out the hiking, biking and kayaking trails. It's a great way to spend the day with family and friends.

Fort Lauderdale's Very Own State Park Located In-Between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal with an Abundance of Activity in the Middle! There is Much to be Desired No Matter if you are looking for Fun, Activities, Family Time, Exercise, or to be One with Nature! The Huge Taylor Birch became Fort Lauderdale's State Park in 1941 Creating a Captivating and Serene Spot for All to Enjoy. Outside of the Hustle & Bustle of Fort Lauderdale, Enjoy the Calm Senses with Nature! The Park does Require an Entrance Fee or you can become a Yearly Park Member. Fees -$2 for Pedestrians/Bicycle -$4 Scooter/Motorcycle -$6 Vehicle -$60 Yearly for 1 Person -$120 Yearly for Family 2+ --Park Hours are 8AM to SUNSET 365 Days a Year-- The Activities are Endless ~Picnic Pavilions with Charcoal Grills ~1.9 Mile Paved Road for Biking, Roller Blading, Walking/Running, Sightseeing, and More! ~Fishing (Intracoastal Style) ~Camping ~Paddle Boarding/Canoe Rentals ~Play Ground ~Off Road Hiking/Segway Trails ~Wildlife Sightings & Live Animal Programs Just to List a Few! The Park also has Public Restrooms, Plenty of Parking All Around, Access to Park & Ocean Restaurant for Beverages and Food, and you can also have a Bench Dedicated in your Name!

An oasis in a bustling city. When one visits Fort Lauderdale, one is greeted by a ton of skyrises, lots of traffic and lots of beachfront. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is truly a repreve from the crowded city and is conveniently located in the heart of A1A state road. We spent 2 hours walking on the various trails of the State Park, it's super cheap and very well maintained. We saw the gorgeous mangroves and learnt how important they ar eto the eco system of the barrier island. We were greeted by lots of cool tropical birds, butterflies, tiny lizards, fish and even an iguana. Highly recommend this State Park to be part of your itinerary next time you are in the Fort Lauderdale area.

Went on a field trip with the school for canoeing and the children had a great time! It is full of things to do, like canoeing, kayaking, boating, etc Also the trees they have there are from all over the world each with history and signs with descriptions. Can go biking , hiking, swimming or camping. I saw lots of people just hanging out by the water with family and friends barbecuing. They also have a children's playground. Parking to get in is $5 per day. The beach is in a minute walking distance . Great place, plenty of restaurants around it plus they had a small restaurant inside the park with a bar. Bathrooms were clean

It's really a nice quite place to exercise in the morning. You can go there with your partner, friends, or family just because lol. Clean environment and a lot to see!

Fort Lauderdale has a population density of over 4,800 people per square mile. The residents and visitors are fortunate to have a slice of wilderness amid the highly developed urban area. Hugh Taylor Birch is the city's own "Central Park," complete with gopher tortoises and boat access from the intracoastal waterway. It's easy to see why Hugh Taylor Birch wanted to preserve his estate for future generations to enjoy -- it's an oasis perfect for relaxation and exercise. Birch State Park was once home to Hugh Taylor Birch, a prominent Chicago attorney, real estate investor, and naturalist, who deeded 180-acres of his hidden paradise to the State of Florida in 1941. It is a great park to walk, job, bike, fish, swim, picnic, etc....You can also rent equipment to go Canoeing, Kayaking, Paddleboarding or just simply Pedaling the Boats. The park looks the way the region looked centuries ago....it's an unspoiled parcel of land that has been kept undeveloped for generations to come. Opened to the public as a state park in the early '50s, his priceless gift remains an enduring legacy of green for residents and tourists to enjoy. Birch also gave his daughter, Helen, 35 acres to the south of the park as a wedding present and oversaw the construction of what is now Bonnet House Museum and Gardens (later given to Florida Trust for Historic Preservation). Birch gave the City of Fort Lauderdale its economic engine when he donated almost three-miles of beach with the stipulation that it remain visible and accessible to the public forever. This gift is why Birch was inducted into the Fort Lauderdale Hall of Fame and dubbed, "The Father of Fort Lauderdale Beach". The park is adjacent to Fort Lauderdale Beach, one of the most popular beaches in the state. Beach access is open 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., daily. During the summer months, south Florida beaches host one of the largest loggerhead sea turtle nesting grounds in the world. Nests will be marked, so if you see any, please mind the designated areas as well as other sensitive habitats which contain some designated species including sea oats and beach peanut. Please mind the lifeguard flags when swimming, indicating water and surf conditions or rip currents. During the summer, if you are visiting the beaches in the evening, please use red L.E.D. lighting only as white light startles nesting female sea turtles and potentially disorients hatchling sea turtles. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. until Sunset, 365 days a year....access to the Beach Gate closes 30 minutes before Park closing time......access to the North Gate closes 15 minutes before Park closing time. The entrance fee is: $2.00 Pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers, passengers in vehicle with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Pass...$4.00 Single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle......$6.00 per vehicle - Limit 2-8 people per vehicle. The Individual Annual Entrance Pass is $60 and is good for any Florida State park.

