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Get Your Fun on in Homestead, Florida: The Best Places to Visit and Things to Do!

Homestead is flat, hot and further from Miami than the map makes it look. Most of what is out here needs a car and a full morning. The park trails are level, so the effort is heat rather than climb. Water is the other real constraint on every single one of these days. You either start out early, or you finish the day thoroughly beaten.

Are you planning a visit to Homestead, Florida and wondering what to do and see? Look at the farm country around it before anything else. Homestead sits where the growing land runs out, and nearly everything worth doing here follows from that one fact. Whether the day runs to history, culture or open country, Homestead gives you the choice.

Unleash the day at the Everglades Alligator Farm, where the animals are the whole reason the place exists. Or take an airboat out through the Everglades and let the water do the work. For the history, the Historic Homestead Town Hall Museum holds the record of how the city came to be here. And for the eating, Homestead’s own ground supplies it, from the fresh fruit and vegetables at the Fruit & Spice Park to the pastries at Pinecrest Bakery.

So, what are you waiting for? Pack the bags and drive down to Homestead, Florida for open country, history and very good food.

Key Takeaways

• Homestead, Florida offers a variety of activities for all interests, including historical and cultural explorations, adventures in the great outdoors, and delicious cuisine.
• Unleash your wild side with alligator encounters at the Everglades Alligator Farm or take a scenic airboat ride through the Everglades.
• Don’t forget to indulge in Homestead’s delicious cuisine, from fresh fruits and vegetables at the Fruit & Spice Park to mouth-watering pastries at Pinecrest Bakery.

Unleashing the Wild Side

If you want the outdoors end of the trip, Homestead, Florida is the base for it. With Everglades National Park starting just outside the town, Homestead puts a great deal of country within reach of one morning.

Everglades National Park

The Everglades National Park is the reason most people travel to Homestead at all. With its vast mangrove forests and watery sawgrass plains, the park is a subtropical wilderness that shelters alligators, ibis, eagles, manatees and panthers. You can work through it on foot, by canoe or with a guide. If you want speed, an airboat gives you the water at a pace nothing else matches.

Everglades Alligator Farm

If alligators are the draw, the Everglades Alligator Farm is built around them. The farm runs guided tours through its exhibits, where the animals range from hatchlings to full-grown. You can hold a baby alligator and have your picture taken with it.

Wildlife Park

For a hands-on version, the Wildlife Park in Homestead lets you get closer. The park runs feeding and petting sessions with kangaroos, lemurs and sloths. You can also take the guided tour and learn which species live there and why.

Zoological Wildlife Foundation

The Zoological Wildlife Foundation is the other stop for animal people. The foundation keeps exotic species including tigers, lions and monkeys. You take a guided tour and get nearer to them than most places allow.

Homestead, Florida rewards anyone who likes being outdoors. With the country and the water this close together, the days fill themselves. So pack the bags and give the wild side of the county a full day.

Historical and Cultural Explorations

If history or other cultures are what pull you, Homestead has a short list worth working through. Here are the places to start.

Coral Castle Museum

You may have heard of the Coral Castle, a limestone structure built by one man, Edward Leedskalnin, in the early 20th century. The Coral Castle Museum is where the story behind it is told properly. You can walk the grounds and see the sculptures and structures Leedskalnin cut using hand tools alone. Be sure to look at the “Nine-Ton Gate,” which opens with the push of a finger.

Homestead Town Hall Museum

Step back into 1917 at the Homestead Town Hall Museum, which was built that year and served as the city’s first town hall. Today the museum holds photographs, documents and other artifacts from Homestead’s past. You can read the record of the early settlers, the agricultural roots and how the place changed from there.

Wat Buddharangsi Buddhist Temple

For a different tradition, the Wat Buddharangsi Buddhist Temple is open to visitors. This is one of the largest Thai Buddhist temples in South Florida. You can walk the grounds, look at the architecture and artwork, and join a meditation class. Be sure to dress modestly and remove your shoes before you enter.

Whether the interest is history, culture or something you have not seen before, Homestead has enough to fill the day. Don’t skip these landmarks and cultural stops.

A Taste of Homestead

Homestead grows a great deal of what it sells, and the eating follows directly from that. Here are the stops that make the point for anyone who came to eat in Homestead.

Knaus Berry Farm

If fresh baked goods are the point, Knaus Berry Farm is where to go. This family-owned farm has been running since the 1950s and is known for cinnamon rolls made from scratch every day, which draw people from a long way off. But that is not all it sells: Knaus Berry Farm also has fresh produce, homemade jams and jellies, and a u-pick strawberry field where you gather your own. And there is homemade ice cream in several flavors if you want something cold.

Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery

Looking for something more adult? Check out Schnebly Redland’s Winery and Brewery, which makes wines and beers from lychee, passion fruit and mango. The winery runs tours and tastings, so you can see the process and taste the results. And Schnebly Redland’s caters events as well, if you want the exotic fruit at your own gathering.

Miami Brewing Company

For beer, Miami Brewing Company is the one to find. This microbrewery makes a run of craft beers, including the Shark Bait Mango Wheat Ale brewed with fresh mangoes off their own farm. They run a taproom with games and food from local trucks. And they give tours of the facility if you want to see how it is done.

So whether the craving runs to fresh cinnamon rolls, exotic fruit wines and beers, or craft brews made with local ingredients, Homestead can answer it.

Homestead grows food and it sits right at the very edge of the wild. That one single fact is the whole explanation for everything on this list. Fruit farms, a fruit winery, a fruit market and a whole spice park. Alligators, mangrove, sawgrass and coral reef all sit on the other side. The speedway is the only thing out here that ignores the soil completely.

Adventures in the Great Outdoors

Looking for time outside? Homestead, Florida gives you the room for it. Here are the places that fill a day out of doors.

