Miami Tourism
Miami is a major center and a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. In 2010, Miami was classified as an Alpha- World City in the World Cities Study Group’s inventory. In 2010, Miami ranked seventh in the United States in terms of finance, commerce, culture, entertainment, fashion, education, and other sectors. It ranked thirty-third among global cities. In 2008, Forbes magazine ranked Miami "America's Cleanest City", for its year-round good air quality, vast green spaces, clean drinking water, clean streets and city-wide recycling programs. According to a 2009 UBS study of 73 world cities, Miami was ranked as the richest city in the United States, and the world's fifth-richest city in terms of purchasing power. Miami is nicknamed the "Capital of Latin America", is the second-largest U.S. city (after El Paso, Texas) with a Spanish-speaking majority, and the largest city with a Cuban-American plurality.
Miami Geography
Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the Florida Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east that also extends from Florida Bay north to Lake Okeechobee. The elevation of the area never rises above 40 ft (12 m) and averages at around 6 ft (1.8 m) above mean sea level in most neighborhoods, especially near the coast. The highest undulations are found along the coastal Miami Rock Ridge, whose substrate underlies most of the eastern Miami metropolitan region. The main portion of the city lies on the shores of Biscayne Bay which contains several hundred natural and artificially created barrier islands, the largest of which contains Miami Beach and South Beach. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, runs northward just 15 miles (24 km) off the coast, allowing the city's climate to stay warm and mild all year.
Miami Climate
Miami has a tropical monsoon climate with hot and humid summers and short, warm winters, with a marked drier season in the winter. Its sea-level elevation, coastal location, position just above the Tropic of Cancer, and proximity to the Gulf Stream shapes its climate. With January averaging 67.2 °F (19.6 °C), winter features mild to warm temperatures; cool air usually settles after the passage of a cold front, which produces much of the little amount of rainfall. Lows sometimes fall below 50 °F (10 °C), but very rarely below 35 °F (2 °C). Highs generally range between 70–77 °F (21–25 °C). The wet season begins some time in May, ending in mid-October. During this period, temperatures are in the mid 80s to low 90s (29–35 °C), accompanied by high humidity, though the heat is often relieved by afternoon thunderstorms or a sea breeze that develops off the Atlantic Ocean, which then allow lower temperatures, but conditions still remain very muggy. Much of the year's 55.9 inches (1,420 mm) of rainfall occurs during this period.
Extremes range from 27 °F (-2.8 °C) on February 3, 1917 to 100 °F (38 °C) on July 21, 1940. Miami has never recorded an accumulation of snow, and has only once recorded snow flurries, on January 19, 1977.
Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop beyond those dates. The most likely time for Miami to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season which is mid-August through the end of September. Although tornadoes are uncommon in the Miami area, a tornado struck the city in 1925 and again in 1997.
Extremes range from 27 °F (-2.8 °C) on February 3, 1917 to 100 °F (38 °C) on July 21, 1940. Miami has never recorded an accumulation of snow, and has only once recorded snow flurries, on January 19, 1977.
Hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through November 30, although hurricanes can develop beyond those dates. The most likely time for Miami to be hit is during the peak of the Cape Verde season which is mid-August through the end of September. Although tornadoes are uncommon in the Miami area, a tornado struck the city in 1925 and again in 1997.
Miami Weather
Miami Attractions
Miami Seaquarium
From 1963 through 1967, eighty eight episodes of the 1960s TV show "Flipper" and two movies starring Flipper were filmed at the Miami Seaquarium.
Lolita (Tokitae) the Killer Whale
One of the Miami Seaquarium's attractions is Lolita, one of the world's oldest captive orcas. She is currently the park's only orca. Lolita arrived at the Miami Seaquarium in 1970, where she joined the park's first orca, Hugo.
American Airlines Arena
The AmericanAirlines Arena is a sports and entertainment arena located in Downtown Miami, Florida along Biscayne Bay. It was constructed beginning in 1998 as a replacement for the Miami Arena and was designed by the architecture firms Arquitectonica and 360 Architecture. The Arena is home to the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. In the early 2000s, the Women's National Basketball Association team Miami Sol played at the arena from the team's birth in 2000 until the team's folding in 2002. The AmericanAirlines Arena is directly served by the Miami Metrorail at Government Center station via free transfers to Metromover Omni Loop, providing direct service to Freedom Tower and Park West stations. The Arena is also within walking distance from the Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre Metrorail station.