My wife and I visited Hugh Taylor Burch State Park on a Saturday afternoon in October. I'm disappointed I had never been before because it was such a nice place! We didn't spend much time, but we drove a few laps around the loop before visiting the Park & Ocean restaurant. There so many nice spots to stop for a picnic or setup a hammock and just relax. The whole west side of the loop is up against the inter coastal, so finding a spot and watching the boats go by would be a great way to spend an evening, can't wait to go spend more time at the park!

Hugh Taylor Birch state park has so much to offer. The 22 acre property runs from the intercoastal to A1A. It has a meditation garden, labyrinth, and butterfly garden. You can drive the 1.5 mile loop and park along the intercoastal. I had shrimp cocktail from Whole Foods while watching the boats go by. There is a fresh water lake closer to the A1A side of the park. They have kayaks and canoes for rent. I highly suggest taking one of the tours. They have sunset tours daily and full moon kayak tours once a month. Register at Parkandbeach.com There is a tunnel that will take you under A1A to the beach. You can cross by the restaurant. Many people like to relax at the tables in front of A1A outside of Park and Beach. There is something for everyone here. Wallk nature trails or the loop. Rent bikes to ride around the park or chairs for the beach. There is even a small gift shop with necessities.

The place is quite inconvenient for $6 parking fee. The restaurant seemed nice. We stayed at a pavilion and parking was a nightmare. I feel like there are other parks with better parking options we will stick to in the future. The inter-coastal area with the benches are really nice but right next to cars so not safe for kiddos. We also saw some turtles so that was nice.

Very quite and peaceful place to walk or take a break from the busy outside world. Hidden gem highly recommended.

Plenty of green space and a great place in the back to walk along the intercoastal or sit. Cheap way to park and go to the beach

This has to be my favorite park and beach location in the Fort Lauderdale area. Admission is only $6 per vehicle. The park is a really good size with long walking trails throughout the dense forest. It's also along the intracoastal waterway where you can chill on one of the picnic tables and admire the view of all the yachts going by. If you park at the first parking lot towards the right, after the entrance booth, you'll be nice and close to the Park and Ocean bar and the crosswalk to get to the beach; very convenient. There's lifeguard stations, and if you need to use the restroom, you can do so at the bar.

Kinda crazy on my part to have never visited here in over 20 years of living in south Florida. Life hack to paying for beach parking $6 all day until 5:30 when they close the tunnel access to beach. You can rent canoes and kayaks. There are multiple and decent length nature trails. Few parks. Lots of scenic views. A butterfly garden (even though I went I guess off season and only saw a single one). I thought it was a very nice park and had a nice time walking through it. I would definitely come back and recommend going.

Haven't been here in years . Super nice park for a picnic, bathing ,walking kayak and more. Nice little gift store as well as restaurant .There is a playground , garden area and many trails . I choose the path of the bike today because it was not so secluded although I love the primitive area but if you are on a time limit it's best to do the shorter path . Hope you get to check out this park . If you want a spot near the beach area best to get there early .

This is a great state park for getting exercising such as walking, running, and biking. There are also non-motorized boats such as canoes and kayaks for rent. At $6 for entry fee, it's a great place to park for the Fort Lauderdale beach. We went there to see nature and unfortunately we didn't see much of that. We walked a few trails and saw a lot of plants and greenery but hardly any wild life. I sat along the canal for a while and saw a brief sighting of a few manatee. I wish I would have noticed them sooner. So cool!!! The water taxi picks up and drops off within the park. Many people were walking their dogs and riding bikes. Others seemed to enter for the beach. I think a one time visit here was enough for me. If I lived in the area I would probably have an annual pass for the state parks and visit more often.

