Well, we plan on going to the beach of course. Probably check out a couple bars or nightclubs. Do a little shopping. All that 'touristy' stuff.
But besides that, what are some cool things to do that won't cost an arm and a leg. For example, I noticed some tours of the everglades, so we might have to check that out.
If nothing else, I was thinking about taking a bus up to Orlando on Friday morning. Possibly go to Universal and spend the night up there.
Also, as a Dolphins fan I would definitely be interested in anything Dolphins related. Is there a lot at the stadium that I'll need to allow extra time to see? Of course, I'll have to check out the Marino statue for a couple minutes.
Touristy things
can be pricey, but you'll spend much, much more going to Orlando.
Some of the points of interests (I don't know about prices so check in advance):
South Beach- The Art Deco District with funky architecture and ice cream colors. One of the most popular destinations in the world.
Vizcaya Museum and Gardens- Built by James Deering as his estate the mansion reflects a lot of his eccentricities the rooms are decorated in different styles. The gardens are Italian style with statuary among the most beautiful you'll see outside Europe. It's in the Coconut Grove area. The "Grove" as Miamians call it is also a nice area to visit and do shopping. There's a natural hardwood hammock right there. If you're driving you'll pass some beautiful old homes on S. Bayshore Drive on the way there.
The Barnacle- Also in the Grove, it's an interesting old house.
Historical Museum- in downtown Miami it has a lot of exhibits covering the history of southern Florida with sound and light.
Freedom Tower- the central processing center for Cuban refugees after the Revolution in Cuba. It was originally the Miami News building and is a replica of a tower in Giralda, Spain. Very nice baroque architecture.
Parrot Jungle Island- It's off downtown Miami. I've never been there, but I used to go to it when it was just Parrot Jungle and much smaller. It has a lot of amusements like parrots riding bicycles and exhibits with all different kinds of parrots and macaws.
Brickell Avenue- The "Wall Street of Latin America" it's a nicely landscaped street and has some very interesting architecture including the building with the palm tree in the middle that you see on
Miami Vice.
Seaquarium- Dolphin and killer whale shows.
Little Havana- near downtown and more of a cultural destination. Great place for Cuban food and cafe con leche. It's in the process of being developed with Mediterranean architecture.
Design District- art galleries mixed with furniture stores, pedestrian-oriented.
Little Haiti- if you're a bit more adventurous, it's a poor neighborhood, but interesting with Haitian Creole as the street language. There a few buildings with Gingerbread architecture. BTW, Haitian food is my personal favorite from Latin America.
Spanish Monastery- The oldest building in the U.S. Note that St. Augustine boasts the oldest building
built in the U.S. The Spanish Monastery is an actual monastery from I believe, the 12th century, that was disassembled and reassembled in North Miami Beach.
Matheson Hammock- An old tropical natural hammock with hiking trails. Very beautiful.
Charles Deering Estate- in south Dade. James' brother. His estate is less well known and not quite as interesting James' but it's worth a look if you're there. There's also a nice hammock right there.
There's also the Everglades as you mentioned.
My favorite beach is at Crandon Park. There's an old lighthouse nearby at Cape Florida.
If you have time left, then I suggest going to the Keys instead of worshipping hormonally imbalanced talking rodents. The drive is much more scenic, and Key West is beautiful and a lot fun.