American Airlines maintains the American Airlines Arena Travel Center at the venue. AmericanAirlines Arena should not be confused with the American Airlines Center, which is located in Dallas. The official spelling of the building is distinct as "American" and "Airlines" is considered as one word. An example of this wording is FedExForum or FedExField, the only difference is that "AmericanAirlines" and "Arena" are not joined together.
The AmericanAirlines Arena has 2,105 club seats, 80 luxury suites, and 76 private boxes. The Waterfront Theater is Florida's largest theater which is housed within the arena, that can seat between 3,000 and 5,800. The theater can be configured for concerts, family events, musical theatre and other stage shows.
Public transportation in Miami is operated by Miami-Dade Transit and SFRTA, and includes commuter rail (Tri-Rail), heavy-rail rapid transit (Metrorail), an elevated people mover (Metromover), and buses (Metrobus). Miami has Florida's highest transit ridership as about 17% of Miamians use transit on a daily basis.
Miami's heavy-rail rapid transit system, Metrorail, is an elevated system comprising two lines and 23 stations on a 24.4-mile (39.3 km)-long line. Metrorail connects the urban western suburbs of Hialeah, Medley, and inner-city Miami with suburban The Roads, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami and urban Kendall via the central business districts of Miami International Airport, the Civic Center, and Downtown. A free, elevated people mover, Metromover, operates 21 stations on three different lines in greater Downtown Miami, with a station at roughly every two blocks of Downtown and Brickell. Several expansion projects are being funded by a transit development sales tax surcharge throughout Miami-Dade County.
Construction is currently underway on the Miami Intermodal Center and Miami Central Station, a massive transportation hub servicing Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, Metrobus, Greyhound Lines, taxis, rental cars, MIA Mover, private automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians adjacent to Miami International Airport. Completion of the Miami Intermodal Center is expected to be completed by winter 2011, and will serve over 150,000 commuters and travelers in the Miami area. Phase I of Miami Central Station is scheduled to begin service in the spring of 2012, and Phase II in 2013.
Two new light rail systems, Baylink and the Miami Streetcar, have been proposed and are currently in the planning stage. BayLink would connect Downtown with South Beach, and the Miami Streetcar would connect Downtown with Midtown.
Miami is the southern terminus of Amtrak's Atlantic Coast services, running two lines, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star, both terminating in New York City. The Miami Amtrak Station is located in the suburb of Hialeah near the Tri-Rail/Metrorail Station on NW 79 St and NW 38 Ave. Current construction of the Miami Central Station will move all Amtrak operations from its current out-of-the-way location to a centralized location with Metrorail, MIA Mover, Tri-Rail, Miami International Airport, and the Miami Intermodal Center all within the same station closer to Downtown. The station is expected to be completed by 2012.
Florida High Speed Rail was planned to connect Miami with Orlando and Tampa in a single line, but was canceled in 2011.
Miami's road system is based along the numerical "Miami Grid" where Flagler Street forms the east-west baseline and Miami Avenue forms the north-south meridian. The corner of Flagler Street and Miami Avenue is in the middle of Downtown in front of the Downtown Macy's (formerly the Burdine's headquarters). The Miami grid is primarily numerical so that, for example, all street addresses north of Flagler Street and west of Miami Avenue have "NW" in their address. Because its point of origin is in Downtown which is close to the coast, therefore, the "NW" and "SW" quadrants are much larger than the "SE" and "NE" quadrants. Many roads, especially major ones, are also named (e.g., Tamiami Trail/SW 8th St), although, with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Coral Way), the number is in more common usage among locals.
All streets and avenues in Miami-Dade County follow the Miami Grid, with a few exceptions, most notably Coral Gables, Hialeah, Coconut Grove and Miami Beach. One neighborhood, The Roads, is thusly named because its streets run off the Miami Grid in a 45-degree angle, and therefore are all named roads.
Miami-Dade County is served by four Interstate Highways (I-75, I-95, I-195, I-395) and several U.S. Highways including U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 27, U.S. Route 41, and U.S. Route 441.
Some of the major Florida State Roads (and their common names) serving Miami are:
Miami has six major causeways that span over Biscayne Bay connecting the western mainland, with the eastern barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean. The Rickenbacker Causeway is the southernmost causeway and connects Brickell to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. The Venetian Causeway and MacArthur Causeway connect Downtown with South Beach. The Julia Tuttle Causeway connects Midtown and Miami Beach. The 79th Street Causeway connects the Upper East Side with North Beach. The northernmost causeway, the Broad Causeway, is the smallest of Miami's six causeways, and connects North Miami with Bal Harbour.