Broward County has two Florida State Parks, Hugh Taylor Birch and Dr. Von D. Mizell - Eula Johnson. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park is named in honor of Chicago attorney and counsel for Standard Oil, Hugh Taylor Birch (1848-1943) who came to the area in 1893 in search of a winter home. He was sailing down the coast in 1893, when he had to take cover and found a small camp in present day Ft. Lauderdale. At the time there were was only a store, a few houses and the remains of an old army post. He purchased beach front land for a dollar an acre and eventually owned a 3.5 mile stretch of beach. In 1920 he built a large home and gardens for his daughter Helen and her husband, Chicago artist Frederic Clay Bartlett. It is preserved today as the Bonnet House and Gardens, adjoining the park property. In 1940 Birch built his Art Deco style home for $15,000 on his 180 acre estate he named Terramar, meaning land to the sea. Birch wished to preserve his unspoiled paradise so he donated it to the state park system. On December 31, 1941 the Florida Board of Forestry and Parks took possession of the land and created what is now Hugh Taylor Birch State Park which was opened and dedicated January 27, 1951. Today the Birch house is an interpretive center and museum. The park serves as a refuge to the endangered gopher tortoise. The park sits on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Intracoastal. One of the earliest structures to be built in the park is the Elks Youth Camp. It consists of six cabins with dining and kitchen facilities. The largest coastal dune lake in the park is Lake Helen. Since the 1950's the park has been offering canoe rentals so people could see the wildlife and birds in the park. In the mid-60s until the mid-80s, a sightseeing train took visitors around the park trails in a three-mile loop. The center of the park is the remains of the gardens from the Terramar days. Nearly 200 species of plants remain. Today a single occupant car costs $4 to enter the park. Two to eight people is $6. A 1.9 mile loop road circles the park. The first right along the loop takes you to the beach. The park also contains two nature trails. The Hammock Trail is a quarter mile interpretive trail in a native tropical hammock. The Exotic Trail, the result of an Eagle Scout project, leads you through the gardens. The parks concession stand, Park and Ocean operates a restaurant and rents kayaks and paddleboards. They also run eco tours. During my visit I saw a lot of families grilling at the picnic tables. The park provides a stunning view of the million dollar plus homes lining the intracoastal waterway. This is such a unique place. Those of us who live locally are so lucky that Hugh Taylor Birch had the foresight to protect and save this land for all of us to enjoy.

I am always looking for new places to try and stay active passed this park so many times without even knowing how huge it is , there is a very extensive walking trail and it's covered so the heat isn't too bad there is bunch of raccoons walking around so you may want to be careful with your surroundings also if you want to have lunch there is a nice restaurant closer to the beach

Great park if you are getting tired of the beach. There are a decent amount of trails for easy hikes and road for bikes. There are park employees in golf carts if you need any help. The best part are the picnic tables next to the intracoastal waterway. You can view waterfront mansion with boat traffic passing by. Beware of the trails if you don't have big repellent. They are extremely aggressive and will bite you even when you are swatting at them. Admission price is reasonable since the park is very well maintained

This place is a gem and we are so lucky to have something so beautiful and serene and preserved here in Fort Lauderdale. Walked here the other morning and it was so beautiful, clean and not very crowded. Will definitely be back. It's just so peaceful and beautiful

We had an extra day in Fort Lauderdale and didn't know what to do while in from out of town. One of our friends came across this park on Google Maps, read some reviews, looked at some photos and suggested we go check it out. So we ubered over and got dropped off at the gate. At first we felt weird walking up to the drive up window to pay the entrance fee. But the ranger there assured us people came to the park on foot all the time. We paid $6 total, she charged us for a car entrance fee instead of $2/each. Once in the park, we headed towards the visitor center. Which seems to be an old house converted into a meeting and info space. There we met a lady who showed us around and told us a bit about the park. She pointed us to to go to Park & Ocean next door, which was a bar/adventure rental/beach access place! Park & Ocean was awesome! The adventure rentals had: - beach cruisers, regular bikes, and tandem - pedal boats - jet ski rentals - kayaks - a few more things but I can't remember off the top of my head. We ended up renting a tandem for an hour which was $20 for the hour, and a beach cruiser which was $15 for an hour. Since we didn't have a car, we were able to ride the bikes on the 2 miles of road and see a lot more of the park! While 3 of us rode bikes, a friend hung back and got a beer at the shack. After we were done, a couple of us headed to the beach and jumped in the water. One of the rangers had a wildlife animal talk that we had just missed, but he was more than happy to show us the live animals he had that he was taking back to their homes. We saw a gopher turtle and an alligator! Pretty cool. Then while we were leaving the park, we came across another gopher turtle! Such awesome animals. Overall, this place was great and had something for everyone I felt!

