|
|
Miami
is known for its diverse culture and ethnicities and its’ many attractions, too numerous to list. From exciting nightlife, arts and entertainment, sporting events and outdoor recreation, family attractions and shopping and fine dining, Miami has it all. You’ll need a car to see all the sights because Miami-Dade County sprawls out for miles. Public transportation is available but doesn’t go everywhere and you wont want to miss anything. To begin with, this is a city with close ties to the sea. Miles of white sand beaches provide opportunities for swimming and sunning, while beachfront concessions offer parasailing, windsurfing, water skiing and more. You can go jet skiing in Biscayne Bay or sailing at Miami Harbor. A focal point for water activities is Crandon Park, a two-mile long public beach that has its’ own full service marina and restaurants. The park is also a launching spot for kayaking and snorkeling. Scuba diving opportunities are also plentiful around Miami, thanks to a large profusion of man-made reefs. Miami actually has one of the largest artificial reef programs in the world, in addition to some natural sites. Other recreational spots around the city include Tropical Park, which has ten miles of paved running courses laid out by the Miami Runners Club. If you enjoy biking, ride the South Bay Bike Path, which passes through Coconut Grove. Around the two-mile point, there is a mile-long path that leads to Matheson Hammock Park and connects to a 1.5-mile trail through 100 acres of mangrove wilds. The greater Miami area also has some 180 public tennis courts and over 30 major golf courses, and horse racing at Hialeah Park, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent tracks. Just a few of the family attractions in and around the city include the Cape Florida Lighthouse at Key Biscayne, the Miami Metro Zoo, the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, the Miami Seaquarium, the Monkey Jungle and the Parrot Jungle and Gardens.
In Miami, you can dine at a different ethnic restaurant every night and the shopping is second to none. The Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami offers over 150 retail shops and restaurants, an open air crafts market and pier and free nightly entertainment. The Art Deco District in Miami Beach has an eclectic mix of chic boutiques, restaurants, produce markets, outdoor cafes and nightclubs. The many different neighborhoods of Miami, which invite exploration, include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Little Havana and Little Haiti. When it comes to nightlife, Miami is as hot as it gets. Think of Latin tempos, sultry nights, trend-setting parties and urban chic revelry and you get the idea. Ocean Drive on South Beach is an artery that bisects Miami’s famed art deco district and is the happening place to be, especially after sunset. Called “one of the most exotic places for Americans to visit without a passport,” this area offers dining, dancing and drinking in a tropical atmosphere where the neon glares and the parties continue from dusk till dawn. South Beach has been called “a feast for the senses.”
|
|
|