In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States, the second year in a row to have been cited, in a poll commissioned by automobile club AutoVantage. Miami is also consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States for pedestrians.
Hampton Inn & Suites Miami/Brickell-Downtown
JW Marriott Marquis Miami
EPIC Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Hotel Beaux Arts
Mandarin Oriental, Miami
Comfort Suites
Casa Moderna Miami
Hotel InterContinental Miami
Hampton Inn & Suites - Miami Airport / Blue Lagoon
The Angler's Boutique Resort
Marlin Hotel
The Betsy Hotel, South Beach
Surfcomber Miami South Beach, a Kimpton Hotel
Villa Italia Hotel
Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa Miami Beach
King & Grove Tides
Hotel Impala
Z Ocean Hotel South Beach
Dream South Beach
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Mandarin Oriental Miami
The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
Hotel Beaux Arts Miami
The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Miami
The Setai
Acqualina Resort and Spa
Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa
Four Seasons Residences
American Airlines maintains the American Airlines Arena Travel Center at the venue. AmericanAirlines Arena should not be confused with the American Airlines Center, which is located in Dallas. The official spelling of the building is distinct as "American" and "Airlines" is considered as one word. An example of this wording is FedExForum or FedExField, the only difference is that "AmericanAirlines" and "Arena" are not joined together.
The AmericanAirlines Arena has 2,105 club seats, 80 luxury suites, and 76 private boxes. The Waterfront Theater is Florida's largest theater which is housed within the arena, that can seat between 3,000 and 5,800. The theater can be configured for concerts, family events, musical theatre and other stage shows.
Jungle Island Miami
Jungle Island (formerly Parrot Jungle) is an interactive zoological park in Watson Island, Miami, Florida, United States. It was originally Parrot Jungle and moved from its original suburban Pinecrest to its present location just east of Downtown Miami renamed as Parrot Jungle Island. In 2007, the park was again renamed to Jungle Island.
Originally founded in 1936 by Franz & Louise Scherr, Parrot Jungle was one of the first tourist attractions established in the Miami area. The idea for Parrot Jungle began after Scherr, who owned and operated a feed and supply store in Homestead, became intrigued with the idea of building an attraction where birds would "fly free". Scherr leased 22 acres (89,000 m2) of hammock land for an annual fee of $25. Parrot Jungle was built as a winding nature trail dug through the coral rock and hammock land, indigenous to the area. All the natural plants were left undisturbed. The entrance was built on Red Road.
The attraction opened on December 20, 1936, to about 100 visitors. Each paid 25 cents admission to see and hear Scherr talk about his birds, trees and flowers. Since 1936, over a million visitors have visited Parrot Jungle. Among its many famous visitors was Sir Winston Churchill, film director Steven Spielberg, and former US President Jimmy Carter. On December 17, 2002, the Village of Pinecrest purchased the Parrot Jungle with the aim of developing the site as Pinecrest Gardens. On March 8, 2003 the Pinecrest Village Council dedicated Pinecrest Gardens and officially opened it to the public as the Village's newest municipal park, without the animals that had made the park famous. The actual attraction moved to a new waterfront location on Watson Island between Downtown Miami and South Beach. It opened on June 28, 2003 as Parrot Jungle Island.
On June 28, 2007, four years after the park first opened at its bayfront location, Jungle Island became the official name.
Originally founded in 1936 by Franz & Louise Scherr, Parrot Jungle was one of the first tourist attractions established in the Miami area. The idea for Parrot Jungle began after Scherr, who owned and operated a feed and supply store in Homestead, became intrigued with the idea of building an attraction where birds would "fly free". Scherr leased 22 acres (89,000 m2) of hammock land for an annual fee of $25. Parrot Jungle was built as a winding nature trail dug through the coral rock and hammock land, indigenous to the area. All the natural plants were left undisturbed. The entrance was built on Red Road.
The attraction opened on December 20, 1936, to about 100 visitors. Each paid 25 cents admission to see and hear Scherr talk about his birds, trees and flowers. Since 1936, over a million visitors have visited Parrot Jungle. Among its many famous visitors was Sir Winston Churchill, film director Steven Spielberg, and former US President Jimmy Carter. On December 17, 2002, the Village of Pinecrest purchased the Parrot Jungle with the aim of developing the site as Pinecrest Gardens. On March 8, 2003 the Pinecrest Village Council dedicated Pinecrest Gardens and officially opened it to the public as the Village's newest municipal park, without the animals that had made the park famous. The actual attraction moved to a new waterfront location on Watson Island between Downtown Miami and South Beach. It opened on June 28, 2003 as Parrot Jungle Island.
