Eyewitness Travel Family Guide Florida Read online

  6. Jewish Museum of Florida While some museums of this nature can be overwhelming, this one focuses on the upbeat history of Jews in Florida.

  7. South Pointe Park Families looking for a break from the bustle of South Beach can relax at this park while watching cruise ships sail by. There is a playground for kids.

  Left Ocean Drive Right Bass Museum of Art

  >> Practical Information

  >> More Things to Do

  >> Eat and Drink

  >> Kids' Corner

  Kids’ Corner

  Deco details

  Look for typical features of Art Deco design: Tropical doodads. Look for carved, painted, and plasterwork palm trees, dolphins, waves, flamingos, and sunbursts. Can you try to draw some of these on your own?

  Neon signs. How many can you count?

  Back to the future. Some elements of Art Deco looked futuristic at the time they were built. Can you find Space Age details? Do they look futuristic to you?

  Bright Britto

  Romero Britto is one of Miami’s most popular and recognizable artists. He uses a lot of vibrant colors and patterns – especially stripes and spots. Many of his colorful sculptures and paintings can be found around town, and at his gallery on Lincoln Road.

  Family stories

  In the Jewish Museum of Florida, 40 local Jewish families tell their stories with words, pictures, and objects. Ask your parents and grandparents questions about how your family came to live where you do. Did your family always live there? From which country did they originate? Tell your family’s story with words and drawings. You may even want to design an exhibit like those at the Jewish Museum. What artifacts would you include?

  * * *

  < Miami

  2. Middle Beach, Bal Harbour, North Miami Beach

  Beachfront communities

  High-end shops lining a street in Bal Harbour

  North of SoBe, the pace changes a bit, as Collins Avenue passes through quieter neighborhoods. Beginning at around 23rd Street is Middle Beach, with its quaint restaurants and shops. North of Middle Beach, the cozy community of Surfside, with a charming shop-and-dine strip, starts at 87th Street. Bal Harbour, a fashionable enclave dotted with soaring hotels and a plush mall, neighbors Surfside. Farther north is Sunny Isles, the last of the beachfront communities. A bridge from here crosses over to North Miami Beach, an older mainland neighborhood with a family feel and some worthwhile stops. Beaches and parks are the biggest draw to the area.

  >> Practical Information

  >> Letting Off Steam

  >> Eat and Drink

  < Miami

  3. Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park

  Trees with beards

  Ponies in the lush Enchanted Forest Elaine Gordon Park

  This old-fashioned park is overgrown with tall, gnarled trees wearing Spanish moss beards. The trees shade lovely, spacious picnic grounds and trails that follow and cross over a gurgling creek in the middle of the city. Two playgrounds and pony-riding cinch the deal for kids.

  >> Practical Information

  >> Take Cover

  >> Eat and Drink

  >> Kids' Corner

  Kids’ Corner

  Spanish moss

  The Spanish moss you see hanging like beards from the trees is an epiphytic plant, meaning it makes its own food and doesn’t absorb nutrients from the trees on which it grows. Myth says that the plant resulted from a Spanish explorer, who, while chasing a young native girl up a tree, fell and became lodged in the tree’s branches. His beard continued to grow, creating Spanish moss.

  Leafy fun

  In the Enchanted Forest, look for fallen leaves that are in good condition and collect as many different shapes and sizes as you can. Do crayon rubbings of the leaves, then press them between the pages of a thick book and keep them as mementos of your Miami vacation.

  * * *

  < Miami

  4. Oleta River State Park

  A little country in the big city

  Florida’s largest urban park has it all – from a cross-country bike course and a sandy beach to a fishing pier and cabins. The river and the bay afford budding fishermen the opportunity to hook both saltwater and freshwater fish. Rent a kayak, a paddleboard, or a bicycle to explore the park’s trails, the river, and the bay front. Bicycling on the park’s 10 miles (16 km) of challenging mountain bike trails is one of the most popular activities, but families can also ride the paved trail.

