Pinecrest Gardens — a botanical garden in Miami-Dade County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It lies in or next to Biscayne National Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) E of Pinecrest. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pinecrest Gardens is a 20-acre (81,000 m2) park in Pinecrest, Florida on the corner of Southwest 111th Street (Killian Drive) and Southwest 57th Avenue (Red Road). It was the original location of the Parrot Jungle, a theme park started in 1936 until they relocated to the city of Miami's Watson Island in 2003. The Village of Pinecrest acquired the property over 60 years later in 2002, turning it into a dedicated municipal park. The gardens received a historic designation from the U.S. Department of the Interior October 17, 2011, adding it to the National Register of Historic Places as the Parrot Jungle Historic District and recognized by the Cultural Landscape Foundation. Much of Parrot Jungle can still be seen in the property, today. At the time of acquiring the property, Village leadership recognized the historic nature and worked with the goal to preserve the site. From then on,...From the Wikipedia article “Pinecrest Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Pinecrest Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 88° in summer but only 41° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 270° W | 64° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 63° ENE | 8:16 PM | 297° WNW | 88° | 13h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 65° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:04 AM | 116° ESE | 5:36 PM | 244° WSW | 41° | 10h 32m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:45 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:52 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 43m |
| February | 6:34 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:29 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 18m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:02 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:31 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 46m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 24m |
| June | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 44m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:43 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 35m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 03m |
| September | 6:45 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 19m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 34m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 54m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:34 PM | 5:59 PM | 10h 33m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Pinecrest Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 35° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:22 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.2 | 22° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:37 AM – 6:07 AM | 2.5 | 32° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 4.0 | 35° | SE → S |
| May | 11:36 PM – 5:06 AM | 5.5 | 35° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:45 PM – 4:55 AM | 7.2 | 35° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 3:33 AM | 5.8 | 35° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:20 PM – 1:30 AM | 4.2 | 35° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 11:24 PM | 2.7 | 32° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 9:31 PM | 1.3 | 23° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.1 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (69%). August is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 81 | 83 | 86 | 89 | 90 | 91 | 91 | 91 | 90 | 89 | 86 | 82 |
| Low °F | 37 | 43 | 48 | 58 | 67 | 76 | 78 | 79 | 73 | 57 | 53 | 41 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 8.1 | 7.1 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Pinecrest Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical Garden
State Park
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Pinecrest Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Pinecrest Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Pinecrest Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Pinecrest Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Pinecrest Gardens?
How far is Pinecrest Gardens from Pinecrest?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.