Some of the best Saturdays in northeast Miami-Dade never leave a ten-minute radius. Haulover Beach Park sits just south of Sunny Isles, and Oleta River State Park, the largest urban park in Florida, is a short drive west. You can swim in the morning, eat lunch in the shade and paddle the mangroves in the afternoon.
The trick is packing light and packing smart. Here is the kit our team actually keeps in the car from spring through fall.
1. Protect your eyes
The Florida sun off the water is brutal by 11am. A pair of UV400 aviators costs less than a beach umbrella rental and lives in the glovebox all year.
2. Shoes that can get wet
Hot sand, boardwalk planks and a muddy kayak launch all in one day. Thin, flexible barefoot-style shoes dry fast and pack flat.
3. A car that comes home clean
Sand gets everywhere. A cordless mini vacuum takes two minutes in the parking lot and saves a car wash. If you bring the dog, a paw cleaner cup by the back seat keeps the mess outside.
4. Be ready on the road
Collins Avenue traffic is no place for a flat. A cordless tire inflator and a trunk emergency kit with jumper cables and first aid are the two things we never skip.
Before you go
- Check the tide and the afternoon storm forecast. Summer storms usually roll in after 3pm.
- Bring more water than you think you need.
- Haulover parking fills fast on weekends, so try to arrive before 10am.
- Oleta rentals sell out on holiday weekends, so arrive early.
