Cape Florida Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse first built in 1825, making it the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. The lighthouse was used during the Seminole Wars, the Civil War, and both World Wars and is a popular tourist attraction open to the public for tours. It is also is haunted by the ghost of one the lighthouse keepers who was murdered on the spot during the Second Seminole War in 1836, so don't touch anything.
From the base of the lighthouse you can see Soldier Key which is approximately 5 miles due south, and the Fowey Rocks Lighthouse approximately 7 miles to the southeast on the edge of the Gulfstream.
If you climb to the top of the lighthouse, you will likely see the the Ragged keys and the Lighthouse on Boca Chita Key 12 miles due south.
Less than a mile south of the lighthouse are the remains of Stiltsville.
There's a shallow area immediately in front of the lighthouse where tidal currents sometimes form small standing waves, depending on the weather conditions. The waves are usually bigger when the wind blows from the south and east and catches the ebbing tide.
The currents run at approximately 1 to 2 knots, and are not usually an issue for kayakers, but you can rest of the opposing side of the jetty where an eddy forms. If you are paddling along the west side of the island up to about a quarter mile from the lighthouse, keep some distance away from the seawall as there will likely be several fishermen casting their lines. You don't want to get tangled.
The beach stretching from the lighthouse all along the ocean side of Key Biscayne provides plenty of easy landings, though a strong east wind will create choppy conditions.
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