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Miami, Florida
Population: 362,470
Located in Miami-Dade County
The Greater Miami area is full of attractions for all ages. With tourism as its backbone, pulsating Miami has evolved from a sleepy outpost near Florida's Everglades into a world-class cosmopolitan metropolis bursting with attractions, water sports, nightlife and shopping. Miles of sparkling shoreline, museums, parks, and a diversified line-up of restaurants await, along with a gleaming seaport boasting more passenger cruise activity than anywhere else in the world.
Below is a list of 3 suggested things to do in the Miami Metropolitan Area:
Beach Scene Diversity Greater Miami's shoreline stretches for miles providing diverse options for shoreline enjoyment. Bal Harbour Beach has a palm-shaded jogging path curving around the mile-long beach. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area on Key Biscayne has a scenic beach at the southern tip with walking and bike trails along with a historic lighthouse. Crandon Park Beach has a three-mile long lagoon style beach protected by 13 lifeguard towers and beach wheelchairs for rent. Haulover Beach Park, on Miami Beach, has shady picnic areas with barbecue grills near the dunes. Hobie Beach/Windsurfer Beach, at the south end of Key Biscayne on the north side of Rickenbacker Causeway, allows water sports and dogs. Homestead Bayfront Park has a palm-shaded beach with free parking. Famed Miami Beach divides into North Beach (46th Street to 78th Street), Central Beach (21st Street to 46th Street) and the ever-so-sizzling South Beach (5th Street to 21st Street). Oleta State Recreation Area has a shady beach and is popular with boaters and kayakers along nearby Snake River. South Pointe Park is excellent for watching cruise ships heading out to sea. Sunny Isles Beach has a freshly renourished two-mile long white sand beach with a landmark fishing pier at the south end. Surfside Beach is mainly residential with limited parking. Virginia Key Beach-South is ultra-secluded with nature trails and dogs allowed on leashes. Virginia Key Beach-North has great views of Brickell Avenue and the downtown Miami skyline along with windsurfing and ultra light seaplane rental.
Everglades Alligator Farm
South Florida's oldest working alligator farm on the Everglades edge (but not within Everglades National Park) has more than 3,000 toothsome gators to view in a rustic atmosphere. Farm visits include airboat rides and walking tours to see alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and snakes from Florida and elsewhere, along with the opportunity to be photographed holding a baby alligator. Originally started as an airboat ride attraction, transition began after 1985 changes in Florida law permitting alligator farming. In the 1960s, federal officials believed the American alligator was close to extinction and commercial farming was seen as a way to preserve these reptiles traced back to dinosaur times. Smaller gators are kept in grow-out pens with larger ones moved to breeding ponds where females have one clutch of eggs per year with up to 45 eggs. Scheduled entertainment includes Alligator Feeding and a Weird Animal Show.
Miami MetroZoo
Surviving hurricanes Betsy and Andrew, today's Miami Metrozoo can be traced back to Key Biscayne's Crandon Park Zoo, created in 1948 when three monkeys, two black bears and a goat were picked up for $270 from a road show stranded near Miami. The collection grew to 1,200 animals, resulting in the Crandon Park Zoo, which in 1967 succeeded in the rare captive birth and rearing of an aardvark. Then 1965's Hurricane Betsy caused deaths of 250 animals leading to Metrozoo, a county-operated zoo opening in 1981, with 38 exhibits covering 200 acres. In 1982, another 25 acres and a monorail were added, with following years bringing the Wings of Asia exhibit, a 1.6 acre free-flight aviary and more. In 1989, Metrozoo debuted both the first koala born on the east coast and PAWS, the children's petting zoo. In 1990, the Asian River Life Experience opened with small-clawed Asian otters, a blood python, Malayan water monitor, clouded leopards, land tortoises, muntjac deer, demoiselle cranes, and fly-river turtles. On Aug. 24, 1992, Hurricane Andrew blew away some 5,000 trees and Wings of Asia, built to withstand winds of up to 120 m.p.h. The 300 exotic birds, representing the finest collection of Asian birds anywhere, were lost. Reopening four months later, by July, 1993, animals were back home at Metrozoo and 7,000 trees had been planted. Exhibits now include the Andean Condor (1999), Meerkats (2000), Cuban Crocodiles (2001), Squirrel Monkeys (2001) and "Dr. Wilde's World," housing traveling zoological exhibits. American Bankers Family Aviary, Wings of Asia opened in May, 2003.
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