Top 10 Things to do in Miami
The City of Miami known as the "Magic City" is located
in Southeast Florida, in Miami-Dade County on the Miami River, between the Florida Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. Since
its incorporation in 1896, the City has grown tremendously, transforming it into one of the world's renowned centers where
people can work, live and play while enjoying a high quality of life.
Miami has a lot to offer to tourists or locals. A trip to Florida
will not be complete without visiting Miami's grand array of activities geared towards enjoyment. Miami has all the ingredients
for one of the best vacations Florida offers. Whether you are visiting Florida for the theme parks in the wonderful Orlando
area or in Tampa or just for beaches, Miami is a must visit at least for a day or two. Miami is a vibrant, energetic city
all throughout the year and nightlife in Miami is second to none. Miami city is alive with tourists from throughout the world
at any time of year. Here's my top 10 exciting things to do while you are in Miami.
Purchasing the Go Miami Card if you plan to go around the city will save you quite a bit of money. You will receive free admission
to popular Miami attractions and it offers many discounts for shopping and dining around the city. 1. South Beach: People travel to Miami from all around the world to visit the great South
Beach (also known as SoBe). South Beach is one of the hottest and best-known areas of Miami; therefore, the clubs of South
Beach are trendy and exclusive places that require reservations and often enforce strict dress codes and rules of conduct.
Anyone who does not adhere to these guidelines can find himself or herself sitting outside with nothing to do. It is extremely
crowded during spring break and getting a hotel room will be a challenge. It will be hot during summer, so do not forget to
take your sunscreen. You will also find having comfortable shoes or sandals, swimwear and some extra clothes for cover up
very useful when in the beach. Also known as Miami beach, it is known for its vibrant atmosphere, celebrity guestlist, with
many hot nightclubs, trendy shops and fabulous restaurants. Listing of top 10 restaurants demands a separate hub. If you like
seafood, you have plenty of choices to choose from. Joe's Stone Crab, Quinn's, AltaMar, Fish Joynt are some great restaurants
that you could find some fresh premium seafood. 2. Jungle Island: www.parrotjungle.com Located
in the heart of Miami, off of I-395 between Downtown Miami and South Beach. Parrot Jungle offers visitors a fun, educational
opportunity to get an up-close look at tropical birds in replicas of their natural habitats. The attraction routinely hosts
field trips and offers frequent educational programs. About 1000 macaws, parrots and other winged friends and giant reptiles
and exotic primates are found in the Jungle Island to add excitement to the attractions. There are about 500 species of plants
and flowers. Be sure to catch a performance - the sight of a parrot riding a miniature bike is enough to make you smile. Other
shows include Winged Wonders (singing Amazons and Andean condors), Reptile Giants (snakes, alligators, crocodiles) and Wild
Encounters (apes, tigers, even a liger). Jungle Island is open 365 days a year, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
3. Miami Seaquarium: http://www.miamiseaquarium.com/ Located right in the middle of downtown Miami and Miami Beach,
it's a fabulous stop where you can witness an outdoor aquarium experience. A place where dolphins walk on water and killer
whales fly through the air. Where sea lions delight children of all ages and endangered sea turtles and manatees find a safe
haven. Enjoy a world-class marine-life entertainment park with eight different marine animal shows and astonishing daily presentations.
Miami Seaquarium® is a place of inspiration, education - and fun! 4. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens:
http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/ No visit to Miami is complete without a stop at the historical
50-acre Vizcaya estate. Constructed in 1916 for industrialist James Deering, this Italianate palace is often referred to as
the Hearst Castle of the East. Intended to appear centuries-old at completion, it is absolutely rife with architectural detail
and elaborate accents. In fact, more than a thousand artisans took five-plus years to complete the ornate flourishes. Deering
was fascinated by 16th-century art and architecture, and most of his fine collection remains on display. The beautifully landscaped
grounds aptly complement the building, whose name remembers the Basque term for a raised site. This European-style mansion
offers a glimpse at life in turn-of-the-century South Florida. This mansion is unusual among the great country houses in the
US. It could be compared to an European palace for its beauty and dimension. This mansion was built at the time when millionaires
of the beginning of the 20 th century wanted to put their imprint and leave a legacy to generations to follow. They started
to build palatial mansions, strongly inspired by the European architecture, mostly Italian and French. 
