Welcome to Birch Park
One of Florida’s most prized state parks, beaming with water adventures, family fun and tranquil retreats.
Look at a map of Fort Lauderdale Beach and the giant, designated-park area near the northern portion of the beach is absolutely impossible to miss. The park is Hugh Taylor Birch, a 175-acre oasis for locals and tourists alike. Its namesake owned an estate on the property named Terramar and, fun fact, the iconic Bonnet House Museum & Gardens just south of the park, too. In 1941, the Florida Board of Forestry and Parks obtained the title of the current park land and it’s been a well-preserved gem since.
Geographically, the park is bordered by the Intracoastal Waterway to the west, Sunrise Boulevard to the south, A1A to the east (with a few residential and beach areas as exceptions) and Northeast 18th Street to the north. The site of weddings, kayaking adventures, weddings and the most casual of daily strolls, there’s never a shortage of action at High Taylor Birch State Park.
What to Love
- Ease of access from several condo buildings as well as the neighborhoods of Dolphin Isles, Sunrise Intracoastal, Coral Ridge and the heart of Fort Lauderdale Beach.
- Accessible via an individual or family pass, which also provided entry to Florida’s network of 175 state parks.
- A nearly two-mile paved loop to take in the tropical scenery by car, bike or foot.
Park Highlights
- 1.9-mile paved park drive for easy exploring.
- Elks Youth Camp with six cabins for overnight lodging.
- A youth-designated primitive campsite.
- Fishing from the Intracoastal seawall.
- The Coastal Hammock Trail and Mid Trail, providing hikers with shaded excursions.
- Kayaking, canoe and paddleboard rentals.
- More than 250 parking spots.
- Multiple picnic pavilions.
- A visitor center with periodic ranger-guided tours.
Local Lifestyle
As many folks residing in nearby condo towers and classic Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods know: This is not your average day at the park. Be it fishing along the Intracoastal’s edge, bodyboarding in the park’s oceanside portion (just north of the intersection of A1A and Sunrise Boulevard) or kayaking through lush mangroves, you can do so many quintessential South Florida activities in one spot here.
The park is home to wandering gopher tortoises, more than 250 species of birds, racoons, and a handful of friendly snake species. The beauty of a Birch adventure is no two are ever the same.
Dining, Entertainment and Shopping Near Birch Park
Birch Park is central to a number of shopping, entertainment and dining destinations within five minutes.
Continuing south on A1A and within a few blocks are the TAKATO Japanese hotspot (at the Conrad Fort Lauderdale Beach), Evelyn’s (a modern Mediterranean restaurant at the Four Seasons) and Steak 954 anchoring the W Fort Lauderdale.
Along Sunrise Boulevard and heading west, you’ll hit Galleria Mall just over the Intracoastal bridge and – across Sunrise Boulevard – a shopping cluster with a Publix, Starbucks and Primo Liquors & Fine Wines liquor store. Continuing on and near Sunrise Boulevard’s merging with US-1/Federal Highway, you’ll hit the Gateway Theater, a retro movie theater showing a variety of current and classic blockbusters.
If the beach at Birch Park, isn’t enough a mile-plus stretch of Fort Lauderdale Beach awaits just south and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and its quaint village vibe is within a five-minute drive north.
