Collier County code enforcers have told the Kowiachobee Animal Preserve on Fourth Avenue Southeast that it has to shut its gates because its five acres is not zoned for the nonprofit educational group to be open to the public.
Maybe the image you have of Miami is decades old: a neon art deco sign, thumping music coming from a flashy car, Don Johnson in a white blazer.
Some of those impressions may even be more recent. But there’s more to Miami than nightlife and glamour. Tucked in places many people don’t notice are serene locales for a local resident or a tourist to get away from it all. These urban sanctuaries feature, at no extra cost, South Florida twists in the forms of alligators, top-ranked beaches and mangroves.
Some of these places are huge, others tiny. A few are so seemingly remote that most locals have never heard of them. They require a fair amount of sunscreen, a bicycle or kayak and they either require – or better yet, produce – a relaxed state of mind.
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Boats came come in handy, too.
So, let’s get started.
Found under massive condo towers and between two shopping malls in north Miami-Dade, on a piece of land that sits in the middle of Biscayne Bay, is Oleta River State Park. It’s Florida’s biggest urban park, and it’s often experienced on two wheels.
The peaceful sanctuary surrounded by mangroves offers something special for veteran mountain bikers: More than 10 miles of intermediate level mountain bike trails and four miles of trails for beginners. (For true rookies, three additional miles are paved.)
The river also can be experienced by kayak and canoe, making for a relaxing visit surrounded by nature. One of South Florida’s best kept secrets, Oleta River State Park also offers cabins for overnight camping.
If you go: The park is located at 3400 N.E. 163rd Street in North Miami, 33160. It is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. The entrance fee is $6 per car. For more information, call 305-919-1844 or floridastateparks.org/oletariver/.
It’s a stretch to call Biscayne National Park a “park.” That’s because more than 95 percent of it is covered by water. It’s the biggest marine park in the National Park system, and it’s only reachable by boat. You come here to snorkel, dive and fish – and to pretend you’re in the middle of nowhere.
Located in deep south Miami-Dade, the park actually consists of the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys at the southern tip of Biscayne Bay. (Still with us, geography fans?) It has a narrow mangrove forest on the shore and is at the trail head of the third-largest coral reef in the world.
The park is made up of 50 ancient coral reef islands that are largely undeveloped and surrounded by Biscayne Bay on the west and a reef to the east. It was created about 30 years ago by a team of writers, activists and politicians who joined forces to protect it from proposed ports.
The shipwrecks that lay underneath are a testament to what the park’s stewards call a “parade of human history that spans 10,000 years.” They’ll also tell you that if you added up the different kinds of vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Yosemite, you still wouldn't have the number of fish found in Biscayne National Park.
There’s a visitors’ center at Convoy Point, but seeing the rest of it requires something that floats, like one of the guided boat tours or a rented canoe and kayak.
And that’s the beauty of it. There’s no ferry or bridge and just one single mile of paved road. No facilities or hot dog stands.
Nothing but nature.
If you go: The park is located at 9700 SW 328 Street, Homestead, 33033. Via Florida’s Turnpike: Take the turnpike south to Exit 6 (Speedway Blvd.). Turn left from exit ramp and continue south to S.W. 328th Street (North Canal Drive). Turn left and continue to the end of the road. Call 305-230-7275 or visit nps.gov/bisc.
You can’t talk sanctuary in South Florida without thinking of the Everglades, the astounding 1.5-million-acre “River of Grass.” That means wetlands, swamp, hammocks and mangrove forests.
About an hour west of the city, the Everglades is far enough away that you really are in the middle of nowhere. The largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, it has rare and endangered species – and, these days, even some invasive pythons.
The Everglades, a World Heritage Site, is South Florida’s oldest and most-treasured gem. Home to entertaining Native American alligator wrestlers and the Miccosukee Indian Village, the Everglades provides a terrific mix of nature, culture and history.
