The Gold Coast Railroad Museum on the grounds of the Miami MetroZoo offers visitors a chance to explore the history of railroads and their contributions to the United States. The museum includes a variety of interesting exhibits and is one of three Official State Railroad Museums in the state of Florida. It is home to more than 30 historic trains and strives to teach the public about railroad history and even allows guests to board vintage trains to get a taste of the past.

Exhibits at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum

The museum features a variety of interesting and interactive exhibits for the public to enjoy. Some of the exhibits currently on display include:

  • The Ferdinand Magellan US Number 1 Presidential Rail Car
  • Florida East Coast Railway Locomotive No. 153
  • EMD GP 7m of Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Nr. 1804
  • Silver Crescent
  • 40 pieces of rolling stock and equipment
  • 6 operational diesel locomotives
  • Passenger cars
  • Freight cars
  • Model trains
  • Edwin Link Children’s Railroad rides on weekends at 1pm and 3pm
  • Standard gauge coach and cab rides on most weekends

Visiting the Gold Coast Railroad Museum

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum is located at 12450 SW 152nd Street, next to the Miami MetroZoo. To get to the museum, take the Florida Turnpike south to exit 16 and make a right onto SW 152nd Street. The entrance to the zoo is approximately one mile down on the left.

The museum is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10am to 4pm and on the weekends from 11am to 4pm. Hours are extended to 7pm on Thursdays for “Trains ‘til Dusk”. The Model Train Building is open weekdays from 10am to 2pm and weekends from 11am to 4pm. The museum is closed on Mondays.

Admission is $8 for adults and children ages 12 and over, $6 for children ages 3 to 12, and free for children under age 2.

Link rides are available on weekdays from 11:30am to 1:30pm. A link ride is $2.50, caboose or coach ride is $6, and a locomotive cab ride is $12. Tours are available on weekdays at 11am and 2pm and on weekends at 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. Rates and fees are subject to change without notice.

The museum offers FREE ADMISSION on the first Saturday of each month. Upcoming free days include:

  • June 1
  • July 6
  • August 3

Train Crew Member for a Day

Become a Train Crew Member for a Day at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum! The program enables the general public to act as part of the train crew on museum trains. It provides for thirty minutes or more of run time in one of the museum’s active locomotives. All participants in the program will be under the supervision of instructors at all times. Various packages are available including:

  • The Bronze Spike – $85 – includes half hour of locomotive operation and membership to the museum.
  • The Silver Spike – $145 – includes instruction, inspection of train, starting of locomotive, and acting as engineer during operation of the train. Also includes membership to museum.
  • The Golden Spike – $185 – includes all of the above as well as acting as conductor during a 45 to 60 minute switch move.

More Information

For more information about the Gold Coast Railroad Museum please visit http://gcrm.orgor call 305-253-0063.

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Oleta River State Park is Florida’s largest urban park, located on Biscayne Bay in the Miami metropolitan area. The park offers several recreational activities, but is best known for its extensive bicycling trails, which can accommodate novice bikers, experienced cyclists, and everyone in between.

At the north end of the park along the Oleta River, there is a mangrove forest that features beautiful wildlife and plants that are native to the state of Florida. There are also nine pavilions that guests can visit free of charge; all the pavilions have water, and the biggest pavilion has electricity. If you want to stay at the park overnight, you can reserve an air-conditioned cabin or make reservations for your group to stay at the campground. Oleta River State Park is located at 3400 NE 163rd St. off of I-95.

Swimming and Rollerblading

While you’re at the park, you can enjoy the beach and take some time to go swimming. There is a saltwater lagoon off Biscayne Bay; however, lifeguards are not there, so visitors swim at their own risk. Public showers are on the premises.

In addition to the bike trails, park guests can also go roller blading on the paved trails. Since the park is very concerned at the safety of its guests, there is a helmet loaner system if you forget your cycling or rollerblade helmet.

Kayaking, Canoeing and Fishing

You can also enjoy kayaking and canoeing in the Oleta River. There are several routes you can take during your canoeing or kayaking adventure as you sail close to the mangrove trails to get a closer look at all the beautiful vegetation that the park has to offer. While you’re on the water, you can go fishing at the pier. The fish are also biting at the shores of the park along the Intracoastal Waterway.

Restaurant and Concession

When you’re ready to grab a bit to eat, you can head over to the Blue Marlin Fish House, located just outside the park at 2500 NE 163rd Street. When you want to rent a canoe, kayak, paddleboards or mountain bikes, you can rent these items from the BlueMoon Outdoor Center. The Center also sells bait for fishing and snacks to give you energy between your outdoor excursions.

The Oleta River is, of course, the main feature of the park. The river has attracted people to the area since 500 BC, when the area was a camping site for the Tequesta Indians. The area is also where U.S. troops fought in 1841 during the Second Seminole War. The Oleta River has a rich history that continues to draw several visitors every year.

Contact Info

To make reservations at Oleta River State Park and find out more about the facilities, call 305.919.1846.

(¯`·._) The Kleer Team ¯`·._)

Interested to invest on Biscayne Miami Condos in Downtown Miami facing the scenic Biscayne Bay? You may want to check out 50 Biscayne and 900 Biscayne Condos Miami, Call Allan Kleer @ 305-767-7607 for more info.

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