Stiltsville - the Community on Stilts in Biscayne Bay Florida - See It by Boat

Stiltsville can only be reached by boat - it sits in the middle of Biscayne Bay as a navigational aid and famous landmark to passing boats, yachts and fisherman. There is no other place like it in Florida - a stones throw from Miami but yet a whole different universe! Cruise by on your boat and enjoy the sight.

private boat anchored nearby

Stiltsville Photo Gallery

Getting There by Boat

The community of Stiltsville is located about three quarters of a mile south of the Cape Florida lighthouse on the southern tip of Key Biscayne. The houses border the north and south sides of the Biscayne Channel - also referred to as Stiltsville Channel. The area is a popular fishing spot for flats anglers. Charts and more detailed info is available in our guide books.

History

Stiltsville sprang to life when local fisherman "Crawfish" Eddie Walker built a shack right on the bay bottom and used it to fish and sell crawfish chowder. Initially known as "the shacks", this motley collection grew to include clubs such as the Calvert Club, the Bikini Club and the Swan Club to name a few. Many were nothing more than barges or yachts that had been run aground on the shallow bay with the purpose of making them into clubs or fishing shacks. Back in the old days, Stiltsville had quite the decadent reputation. Stories of illegal alcohol, gambling and prostitution were common. At its peak, Stiltsville had over 30 structures!

boat channel

Navigation / Boating Cautions

Biscayne Channel / Stiltsville channel has about 5-6 feet of depth and is easily navigable by following the markers. The area just outside the channel, ie next to the Stiltsville houses, is notoriously shallow - too shallow for anything but a dinghy or flats fishing boat, and even then you really need to know the area. It is also an ecologically sensitive part of Biscayne National Park.

Our advice is to keep your boat within the marked channel, you can easily view the houses from your boat. Also note that the structures are administered by the Stiltsville Trust in conjunction with Biscayne National Park. At present there is no general public access to the houses by private or public boats.


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