By Linda Batey
Things to Do With Kids in Miami
is a great place to take children, no matter their age. Miami has perfected
vacations for all ages, so bring extra sunscreen (and maybe even an umbrella), extra diapers and bottles, and have fun with the kids, day after day.
If you don't happen to have a stroller, never fear -- most places for family activities offer strollers for a nominal fee.
The most important thing to keep in mind is the strong sun; if you're not used to it, or don't use a good sunscreen, you'll be dealing with painful sunburn for a few days, which can put a damper on fun.
The Beaches
South Miami beach is a great beach. The beach is long, the water is warm and time seems to stand still. There are also some great beaches north of South Beach, including Central Miami Beach, which starts at 21st street to 46th street. Farther north is North Miami Beach, which begins at 46th Street. From the beach, it's hard to tell where the beaches change from one to another; they tend to all look the same. Most offer fee-based parking, rentals of chairs and sun umbrellas and refreshment shacks.
North of North Miami Beach, pay attention, because it eventually turns to Halover Beach, which is clothing-optional. It is marked clearly with signs.
Activities
You could easily stay a week and not see all the child-friendly activities in Miami, so plan ahead. Here's the short list:
The Miami Zoo -- a wonderful, well-planned zoo that allows the animals plenty of free roaming area, yet allows visitors an up-close view of giraffes (you can hand-feed them), monkeys, elephants, hippos, tigers, ancient tortoise and lions. You can rent pedal vehicles that make getting around easy and fun. There is a petting zoo for children and a nice outdoor eatery.
The Miami Children's Museum -- a fantastic place for children to experience Florida's fun activities. Plan on at least two hours for them to see it all.
The Miami Seaquarium is a fun-tastic place for kids to see dolphins, whales and manatees up close.
Monkey Jungle, in South Dade, offers 30 acres of free-ranging monkeys and birds in a rainforest location, offering up-close encounters with orangutans, spider monkeys and java monkeys.
Everglades National Park, southwest of Miami, offers an outstanding and memorable experience of seeing alligators and many species of native birds in their natural environment. You will be rewarded by lingering after sunset.
The Museum of Science and Planetarium offers a great experience for children young and old to learn about space, planets and stars.
The Grapeland Waterpark offers waterslides and tubes and recreational swimming.
While you're in the area . . .
Wannado City in Sawgrass Mills Malls (about a 30-minute drive) gives children the opportunity to live their dream of what they want to be when they grow up.
Lincoln Road in Miami is a great place to walk, especially on Sunday, to check out the farmer's market and local artisans.
There are several Dave & Buster locations that give the kids something to do on a rainy day, along with such places as The Miami Children's Theater, Art Studio, U Create It and Lazer Fun Zone.
Miami offers numerous parks scattered throughout the city, and if you're going to be visiting for a while, there are numerous summer camp opportunities.
About the Author:
Linda Batey has been working as a freelance writer for more than two years, specializing in travel, gardening, and herbal and home remedies. She has been published in "Gardening Inspirations" magazine and various online sites. Batey holds an associate degree in paralegal from Beal College. She also is knowledgeable is
Photo Credits:
Photo by Dreamstime
