By Keith Evans
Miami, Florida is known around the world as a warm, fun destination with a distinct Cuban culture, beautiful people and a penchant for fashion. Located along the eastern coast of south Florida, the city takes advantage of its location to offer year-round sun, enticing Cuban cuisine and a number of ocean-themed activities.
People Watch at the Beach
Miami beach is well known for two things: sandy beaches with year-round sun and beautiful people. The two come together to create an aesthetically pleasing environment at Miami Beach and South Beach, both of which welcome visitors no matter the time of year. For enjoying the beach, sunscreen is a necessity as the hot Floridian sun can cause burns any time of year and visitors unaccustomed to the sun can be burned in under ten minutes during the summer heat.
Enjoy Some Cuban Cuisine
Miami has a rich hispanic culture, and some of the best Cuban cuisine in the United States. Visitors can experience authentic hispanic food almost anywhere in the city, but some restaurants stand out above the rest. For relaxed, home-style Cuban food, consider Islas Canarias on 27th Avenue. For a more upscale dining experience, YUCA on Lincoln Road offers delicious Cuban cuisine topped off by an elegant interior, white linens and upscale decor (the name itself is an acronym for Young Upscale Cuban Americans).
Las Culebrinas
2819 SW 27th Ave
Coconut Grove, Florida 33133-3701
(305) 448-4090
culebrinas.com
YUCA
501 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
(305) 532-9822
yuca.com
Snorkeling and SCUBA
Miami is home to some of the clearest tropical waters and off shore reefs in the continental United States, and local tour companies cater to visitors hoping to catch some underwater scenery. There are nearly a dozen artificial reefs just off of Miami's coast, and several more in the surrounding areas. For SCUBA-certified divers, companies like South Beach Divers will provide equipment and ready access to the reefs. Those not certified can still take in the scenery by visiting any of the snorkeling shacks that dot the coastline.
Swim With Dolphins
Dolphins are majestic, intelligent creatures and few things are decidedly more Floridian than swimming alongside them. A handful of facilities in Florida offer this opportunity, and one can be found in the heart of Miami's downtown district. Located in Key Biscayne, Miami Seaquarium welcomes visitors not only with dolphin encounters, but a full array of sea life education and observation.
Miami Seaquarium
4400 Rickenbacker Causeway
Miami, Florida 33149
(305) 361-5705
miamiseaquarium.com
Catch Professional Sports
Like any big city, Miami is home to world-class sporting organizations. With professional football, basketball and baseball teams, Miami is among the few cities that can offer professional sports year-round. For fall and winter sports, the Miami Dolphins play in a warm, open bowl under the Florida sun while the Miami Heat shoot hoops at an area downtown. In the spring and summertime, the baseball players of the Florida Marlins take over and provide top-rate entertainment.
Resources
About the Author:
Keith Evans has been writing professionally since 1994 and now works from his office outside of Orlando. He has written for various print and online publications and wrote the book, "Appearances: The Art of Class." Evans holds a Bachelor of Arts in organizational communication from Rollins College and is pursuing a Master of Business Administration in strategic leadership from Andrew Jackson University.
