1. Tour the African Safari
The vast grasslands of Africa are much closer than you think and the lions are even closer, when you visit Florida’s only drive-thru safari adventure. Lion Country Safari has been entertaining guests since 1967 on their 260-acre safari park, with more than 900 animals, 9 rides, water, playground, and their famous close encounters as you drive through the animal-filled savannah.
2. Tamiami Trail
The Taminiami Trail, considered on engineering marvel at the time, was opened in 1928 to link Tampa to Miami traversing the Florida Everglades. Not long after the first car arrived in Miami from Tampa, the first road-side attractions began to open along its route. These included alligator wrestling shows, Indian villages, gift shops, fishing camps, restaurants, and rest stops for the weary traveller. The legacy of offering visitors a glimpse into the natural wonders of the Everglades, the exceptional showmanship of the alligator wrestler and serving up exotic dishes including alligator fingers, garfish and wild boar, lives on today.
3. Lester’s Diner
A Newton beacon shining on State Road 84 in For Lauderdale, just as it has been for the past 47 years, serves both locals nd visitors alike their authentic diner fare, homemade pie and their 14 oz cups of coffee. Enjoy the best all-American meal in this little piece of old South Florida.
4. Works of Art
The Florida Keys have been a haven for artists since the early 20th century; world-renowned painters, playwrights, poets, sculptors and authors have all called this chain of islands home. One of the Keys’ newest enclaves for the creative arts is Miranda Way, located along the old route of the Overseas Highway in Islamorada. Home to numerous galleries, shops and events throughout the year, the arts district is a must-see for those seeking original art.
5. Worth Avenue
Since 1938, Palm Beach’s Worth Avenue has been Florida’s premier shopping destination for those seeking the finest luxury bands. This area also offers an excellent collection of Spanish and Mediterranean Revival architecture.
6. Living Coral Reef
Running the length of the Florida Keys is North America’s only living coral ref, home to thousands of species of sea creatures and one of our greatest natural wonders. The reef and its inhabitants are best viewed while skin diving or snorkeling where the fish swim alongside you and the coral heads are just a few feet below. For those not wishing to get wet, a glass bottom boat tour provides the next best thing. Key Largo has the added site of its world-famous statue of “Christ of the Deep”.
7. Fresh Florida Stone Crab
One of South Florida’s finest seafood delicacies, fresh stone crab claws are available form Oct 15 through May 15. Unlike other seafood delights, the crab is not harmed in the harvesting of the claw since only one of their two is removed which then regenerates within a year of harvest.
8. Architectural Treasures
Three architectural styles are predominant in Miami Beach - Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival and MiMo (Miami Modernism). A new group of buildings has been added to the mix, designed by contemporary architects carrying on in the tradition of what we now recognize as the Miami Beach School of Architecture. These buildings taken together create a unique open-air museum of 20th century architecture. Walking tours of this National Historic District are available.
9. Greyhound Racing
Greyhound racing has been a staple of the Palm Beach gaming landscape since the Palm Beach Kennel Club opened its doors in February of 1932. Last year, there were 363 live race days and 463 performances, making them Palm Beach County’s premier entertainment complex.
10. Get Out of the Water
South Florida is surrounded by water, laced with canals and dotted by lakes. Beautiful waters abound from the 730-square-miles of pristine fresh waters of Lake Okeechobee to the crystal clear waters of the Dry Tortugas. This means that no vacation is complete without spending time out on the water. The choices of where and how are nearly endless but favorities include: taking a sunset sail in Key West, parasailing off Miami Beach, enjoying a backcountry kayak trip through the Everglades or jet skiing along Fort Lauderdale Beach.
11. Flagler Museum
At the height of America’s Gilded Age, Henry Flagler, builder of the Florida East Coast Railroad and partner4 in Standard Oil, built Whitehall, a home in Palm Beach, for his third wife. Today, the Flagler Museum, his 75-room mansion gives visitors a peek into the daily life of a bygone era.
12. The flavor of Miami - Cuban Cuisine
The culinary landscape of South Florida has changed dramatically over the past few decades with the addition of a number of world-class restaurants. But the truest flavor of Miami remains the traditional Cuban dishes served throughout Little Havana. Be sure to try ropa veija, Piccadilly or the best tasting Cuban sandwich you’ve ever had.
13. Airboat Tour
The Everglades is an eco-system unlike any other on earth. Often called the “River of Grass”. Its slow-moving waters are hidden just out of sight below the waves of tall sawgrass. Airboats skim along the smooth surface of the water, allowing access to otherwise unreadable areas of this vast natural wonders. Experienced guides lead small tours or private trips explaining in detail the flora and fauna unique to South Florida and the Everglades.
14. A Butterfly’s Paradise
Located inside Trade winds Park in Coconut Creek is one of South Florida’s best-kept secrets, the largest butterfly park in the world! Not only do they have more than 5,000 butterflies, but it is also home to the largest free-flight hummingbird aviary in the United States. This hidden gem is a cannot-miss attraction for anyone who loves birds, tropical plants and butterflies.
15. Dockside Dining
Sitting alongside boat docks enjoying a fish sandwich and an ice cooled drink, watching boats go by is a quintessential part of any vacation to this area. South Florida has dockside restaurants to suit every taste nd budget. so if you love fresh seafood, be sure to check out one of the many dockside venues from Jupiter to Key West.
16. Ancient Spanish Monastery
Construction of this monastery began in 1133 in Northern Spain and took eight years to complete. In 1925, William Randolph Hearst purchased the cloister and outbuildings and each structure was dismantled stone by stone, numbered, cataloged, crated and shipped. To United States. The massive crates remained unpacked for 26 years, until 1952, when two entrepreneurs spent the equivalent of $20 million to reassemble and rebuild the 12th century Monastery as a tourist attraction. IN 1964, the attraction was purchased and donated to the Episcopal Church. Today the parish of St. Bernard de Clairvaux remains an active church and is open to the public
17. Holocaust Memorial
In the mid-1980s, a small group of Holocaust survivors came together to propose the creation of this memorial. Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel said at the dedication on Feb. 4, 1990, “Look at his face. Look at all the faces. Look and you will realize that there existed a suffering that transcended suffering Woe unto us, for the tragedy which this museum is trying to integrate is beyond words, and beyond imagination, but not beyond memory.” Today the memorial is one of the most visited sites of remembrance in the United States.
18. Dolphin Shows
Be thrilled and amazed at the leaps, spins and aerial acrobatics that bottlenose dolphins exhibit with ease and grace. The Miami seaquarium offers family-friendly shows, each with its own theme, but are sure to entertain. A little further south, Theater of the Sea also has action-packed dolphin shows several times a day.
19. Little White House
For nearly six months during the presidency of Harry Truman, Key West was the heart of the executive branch of government. Beginning in 1946 and every year though 1952, the President and his staff would relocate to the Southernmost City for several weeks during the winter. These working vacations put Key West on the post-war American travel map and secured the Little white House’s place in history.
20. Kampong
Famed horticulturalist David Fairchild and his wife Marian bought an 11-acre property in Coconut Grove in 1916. Shortly after, Dr. Fairchild began to plant rare and unique specimens from Southeast Asia, Central and South Am3erica and from throughout the Caribbean. Dr. Fairchild’s efforts have created one of the world’s premier collections of palms, and flowering and fruit trees.