5. Miami
Metrozoo: http://www.miamimetrozoo.com/ Miami MetroZoo is the only zoo in the US set in a subtropical
climate. Metrozoo mesmerizes visitors with remarkable exhibits and creatures from around the world. Favorite animals include
clouded leopards, Komodo dragons and tree kangaroos. They also have animals like giraffes, lions, meerkats, koalas, gorillas
and colorful birds. When the heat starts to take its toll, Dr. Wilde's World provides a rainforest-themed, air-conditioned
refuge for hands-on fun. A petting zoo and wildlife shows also keep kids engaged.Its climate allows it to keep a wide variety
of animals from Asia, Australia and Africa like no other zoo in the country. One of the first free-range zoos in the country,
the exhibits are entirely cageless. Animals are grouped according to their geographic territory and animals that live together
peacefully in the wild are placed in exhibits together. 
6. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden:
http://www.fairchildgarden.org/ This botanic garden has a wide range of tropical plants. Established
in 1938, the 83-acre garden is among the region's most popular visitor attractions and offers a variety of programs in environmental
education, conservation and horticulture. An international leader in tropical plant research, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
plays an important part in preserving the biodiversity of the tropical environment. Also offers an arboretum and rainforest,
and it houses a world-renowned research facility. It is the largest U.S collection with more than 700 living plants. The collection
serves an important safeguard against extinction and a resource for research. It also has a small museum, gift shop and cafe.
7. Miami Duck Tour The Most Exciting Way To Tour The Magic City of Miami! 90-Minute Land &
Sea Adventure. Now departing from South Beach (1665 Washington Avenue - located between Lincoln Road and 17th Street), the
amphibious vehicles tour famous Miami landmarks before a dramatic "SPLASH DOWN" into beautiful Biscayne Bay for
a close up look at the many homes of the "Rich & Famous" on Star Island.
8. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino You can enjoy everything and anything in this resort, from dining in the
Hard Rock Café to entertainment in the casinos and live concert venues.
This 130,000 square foot casino is one of a few gaming hot spots found in South Florida. It is opened
24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides its guest with over 2,100 machines such as Video Poker, Double Diamond, Texas Tea,
Enchanted Unicorn, and Monopoly among others. It also has fifty tables of live-action poker such as Seven-Card Stud and Texas
Hold'em. 9. Deering Estate at Old Cutler http://www.deeringestate.com/ Deering
Estate is a Miami attraction that is rich with history and offers visitors and locals the opportunity to see nature in a way
they cannot in the cities. Its goal is to transport the visitors of the Estate to a simpler time in Florida's history and
give them a break from the frantic pace of the cities. Excavations at the bayfront compound originally owned by Charles Deering
have uncovered the remains of prehistoric animals, and evidence suggests that Paleo-Indians were here more than 10,000 years
ago. Deering is an educational place with a solid commitment of teaching its history by allowing schools to tour the lands,
as well as having some curriculum for the kids to work on. The tours offered include Bird Walks, Butterfly Hikes, and Canoe
Tours on Biscayne Bay. With so much variety and history, Deering Estate is an ideal place for any family looking for fun and
out-of-the-ordinary things to do in Miami.
10. Miami Children's Museum http://www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/ Founded in 1983, visitors of all ages are encouraged to play
together, learn, imagine and create. The 56,500 square-foot facility includes 12 galleries, classrooms, parent/teacher resource
center, Kid Smart educational gift shop, 200-seat auditorium and Subway restaurant. The museum offers hundreds of bilingual,
interactive exhibits; programs and classes and learning materials related to arts, culture, community and communication.
Source http://seanraj.hubpages.com/hub/Top-10-Things-to-do-in-Miami-Florida#
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