Living in Miami is guaranteed to expand your horizons, with the delightful mix of cultures and influences and the strong flavor brought to the city with the many Latin Americans who have settled there. The beat of salsa and the lilt of Spanish drift through the streets of this eclectic city.
Two thousand square miles and two million people comprise Greater Miami and the Beaches. With that comes enough fun and excitement to please just about everyone (although not necessarily all of the time since that is known to be impossible!). See our Events page for a smattering of the many festivities available in the city during the year.
From museums to nightclubs, beaches to zoos, and much more besides, residents and visitors to Miami find plenty to do. Miami used to be known for its retirees enjoying the climate. Today, it has become popular with tourists and celebrities and is famous for photo shoots on the beach and other sultry activities.
Miami is divided into a number of fascinating areas and cultural districts. The strip of Miami Beach is affectionately called the Billion Dollar Sandbar, and South Beach now has an Architectural Historic District to preserve its Art Deco buildings. A tribute to the 1930s, the Art Deco craze of that period has been preserved and immortalized as a symbol of the area.
Other interesting neighborhoods include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Little Havana and several more. Downtown Miami features some of the most exciting nightlife while Little Havana is a study in the culture of those who made the harrowing journey from Cuba to Miami. Coconut Grove and Coral Gables are the cultural and shopping centers of the city with trendy bars and world-class restaurants. Explore and enjoy the diverse flavors of Miami!
Following are brief descriptions of some of the more exciting Miami attractions:
BEACHES
Crandon Park Beach
Boasting more variety than most beaches, Crandon Park has not only 3 miles of oceanfront beach, but also 493 acres of park, and plenty of places to play (soccer, softball, and golf) and eat (including a plethora of grills open for use). All of this is for the bargain price of $2 a vehicle so pack everyone in!
Miami Beach - Haulover Beach Park
This is the beach to go to for the best surfing waves.
PARKS & GARDENS
Preston B. Bird and Mary Heinlein Fruit and Spice Park
Visitors marvel as they explore the 32 acres of this unusual park. The fruits and spices include more than 500 varieties from around the world including exotic fruits, herbs, spices, and nuts. The park also features a small shop, which provides visitors the chance to purchase canned fruit, jams and jellies, teas, gardening books, and many other related products.
Florida Everglades National Park
This is the nation's third largest park and preserves 1.5 million acres of the Everglades. The park provides drinking water for 5 million residents in the general region as well as providing a haven for countless plants and animals including 1,000 species of plants, 125 species of fish, 300 species of birds and forest creatures. The park also features a number of activities for visitors including hundreds of miles of nature trails. Also located at the entrance is the Everglades Alligator Farm, which contains over 3,000 alligators and provides airboat tours to the brave.
ZOOS
Monkey Jungle
The monkey jungle is a 30-acre reserve that provides a safe home for nearly 400 primates representing 30 species including gibbons, guenons, spider monkeys, and colobus. The mantra is that it is the place "Where Humans Are Caged and Monkey Run Wild!" While maybe not strictly true, this catchy phrase encapsulates the spirit of Monkey Jungle.
Miami Seaquarium
Home to 100 species of sea life, the Seaquarium's mission is to display the natural abilities and beauty of their animals to entertain their visitors. They hope this will increase appreciation for the animals and the desire to conserve the delicate ocean environment. The 35-acre park holds 4 daily shows. Typically, the most popular attraction is the chance to swim with dolphins. Visitors that make reservations can participate in one of two daily programs that explore dolphin behavior, and then go swimming with the dolphins.
MUSEUMS
Wolfsonian
This museum of modern art focuses on how the decorative arts, material culture, and design help shape people's interpretation of the world. The museum is committed to not only displaying art, but also creating venues for constructive dialogue, discussion, and research that creates greater understanding in this field. Many of the museum's collections center around the propaganda and advertising that shaped various eras of western history.
Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium
Possibly the most fun kids or adults will have at a Miami museum, the exhibits in this museum are designed to be exciting and hands-on. The wildlife center rehabilitates injured wild animals and allows people to see more than 175 live reptiles and birds of prey. Events such as lizard and snake days bring kids, and their scaly companions flocking to the museum, and the planetarium provides educational adventures with interactive displays, astronomy and laser lights shows.
Sources:
( http://www.miami-travel-services.com/ )
(Accessed July 13, 2004)
( http://www.lonelyplanet.com )
(Accessed July 14, 2004)
(
http://www.ci.miami.fl.us
)
(Accessed July 19, 2004)