My first time to this park. I can't believe I waited this long. It's one big park. They have so many walking paths here. If you like nature and walking. This is your park. You feel like you are in another state. There are canoes here to rent. They have a nice section here to go canoeing or sit and watch the crabs and ducks. It looks like they have paddle boats too. There are so many big trees here. They are amazing to me to see that after all the hurricanes we have been thru. We still have trees like this. I like that there are signs on some of them telling me about them.

This is one of our must-do spots in Ft Lauderdale...we biked it last time, but explored on foot today. The mangroves are spectacular to see in person, and there are breezy spots to relax by the intercostal waterway. If you're lucky, you'll catch a glimpse of gopher turtles rambling along. A great alternative to the beach, if you're looking for something different. Also Park & Ocean is a great spot in the park for a beer or burger!

I love this park! Offers a 2-mile-ish paved loop with small nature trails along the way if you want to make it interesting. Note: park in the very first lot though for the beach, as it's a one-way road and if you don't, you'll end up having to drive all the way around to get out! For $4, you can enjoy the park, then leave your car and stroll to the beach through a lovely tree-laden park. There is a small bar there as well with some microbrews. Nice! With your receipt you can come and go as you please all day. Really great. Highly recommended!

This is a a great place on the beach. We stopped by here past noon, went to the beachside restaurant (which was good) and then went and chilled out on the beach. There are also lots of paths here at this park. Beautiful to walk around here.

This is a little tropical oasis right across from the beach. I paid a mere $4 to enter by myself and I was free to park and roam anywhere in the park. The added pleasure to the park, was the easy access to the beach, which is accesible by a tunnel. I highly recommend this park to anyone looking for a little silence from the daily city and tourist areas. Plenty of serene trails and walking while being surrounded by the original nature and beauty of Florida.

Great place to picnic, fish, swimming, sunbathing and hiking. Almost feels exclusive. Watch the wildlife; turtles, birds, occasional iguana.. perfect for a lazy afternoon or sunset!

Great place to visit for an hour or two and see some beautiful scenery and local critters. Paying for parking sucks but at least it goes to the state park and isn't too expensive.

Lovely park, but my visit was soured by my family's experience entering the park. It's $2/person if you're walking into a park but it's $6/car if you drive in. So for my family of 4, it would cost $8 to walk in or $6 to drive in. Or technically, you can fit 7 people into a minivan and drive in for $6 where it would cost $14 if those same 7 people walked in. That's nonsensical. So my wife biked over from our hotel yesterday (3/15) and spoke with a staff at the front entrance and she was told that a family of 4 should be able to walk in for $6. Based on that information, we walked over from our hotel today (3/16) but was told by the girl at the front gate that no, we need to pay $8. Even though the family of 5 in front of us got in for $6, just because they were in a car. My wife tried to reason with the girl at the front gate but she told us "You have to pay to get in." That's rude... we weren't trying to get in for free! We just wanted to pay what we would've paid if we drove in. You'd think that as a park, they would encourage people to walk/bike there instead of driving there... Either way, the switcheroo from what we were told on 3/15 to what we were told today is the biggest problem.

I can't believe I lived almost a full year in Downtown Fort Lauderdale and just found out about this gem last month. There is plenty of outdoor adventures for all kinds of people at this park. Open bench spaces for families and gatherings, kayaking, endless hiking paths, you can truly get lost in here. It costs me $4 to enter the park by car, and there are different parking zones to choose from, so don't do what I did and park at the first space I saw near the entrance..lol. I realized there were miles of other lots down the road, got a good workout coming back to my car to say the least. The bathrooms are close to the entrance (about a block in) and it was a pretty clean and convenient rest area before I began my hiking venture. The park goes on for a few miles one way (with the trails on both ends) and leads back around to the entrance. Toward the end is a great water view, where there are waterfront homes and boats all around. I will be back soon, this time with way more water and better equipped. Had no idea how large of a place this was my first time.

Great parking for bike riding along the intracoastal! The loop is about 1.5 miles long, and there are some stops along the way. This is also a great place to rent and launch a kayak, canoe or paddle board. I didn't stop in, but there's a great little beachside restaurant/bar inside the park, as well! So nice to sit beachside and enjoy a drink after a hike or ride! Great spot to checkout!