This is where we keep most of our gators in South Florida, and good number of birds, too. Although the airboat rides are hardly peaceful (earplugs help), the park offers plenty of hiking and biking opportunities that are decidedly quieter.
Shark Valley is popular for its 17-mile bike ride and tram tour.
Don’t forget your insect repellent, and a few bottles of water!
If you go: To get to the Everglades, take Tamiami Trail west until you see the gators. The Shark Valley Visitor Center is at 36000 SW 8th St., Miami, 33194. Operating hours are 9:15 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. For more information, call 305-221-8776 or visit nps.gov/ever. Some nature guide tour operators are listed here: florida-everglades.com/active.htm.
Another local favorite sport for peace and quiet is Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
This sanctuary on the southernmost tip of Key Biscayne was listed as No. 10 on Florida International University Prof. Stephen “Dr. Beach” Leatherman’s 2011 list of top 10 beaches in America.
Named for a former editor of the now-defunct Miami News, the park serves as home to a historic lighthouse built in 1825, the oldest standing structure in Miami-Dade County. Visitors sunbathe, swim and picnic on this mile-long stretch of Atlantic beachfront. Bikes (iincluding four-seaters), hydro bikes and kayaks can be rented, while anglers throw their lines from the seawall along Biscayne Bay.
Its port is so secluded that it’s called No Name Harbor.
There are two restaurants surrounded by all that nature and water, and places to fire up your own grill.
If you go: The park is located at 1200 S Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne, 33149. From downtown Miami, take the Rickenbacker Causeway to Key Biscayne, and follow the signs. More information is available by calling 305-361-5811 or visiting floridastateparks.org/capeflorida.
Visitors are allowed to anchor overnight in No Name Harbor for a fee of $20 per boat per night. For information about youth camping programs, call the park administration office at 305-361-8779.
There is no more urban a refuge than Simpson Park in Miami, an eight-acre slice of undeveloped land that illustrates what large swaths of Miami used to be: thick forest where Florida panthers once roamed.
The park is near The Roads neighborhood and is used by locals who need wilderness and a place to think, without driving across town.
The park was founded in 1914 as a metropolitan preserve for the stately mansions along Brickell Avenue, then home to the privileged city power-brokers. It once was part of Brickell Hammock, the thick, rough land that stretched south from the Miami River to Coconut Grove.
Most Miamians have never heard of the place. Nor do they know who it was named after: naturalist Charles Torrey Simpson, who retired to Miami after studying shells at the Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.
The park long suffered from urban blight, homeless intruders and the occasional, merciless storm. It recently reopened with the blessing of city historians who sought to preserve its backwoods charm.
The wooden hammock above and roots below from its 15 endangered plant species are so dense that there are signs warning visitors to look down: “Beware of trip hazards.”
If you go: The park is located at 55 SW 17th Road, Miami, 33129. It's open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn more, call 305-856-6801.
Not far from Simpson Park is Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a stately mansion that once served as the winter home of American industrialist James Deering.
Built in the early 1900s, it took more than 1,000 people to create it. The house on the shores of Biscayne Bay was deliberately designed to look like a 400-year-old Italian villa.
Daily tours are offered of the elegant rooms and its art collections. But most visitors go there to enjoy the grand gardens overlooking the water, a mix of Renaissance Italian and French designs that took seven years to design.
Best enjoyed under the moonlight and with soft jazz playing, the regularly scheduled moonlight garden tours are a particularl delight.
If you go: Vizcaya is located at 3251 South Miami Avenue, Miami, 33129. It is open daily, except Tuesdays, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and $6 for children 6 to 12. Learn more at vizcayamuseum.org.
While we’re on the topic of the Deerings, another member of the clan that made its fortune on agricultural machinery, Charles Deering, built a home in south Miami-Dade that’s now a nature preserve.
The Deering Estate at Cutler is located along the edge of Biscayne Bay on a 444-acre site. Found here are canoe tours, butterfly walks and guided nature hikes.
