Oleta River State Park
Oleta River State Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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These trails, built on flat land, are full of technical challenges.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
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4.5
609 reviews
Excellent
352
Very good
186
Average
41
Poor
12
Terrible
18
mkozich
Fort Lauderdale, FL10 contributions
Aug 2020 • Friends
Lauren was a great instructor! We learned so much because she was so informative. Next time we’ll bring more water with us as it was a scorcher of a summer day. Currently this class is only being held on Sunday 10:30am-12:30pm. Sign up online or get yourself a Groupon like I did.
Written August 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
zarknyc
new york city513 contributions
Feb 2021
Oleta Park was luckily very close to where I was staying. We decided to go there and rent bicycles to roam the park. There's a $6 charge to get in, well worth it. The park is beautiful, but don't rent anything from the vendor inside the park. We spent an hour riding around, stopping to see the views. The bikes were horrible but the views were spectacular. If I had my own bike, I'd likely ride there daily and have a picnic lunch. There were very few other people around, so I felt covid safe.
Written February 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
DiverM
Jupiter, FL586 contributions
Nov 2020
We had a great time staying in the cabins for 3 nights prior to Thanksgiving. There is a great beach at the end of the park. It is very shallow and good for kids. We also went biking and kayaking. We brought our own equipment. The park was not crowded when we went which was nice. The kayaking is good around the park. The kayak rentals seem a little pricy. We brought our own equipment. There are stores and restaurants close outside the park if needed.
Written November 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cyril
Kansas City, MO4 contributions
Feb 2021
Went kayaking here and paid quite a bit for the kayak rental but it was nice. You can bring you own kayak and skip the expense. Park has a low entrance fee. There is a nice "hidden beach" with calm water and a fair amount of shallow water to play around if you are afraid of deep water - nice for swimming and practicing snorkeling skills
Written February 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cruciangirl
South Dakota141 contributions
In Feb, my husband, 10 year old son and I had a few days and decided to go camping in Florida. Since I was not making reservations until about 1 month before I could find nothing in the Keys and ended up "settling" for Oleta River State Park. What a pleasant surprise!
Park and facilities:This park, part of the Florida state park system, while literally minutes from the highway, is secluded and excellent for a few days relaxation. They have the same log cabins that seem to be across the country-1 double bed and a bunk, with a porch and swing. A picnic table and in-ground grill are right in front. The cabins are situated so that they face outwards and although you can see the people on either side you do not feel that you are on top of each other. Most people would probably prefer to take their own grill as the one in the ground was not in great shape. However, I was able to cook what we wanted on it. You would want bug spray, as from time to time there seemed to be no-see-ums that attacked us. The beds! Here I would highly recommend air mattresses that you could put on top of them. My husband and I are in our mid-50's and several nights on what they have made us feel terrible. (Sleeping bags would not make the necessary difference in comfort.) There is an air conditioner that is quite noisy and since we prefer fresh air we would cool off the cabin during the evening while we were outside and then turn it off and open the windows for sleeping. During the day we were not there and saw no reason to run the a/c as the cabin is small enough to cool off within minutes. There is electricity and there are faucets (non-potable water) next to several cabins. The bathrooms, with showers, are across the gravel parking lot for most cabins, so make sure to take a slip on sandal for late night trips. I would also take a broom for sweeping the sand that inevitably gets tracked in.
Within the park there was plenty to do. There are several bike trails-with a reasonably priced rental place on site. We rode for about a hour one day and enjoyed the trails through the woods. There are paved trails as well that allow you to see the beach. My husband rented a kayak to see the river and really enjoyed it. (For either of these activities, if you have your own you can bring and use them.) We do not fish but noticed several other campers who brought fishing equipment. We all spent a lot of time on the park's beach. (The first day we had driven across the bridge to find an ocean beach in Miami. They were very crowded and noisy, the water was cold and we had to park awhile from where we ended up.) The sand was white and clean, the water crystal clear and warmer than the ocean and it was not nearly as crowded (though w/e are significantly more so than weekdays.) There is a snack bar at the beach but we took our lunch in a cooler one day and returned to the cabin for a midday break another.
Food: 5 minutes drive and you are in the supermarket that is across the road from the entrance to the park. They also have a lot of supplies that campers need so it was handy. Since it is in a mall there are other shops and a movie theater complex (6 theaters I recall) which served our needs one night but would have been a great respite from the heat of a day had we needed it.
