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Miami – Year Round Family Fun!Story and Photos by Sonia Laflamme “All ages and races,
So go the lyrics from Will Smith’s upbeat smash single entitled “Miami.” Not every city gets honored with a song, but Miami is one of those cities that more than deserves it! There’s good reason why millions of visitors flock to this city year round. The moderate subtropical climate, the ocean, the people, and myriad of activities combine to build the perfect sunny escape for families looking for a vacation jam-packed with things to do. We recently spent a few days in Miami and indulged in some great food and sightseeing and realized we only covered the tip of the iceberg. You can return to this city many times and have a different experience each time. Attractions You Have to Catch! When looking to experience something outside of the obvious vacation spots that every tourist is visiting, make sure you take a day or two and drive out to the Redlands, which is located midway between Miami and Key West. Our tour guide, Robert Burr of Redland Riot, shared with us this wonderful off-the-beaten-tourist-path excursion. Robert is a local whose family came to the area in 1876. In 1960, Charles Young Burr, who was known as the Strawberry King, planted their first strawberry plant and the Burr’s Berry Farm was born. Today, you can stop by for fresh strawberries. The Redland Riot and the Historic Redland Tropical Trail are two self-guided tours that promote the region’s many family fun-filled activities for visitors. Check out their websites, pick your activities, print out the maps, and off you go! The Redlands offer an abundance of exotic wildlife like alligators and monkeys; great local fare, including gourmet cuisine, local delicacies and fresh exotic tropical fruits; and coral castles.
The DuMond family still own and operate the reserve and through the years have added many other types of primates to their family. The squirrel monkeys delight children as they swing from tree to tree and descend to pick food out of your hands. No visit is complete without meeting King, an impressive lowland gorilla. King, who has learned sign language, is part of an episodic memory study and communicates what he is learning through signing. This friendly gorilla enjoys watching Oprah and every night is enticed back into his enclosure when he hears the beginning of his favorite show playing on his own personal TV. Many are curious to see if King will someday learn to change channels. Touring Miami by Air and Sea! Avoid the hectic driving and discover Miami by air and sea. Relax and discover Miami’s coastline with Island Queen Cruises’ guided sightseeing tours. Cruise along Biscayne Bay and see Fisher Island, a completely self contained isolated island that can only be reached by ferry. Home to multi million dollar condos, Fisher Island offers the perfect private retreat for the likes of Tom Cruise and Oprah. You’ll also cruise down the famous Millionaire’s Row with its very impressive and lavish estates and palatial homes. Island Queen Cruises offers many other packages like romantic dance dinner cruises and fishing expeditions.
Miami is a city in full boom; everywhere we looked we saw new condos and hotels under construction. Don Bueneman, the pilot/owner, cheerfully explained to us that the city of Miami is actually on the shores of Biscayne Bay and that the city also extends out into the bay. From the air, I am surprised to see hundreds of manmade barrier islands. The largest of these islands is home to Miami Beach and the renowned tourist destination, the South Beach district. Don also flew us over homes that were built out in the middle of the bay and just appeared to be floating there. Back in the 1930s, some families wanting complete privacy decided to build these homes on stilts in Biscayne Bay. Though the homes are no longer inhabited, they make for a great tourist attraction. Flying over the clear blue and green waters of the bay, you may get lucky and catch a glimpse of manatees and dolphins frolicking in the warm water below. Where to Stay! Great Gourmet and Every Taste! Miami offers an eclectic mix of gourmet and fusion cuisines to whet everyone’s appetite. Cuban/Latin cuisine is big here, but you can find almost everything else that you may crave. One restaurant that stands apart is Pacific Time, serving up innovative Pan-Asian creations. Dishes like shrimp curry and tuna tataki tantalize your palate with scrumptious flavors and just the right hint of spices. The chef and owner and father of two young daughters, Jonathan Eismann, realized how difficult it was to have a romantic evening meal in an elegant restaurant while traveling with two young