Miami

Miami

Miami

Things to do in Miami

Beaches in Miami

Miami Beach

Lincoln road, Ocean Drive beaches (the most famous ones).

Best Scenic Beach

Matheson Hammock Park Beach, at 9610 Old Cutler Rd. in South Miami (tel. 305/665-5475), is the epitome of tranquility. And while it's scenic, it's not too much of a scene. It's a great beach for those seeking "alone time." Bathrooms and changing facilities are available.

Crandon Park Beach

4000 Crandon Blvd, Key Biscayne

The beach at Crandon Park

The beach at Crandon Park is not only incredibly beautiful – but also the best beach spot for families for many reasons. It has a sandbar located just off-shore, creating the perfect calm swimming conditions for children. Crandon Park is also home to an array of activities that families will delight in exploring, including a playground, roller rink, carousel, the Biscayne Nature Center, and Crandon Park Gardens.

Note:

Best Family Beach: Because of its man-made lagoon, which is fed naturally by the tidal movement of the adjacent Biscayne Bay, the waters of Matheson Hammock Park Beach are extremely calm, not to mention safe and secluded enough for families to keep an eye on the kids. Clean bathrooms are a plus.

Holocaust Memorial

Address: 1933 Meridian Ave, Miami, FL - Very impressive statue for the holocaust
Hours: Daily 9am-9pm Description: http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/spacer.gif
Location: At Dade Blvd, South Beach
Web site www.holocaustmmb.org, Free admission.

Jungle Island

Address: 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami, FL 33132 (bird, reptiles etc) – has 2 shows
Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm Description: http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/spacer.gifDescription: http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/spacer.gif
Location: Watson Island (on the north side of MacArthur Causeway/I-395)Description: http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/spacer.gif
Transportation From I-95, take I-395 E. (MacArthur Causeway); make a right on Parrot Jungle Trail, which is the 1st exit after the bridge. Follow the road around and under the causeway to the parking garage on the left side.
Web site www.jungleisland.com
Prices Admission $33 adults, $25 children 3-10
Parking $8 per vehicle

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

Address: 1200 Crandon Blvd.

Phone: 305/361-5811

Southern tip of Key Biscayne about 20 minutes from downtown Miami, you can explore the unfettered wilds and enjoy some of the most secluded beaches in Miami. There's also a historic lighthouse that was built in 1825, which is the oldest lighthouse in South Florida.

Miami Seaquarium

Address: 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149
Hours: Daily 9:30am-6pm (ticket booth closes at 4pm).
Location: South side of Rickenbacker Causeway, En route to Key Biscayne.
Web site: www.miamiseaquarium.com

Prices Admission: $37.95 adults, $27.95 children 3-9, free for children 2 and under.
Other Parking: $8
If you've been to Orlando's SeaWorld, you may be disappointed with Miami's version, which is considerably smaller and not as well maintained. It's hardly a sprawling seaquarium, but you will want to arrive early to enjoy the effects of its mild splash. You'll need at least 3 hours to tour the 35-acre oceanarium and see all four daily shows, starring a number of showy ocean mammals. You can cut your visit to 2 hours if you limit your shows to the better, albeit corny, Flipper Show and Killer Whale Show.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m
Admission: Admission to Fairchild includes all of the garden exhibits and a narrated tram tour (subject to availability).
When available, walking tours and shuttle service are also included in admission.

Daytime Fees: Adults - $25  Children 6-17 - $12
Address: 10901 Old Cutler Rd, Miami, FL 33156

Web: http://www.fairchildgarden.org/

Miami Metro Zoo

Address: 12400 SW 152nd St, Miami, FL 33177 (spend about 3 hours) - About 40 minutes of drive from the hotel
Hours: Daily 9:30am-5:30pm (ticket booth closes at 4pm).
Location: South Miami.
Web site: www.miamimetrozoo.com
Prices Admission $15.95 adults, $11.95 children 3-12 Description: http://www.frommers.com/images/destinations/spacer.gif

Monkey jungle

Address: 14805 SW 216th St, Miami, FL

Cora Gables

Visit coral castle, venetian pool, Biltmore hotel SW eight street (known as Calle Ocho) the heart of Little Havana

Homestead legendary Coral Castle

Coral Castle is one of the most amazing structures ever built. Coral Castle is a stone structure that was created by the Latvian-American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin. It can be found south of Miami in Homestead City, Miami Dade county in Florida. The location is at intersection of US 1 (South Dixie highway) and Southwest 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones (mostly limestone, formed from coral), each weighing several tons.

Address: 28655 south Dixie hwy

Everglades National Park

Shark Valley

Shark Valley entrance off of Tamiami Trail / US 41

Address: 36000 SW 8th St.   Miami, FL 33194

Hours: daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
There’s a 15 miles loop road and at its end there is a 60 ft tower that offers great views.  In order to get there you need to take a tram tour for it: http://www.sharkvalleytramtours.com the tour takes 2 hours.
Tour Rates: Adults $18.25, Children (3-12) $11.50
Times: 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 4:00 p.m.

Note:

Not far from the visitor center there are 2 trails

Bobcat Boardwalk

0.3 mile round trip, loops through sawgrass prairie

Otter Cave

1 mile round trip, enters a sub-tropical hardwood hammock.

Everglades-south

Anhinga Trail

Really nice trail with lots of birds.

 

West of Miami: Sanibel Island

The west coast is your best bet to find nice shells. Sanibel/Captiva (2:44 hours west of Miami) Island is probably the best place. I have heard (not been myself) Marco Island (2 hours west of Miami) is also good.

Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum

The only one of its kind in America, this museum displays shells and mollusks from around the world. 
Hours: Open Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM
Address: 3075 Sanibel-Captiva Road Sanibel Island, FL 33957
Tel: 239 395 2233 web: http://www.shellmuseum.org/

 Lighthouse: http://www.nps.gov/history/maritime/light/sanibel.htm

 

South of Miami

John Pennekamp Park

coral reef state park (1:20 hours from Miami) you can make reservations for a Glass Bottom boat tour (takes 2.5 hours) and/or do snorkeling tour (2.5 hours) in the area. http://www.pennekamppark.com/
Address:

102601 Overseas Highway (MM 102.6)

Key Largo, FL 33037

(305) 451-6300

Bout tour

Bout tour rates:  $24 for adults and $17 for children under 12. 

Hours: The boat departs three times daily, at 9:15, 12:15, and 3:00

Snorkeling tour

Snorkeling tour rates: Adults rates are $29.95, children under 18 are $24.95. Masks and fins can be rented for $2 each, and the $5 snorkel is yours to keep.

Hours: Departures at 9:00, noon, and 3:00.

Key West

Old Town

Optional itinerary for 7 days

Schedule:

·         Day 1: drive west from Miami to  Everglades national park, Shark valley. Do some hikes there and if you want take the tramp tour.
After you are done drive to Sanibel Island and spend a night there.

·         Day 2:  spend the day at one of sanibel island beaches and enjoy the verity of shells.
Return to Miami (about 2:45 hours drive).

·         Day 3-4: Spend some time in Miami, go to Jungle Island, Miami's great beaches, Coral Gables area, Key Biscayne etc.

·         Day 5: drive south to the Key West (if you don't have the time don't go there especially with kids) on the way you can stop at John Pennekamp Park and do the bout/snorkeling tour. From John Pennekamp it takes 2 hours drive to the keys.

·         Day 6:spend some time at the old town in Key West, go see the most southernmost point of USA. On the way back to Miami, stop at the Everglades National Park (Royal Palm location), go to Anhinga Trail.

·         Day 7: leave Miami.