Other Attractions: Since we only had 4 days we did not do much exploring but did go out to the Everglades one day. There are many other attractions though and since you are only 15 minutes from I-95 you can get to them. Personally, I have watched Florida's development (or as I see it, destruction) over the past 35 years and finding a place that has been kept "wild" was a real treat.
Noise: the first night we were there, there seemed to be a party boat with music BLASTING until 11 pm. However, the next nights were serene with only the tree frogs singing us to sleep.
I would recommend this place for anyone who wants a few days R&R in nature.
Park and facilities:This park, part of the Florida state park system, while literally minutes from the highway, is secluded and excellent for a few days relaxation. They have the same log cabins that seem to be across the country-1 double bed and a bunk, with a porch and swing. A picnic table and in-ground grill are right in front. The cabins are situated so that they face outwards and although you can see the people on either side you do not feel that you are on top of each other. Most people would probably prefer to take their own grill as the one in the ground was not in great shape. However, I was able to cook what we wanted on it. You would want bug spray, as from time to time there seemed to be no-see-ums that attacked us. The beds! Here I would highly recommend air mattresses that you could put on top of them. My husband and I are in our mid-50's and several nights on what they have made us feel terrible. (Sleeping bags would not make the necessary difference in comfort.) There is an air conditioner that is quite noisy and since we prefer fresh air we would cool off the cabin during the evening while we were outside and then turn it off and open the windows for sleeping. During the day we were not there and saw no reason to run the a/c as the cabin is small enough to cool off within minutes. There is electricity and there are faucets (non-potable water) next to several cabins. The bathrooms, with showers, are across the gravel parking lot for most cabins, so make sure to take a slip on sandal for late night trips. I would also take a broom for sweeping the sand that inevitably gets tracked in.
Within the park there was plenty to do. There are several bike trails-with a reasonably priced rental place on site. We rode for about a hour one day and enjoyed the trails through the woods. There are paved trails as well that allow you to see the beach. My husband rented a kayak to see the river and really enjoyed it. (For either of these activities, if you have your own you can bring and use them.) We do not fish but noticed several other campers who brought fishing equipment. We all spent a lot of time on the park's beach. (The first day we had driven across the bridge to find an ocean beach in Miami. They were very crowded and noisy, the water was cold and we had to park awhile from where we ended up.) The sand was white and clean, the water crystal clear and warmer than the ocean and it was not nearly as crowded (though w/e are significantly more so than weekdays.) There is a snack bar at the beach but we took our lunch in a cooler one day and returned to the cabin for a midday break another.
Food: 5 minutes drive and you are in the supermarket that is across the road from the entrance to the park. They also have a lot of supplies that campers need so it was handy. Since it is in a mall there are other shops and a movie theater complex (6 theaters I recall) which served our needs one night but would have been a great respite from the heat of a day had we needed it.
Other Attractions: Since we only had 4 days we did not do much exploring but did go out to the Everglades one day. There are many other attractions though and since you are only 15 minutes from I-95 you can get to them. Personally, I have watched Florida's development (or as I see it, destruction) over the past 35 years and finding a place that has been kept "wild" was a real treat.
Noise: the first night we were there, there seemed to be a party boat with music BLASTING until 11 pm. However, the next nights were serene with only the tree frogs singing us to sleep.
I would recommend this place for anyone who wants a few days R&R in nature.
Written June 29, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kiylam
San Diego, CA24 contributions
Jun 2011 • Friends
I went kayaking in Oleta River State park with my siblings (all 3 of us are in our 20's) on June june 8th , and it was great. I wished that we went a little earlier. We get there around 5 pm and we had to be back by 7 so the staff can go home. The staff in blue moon outdoor center is great. We rented kayak from them and we decided to go kayaking on our own instead of joining a tour (the tour is $55 for 2 hours, which is a lot more expensive than just renting the kayak). We rented 3 single kayak for $18 each (for one and a half hour before tax), and I think the price is very reasonable. I highly recommend you bring a couple zip lock bags so you can take all of your valueables with you to the kayak (I just don't want to leave them in the car as it might get broken in). None of us are experienced kayakers and we had a great time. The pictures that we took are great. Kayaking in the mangroves is awesome; we are shaded so it is not too hot, and the water is very calm so it makes kayaking very easy. At the beginning we were very slow because part of the river is VERY narrow and we kept bumping into the mangrove trees. We did not see that many wild life, I only saw two different kinds of birds and some small crabs who knows a lot like spiders, but we still have a lot of fun. I highly recommend this company. If you are ever in Miami, be sure to plan a day of kayaking in Oleta River State Park with Blue Moon outdoor center. There is a $10 fee to enter the state park. Besides kayaking, there is a beach, shower, picnic table, and biking and hiking trails. I wish that we went a little eariler so we can enjoy the park longer.
