1. South Beach- It is the hot spot in Miami! Shop until you drop or party the night away you can enjoy everything on South Beach. Most restaurants offer outdoor seating so you can enjoy the ambience and beautiful weather. Whether you feel like Italian (TiramesU Restaurant, Da Leo Trattoria), Cuban (Yuca Restaurant), New World (Pacific Time), or a blues cafe (Van Dyke Cafe), you can find on Lincoln Road!
2. Zoo Miami- It is becoming one of the best zoos in the nation. Its climate allows it to keep a wide variety of animals from Asia, Australia and Africa like no other zoo in the country. One of the first free-range zoos in the country, the exhibits are entirely cageless. Animals are grouped according to their geographic territory and animals that live together peacefully in the wild are placed in exhibits together.
3. Seaquarium-The Miami Seaquarium is located right in the middle of the tourist area, on the causeway between downtown Miami and Miami Beach. It’s a fabulous stop where you can witness an outdoor aquarium experience that’s only possible in our tropical climate. Be sure to budget enough time to spend at least half a day there!
4. Hit the Beach-Miami’s beaches offer a great opportunity to get some exercise or just enjoy some time in the sun! I take a look at a few of my favorite beaches, including a couple of lesser-used spots where you’ll be able to avoid the tourist crowd.
5. Everglades-With 1.5 million acres of swamps, saw-grass prairies and sub-tropical jungles, Everglades National Park is one of the most unusual public parks in the United States. Located on the southern tip of Florida, the park is home to 14 rare and endangered species, including the American Crocodile, the Florida Panther and the West Indian Manatee. A large portion of the park is primitive, explored only by adventurists and researchers – but visitors have ample opportunity to walk, camp and canoe.
6. Miami Museum of Science-Check out the latest kid-friendly exhibits at the Miami Museum of Science. You’re bound to find a learning adventure for the whole family. The museum is home to the Bird of Prey Research Center and the Weintraub Observatory.
7. Miami Children’s Museum-If you have kids (or just like to act like them!), the Miami Children’s Museum is a must-see destination. Their motto of “Play, Learn, Imagine, Create” shines through in the wide variety of interactive exhibits that allow children to explore everything from a supermarket to a television studio, picking up valuable lessons along the way.
8. Parrot Jungle Island-Parrot Jungle offers visitors a fun, educational opportunity to get an up-close look at tropical birds in replicas of their natural habitats. The attraction routinely hosts field trips and offers frequent educational programs.
9. Monkey Jungle-“Where the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild” – it’s more than a catch-phrase. Monkey Jungle in southern Miami-Dade County is a truly unique park. While homo sapiens walk through carefully constructed wire pathways, many species of primates scamper above your head, swing through trees and interact with each other in ways difficult to observe in captivity. Keep your eyes open; you never know who’s hanging around!
10. Coral Castle-Coral Castle is truly a monument to the uniqueness of Miami! This attractions was built by a Latvian-born Miami resident named Ed Leedskalnin as a monument to his lover. After 28 years of effort, he introduced his 1100-ton coral creation to the world. It’s a bit of a trip from downtown, but well worth the time.
