"Paramount." That is the word the City of Miami used for public access to the waterfront when it put Dinner Key out to bid, according to Coconut Grove Spotlight. Voters approved the redevelopment in 2013. Scotty's Landing and the working boatyard gave way to Regatta Harbour, a group of restaurants, bars, entertainment venues and marina facilities on city-owned land.
The Spotlight reported on October 22 that the lease language allowed the developers to skip building a public pier, a second boat launch, a park, and an open-air rooftop terrace that was meant to be free and open to the public. As a result, nearly every free way to reach the bay in Coconut Grove is a city or state park. Regatta Harbour sits in the middle of the shoreline, and most of what it offers comes with a price per table, per foot or per ticket. You'll get the most bay time for the least money by planning around the parks on either side of it.
What Dinner Key Became
The details matter if you're deciding where to spend a Saturday. The Spotlight reports that the working boatyard in the original plans was never built, and neither were some of the open green spaces from the early concept plans. One of the two historic seaplane hangars was supposed to hold marine retail like bait, fishing gear and boating supplies. With the city's approval, it now runs as a venue for private parties, concerts and other entertainment. One restaurant site was first pitched as a Shula's Steakhouse. It is now Regatta Grove, an open-air nightlife venue, at least temporarily through 2031.
The arrangement works well financially for the city. In the 2024-25 fiscal year, Regatta Harbour paid nearly $3 million in lease payments, more than any other single city-owned property. For a resident planning time by the water, Regatta Harbour works as a dining and event destination, and the parks on either side handle the open, no-purchase visits.
The Middle of the Shoreline, by the Hour and the Foot
Here is how getting to the water works along the Dinner Key stretch this fall.
| Stop | How you reach the water | What it costs |
|---|---|---|
| Regatta Grove | Open seating or a reserved cocktail table | Food and drink; hours Thu 4 p.m.–1 a.m., Fri 4 p.m.–3 a.m., Sat noon–3 a.m., Sun noon–1 a.m. |
| Bayshore Club | Table reservations through its website | Food and drink |
| The Hangar | Ticketed and private events in a 20,000-square-foot space | Per event |
| Dinner Key Marina, transient dockage | Bring your own boat | $2.10 per foot for up to three hours, or $7.35 per foot per day, as of October 1, 2026 |
| Dinner Key mooring field | Overnight on a mooring | $32.03 for boats up to 40 feet, $37.80 for 41 to 60 feet |
The marina numbers are set by the city and priced by boat length. The city's marina rate schedule took effect October 1. A 30-foot boat stopping for a three-hour lunch pays $63 in dockage. Dinner Key Marina has 587 slips and a mooring field of more than 250 moorings. It's open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the city says annual slips are full, with a waiting list sorted by boat size.
The dry racks have their own history. The 2013 agreement limited Regatta Harbour's 400 dry-storage racks to boats under 28 feet, which was meant to serve boaters with smaller budgets. The Spotlight reports that the limit was never enforced and that the racks now hold mostly much larger boats.
The Free Ends: Regatta Park, Peacock Park, Kennedy Park
The access the Dinner Key plans promised already exists in three city parks, each with its own hours.
Regatta Park has the boat ramp, open waterfront and on-site parking, and it's open sunrise to sunset. The city lists no admission fee. Parking is collected by the Miami Parking Authority.
Peacock Park stays open longest, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. It also has the cheapest way onto the water itself. PADL runs a self-service kayak and paddleboard station there for $25 an hour, and you book online. The city's Peacock Park project page describes a first phase of design and permitting for 500 linear feet of shoreline stabilization, riprap and one kayak launch. WLRN reported in August 2025 that the existing kayak and paddleboard launch and the elevated boardwalk would not be affected by the resilience work.
At the north end, David T. Kennedy Park has waterfront access and parking from sunrise to sunset, and the city lists no entry fee.
You can visit all three without buying anything. Two of them close at sunset, so after dark the free waterfront comes down to Peacock Park.
Low-Cost Options: Paying Very Little to Get on the Water
Between free and the marina's per-foot rates sit a few operators who charge little or nothing.
- Shake-A-Leg Miami runs bay outings from Coconut Grove in kayaks, paddleboards, sailboats or powerboats. They're open to all ages, run year-round and are offered by donation. Its listing covers both advance booking and drop-in.
- Coconut Grove Sailing Club says you don't need a membership for sailing lessons and that its lessons, camps and clinics are open to the public. Its bar and kitchen are open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
- The Barnacle Historic State Park at 3485 Main Highway charges $2 per pedestrian or bicyclist, and children 5 and under get in free. House tours cost $3 for ages 13 and up and $1 for ages 6 to 12. The grounds are open Thursday through Monday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
For $2, the Barnacle is the best value on the shoreline. It offers the kind of quiet, historic bayfront the Dinner Key plans described, at a price set by the state park system.
Where to Park Between the Two
Parking near the parks varies and can be confusing. The Barnacle relies on metered street parking nearby. The Miami Parking Authority says its rates vary by location, and PayByPhone quotes a price once you enter the zone number and how long you'll stay.
Two fixed prices are useful for planning. Monty's validates three free hours in MPA Lot 72 for diners. It also lists MPA Garage 5 at Regatta Harbour, 3385 Pan American Drive, at a $10 flat rate on weekends. If you leave the car in Garage 5, you can walk to Regatta Park, the marina and the Regatta Harbour restaurants for the day. Monty's is open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
November on the Water, in Order
Most of November's waterfront calendar is in the parks.
- Saturday, November 7, 9 a.m.: Electronics Recycling Day at Regatta Park, listed on the Coconut Grove BID calendar.
- Friday, November 13, 7 p.m.: The 18 Wheelers play The Barnacle, with doors at 6 p.m. The Barnacle Society welcomes picnics and BYOB, and tickets start at $10.
- November 13 to 15: The Coconut Grove Jewelry & Watch Show at The Hangar.
- Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.: Holiday Barkzaar at The Barnacle, per the BID calendar.
- Tuesday, November 24, 6 p.m.: AV Club at The Barnacle, per the BID calendar.
Friday the 13th has events at both ends of the shoreline. The jewelry show opens inside the historic seaplane hangar at Dinner Key, and farther south on Main Highway, a $10 ticket gets you a concert on the Barnacle's lawn with your own picnic.
The Juliana Savoia Group follows Coconut Grove's waterfront closely, from park hours to the terms of the leases that shape Dinner Key. If being near the bay matters to how you live in the Grove, Request a Private Consultation and we'll show you which streets put Peacock Park, Regatta Park or the Barnacle within walking distance.
