Hugh Taylor Birch State Park
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Hugh Taylor Birch State Park sits on a narrow strip of land squeezed between the Intracoastal Waterway and Fort Lauderdale Beach, with a pedestrian tunnel running under A1A straight to the sand. Inside the gate it's mostly shaded hammock and a small freshwater lagoon, a genuinely different feel from the beach it opens onto.
A shaded hammock and lagoon right behind one of Florida's busiest beaches is a genuinely useful contrast, though the beach itself is really Fort Lauderdale Beach, just reached through the park's tunnel.
How we score beachesUse the tunnel under the highway instead of crossing at street level, it's faster and skips the beach traffic entirely. Rent a kayak at the lagoon if you want to see the park's quieter side before heading to the sand.
The entrance fee is 6 dollars per vehicle for up to eight people, 4 dollars for a single occupant, 2 dollars for pedestrians or cyclists. Three lots inside the park hold 252 spaces total, first come first served.
A paved tunnel runs under A1A directly from the park to the beach, flat and easy the whole way. Trails through the hammock are packed dirt, mostly level.
Leashed dogs are welcome throughout most of the park, but they aren't allowed on the beach itself.
Winter and spring bring South Florida's driest, most comfortable weather for the trails and the lagoon. Summer's heat and hurricane season, June through November, make midday visits tougher, though the beach stays warm and swimmable.
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