Matheson Hammock Park Coral Gables — Complete Guide for Families, Boaters, and Visitors 2026

By Sandra Alonso · REALTOR® · Brown Harris Stevens · September 2026

Just south of Coral Gables on Old Cutler Road — one of the most beautiful scenic drives in all of South Florida — sits one of Miami-Dade County's most beloved and most visited parks. Matheson Hammock Park at 9610 Old Cutler Road has been a South Florida institution since 1930 and remains one of the finest public recreational spaces in the entire region.

Here is everything you need to know before you go.

The Park — What Is Actually Here

Quick Facts

Address: 9610 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL 33156

Phone: 305-665-5475

Managed by: Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces

Hours: Sunrise to sunset · 365 days per year

GPS Coordinates: 25.6856, -80.2731

Parking fee: Fee applies — check Miami-Dade Parks website for current rates

Website: miamidade.gov/parks/matheson-hammock.asp

The Atoll Pool — South Florida's Most Unique Swimming Experience

The defining feature of Matheson Hammock Park is its extraordinary atoll pool — a man-made tidal lagoon that fills naturally with filtered ocean water from Biscayne Bay. The result is a saltwater swimming experience with the calm protected conditions of a swimming pool — and it is genuinely unlike anything else in South Florida.

The atoll pool is surrounded by a sandy beach area that gives families the full beach experience without ocean waves or currents — making it one of the safest and most enjoyable swimming destinations in Miami-Dade County for families with young children. The shallow water, the natural filtration, and the beautiful setting make this a genuinely special place.

✅ Sandra's insider note: The atoll pool at Matheson Hammock is one of the first places I take buyers who are relocating from other states and want to understand what South Florida family life actually looks like. The reaction is almost always the same — genuine amazement that a place like this exists as a public park. It becomes one of the reasons they choose to live near Coral Gables or Palmetto Bay.

The Marina

Matheson Hammock Park is home to a full-service marina with approximately 243 wet slips accommodating vessels up to 50 feet. The marina provides direct access to Biscayne Bay and is one of the most conveniently located marina facilities in South Miami-Dade — just minutes from the open bay and with easy access from Old Cutler Road.

The marina offers fuel, pump-out service, and basic amenities for boaters. Slip rentals are available through Miami-Dade County Parks. Contact the marina directly at 305-665-5475 for current availability and rates.

Picnic Areas and Natural Hammock

Matheson Hammock takes its name from the natural tropical hardwood hammock that covers a significant portion of the park's 630 acres. This hammock — one of the largest remaining urban hammocks in Miami-Dade County — provides extraordinary shade, wildlife habitat, and natural beauty that makes the park feel genuinely removed from the surrounding city.

The park features multiple picnic pavilions and open picnic areas that can be reserved for private events or used on a first-come basis. The combination of the hammock shade, the waterfront setting, and the park's natural beauty makes Matheson Hammock one of the most popular picnic destinations in South Florida.

Red Fish Grill — Dining at the Water's Edge

One of the genuine pleasures of Matheson Hammock Park is the Red Fish Grill — a waterfront restaurant located within the park at 9610 Old Cutler Road. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining with views across Biscayne Bay and serves lunch and dinner with a menu focused on fresh seafood and South Florida flavors.

For residents of Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay, and the surrounding communities, Red Fish Grill has become a beloved destination for waterfront dining that feels genuinely special without requiring a significant drive. It is the kind of restaurant that makes South Florida living feel extraordinary on an ordinary Tuesday evening.

Why Matheson Hammock Matters for Coral Gables Real Estate

Matheson Hammock Park is one of the amenities that makes the Coral Gables and South Palmetto Bay corridor so genuinely desirable for buyers who value outdoor recreation and natural beauty. The combination of the atoll pool, the marina, the natural hammock, and the waterfront dining at Red Fish Grill creates a recreational ecosystem that is difficult to replicate anywhere else in Miami-Dade County.

For buyers choosing between communities in this corridor, the proximity to Matheson Hammock is consistently mentioned as a meaningful quality-of-life factor — and it is one I always highlight when I am helping buyers understand what life in this part of South Florida actually looks and feels like.

✅ If you are considering a home in Coral Gables or South Palmetto Bay — visit Matheson Hammock on a Saturday morning. Walk the hammock trail. Watch the families at the atoll pool. Have lunch at Red Fish Grill. Then tell me you do not understand why people choose to live here. 💙

RELATED READING

→ Old Cutler Road South Florida — The Complete Local Guide · https://www.homesbysandraalonso.com/old-cutler-road-south-florida-complete-guide

→ Best Restaurants in Coral Gables 2026 — A Local's Complete Dining Guide · https://www.homesbysandraalonso.com/best-restaurants-coral-gables-2026

→ Thalatta Estate Park Palmetto Bay — Complete Guide · https://www.homesbysandraalonso.com/thalatta-estate-park-palmetto-bay-complete-guide

→ Best Parks in Palmetto Bay 2026 — Complete Outdoor Guide · https://www.homesbysandraalonso.com/best-parks-palmetto-bay-2026

→ Relocating to South Florida — The Complete Honest Guide 2026 · https://www.homesbysandraalonso.com/relocating-to-south-florida-2026

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sandra K. Alonso, PA is a REALTOR® with Brown Harris Stevens and a South Florida resident all her life. A 21-year Cutler Cay original owner and bilingual English and Spanish speaking agent, she specializes in Coral Gables, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay, Pinecrest, and South Miami. Reach her at 305-613-3376 · salonso@bhsusa.com · www.homesbysandraalonso.com



SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Miami-Dade County Parks — Matheson Hammock Park: www.miamidade.gov/parks/matheson-hammock.asp

• Red Fish Grill at Matheson Hammock: www.redfishgrill.com

• Miami-Dade County Marina — Matheson Hammock: www.miamidade.gov/parks/matheson-hammock-marina.asp