Miami things to do

Welcome to the real Miami

If you’ve ever seen those cool Miami airboats in the movies or on CSI Miami, don’t miss your opportunity to get on one at the Everglades National Park (right). An Everglades Safari guide will tour you around this alligator infested area and scare the pants off you. You’ll also get a nature and wildlife show for the entry price and you can choose different airboat tours, paying extra for longer, more explorative tours. Bring your camera, you’ll get some seriously crazy photos of alligators up close in the wild, and be sure to do your best David Caruso pose (hands on hips, head tilted to the side).

More movie scenes can be found at the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens (right). Look familiar? This grand estate was used in the Bad Boys II movie (cinematic classic that it was), as the private mansion of the main villain.

This sprawling manor was built on ten acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay in 1916 by James Deering, who used it as a winter house. The design of the house and surrounding gardens is breathtaking, all pieces and artworks are original and date back to when the house was used by Deering.

There is an admission fee to see the grounds, but I doubt you’ll get better photographs than this in Miami. The gardens are ornate and delicate, a must if you love heritage listed sites and historic landmarks. If even has its own private barge, hand crafted from stone, of course.

If you like historic sites, there are plenty in Miami, quirky ones too. Try Coral Castle (below), the workings of one man’s unrequited love, an estate built entirely out of coral. Sounds strange? It is, this place is huge and the coral used would have been impossible to move, as each piece weighs many tonnes.

Created by Edward Leedskalnin, he was jilted the day before the wedding to his sweetheart. He then built the castle with his own bare hands in hope that his beloved would see his love for her and come back to him. She did not, though years after Leedskalnin’s death, the castle remains.

It’s quite a sight, ingeniously built so that the nine ton gateway can be pushed open with the slightest push from a finger. The grounds include a working sundial, coral garden, fountains and the castle. One has to wonder, what would he have built her, had she said yes?

One thing you mustn’t forget is that one- third of Greater Miami is Cuban. When they first migrated north, they formed a little haven for their culture in Miami, now a great day trip if you want to experience a different side to this beach city.

Little Havana will charm your socks off with its little cafes and cigar shops, botanicas (religious paraphernalia stores) and the park dedicated to over 55’s, Maximo Gomez Park. You’re free to wander this park to watch all the oldies play dominoes, but don’t stop for long, this place really is for the over 55’s, and the young ones are not really allowed to play the games. You can find most of Little Havana by walking down Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street). If you like Cuban food, Versailles on Calle Ocho serves great Cuban cuisine for really great prices.

There’s plenty more to do if you have energy. Take one of Miami’s famous Duck Tours, that let you drive around the town sightseeing, and then glide into the water for a view from the other side of the city.

Wander around for an afternoon at the Bayside Marketplace in the Port of Miami, picking up little tid-bits in popular retails shops, eating from great restaurants and drinking in cute, tropical bars. There is entertainment a lot of the time, so your shopping/ drinking will generally get a salsa- style soundtrack.

Check out a fantastic photo opportunity at Cape Florida Lighthouse (above), held within Bill Baggs State Park. You can get a tour of the lighthouse, and don’t forget your swimmers; the lighthouse is just steps away from a gorgeous beach.

No matter what you do, or where you go, traveling is so much easier with your own car. Public transport can be expensive in the long run, and definitely not as comfortable as a new, quality car of your own. Have a look at your Miami hire car options!

By Leah Bradicich

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