  >> Practical Information

  >> Take Cover

  >> Eat and Drink

  < Miami

  5. Ancient Spanish Monastery

  A saintly puzzle

  Dining bell at the entrance to the chapel of the Ancient Spanish Monastery

  Newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst purchased the cloisters and outbuildings of a 12th-century Spanish monastery and had them dismantled and shipped to North Miami in 1925. A few years later, the pieces were reassembled like a puzzle, a process that lasted 19 months and cost $1.5 million. The monastery is famed as the oldest building in the western hemisphere. Set amid gardens, the chapel, which serves as a parish church, has arched arcades surrounding a courtyard. Carvings, paintings, and shrines lie along the square walkway. The museum and gift shop hold an old Spanish hearse and other artifacts, and tell the story of the structure’s travels from Sacramenia in Spain to Florida.

  >> Practical Information

  >> Letting Off Steam

  >> Eat and Drink

  >> Kids' Corner

  Kids’ Corner

  Cloister clues

  Find the answers to the following questions as you explore the Ancient Spanish Monastery: What is the name of the first altar you see after you pass through the iron gate?

  What is unusual about the bell outside the chapel door?

  What hangs from the trees in the center courtyard?

  >> Answers

  * * *

  Where to Stay in Miami

  Accommodations in Miami come in all shapes and sizes. The most iconic are the small hotels and larger resorts that occupy Miami Beach’s historic Art Deco buildings, but the city is also known for its family-friendly luxury resorts, which offer kids’ programs. Families will find many modest rental condos and homes.

  Price Guide

  The following price ranges are based on one night’s accommodation in high season for a family of four, inclusive of service charges and additional taxes.

  $: Under $150; $$: $150–300; $$$: over $300

  Agencies

  HomeAway

  www.homeaway.com

  This website lists nearly 1,000 short-term condo and home rentals in Greater Miami. Some can be rented only by the week.

  Vacation Rentals

 
; www.vacationrentals.com

  Find apartments, penthouses, and homes in all sizes, locations, and price ranges on this website.

  < Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and around

  < Downtown, Little Havana, Vizcaya, and around

  < Miami Beach and around

  Airport

  Hotels

  Shula’s Hotel and Golf Club

  6842 Main St, Miami Lakes, 33014 ; 305 821 1150 or 80024 SHULA; www.donshulahotel.com

  Named for former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, this hotel appeals to golfers and spa-lovers, but its location – close to Hard Rock Stadium, home of the Dolphins – makes it great for families. Daycare facility available.

  $$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Family rooms • Swimming pool

  Trump National Doral Miami

  4400 NW 87th Ave, 33178 ; 305 592 2000; www.doralresort.com

  Although this resort has four lovely swimming pools on site, Doral is most famous for its golf courses and spa. Golf and tennis lessons, as well as a daily kids’ program, engage youngsters of all ages. Check out family packages on the website.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

  Bal Harbour

  Hotel

  Sea View Hotel

  9909 Collins Ave, 33154 ; 305 866 4441; seaview-hotel.com

  Located in a forest of high-rises, this hotel’s reasonable rates and friendly waterfront location make it popular with families. It also has a charming pool and deck, for guests who like to make the most their time outside.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

  Coconut Grove

  Hotel

  Sonesta Coconut Grove

  2889 McFarlane Rd, 33133 ; 305 529 2828; www.sonesta.com

  Right across the street from Peacock Park, and within easy walking distance of the area’s shops and restaurants, the Sonesta offers gorgeous views of the bay from its 22 floors. Among the 210 units are double rooms and one- or two-bedroom suites with full kitchens.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Family rooms • Kitchen facilities • Swimming pool