It is home to 150 acres of endangered pine rock-land, as well as 115 acres of coastal tropical hardwood hammocks that allow you to forget, for just a moment, that you’re in the middle of a major metropolis.
If you go: The estate is located at 16701 SW 72 Ave., Miami, 33157. General admission is $12 for adults and $7 for children ages 4-14. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving. For more information, call 305-235-1668 or visit deeringestate.com.
Gulf red snapper season is just a few weeks away!
The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission voted earlier this month to approve a 40-day Gulf red snapper season, one that essentially matches regulations for federal waters. The season will run from June 1 to July 10. Red snapper are arguably the most popular reef fish in the Gulf, so make sure your summer break plans include a few days offshore.
Word is out that Gulf red snapper populations have increased dramatically, and that the fish are getting bigger by the year. If you haven't made plans yet, you should reserve a charter or spot on a headboat ASAP.
The headboat option is super affordable and really productive. Full-day trips generally run less than $100 per rod, and as voracious as these fish are, I'd be surprised if you don't easily catch your two-fish limit. Red snapper fishing doesn't require complex rigging or a mate with a Ph.D in deep-sea fishing. Really, all you need is a boat to put you on a reef and tell you when to drop your bait to the bottom. Click here for a list of Gulf headboats and a few excellent tips.
The populations are strongest in the northeastern Gulf. Anglers fishing out of Pensacola, Destin and Panama City Beach enjoy the shortest runs to the best red snapper grounds. Of course, there are plenty of docks and marinas in smaller towns between these well-known destinations that offer charter services. Again, if you're headed to the Gulf Coast, make sure you book as far in advance as possible.
The action isn't limited to northwest Florida. The species is reappearing throughout its historic range. Anglers fishing out of towns as far south as Clearwater, Madeira Beach and St. Petersburg wlll almost surely limit out, and catch a variety of other tasty reef fish.
All charter boats and headboats will provide you with the tackle you need, but you're welcome to bring a favorite outfit or two. You only need a saltwater flshing license if you're fishing aboard a private boat.
Tight lines.
The inaugural "Ding" Darling Tarpon Tournament, held in Fort Myers/Sanibel, sent some skilled anglers home happy and a little richer.
A total of 39 tarpon over 50 pounds were called in as official catches. Thirty-two of these fish were "scrubbed" for DNA samples, which earned teams additional points. The tournament is part of a cooperative research effort between anglers and scientists seeking answers questions about the movement and migration patterns of these majestic, but under-studied fish.
Tarpon anglers around the state and beyond are submitting these DNA samples, which consist of just a few preserved cells. "Recaptured" fish, fish that have been scrubbed two or more times, provide vitally important information about movements and migrations. According to Dr. Kathy Guindon, the lead project investigator and program director, the tournament set a record for the highest number of scrubs received from one tournament. Click here to learn more about this exciting program.
The competition proved a nail-biter. Team Doc Ford and Team Sand Pebble were tied at five fish as the buzzer approached. With approximately eight minutes before the 4 p.m. lines-in time, Team Doc Ford called in with a hook-up and they landed that fish at 4:01 p.m., making them the winning team with a total of six official fish. They took home $6,560.
Planning for next year's event are already under way. Stay tuned for dates.
What do you get when you combine a sweet sugar-sand beach, street performers and an appearance by Ma Nature?
It’s a recipe for the perfect way to celebrate the end of the day, of course!
To take part in this fabulous Florida tradition, splash over to Sunsets at Pier 60, a nightly sunset celebration that takes place from 6 – 9 p.m. in Clearwater Beach. With Ma Nature providing a magnificent backdrop, you’ll see painters at work, admire jugglers, magicians and street performers, listen to music and discover cool crafts. You may even see fire eaters and stilt walkers – and your little ones will love the well-equipped playground.
Besides, the Festival gives you an excuse to visit Clearwater Beach – only one of the most renowned beaches on the planet!
More news to tickle your beach towel?
This family-friendly celebration is free!