Written June 16, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Milton Kanno
Sao Paulo, SP9,892 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Nice place only if you willing tô rent a kaiak, a Stand up board or if you go there for mountain bike. Otherwise is a waste of time and money. You have tô pay for entering not the vehicle but also each person.
Written August 31, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
southflmama
Boynton Beach, FL3 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
Several friends and I stayed in the cabins (A/C!) with our kids aged 2 to 10 years for one night. It is right in the middle of summer and we underestimated the capabilities of the bugs....made it past multiple layerings of DEET! So don't stay in the summer. The cabins are fine. My cabin was missing part of a floorboard on the porch - unsafe in the extreme for the little ones. The shower was incredibly hot. Too hot for the kids, they had to shower at the bike wash back near the beach. Added to that the 3 people pounding on several cabin doors at 1 a.m. asking for jumper cables (um, no thank you potential criminals) and then later seen in the bathroom shooting up and our experience can definitely be called terrible. It was interesting to be smack in the middle of a large city and surrounded by quiet woods. The campground was as clean as possible, the beach seemed pretty grubby but its obvious both get a lot of wear. A poor showing for a state park - but maybe the caveat is 'urban' state park.
Written August 1, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andree_Danny
Boca Raton, FL2 contributions
Feb 2012 • Couples
We've been there for the 3rd year. What a change.... we told our friends all about the beauty of this jewel in the City. Women's bathroom was such a mess by 10h00 a.m.. No garbage can could be found. Where do you thing the garbage went ? On the floor. My husband found a dirty diaper in a pathway. People do what they want. The guard passed by a few times without even looking at the people. Many dogs barking and running. Disgraceful acts, even a woman urinating against a tree, adults changing in the open.
The only good thing was the weather and the sunset. Please take care of the JEWEL.
The only good thing was the weather and the sunset. Please take care of the JEWEL.
Written February 20, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NPS Obsessed
Green Bay, WI28 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
I stayed in one of the cabins earlier this week and sincerely wish I had not. I camp a lot all over the country and I was not expecting luxury accommodations. However, the filth level in this cabin was actually pretty alarming. When I entered, I touched my hand to the footboard of the double bed and it was extremely sticky. There was an apple slice on the floor with bugs on it. When my kids crossed the floor barefooted, which takes about three steps, they had truly blackened feet by the time they got to the bed. The "white" interior walls were visibly coated in dirt. I am a fan of hygiene, but when I went to the showers (to wash my feet so I could go to bed) I saw a pile of ants in the shower that looked like they were congregating on something sticky. It grossed me out bad enough that we skipped showers altogether during our visit. We did rent kayaks from the outfitter there. The staff was pretty bored and irritated when ai asked questions. The actual paddle was pleasant enough. I am a huge fan of Florida State Parks and I almost feel guilty writing this review, but with so many other awesome destinations in south Florida, I would advise travelers to just skip this destination. I can rough it all day and that was my intent with this visit, but the dirt level was just too over the top.
Written March 20, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where can I enter the park by foot? I can't drive due to my eye problem and try to visit by bus.
Written August 16, 2024
Y a t'il des sentiers pour marcher et quelle distance ont ces sentiers
Written February 6, 2020
Yes so long as you are comfortable taking them, their name is on our waivers and they have on a life jacket. there is no age limit for our equipment.
Written December 25, 2019
3 Adults Or
2 Adults and 2 Youth under 90lbs and 4 ft.
Written December 25, 2019
Are there many alligators on Oleta? Is it really safe to canoe?
Written January 4, 2019
In the ten times Ive been there I have not seen/heard of any problems with alligators. I was a North Miami Police officer for 35 years and we never had calls there for alligator type problems....
Written January 5, 2019
vasilenamarinova03
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Can I sleep in the park in my own tent?
Written September 11, 2018
The park does not offer any tent camping outside of registered Youth groups. They have cabins for rent, only.
Written December 25, 2019
hi..how many people can sleep in one cabin? 2 adults and 2 kids will be ok? or should I bring extra blow up mattress ? cabins have AC right?
Written June 17, 2018
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