FEATURE MIAMI FAMILY FUN

WORDS BY ALEXANDRA P KARPLUS

Miami isn’t just about South Beach glitz and salsa clubs. If you’ve got children in tow, there’s plenty for families to enjoy.

South Beach evokes hot nights of dancing, a sizzling Latin vibe and romantic strolls on the white sand. But when the kids are along for the ride, Miami is also bursting with child-friendly options.

An alternative to the trendy strip of Ocean Drive is the beautiful island of Key Biscayne. One of the famous Florida Keys, Key Biscayne is only 15 minutes away from South Beach. Over the causeway and a short drive past the large resorts lies a relaxing haven. At Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, there is more to do than just lay on the beach, although that too is definitely still an option. Here, visitors can take walks along the paths and visit the historic lighthouse, open for tours with great views of the wonderful trees and the bay. Bicycles, tandems and quadracycles for up to six people are available for rent so the whole family can enjoy the trails that run through the park. Picnic tables, barbecue grills and covered pavilions offer a great way to end the day with a beach party.

Bayside Marketplace
really comes to life
at evening time. The bronze award from Parenting magazine for the “best place to swim and splash” was awarded to Matheson Hammock, a great spot for tottering toddlers. In a man-made facility, naturally flushed with the tidal action of Biscayne Bay, the water is warm and shallow with no waves, eliminating much of the stress involved with looking after little ones. Young adventurers can walk around the lagoon and examine sea life, rocks and the surrounding nature trails.

For an escape from the sand and salt, Coral Gables’ Venetian Pool is a perfect destination. The only swimming pool listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is fed by underground artesian wells. Waterfalls spill into this free-form lagoon with coral rock caves providing an underwater playground. A large patch of sand offers a relaxing refuge and coconut palm trees surround the pool. While children must be at least 38 inches tall and three years old, this is a great spot for youngsters to master their swimming skills in a pool that will delight them and even get mom and dad splashing around.

Parrot Jungle Island:
Be amazed at the
range of wildlife.For more energetic adventures, there are the Miami-Dade Eco-Adventure Tours. The choices include kayak, canoe, snorkel, bicycle and nature tours—with the lush, exotic scenery of South Florida as backdrop.

If everyone is waterlogged and in search of some fun on dry land, Miami is brimming with opportunities to view wildlife in all shapes and sizes. The most obvious choice is the Metrozoo, a 290-acre plot of land, free of cages. It features a rare and majestic white Bengal tiger, Indian rhinos and tree-kangaroos. Due to the subtropical climate, the zoo is able to showcase animals that cannot be exhibited further north. Traveling around on the zoo’s monorail will give the family an opportunity to relax, while enjoying the big picture from a bird’s-eye view.

Bicycle, picnic or visit
the historic lighthouse
at Bill Baggs Cape
Florida State Park.

A visit to Parrot Jungle Island will provide bird lovers with a closer look at the city’s wildlife. Here, visitors wander through the park on jungle trails meeting some of its 3,000 exotic animals along the way. At the Winged Wonders show, the audience sits in the 1,200-seat Parrot Bowl theater to listen to the host and parrots lead the show. Cranes and vultures are just some of the stars of the stage, but birds are not the only animals at Parrot Jungle; there are also monkeys, reptiles and a barn full of creatures waiting to be petted and admired. Other shows are performed throughout the day in the Serpentarium and Jungle Theater. The Lakeside Café has outdoor seating so you can take a break while admiring the beautiful flamingos.

Although Parrot Jungle is home to some monkeys, there is no better place to spot them than in Monkey Jungle itself. This 30-acre reserve is home to 35 species of primates including gibbons, guenons, and tamarins. Java monkeys are skilled divers and visitors can watch their feedings as they plunge into the water to collect fruits, vegetables and the occasional hard-boiled egg. With a motto that reads, “Where humans are caged and monkeys run wild,” the visitor walkway is netted and the monkeys play freely. It is important to pick up some raisins and peanuts when entering the park as feeding is allowed and the monkeys await treats anxiously.

Little ones are
welcome at Parrot
Jungle Island.