On June 28, 2007, four years after the park first opened at its bayfront location, Jungle Island became the official name.
Villa Vizcaya
Vizcaya, now named the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering, of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune, on Biscayne Bay in the present day Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida. The early 20th century Vizcaya estate also includes: extensive Italian Renaissance gardens; native woodland landscape; and a historic village outbuildings compound. The landscape and architecture were influenced by Veneto and Tuscan Italian Renaissance models and designed in the Mediterranean Revival architecture style, with Baroque elements. Paul Chalfin was the design director.
Miami-Dade County now owns the Vizcaya property, as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which is open to the public. 'Villa Vizcaya' is served by the Vizcaya Station of the Miami Metrorail.
Miami-Dade County now owns the Vizcaya property, as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, which is open to the public. 'Villa Vizcaya' is served by the Vizcaya Station of the Miami Metrorail.
Miami Art Museum
The Miami Art Museum (MAM) is an art museum located in Downtown Miami, Florida, in the United States. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for the Fine Arts, and in 1996 became the Miami Art Museum. The MAM dedicates itself to contemporary art and is located at 101 West Flagler Street in Downtown Miami in the same Miami Cultural Plaza as the Historical Museum of Southern Florida and the Miami-Dade Public Library. Current plans are to transplant the MAM from its current location in the Central Business District to Park West at Bicentennial Park along with the Miami Science Museum with plans for completion around 2013. The MAM receives over 60,000 visitors a year.
The Miami Art Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at Government Center Station.
The Miami Art Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at Government Center Station.
Marlins Park
Marlins Park is a baseball park in Miami, Florida. It is the current home of the Miami Marlins Major League Baseball team. It is located on 17 acres of the former Miami Orange Bowl site in Little Havana, about 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Downtown. Construction was completed in March 2012, in time for the 2012 Major League Baseball season.
The stadium is designed in a neomodern form of baseball architecture. The contemporary ballpark is the first fully, non-retro ballpark constructed in MLB since Oriole Park at Camden Yards began baseball's postmodern trend in 1992. Marlins Park was also LEED certified as the greenest MLB park in 2012. The building is the sixth MLB stadium to have a retractable roof. With a seating capacity of 37,442, it is the third-smallest stadium in Major League Baseball by official capacity, and the smallest by actual capacity.
Despite general agreement among sports people that Miami needs this type of venue for professional baseball, Marlins Park has been a source of controversy in South Florida ever since it was proposed. The stadium's public-funding plan—which would eventually strap a $2.4 billion debt to Miami-Dade County alone—led to a protracted lawsuit, largely contributed to the ouster of several local politicians, and triggered an SEC investigation. As revelations of the team's finances and their handling of payroll (both before and after construction) seemed to contradict some of the pretenses on which the tax-funded-stadium deal were based, the ballpark controversy intensified.
The facility will host a second-round pool of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Marlins Park executives are bidding to host the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game but face competition from Nationals Park.
The stadium is designed in a neomodern form of baseball architecture. The contemporary ballpark is the first fully, non-retro ballpark constructed in MLB since Oriole Park at Camden Yards began baseball's postmodern trend in 1992. Marlins Park was also LEED certified as the greenest MLB park in 2012. The building is the sixth MLB stadium to have a retractable roof. With a seating capacity of 37,442, it is the third-smallest stadium in Major League Baseball by official capacity, and the smallest by actual capacity.
Despite general agreement among sports people that Miami needs this type of venue for professional baseball, Marlins Park has been a source of controversy in South Florida ever since it was proposed. The stadium's public-funding plan—which would eventually strap a $2.4 billion debt to Miami-Dade County alone—led to a protracted lawsuit, largely contributed to the ouster of several local politicians, and triggered an SEC investigation. As revelations of the team's finances and their handling of payroll (both before and after construction) seemed to contradict some of the pretenses on which the tax-funded-stadium deal were based, the ballpark controversy intensified.
The facility will host a second-round pool of the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Marlins Park executives are bidding to host the 2015 Major League Baseball All-Star Game but face competition from Nationals Park.
