Haulover Park is a

urban park An urban park or metropolitan park, also known as a municipal park (North America) or a public park, public open space, or municipal gardens ( UK), is a park in cities and other incorporated places that offer recreation and green space to r ...

owned and operated by Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation & Open Spaces Department, located in metropolitan

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...

, just north of

Bal Harbour Bal Harbour is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The population was 3,093 at the 2020 US Census. History Since the 1920s, the Detroit-based Miami Beach Heights Corporation—headed by industrialists Robert C. Graham, Walter O. Briggs ...

, Florida. The park is located on a shoal between the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

and

Biscayne Bay Biscayne Bay () is a lagoon with characteristics of an estuary located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida. The northern end of the lagoon is surrounded by the densely developed heart of the Miami metropolitan area while the southern end is la ...

, just north of the Broad Causeway (SR 922) and Collins Avenue.

History

The Dade County Commission procured the beach front property in 1940 following a

lobbying In politics, lobbying, persuasion or interest representation is the act of lawfully attempting to influence the actions, policies, or decisions of government officials, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying, which ...

effort for a $2 million municipal bond ($ million, in 2018 dollars) by county commissioner Charles H. Crandon for the purchases of northern

Key Biscayne Key Biscayne ( es, Cayo Vizcaíno, link=no) is an island located in Miami-Dade County, Florida, located between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. It is the southernmost of the barrier islands along the Atlantic coast of Florida, and lies sou ...

(what became

Crandon Park Crandon Park is an urban park in metropolitan Miami, occupying the northern part of Key Biscayne. It is connected to mainland Miami via the Rickenbacker Causeway. History The land Crandon Park occupies was once part of the largest coconut pl ...

) and the beach north of Baker's Haulover Inlet, then called ''Ocean Beach''. Construction began on beach facilities in 1941, halted soon afterward due to funding holds following the onset of World War II. Work on the property resumed in 1945, and the park was renamed ''Haulover Park'' in January 1947, opening to the public the following year in late 1948. An 1100 foot fishing pier extended into the Atlantic Ocean until being destroyed by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

Nude beach

The northern of the shoreline is a

nude beach A nude beach, sometimes called a clothing-optional or free beach, is a beach where users are at liberty to be nude. Nude beaches usually have mixed bathing. Such beaches are usually on public lands, and any member of the public is allowed to ...

officially recognized and approved by the government of Miami-Dade County. The clothing-optional section was first designated by South Florida Free Beaches, a local naturist organization, in July 1991. The county at first tolerated but did not sanction the usage; it eventually allowed the installation of permanent signs marking the clothing-optional area, which were installed in December 1993. The clothing-optional area features lifeguards and a food and umbrella rental concession. It is the largest public nudist beach in the U.S. and attracts 1.3 million visitors per year.Clothing-optional holidays: Nudists on cruises
''

The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Eco ...

''.

Facilities

The park features a marina, tennis courts, and an enclosed dog park. On the southern end of the park are several picnic recreational areas.

Gallery

Image:A1A-Haulover-park..JPG, Entrance to Haulover Park northward on Collins Avenue Image:Haulover-park-12.JPG, View on Bal Harbour across Baker's Haulover Inlet

References

;Notes ;Bibliography
County Park Department web site for Haulover Park
- retrieved January 17, 2019 * USGS Geographic Names Information System Feature Detail Report - Haulover Beach Park- accessed May 16, 2010
Historical Haulover page
- accessed May 16, 2010
South Florida Free Beaches

External links

* {{Greater Miami Parks in Miami-Dade County, Florida Beaches of Miami-Dade County, Florida Nude beaches Beaches of Florida