Homestead Bayfront Park

If you want the bay and not much else, Homestead Bayfront Park is the spot. With its beach and picnic areas, you can sit in the sun and watch the water. Feeling more active? Rent a kayak for the bay, or snorkel and see what is living down there.

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park is mostly water, which is what makes it worth the trip. With over 170,000 acres of protected land and water, the ground covered is enormous. Take a boat tour out to the coral reefs, or dive and see what lives on them. You can also walk the trails and look at the plants and animals that grow here.

Fruit & Spice Park

For something you will not find elsewhere, visit the Fruit & Spice Park. This 37-acre botanical garden grows over 500 varieties of fruit, spice and herb trees. Take the guided tour to learn what each plant is used for, or walk it yourself. Don’t leave without stopping at the gift shop.

Redland Market Village

Looking for what the county actually grows and makes? Head to Redland Market Village. This outdoor market sells fresh produce, gifts and food, with live music while you walk it. You can shop the stalls slowly. Don’t leave without trying the homemade ice cream.

So bring the sunscreen and give the day to the outdoors in Homestead, Florida. Whether the plan is a slow afternoon on the beach or a dive on the coral reefs, the county holds both.

The Need for Speed

If speed is the thing, Homestead, Florida has a track for it. From NASCAR to Indy, the racing calendar here is a real one. Here is what to look at if you want the high-octane version of the visit.

Homestead-Miami Speedway

First is the Homestead-Miami Speedway. This 1.5-mile oval has hosted NASCAR races since 1995. If you can time the visit to a race, do it. The track is known for high speeds and close finishes.

But the place is worth walking even with no race running. Take the facility tour and look behind the scenes of a NASCAR race. You can also drive your own car on the track if you are willing.

Tickets and Spectators

Of course, seeing a race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway means buying a ticket first. Prices move with the event, but around 50 dollars is the usual figure. And if NASCAR is not your interest, the speedway runs other events across the year, IndyCar races among them.

If you would rather watch than drive, the grandstand does the job. There’s nothing quite like the noise of the engines as the cars pass at 200 miles per hour.

So for a rush of adrenaline, the Homestead-Miami Speedway is the address. Whether driving or watching, the afternoon delivers.

The Sweeter Things

When it comes to the sweet end of things, Homestead does not disappoint. From cinnamon rolls to cookies, the town covers it. Here are the places to go for them.

Family-Owned Restaurant

If you’re looking for a family-owned restaurant that serves up some of the best desserts in town, look no further than Herb & Spice Restaurant. This cozy spot is run by a group of monks who have a passion for cooking with herbs and spices. Not only do they serve up delicious entrees, but their desserts are out of this world.

Their cinnamon rolls are the thing to order, and the cookies are good enough that you will want a dozen for the road. The reason is the ingredients. They use only the freshest, which is what you taste.

So next time the craving is for something sweet, go to Herb & Spice Restaurant and order a dessert made properly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you really have fun in Homestead without spending a dime?

Absolutely. Homestead has plenty that costs nothing. You can walk Everglades National Park, visit the Fruit and Spice Park, or take the historic downtown area on foot. And the Coral Castle can be done as a self-guided tour if you want the story without a guide.

What are some unique animal farms to visit in Homestead?

If animals are the reason for the trip, Homestead delivers. The Everglades Alligator Farm holds over 2,000 alligators along with other wildlife. You can also visit the Monkey Jungle, where the monkeys move freely through a natural habitat. And for exotic birds, the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station is the one to find.

Where can I find the best grub in Homestead?

If you are after a good meal, Homestead has the options. For authentic Cuban cooking, go to El Rinconcito Latino. For barbecue, Shiver’s BBQ is the address. And for fresh seafood, head to Casita Tejas.

What are some outdoor attractions in Homestead that won’t make me break a sweat?

If the heat is the problem, Homestead still has outdoor options that do not punish you. You can visit the Coral Castle, a stone structure one man built over 28 years. You can also walk the historic downtown area, or drive the Overseas Highway for the view.

What’s the deal with Coral Castle and why should I visit?

The Coral Castle is the one attraction in Homestead that people remember. Built by one man over 28 years, the stone structure is a record of sheer stubbornness and skill. You’ll notice the carvings first, then the scale of the whole thing. And it may leave you with ideas about what one person can build alone.

Is Homestead worth visiting or should I just stick to Miami?

Homestead is worth the drive on its own. While Miami has the noise and the crowds, Homestead runs at a slower speed and shows you the working side of Florida. From Everglades National Park to the Coral Castle, Homestead has enough to hold you for a while. Plus you get a part of Florida that most visitors drive straight past. So do not skip it when you plan the trip around Homestead.

Frequently asked questions about Homestead, Florida

How much time does Everglades National Park need from Homestead?

A morning, at least. The drive out from town is short, but the park is enormous, and the difference between the entrance and any real walking is another good stretch of road. An airboat run is by far the fastest way to see the water. Canoeing takes a good deal longer and shows you more of it. You want the morning for it, well before the heat settles in.

Is Knaus Berry Farm worth the line for the cinnamon rolls?

Yes, quite comfortably. The rolls are made from scratch every day and the farm has been doing it since the 1950s, which is long enough to have worked out the recipe. People drive a very long way for them, so you should expect company. The fresh produce and the jams are worth a look while you wait. You will end up buying more than you planned to, because everybody does.

What makes Coral Castle different from other roadside attractions?

One man built it. Edward Leedskalnin cut and set every block of limestone himself over 28 years, using nothing more than hand tools, which is why the place reads as one person’s work. The Nine-Ton Gate on the grounds still swings with one finger. The museum explains the method as far as anyone knows it. You will come away thinking about what a single person can do alone.

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