Discover Naranja

Naranja combines a well-defined parks program with a local history shaped by citrus groves, quarrying, and the later transformation of former quarries. If you are considering a stay in Naranja, these topics offer different points of interest: a program with set hours during the school year and several dated milestones in the town’s development.

Parks Program and Practical Planning

The after-school program at Naranja Park runs every weekday from 2 to 6 p.m. during the school year and is for children ages 6 to 11. It is funded by The Children's Trust. This means that day planning involves a limited after-school time slot during the school year; if the program is important to your stay, check the latest information in advance. Through ParkLink, visitors can sign up for activities and programs, register for events, rent facilities, and pay fees. As part of $2.2 million in renovations, a new splash pad was added to Naranja Park and Pool in 2012.

Citrus Groves, Quarrying, and Naranja Lakes

The name Naranja comes from the surrounding citrus groves: George W. Moody subdivided the area in 1904 and named it after them. Quarrying represents another line of development. The Naranja Rock Company was based in Naranja and was founded as the White Rock Quarry Company in 1915. It quarried Dade County’s oolitic limestone to provide material for road construction. In 1924, blast holes were also drilled into Miami oolite in Naranja. In the late 1970s, the former quarries were transformed into scenic lakes as part of the development of Naranja Lakes.

Community Life and Cultural Heritage

St. Ann Mission was established in 1961 to serve families of mostly Mexican and Central American farmworkers in southern Miami-Dade County. The mission’s new church was dedicated and consecrated on March 19, 2024. St. Ann Mission’s annual Guadalupe festivals last several days and welcome hundreds of worshippers. Enchiladas, taquitos, and flautas are sold at the festivals. If you plan to include one of these festivals in your trip, check the event dates in advance.

The South Dade Black History Center is part of the region’s cultural context. It was founded to preserve the oral and visual history of Black communities in Richmond Heights, West Perrine, Goulds, Naranja, Homestead, and Florida City. This broadens the perspective from the history of a single town to that of several South Dade communities. Another dated milestone is the Naranja Branch Library’s opening to the public on December 16, 2009.

Bus Services

Two details are relevant for planning bus trips. A bus route serves the South Dade TransitWay station at 264 Street. A bus route from Cutler Bay to Florida City runs on weekdays and weekends via Princeton, Naranja, and Homestead. As schedules can change, check the latest information before traveling.

Discover more destinations: South Miami Heights, Pinecrest, Country Walk, Florida City, North Bay Village, El Portal, Hialeah, Miami Beach

See the broader travel guide: Miami-Dade.