Oh my goodness... what a fun way to spend a portion of your day. You can see a freshwater lake/river, intercoastal, butterfly garden, hiking paths, picnic areas, a banyan tree, kayaking, and a restaurant. We walked in from the beach hearing music from Park & Ocean, a beer garden type set up at the park entrance. We were then greeted by Mary Lou who drove us around the park. She was so kind with a genuine attitude, knowledgeable telling us of all the trees and bits of the park. She even asked passing dogs/owners if they wanted a treat. She showed us a huge banyan tree. I didn't even know they existed in this area. It was a very casual hour of a slow golf cart drive and a few stops. At the end we ate and drank craft brews at Park & Ocean while we watched all the dogs socialize. Please donate so this park continues its charm.

By far, the best beach/cozy nature divine spot in all of Fort Lauderdale. The thing is I don't want everybody to know about it so it doesn't become like South Beach! Just go and enjoy! And only tell super cool people.... And please respect our native local nature, especially the sea turtles. Yes, they're actually crosswalks for turtles here, and if you should run that stop sign not only will karma get you, there's like a $50,000 fine!! You can kayak, you can wander around through mangroves and Sea grape trees, and you're just far enough away from all of the hubbub...

Best w EV. Short big bang ride. esp the iguanas. any time of year. grear park.

On a Sunday Morning like today there was always someone in my life that would go with me to spend the day at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. From my childhood going with family of friends and with neighbors. We packed up the car and had a picnic with food, fun, and games. They had grills on the premises and we brought charcoal. There's designated picnic areas. Sometimes people brought sports equipment and we played ball. Later in my Junior High and High School Days we went to the lake to ride paddle boats or ride in a canoe. It was so refreshing on hot Florida Days. There's a fee naturally. After we would go through the tunnel that leads to the Fort Lauderdale Beach. It was fun to lay around and swim in the ocean. I collected seashells. Marianne by the sea sifting sand. The last time I went was with my last boyfriend. We were always out in the woods hiking. There's an abundance of botanical variety and wildlife to behold. Be careful of the raccoons. They're like New York Raccoons. They'll bite and may be rabid. If you have a chance, visit my favorite Beach Park in Broward County Florida. Sorry no photos to post. I didn't carry a camera or iPhone when I wore a bikini!

Hugh Taylor is an oasis sandwiched between the beach and downtown. There park is decently maintained and has a lot to offer. You can walk, bike or rent a boat. You can see the waterway or just track into a Florida version of a forest. The park is surprising large considering its location.

Ducked in most recently for a photo shoot for a client. This park is a gem. It has it all. Lots of space. Privacy. A beer garden. Grills. Waterfront views. A boat dock. Old train tracks. Cabanas. Visit once and you will fall in love. What a gem. Cabeza OUT!

Lovely! The trails are simply beautiful. Bring bug spray! I had a lovely quiet afternoon there. Small but plenty to explore.

A pretty park but If you are a woman be careful of some of the weird , sleazy men roaming around trying to make contact!

They had a fabulous outdoor grill in Park and Ocean. They brought in some national conglomerate that has, in a matter of days, f%**+# it up! Basically they took something really good and turned it into a tourist trap with subpar everything. Supposedly you are now waited in but I will tell you I sat inside for 20 minutes while the supervisor screwed with her computer and talked to the way too many staff that were not doing a darn thing. One woman and I who were literally 6 feet from this oblivious fool were never spoken to once. I went out to the outdoor seats. The same guy who completely ignored us inside came out and going to just about everyone but decided to completely ignore me and at least two others. The place sucks. Florida Stare Parks are idiots for doing this. I found the Park and Ocean petition. I know it will do no good but I signed it and gave money to it. Even though I live here I will never spend a dime here. You should avoid it too. Walk down to Primanti Brothers or bring your own.

Another Sunday in 2020 during Covid thus my quest to find something to do outside. I had come to this park many years ago when my son was in Boy Scouts and he had a Hiking-Beach Day here. Located right on A1A across the street from the Atlantic Ocean. This particular day upon arriving note park closes at sun down and it is a $4. entrance fee for a single person in the car. My thought was to discover the park again. However once inside I followed the signs for the Gardens. Thus I found the Ft. Lauderdale Garden Club that was founded in 1927. Note please check out my separate review on the Ft. Lauderdale Garden Club. After I discovered the gardens and followed each and every path the warm Florida sun and bugs got to me. So the balance of the visit was by car. I loved the views of the boats on the inter coastal waterways so much that I went around a second time note air conditioning in car was working great. If you ever take the Water Taxi you will see the park from another angle from the water. Check out my Water Taxi review as well. Not to be missed and also great when you have out of town guests. Definitely will return mostly definitely when it gets a little cooler out. Until than Stay Safe!