  Coral Gables

  Hotel

  The Biltmore Hotel

  1200 Anastasia Ave, 33134 ; 855 311 6903; www.biltmorehotel.com

  A stay at The Biltmore Hotel will make kids and grown-ups feel as if they are guests in a castle straight out of a storybook. Kids can sign up for cooking and golf, as well as tennis classes, and also spa treatments designed especially for them, or swim in the famous pool.

  $$$ • Garden • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

  The magnificent ballroom in The Biltmore Hotel, Coral Gables

  Downtown

  Hotel

  Mandarin Oriental, Miami

  500 Brickell Key Dr, 33131 ; 305 913 8288; www.mandarinoriental.com

  Though expensive, the family suites in this hotel are an excellent option; guests receive welcome cocktails and free domestic phone calls. Double-bedded rooms are less expensive. Babysitting, kids’ yoga, teen spa treatments, and a private beach club are available.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Family rooms • Swimming pool

  Key Biscayne

  Resort

  Silver Sands Beach Resort

  301 Ocean Dr, 33149 ; 305 361 5441; www.silversandsbeachresort.net

  With its homey charm and relatively affordable rates, this resort is great for families. Set on the beach, it has a playground, and complimentary cribs are available in its brightly decorated rooms and cottages. While the rooms have kitchenettes, the cottages come with full kitchens.

  $$ • Wi-Fi • Kitchen facilities • Swimming pool • Beach • Playground

  Hotel

  The Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne

  455 Grand Bay Dr, 33149 ; 305 365 4500; www.ritzcarlton.com

  The beachfront Ritz-Carlton provides a number of family-friendly amenities, and has a thoughtful children’s program about culture and conservationism. The rooms are absolutely high-end, as is expected, and the hotel property is beautiful.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

  Middle Beach

  Resorts

  Eden Roc Renaissance Miami Beach

  4525 Collins Ave, 33140 ; 305 531 0000 or 800 319 5354; www.edenrocmiami.com

  Families can take advantage of separate adults’ and kids’ pools, or just go across the street for the full Miami Beach experience. Also on offer are a family infinity pool, jet-skiing, sailing, and water-skiing.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool

  Fontainebleau Miami Beach

  4441 Collins Ave, 33140 ; 305 538 2000; www.fontainebleau.com

  Perhaps Miami Beach’s most famous resort, the Fontainebleau is also one of its most family friendly. This Art Deco gem and its two newer towers hold more than 1,500 rooms and suites, eight dining venues, a spa, several bars, and water features – all on the beachfront. The FB Kids program has day sessions and nighttime ones over the weekend.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

  Miami Beach Resort

  4833 Collins Ave, 33140 ; 866 765 9090; www.miamibeachresortandspa.com

  A good option for active families, the resort offers extensive watersports opportunities, including jet-skiing and parasailing. Rooms and suites are well equipped and family packages are available.

  $$$ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming pool • Beach

  North Miami Beach

  Camping

  Oleta River State Park

  3400 NE 163rd St, 33160 ; 305 919 1846; www.floridastateparks.org

  The 14 barn-like cabins here make camping comfortable for families; most have a double bed and bunk beds. The cabins have no TV, kitchen, bathroom, or phone and guests must bring their own linen. Families will like the park’s beach, trails, and watersports.

  $ • Restaurant • Family rooms

  A rustic log cabin at Oleta River State Park campground

  South Beach

  Hotels

  The Angler’s Hotel

  660 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, 33139 ; 305 534 9600; www.anglershotelmiami.com

  This eco-friendly accommodation, part of the Kimpton chain, is located near the quieter area of South Beach. A comfortable option for families, the hotel offers its guests a pool as well as bikes to explore the surrounding beach paths.

  $ • Wi-Fi • Restaurant • Swimming

  Nassau Suite Hotel

  1414 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, 33139 ; 305 532 0043; www.nassausuite.com

  Classic Art Deco, this hotel’s studio and one-bedroom suites are modern and convenient for families, and the kitchens offer a great way to save on meal costs. Continental breakfas
t is included in the rates. The beach is a short walk away.