Hibiscus Island

Hibiscus Island is an exclusive community in Biscayne Bay, surrounded by the best that Miami Beach and Downtown Miami have to offer. A 24-hour guard-gated community, the island is located just north of Palm Island and can be accessed only via Fountain Street from MacArthur Causeway, or through private boats and yachts.

The man-made Hibiscus Island was completed in 1922 by the Army Corps of Engineers, along with neighboring Palm and Star Islands. In the 1930s, wealthy personalities built mansions and estates on the island to serve mainly as their winter getaways.

 

In the 1940s and 1950s, the neighborhood gained popularity as the home of the Latin Quarter, a club run by Lou Walters, father of journalist Barbara Walters. The Latin Quarter was always packed with Miami’s winter glitterati who came to watch famous entertainers like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr, and Dean Martin perform. The club was lost to fire in 1959.

 

To get to Hibiscus Island, you need to cross Palm Island via Fountain Street. The two islands share Hibiscus Island Park, a community center that features basketball and tennis courts, a playground, and other facilities. You won’t find any remnants of the Latin Quarter on the island today. Instead, you’ll be greeted by a children’s playground built on the famous club’s exact location over 60 years ago.

 

Boating, jet-skiing, and other water sports are a favorite pastime of Hibiscus Island residents. Many waterfront homes come with a private dock from where residents can launch their water adventures or sail into the azure waters of Biscayne Bay.

With the island’s central location, you’re never too far from the top attractions in the area. Hit the beaches, restaurants, and nightspots in ​South Beach, located just three miles away. ​Downtown Miami,​ with its luxury shopping and art and cultural attractions, is just five miles away.

The neighborhood is zoned to Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Nearby schools include Air Base Elementary School, Nautilus Middle School, and Miami Beach Senior High School.

 

Hibiscus Island real estate is a combination of waterfront and inland homes, many of which are the original mansions and estates built for the island’s snowbirds in the early to mid-1900s. While a good number of these properties have remained single-family homes, some have been converted into modern luxury condos. There are quite a few new construction homes as well, some of which were built as recently as 2019.

Hibiscus Island homes typically come with square footages of around 2,000 to over 10,000, and lot areas from 9,000 square feet to nearly half an acre. They come with top-of-the-line features and amenities, including private swimming pools, spas, state-of-the-art kitchens, and distinctive architecture, mostly in the Mediterranean and contemporary styles.

 

Allow our team to show you your best real estate options in this tranquil and exclusive community. Get in touch at ​305.397.4733 ​or email us at [email protected].