South of Miami Beach, in Coral Gables, Fairchild Tropical Gardens offers a botanical look at Florida’s beautiful fauna. Visitors are encouraged to wind their way around the 83-acre garden and explore. Tram tours provide a great opportunity to learn about this paradise. The guide will point out details such as the reason for the beautiful colors of the rainbow eucalyptus tree and entertain the visitor with bits of information on Florida’s history and botanical facts. The tour travels through the Palmetum, the heart of the Gardens’ palm collection, featuring the fox tail, the bottle, and the fish tail palm, all named after their shapes. The iguanas will captivate the kids with their distinguishing features and changing bright colors. The Garden Shop should not be left out of the visit; the store includes a lovely collection of tropical themed gifts.

Rain can put a damper on a family vacation. Not the case in South Florida where you can head to Miami Children’s Museum to lift kids’ spirits right back up. Bright turquoise walls lead down the hall to a castle covered in mosaic tiles with ceramic fish, shells, starfish, and vibrant marine colors. Stairs lead to a world filled with art, culture, science, math and nature.

Matheson Hammock Park
was voted “best place to
swim and splash” by
Parenting magazine.

There’s so much fun to be had, the children may not even notice that it is also highly educational. In the Kidscape Village, they can play make-believe tellers in a bank, and doctors and nurses in a hospital among many other games. In the museum of art, surrounded by the works of Miró and Picasso, the kids can work on crafts themselves. The entire museum is very hands-on, encouraging young visitors to explore.

Another option for bad weather days is the Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium in Coconut Grove. As well as some highly interactive exhibits like Vital Space, which takes you on a trip through the human body and the massive planetarium that houses a 65-foot-diameter domed projection screen with 231 seats, there are both interesting and educational distractions from thunderstorms. For a Friday night journey to the stars, the observatory houses two powerful telescopes offering viewings from 8:30pm to 10pm.

Coral Gables’
Venetian pool is fed
by underground wells.

Cocowalk, a Mediterranean-style shopping village in Coconut Grove, offers more family-friendly nightlife than the one on South Beach.

A variety of concerts varying from jazz, pop, and flamenco are performed in the center. The patio is surrounded by several stores, perfect for window shopping or some last minute gifts. Time can be spent admiring the work of artists on the street, creating galaxies with cans of spray paint, or there are human-powered rickshaw rides to be had. A 16-screen movie theater has something for everyone. After catching a movie, Coco Gelato offers the perfect end-of-night treat; try their rich Dulce de Leche ice cream.

With so many flavors to choose from, Bayside Marketplace might need to be scheduled for the next night out. Here, where Coco Gelato is also a choice, the complete Miami experience will be yours, and it is family-friendly, too. While the marketplace is open during the day as well, nighttime is when it really comes alive. A trampoline and merry-go-round are available for kids to have a go on and some great shops are open for the parents. Musical performances are conducted every night on their waterfront stage, something for everyone to enjoy together.

Enter the magical
world of the Miami’s
Children’s Museum.From fun parks for toddlers to wildlife, music and heapings of ice-cream, this place has so much to offer families. Don’t allow the glitz and glamour of South Beach blind you to the fact that children are a very welcome addition to your Miami vacation.

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Bayside Marketplace

401 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, FL 33132 305-577-3344 www.baysidemarketplace.com

Matheson Hammock Park

9610 Old Cutler Road Miami, FL 33156 305-665-5475 www.miamidade.gov/parks/ Parks/matheson_marina.asp

Venetian Pool

2701 De Soto Blvd Coral Gables, FL 33134 305-460-5306 www.venetianpool.com

Cocowalk

3015 Grand Avenue Coconut Grove, FL 33133 305-444-0777 www.galleryatcocowalk.com

Metrozoo

1 Zoo Boulevard 12400 SW 152 Street Miami, FL 33177 305-251-0400 www.miamimetrozoo.com

Parrot Jungle Island

1111 Parrot Jungle Trail Miami, FL 33132 305 2-JUNGLE www.parrotjungle.com

Fairchild Tropical Garden

10901 Old Cutler Road Miami, FL 33156 305-667-1651 www.fairchildgarden.com

Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
1200 South Crandon Boulevard Key Biscayne, FL 33149 305-361-5811 www.floridastateparks.org

Eco Adventure Tours

305-365-3018 www.miamidade.gov/parks/ ecoadventures.asp

Miami Children’s Museum

980 MacArthur Causeway Miami, FL 33132 305-373-5437 www.miamichildrensmuseum.org/

Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium
3280 South Miami Avenue Miami, FL 33129 305-646-4200 www.miamisci.org

Monkey Jungle

14805 Southwest 216th Street Miami, FL 33170 305-235-1611