Coral Castle
Coral Castle is a stone structure created by the Latvian American eccentric Edward Leedskalnin (1887-1951) north of the city of Homestead, Florida in Miami-Dade County at the intersection of South Dixie Highway (U.S. 1) and SW 157th Avenue. The structure comprises numerous megalithic stones (mostly limestone formed from coral), each weighing several tons. It currently serves as a privately-operated tourist attraction. Coral Castle is noted for legends surrounding its creation that claim it was built single-handedly by Leedskalnin using reverse magnetism and/or supernatural abilities to move numerous stones weighing many tons and carving them.
Bayfront Park
Bayfront Park is a 32-acre (13 ha) public, urban park in Downtown Miami, Florida on Biscayne Bay.
The park began construction in 1924 under the design plans of Warren Henry Manning and officially opened in March 1925. Beginning in 1980, it underwent a major redesign by Japanese-American modernist artist and landscape architect, Isamu Noguchi. Today, Bayfront Park is maintained by the Bayfront Park Management Trust, a limited agency of the city of Miami.
Bayfront Park is bordered on the north by Bayside Marketplace and the American Airlines Arena, on the south by Chopin Plaza, on the west by Biscayne Boulevard and on the east by Biscayne Bay. Bayfront Park is host to many large events such as the New Year's ball drop, Christmas celebrations, concerts, the Bayfront Park Amphitheater, the Tina Hills Pavilion, as well as boat tours around Biscayne Bay.
Seven blocks north is Bayfront Park's partner park, the 30-acre (0.12 km2) Bicentennial Park.
The park began construction in 1924 under the design plans of Warren Henry Manning and officially opened in March 1925. Beginning in 1980, it underwent a major redesign by Japanese-American modernist artist and landscape architect, Isamu Noguchi. Today, Bayfront Park is maintained by the Bayfront Park Management Trust, a limited agency of the city of Miami.
Bayfront Park is bordered on the north by Bayside Marketplace and the American Airlines Arena, on the south by Chopin Plaza, on the west by Biscayne Boulevard and on the east by Biscayne Bay. Bayfront Park is host to many large events such as the New Year's ball drop, Christmas celebrations, concerts, the Bayfront Park Amphitheater, the Tina Hills Pavilion, as well as boat tours around Biscayne Bay.
Seven blocks north is Bayfront Park's partner park, the 30-acre (0.12 km2) Bicentennial Park.
Miami Science Museum
The Miami Science Museum is an attraction located in the city of Miami, Florida USA. The museum itself also contains the Space-Transit Planetarium, Weintraub Observatory and a wildlife center. The museum is currently working to transplant the museum from its current location to Park West at Bicentennial Park in Downtown Miami along with the Miami Art Museum. The museum broke ground for the new museum in February 2012, the grand opening is expected in 2015.
The Miami Science Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at the Vizcaya Station.The Museum first started as "The Junior Museum of Miami" and was a private non-profit organization established in 1949. It was located inside a house on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 26th Street. The Museum grew so rapidly that in 1952 it relocated to the Miami Women's Club building on Bayshore Drive. When it arrived at the new location it was renamed "Museum of Science and Natural History".
In 1953, the Guild of the Museum of Science was formed adding the efforts of volunteer assistance to the staff, operation of the Museum Store, as well as tours and outreach programs.
The museum began to outgrow its new home again and a special committee headed by Claire Weintraub recommended that Miami should establish a major independent science museum which could service citizens of all ages. By 1960, the first building of the community's new science museum opened its doors. The facility was located on 3 acres (12,000 m2) of the historic Vizcaya complex, and was built and furnished rent-free by the County.
Late 1966 saw the construction of a Space Transit Planetarium, which soon became the leading facility of its kind in the world. Its activities now include international television programming (see Star Gazer).
In 1989, the Museum's lease agreement with the county for the Vizcaya site was extended for 99 years.
The yearly operating budget has grown to 2.5 million dollars, and the property currently totaling only 48,000 square feet (4,500 m2).
The museum currently showcases these exhibits:
The Sea Lab
Water, Wind, and Weather: Miami in a Changing Climate
Room for Debate
Heart Smart
Energy Tracker
Fuels of the Future
Moving Things
The Wildlife Center
Planetarium
In March 2011, Miamian Phillip Frost donated $35 million to the construction of the new Miami Science Museum in Downtown Miami. Frost's donation to the museum, is one of the largest donations to Miami's cultural institutions. The museum broke ground in early 2012, and is planned to be completed by the end of 2015. The Miami Art Museum is also building a new building in Bicentennial Park with completion expected in 2013.
