Feature articles are reprinted from previously published Kids' Guides. Please consult the featured website links for current information and rates.
Greater Miami Beach
If you want to combine some culture with
your beach vacation, then Miami
Beach may be a perfect destination for your family. The beaches
rival those on many Caribbean islands--wide with fine, sugar-white sand--and
the Atlantic Ocean takes on the blue and green hues of the tropics. Outdated landmark hotels have
been renovated and expanded to meet today's resort needs or replaced by
ultra-modern high-rise condominiums. Magnificent homes carrying multi-million
dollar price tags line the Intracoastal Waterway, one more breathtaking
than the other. Miami is
a mosaic of cultures, sites and sounds, a lively blend of Cuban, Caribbean,
South American, Jewish and European cultures.
south beach
Back in the 1930s and 40s, more than 800 Art Deco structures were built on the southern tip of Miami Beach. Today, the historically designated Art Deco District represents the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world. Displaying pastel colors, neon lights and sleek, geometric lines, the Art Deco district, known as South Beach, serves as the backdrop for one of the world's most eccentric and in-vogue neighborhoods. Buildings once in disrepair have been restored and converted into restaurants, hotels, clubs and boutiques. For families, it's worth a trip in the morning while the partyers sleep and when you can clearly see the wonderful architecture and actually get a seat in one of the many outdoor cafes on Ocean Drive. A glorious beach and oceanfront park are directly across the street.
coconut grove
Settled in 1873, early Coconut Grove was built by West Indian craftsmen from the Bahamas. Their influence is evident in the many Caribbean style houses, tropical landscaping and street names found in the neighborhood. As the area gained recognition by the upper class, many Northerners built their winter residences there. In the 1950's, Coconut Grove began to attract artists from the U.S. and Europe and the Grove soon had an international reputation as an artists' colony. Like the rest of the city, Coconut Grove has undergone a renaissance. Under a dense canopy of lush trees, the area is noted for its whimsical homes, busy marinas and many cafes, art galleries, restaurants, antique shops and fashion boutiques.
vizcaya museum and gardens
A tour of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, the winter home of International Harvester vice president James Deering, provides a fabulous glimpse into the lifestyle of the super-wealthy in the early 1900s. Built between 1914 and 1916, Vizcaya was designed in the style of Italian Renaissance villas Deering had visited, then adapted to the subtropical climate of South Florida. Now a National Historic Landmark, the villa features more than 10 acres of formal gardens, terraces and fountains overlooking Biscayne Bay and 34 rooms of 15th through 19th century antique furnishings and decorative arts. Virtually all of the decorative elements including furniture, lighting fixtures, doors and fireplaces were purchased by Deering on shopping expeditions to Europe. Adults and older children will be amazed to see the opulent lifestyle and architecture of bygone days.
Other excursions for families include:
· Miami Zoo, see more than 2,000 animals, representing over 500 species, in naturalistic settings and lush, tropical gardens over three miles of walkways.
· Miami Science Museum, located across from Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, features changing, hands-on science exhibitions, planetarium shows, a Wildlife Center for birds of prey and reptiles, and an exhibition displaying artifacts from the Smithsonian.
· Miami Seaquarium, one of South Florida's premier attractions, features marine life shows, exhibits and attractions in a landscaped park overlooking Biscayne Bay. The Seaquarium offers a Dolphin Interaction program which includes a swim with the dolphins for an additional fee (52 in. height minimum).
· Monkey Jungle, now in its 3rd generation of family ownership, is home to 30 species of primates, most running free in a 30 acre preserve.
· Parrot Jungle Island is located along the MacArthur Causeway connecting downtown Miami and South Beach. The 18.6 acre park with over 2,000 varieties of plants and flowers and 1,100 tropical birds features a trained bird show, free-flying exotic birds, Everglades habitat, Serpentarium (reptile facility), petting barn, aviaries and beach area on Biscayne Bay.
· Everglades National Park
The Everglades, the only subtropical wilderness preserve in North
America, lies just to the west of Miami Beach. The "river of grass"
is made up of vast expanses of sawgrass prairie and hardwood hammocks, providing
a sanctuary, as well as breeding and feeding ground for many species of
birds. The great egret, snowy egret, great blue heron, roseate spoonbill,
anhinga, endangered wood stork, bald eagle, and 170 species of birds have
been observed here. The habitat provides shelter for many threatened and
endangered animals and is the only place in the world where crocodiles and
alligators coexist. In fact, because of its great variety of plant and animal
life, the Everglades has been designated a World Heritage Site, an International
Biosphere Reserve and a Wetland of International Importance. You can learn
about the area's rich diversity at the Everglades National Park main Visitors
Center located at the park entrance. Exhibits, brochures, activity schedules
and information on boat tours and canoe rentals are available. The Anhinga
Trail at the Royal Palm Visitor Center winds through a saw grass marsh and
is less than a half mile long, 30 minutes round trip. It is a wonderful
trail for both children and adults to easily see a good variety of Everglades
wildlife. Those with patience and a keen eye can see even more if they look
carefully for the fish, alligators, turtles, and birds hidden in the water,
sawgrass, and trees. December to April is the best time to visit to avoid
the hordes of mosquitoes that can make outdoor activities difficult at other
times of year.
key biscayne
Key Biscayne is just a few miles east of downtown Miami across the Rickenbacker
Causeway. It is a secluded community and natural refuge encompassing only
two square miles in all. Technically, one of the first islands in the Florida
keys archipelago, much of the marsh, mangrove forests, dunes and beachfront
have been preserved as parkland. Bill
Baggs Cape Florida State Park is located on the southern tip of
Key Biscayne. The beach there is consistently ranked among the top ten beaches
in the United States. The park offers biking and hiking trails and free
tours of the restored 1825 lighthouse, the oldest standing structure in
Miami. Crandon Beach in Crandon Park also lays claim to being named one
of the best beaches in America for kids because the multiple sandbars offshore
make the water shallow for a long distance and there are no riptides. Turtle
walks are held annually in August or September when sea turtles hatchlings
are released back into the sea. Guided canoe trips, kayak and snorkel trips,
bike and beach tours can be arranged through the Eco
Adventures Tour office at Crandon Park, 305-365-3018. Key Biscayne
is also home to the famous Biltmore Hotel of the 1920s and is within five
minutes of the Miami Seaquarium and close proximity to all the attractions
of Miami Beach.
FAST FACTS
Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Access 2010-2011 Family Fun Guide online.
800-933-8448
Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce
1920 Meridian Ave.
Miami, FL 33129
305-672-1270
Tourist Hotline: 305-673-7400
Vicaya Museum & Gardens
3251 South Miami Ave.
Miami, FL 33129
305-250-9133
Everglades National Park
40001 State Rd. 9336
Homestead, FL 33034-6733
305-242-7700
Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce
88 West McIntyre St., Suite 100
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
305-361-5207
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
1200 S. Crandon Blvd.
Key Biscayne, FL 33149
305-361-5811
J. Unger, May 2005, updated 2011