23 year old male from england holidaying in miami on his own, need ideas

[sabali]

so far i'm planning on going to um miami zoo, monkey world, everglades, biscayne bay , south beach , cruise to bahamas , most likely cruise/fly to puerto rico to checkout biobay any other things people can reccomend ?
My condo is near larkin community hospital which i believe is just outside of north east kendall and west / possibly sw of coral gables.

I have a broad spectrum of interests but my biggest being anything to do with wildlife , and especially water , lakes , boat rides et cetra.

thanks

[moltobene]

Jungle island was nice. Did the Everglades and it was real fun ..they also have a bus - boat tour that's pretty cool..

[Christy]

Sabali,

I'm impressed! I had no idea there is a University of Miami Zoo!!! And what is Monkey World? That sounds fun!

I would skip the cruise to the Bahamas. I've never been but I get the impression it's just a low-end booze cruise with not too much time in thee Bahamas. You should do the Everglades Tour that Miami Tour Company offers. When you want to go PM me and I will give you a discount coupon code. I got to see a lemur during the Wildlife Show, but the animals change.

moltobene,

I'm glad to hear you liked Jungle Island! That's another place I want to visit.

[sabali]

It's been a dream of mine since i was very young to visit the carribean and i will probably book a room on the hotel for a few days ,
I men't monkey jungle not world , ha!

How did you not know their was a zoo , christy ?

[Maria de los Angeles]

HI sabali, I would take the Everglades Tour offered by our sister company first. That will be like your "baby introduction" and then if you want to do more hardcore stuff, I can give you some tips on what trails to explore, things to see, wildlife to look out for.

If you're into canoeing or kayaking, that's a great way to see deeper into the Glades and the Keys. There is also the Fakahatchee Strand boardwalk where you might spot some eagles and other critters.

There is a great activity in the middle Glades where you actually go into knee high or waist deep water with a guide. That's actually something I still need to do. It's at Clyde Butcher's photo gallery.

If you like monkeys, the lemur experience at Jungle Island is insanely fun. I wrote about it here: http://sexandthebeach.blogspot.com/2...o-can-you.html

I am actually going to go out to North Key Largo crocodile refuge sometime in January or February with the python hunter. If that's something you'd be into, let me know. I'll need a 'camera' assistant! I wrote about him here: http://sexandthebeach.blogspot.com/2...key-largo.html

I have more ideas but I need to go now ... will chime in later.

Christy, I think he meant Miami Zoo (formerly Metro Zoo) not University of Miami Zoo ... though admittedly some of the fraternity parties there can be like an animal house!

[Maria de los Angeles]

PS your condo is very close to some amazing natural spots, like 5 minutes away ... you'll have to check out Matheson Hammock with its beautiful tropical lagoon pool. There is a sailing school there and kite boarding, paddle boarding. Also Fairchild Botanic Garden is amazing.

[Christy]

I don't know! I blame my social secretary Jess! I do know all the great spots in Key West though. Most of the time it's too hot in Miami for the zoo, but now is a great time of year for that.

[Jess]

Haha, I actually have been to the zoo, but I guess you weren't around when we all went. I actually went with gus and Michelle.

[Doug]

I had a fun time at Monkey Jungle. It's a reminder of the old days when Florida was full of these little roadside attractions. That was before Disney World came and ran them all out of business!

[Mario]

Ok, here we go:

Mimai Tour Company, also offers a City of Mimai which will give you a great overview of the City. You'll end up learning a lot cool historical facts.

Jungle Island and Miami Zoo are both zoos. Miami Zoo is much bigger and less expensive. Matheson Hammock is a great park to visit. Right next to it, is Fairchild Gardens, if you're into plants. Close to Homestead we also have the Fruit & Spice Park.

Miami weather is great for kite-surfing and kayaking. For kayaking, I recommend Oleta State Park or check kayaing companies around Miami Beach or at Matheson itself.

Go to Shark Valley, the have a 15 mile bike trail. You'll see tons of gator on the road sunning themsleves, if you go during the spring.

Key West is full of museums, has cool architecture, has great bars and a general laid back vibe. If you head down there, you should stay at least 2-3 days.

[Doug]

Another fun, eco-friendly thing to do while you're here is to rent a kayak in Oleta Park, which is in North Miami. There is a nice route you can take through a brackish lagoon out to a little uninhabited island on Biscayne Bay. I wrote about it here:

Kayaking and Mountain Bike Adventures in Oleta River State Park (Pictures)

It's a great way to get an appreciation for the natural side of this area!