The Miami Science Museum is served by the Miami Metrorail at the Vizcaya Station.The Museum first started as "The Junior Museum of Miami" and was a private non-profit organization established in 1949. It was located inside a house on the corner of Biscayne Boulevard and 26th Street. The Museum grew so rapidly that in 1952 it relocated to the Miami Women's Club building on Bayshore Drive. When it arrived at the new location it was renamed "Museum of Science and Natural History".
In 1953, the Guild of the Museum of Science was formed adding the efforts of volunteer assistance to the staff, operation of the Museum Store, as well as tours and outreach programs.
The museum began to outgrow its new home again and a special committee headed by Claire Weintraub recommended that Miami should establish a major independent science museum which could service citizens of all ages. By 1960, the first building of the community's new science museum opened its doors. The facility was located on 3 acres (12,000 m2) of the historic Vizcaya complex, and was built and furnished rent-free by the County.
Late 1966 saw the construction of a Space Transit Planetarium, which soon became the leading facility of its kind in the world. Its activities now include international television programming (see Star Gazer).
In 1989, the Museum's lease agreement with the county for the Vizcaya site was extended for 99 years.
The yearly operating budget has grown to 2.5 million dollars, and the property currently totaling only 48,000 square feet (4,500 m2).
The museum currently showcases these exhibits:
The Sea Lab
Water, Wind, and Weather: Miami in a Changing Climate
Room for Debate
Heart Smart
Energy Tracker
Fuels of the Future
Moving Things
The Wildlife Center
Planetarium
In March 2011, Miamian Phillip Frost donated $35 million to the construction of the new Miami Science Museum in Downtown Miami. Frost's donation to the museum, is one of the largest donations to Miami's cultural institutions. The museum broke ground in early 2012, and is planned to be completed by the end of 2015. The Miami Art Museum is also building a new building in Bicentennial Park with completion expected in 2013.
Tropical Park
Tropical Park is a 275-acre (1.11 km2) urban park in metropolitan Miami, Florida. The park is located just southwest of the intersection of the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) and Bird Road, just east of South Miami.
The land opened as a county public park in 1979 on the grounds of the former Tropical Park Race Track, which had used the lands since 1931. It has fields for softball, soccer and football as well as places to Run Or Jog, Ride Bike,play basketball and volleyball. For those who enjoy racquet sports, Tropical Park has a tennis center with 12 tennis courts which are wheelchair-accessible. Racquetball facilities are also available and a boxing center. There are four lakes within the park, a 2-acre (8,100 m2) dog park as well as paddleboating, and freshwater fishing. Joggers and cyclists use the miles of paved pathways circulating through park.
Throughout the year, the park hosts horse shows, rodeos and other special events at the Tropical Park Equestrian Center. The equestrian center hosts over thirty horse shows a year, including international shows. The old racetrack's stables were used as part of the equestrian center. The Tropical Park Stadium is home to the Miami-Dade Track and Field Team. The stadium has hosted prestigious national track and field meets such as the Junior Olympics, USA National Track and Field Championships, and many local high school football games.
From early November through the beginning of January, Santa's Enchanted Forest takes over a large part of Tropical Park. The annual holiday event features six million lights, a giant Christmas tree and carnival rides.
The land opened as a county public park in 1979 on the grounds of the former Tropical Park Race Track, which had used the lands since 1931. It has fields for softball, soccer and football as well as places to Run Or Jog, Ride Bike,play basketball and volleyball. For those who enjoy racquet sports, Tropical Park has a tennis center with 12 tennis courts which are wheelchair-accessible. Racquetball facilities are also available and a boxing center. There are four lakes within the park, a 2-acre (8,100 m2) dog park as well as paddleboating, and freshwater fishing. Joggers and cyclists use the miles of paved pathways circulating through park.
Throughout the year, the park hosts horse shows, rodeos and other special events at the Tropical Park Equestrian Center. The equestrian center hosts over thirty horse shows a year, including international shows. The old racetrack's stables were used as part of the equestrian center. The Tropical Park Stadium is home to the Miami-Dade Track and Field Team. The stadium has hosted prestigious national track and field meets such as the Junior Olympics, USA National Track and Field Championships, and many local high school football games.
From early November through the beginning of January, Santa's Enchanted Forest takes over a large part of Tropical Park. The annual holiday event features six million lights, a giant Christmas tree and carnival rides.