children. Hence, the idea was born to create a children’s menu that has been kid-approved by his oldest daughter. There are many healthy choices from which to choose for your child, such as a halibut or salmon fillet lightly sautéed with citrus butter, a lightly breaded chicken breast or penne pasta tossed in sweet butter and parmigiano reggiano. Parents enjoy a delectable dinner while the kids get their own kid friendly creations. After dinner, parents can indulge in some sinful desserts and the kids get their very own freshly baked cookie that was brought to them earlier to decorate. This is a great dining experience for the whole family! Miami has it all— fun in the sun on miles of white sand beaches, tons of great activities for the little ones and adults and delicious local flavors and gourmet cuisines. You could easily spend an exciting jam-packed weekend or stay for a couple of weeks and discover everything this vibrant city has to offer. For more information: Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau Redland Riot Historic Redland Tropical Trail Everglades Alligator farm Robert is Here Monkey Jungle Island Queen Cruises Miami Flight Seeing Circa39 Hotel Pacific Time Restaurant
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JustSayGO Travel Show
I only come for 2 days of playing, but every time we come
At the Everglades Alligator Farm, where alligators are raised, we saw all sizes of baby alligators and witnessed the feeding of the giant adults up close. On the river banks, the alligators are lazing around in the sun, but when lunch is served, they’ll jump up and snap the fish right out of the feeder’s hand. To further explore the world of the alligator, we took an exhilarating fast and furious ride aboard an airboat amidst these slithering critters as they swam about staring at us, perhaps picking out their next meal. The exciting first-hand experience of watching these impressive beasts up close pales to anything you might see sitting at home watching television!
Our next stop was truly a thirst-quenching experience – no matter the time or season! Robert is Here, a unique fruit stand with a quirky name, serves the best and most refreshing fruit milkshakes you’ll ever taste, including a delicious key lime milkshake! This stand also sells one of the largest assortments of native and exotic vegetables and tropical fruits, many of which you’ll undoubtedly see for the first time, like the purple dragon fruit or the star- shaped slices of the carambola. You can also bring home some irresistible homemade family creations like delicious marinades and dressings and key lime flavored honey. The owner, whose name is, you guessed it, Robert, shared with us the history behind the fruit stand’s curious name. In 1960, when he was only six years old, his father sat him on the side of the road with a box of cucumbers for sale but no one stopped to buy the cucumbers. The next day, his father put up a sign that read Robert Is Here. It seems that this was all that was needed for people to stop and buy up all the cucumbers! The current stand is at the exact location Robert first sold cucumbers 40 years ago.
Is there such a thing as diving monkeys? Yes! And you can meet the Java monkeys at the Monkey Jungle, a 30 acre reserve where over 400 primates roam free. Monkey Jungle was established in 1933 from the dream of Joseph DuMond, an animal behaviorist who wanted to study the lifestyles of monkeys in a wild and natural habitat. DuMond started with a modest troop of 6 Java monkeys that today has grown to over 80, freely roaming about the trees and showing off their diving skills at scheduled feedings.
For the more adventurous traveler, hop aboard a Cessna twin-engine Skyhawk with Miami Flight Seeing and get an unbelievable and stunning bird’s eye view of Miami in all its grandeur. The Grand Miami Tour is 60 minutes and offers spectacular views of over 74 miles of beaches.
Circa 39 is a great boutique hotel in Miami Beach, ideally located just across the street from the ocean with a friendly and accommodating staff. The décor is modern with a European influence; some of the furniture is actually imported from Holland. The rooms are spacious, offering either a king size bed or two queen size beds for families. Each room also has a small kitchenette with refrigerator and microwave, another great plus for families. A complimentary continental breakfast is served every morning in the Circa 39 Bistro. The pool area has comfortable chaise lounges with umbrellas, and if you wish to relax, you can order up a poolside massage. For the exercise enthusiast, there is a gym, complete with free weights, exercise bikes and treadmills. Circa 39 offers style, convenience and comfort at an affordable price.