The Kampong
The Kampong is an 11-acre (45,000 m²) tropical garden in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida United States. It is one of the five gardens of the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG), and is open to visitors. An admission fee is charged.
The Kampong was bought as their winter home by the famed horticulturalist Dr. David Fairchild and his wife Marian in 1916. For many years he managed the Department of Plant Introduction program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. whose purpose was to search the world for plants that could be useful and successfully introduced into the United States. In his life, Fairchild introduced around 30,000 different plant species and variations into the U.S. At his home in Florida, Fairchild created a garden that contained many of the plants that he obtained throughout his trips. In 1931 Marian's sister Elsie and her husband, Gilbert Grosvenor, acquired the adjoining property on the north to use as their winter home. Fairchild and his wife made the Kampong their permanent home from 1928 until their deaths in 1954 and 1962 respectively.
A year after David Fairchild's wife's death, the land was purchased by Dr. Catherine Hauberg Sweeney, a botanist and preservationist. Dr. Sweeney maintained Fairchild’s garden and was vital in its preservation for future use and study, securing its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1984 Sweeney donated the property to the then Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden (now National Tropical Botanical Garden), and remained its principal sponsor until her death in 1995.
The Kampong was bought as their winter home by the famed horticulturalist Dr. David Fairchild and his wife Marian in 1916. For many years he managed the Department of Plant Introduction program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. whose purpose was to search the world for plants that could be useful and successfully introduced into the United States. In his life, Fairchild introduced around 30,000 different plant species and variations into the U.S. At his home in Florida, Fairchild created a garden that contained many of the plants that he obtained throughout his trips. In 1931 Marian's sister Elsie and her husband, Gilbert Grosvenor, acquired the adjoining property on the north to use as their winter home. Fairchild and his wife made the Kampong their permanent home from 1928 until their deaths in 1954 and 1962 respectively.
A year after David Fairchild's wife's death, the land was purchased by Dr. Catherine Hauberg Sweeney, a botanist and preservationist. Dr. Sweeney maintained Fairchild’s garden and was vital in its preservation for future use and study, securing its listing on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1984 Sweeney donated the property to the then Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden (now National Tropical Botanical Garden), and remained its principal sponsor until her death in 1995.
Zoo Miami
The Miami-Dade Zoological Park and Gardens, branded and commonly known as Zoo Miami, formerly known as Miami MetroZoo, is the largest and oldest zoological garden in Florida, and the only tropical zoo in the continental United States. It is located on the old Richmond Naval Air Station site, southwest of Miami in southern metropolitan Miami-Dade County, in the center of the census-designated places of Three Lakes (north), South Miami Heights (south), Palmetto Estates (east) and Richmond West (west). It houses over 2,000 animals on 740 acres (299 ha), 324 acres (131 ha) of which are developed. It is about 3 mi (5 km) around if walked on the path, and has over 100 exhibits.
The zoo's communications director is wildlife expert and photographer Ron Magill. He frequently appears on local talk shows and news stations, often promoting the zoo's animals.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The zoo's communications director is wildlife expert and photographer Ron Magill. He frequently appears on local talk shows and news stations, often promoting the zoo's animals.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Public Transportation Miami
Miami's heavy-rail rapid transit system, Metrorail, is an elevated system comprising two lines and 23 stations on a 24.4-mile (39.3 km)-long line. Metrorail connects the urban western suburbs of Hialeah, Medley, and inner-city Miami with suburban The Roads, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, South Miami and urban Kendall via the central business districts of Miami International Airport, the Civic Center, and Downtown. A free, elevated people mover, Metromover, operates 21 stations on three different lines in greater Downtown Miami, with a station at roughly every two blocks of Downtown and Brickell. Several expansion projects are being funded by a transit development sales tax surcharge throughout Miami-Dade County.
Tri-Rail, a commuter rail system operated by the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA), runs from Miami International Airport northward to West Palm Beach, making eighteen stops throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties.
Construction is currently underway on the Miami Intermodal Center and Miami Central Station, a massive transportation hub servicing Metrorail, Amtrak, Tri-Rail, Metrobus, Greyhound Lines, taxis, rental cars, MIA Mover, private automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians adjacent to Miami International Airport. Completion of the Miami Intermodal Center is expected to be completed by winter 2011, and will serve over 150,000 commuters and travelers in the Miami area. Phase I of Miami Central Station is scheduled to begin service in the spring of 2012, and Phase II in 2013.
Two new light rail systems, Baylink and the Miami Streetcar, have been proposed and are currently in the planning stage. BayLink would connect Downtown with South Beach, and the Miami Streetcar would connect Downtown with Midtown.
Rail
Miami is the southern terminus of Amtrak's Atlantic Coast services, running two lines, the Silver Meteor and the Silver Star, both terminating in New York City. The Miami Amtrak Station is located in the suburb of Hialeah near the Tri-Rail/Metrorail Station on NW 79 St and NW 38 Ave. Current construction of the Miami Central Station will move all Amtrak operations from its current out-of-the-way location to a centralized location with Metrorail, MIA Mover, Tri-Rail, Miami International Airport, and the Miami Intermodal Center all within the same station closer to Downtown. The station is expected to be completed by 2012.
Florida High Speed Rail was planned to connect Miami with Orlando and Tampa in a single line, but was canceled in 2011.
Road
Miami's road system is based along the numerical "Miami Grid" where Flagler Street forms the east-west baseline and Miami Avenue forms the north-south meridian. The corner of Flagler Street and Miami Avenue is in the middle of Downtown in front of the Downtown Macy's (formerly the Burdine's headquarters). The Miami grid is primarily numerical so that, for example, all street addresses north of Flagler Street and west of Miami Avenue have "NW" in their address. Because its point of origin is in Downtown which is close to the coast, therefore, the "NW" and "SW" quadrants are much larger than the "SE" and "NE" quadrants. Many roads, especially major ones, are also named (e.g., Tamiami Trail/SW 8th St), although, with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Coral Way), the number is in more common usage among locals.
All streets and avenues in Miami-Dade County follow the Miami Grid, with a few exceptions, most notably Coral Gables, Hialeah, Coconut Grove and Miami Beach. One neighborhood, The Roads, is thusly named because its streets run off the Miami Grid in a 45-degree angle, and therefore are all named roads.
Miami-Dade County is served by four Interstate Highways (I-75, I-95, I-195, I-395) and several U.S. Highways including U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 27, U.S. Route 41, and U.S. Route 441.
Some of the major Florida State Roads (and their common names) serving Miami are:
- SR 112 (Airport Expressway): Interstate 95 to MIA
- SR 821 (The HEFT or Homestead Extension of the Florida Turnpike): SR 91/Miami Gardens to U.S. Route 1/Florida City)
- SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway): Golden Glades Interchange to U.S. Route 1/Pinecrest
- SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway): Downtown to SW 137th Ave via MIA
- SR 874 (Don Shula Expressway): 826/Bird Road to Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike/Kendall
- SR 878 (Snapper Creek Expressway): SR 874/Kendall to U.S. Route 1/Pinecrest & South Miami
- SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) Miami Lakes to Opa-locka
Miami has six major causeways that span over Biscayne Bay connecting the western mainland, with the eastern barrier islands along the Atlantic Ocean. The Rickenbacker Causeway is the southernmost causeway and connects Brickell to Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. The Venetian Causeway and MacArthur Causeway connect Downtown with South Beach. The Julia Tuttle Causeway connects Midtown and Miami Beach. The 79th Street Causeway connects the Upper East Side with North Beach. The northernmost causeway, the Broad Causeway, is the smallest of Miami's six causeways, and connects North Miami with Bal Harbour.
In 2007, Miami was identified as having the rudest drivers in the United States, the second year in a row to have been cited, in a poll commissioned by automobile club AutoVantage. Miami is also consistently ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the United States for pedestrians.
Miami Hotels
Hampton Inn & Suites Miami/Brickell-Downtown
JW Marriott Marquis Miami
EPIC Hotel - a Kimpton Hotel
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Hotel Beaux Arts
Mandarin Oriental, Miami
Comfort Suites
Casa Moderna Miami
Hotel InterContinental Miami
Hampton Inn & Suites - Miami Airport / Blue Lagoon
Miami Beach Hotels
The Angler's Boutique Resort
Marlin Hotel
The Betsy Hotel, South Beach
Surfcomber Miami South Beach, a Kimpton Hotel
Villa Italia Hotel
Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa Miami Beach
King & Grove Tides
Hotel Impala
Z Ocean Hotel South Beach
Dream South Beach
5 Star Hotels in Miami
Four Seasons Hotel Miami
Mandarin Oriental Miami
The Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove
Hotel Beaux Arts Miami
The Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Miami
The Setai
Acqualina Resort and Spa
Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa
Four Seasons Residences
Miami Map
Miami Florida Pictures
