Adventures in the Urban Jungle: What to do in Miami

Miami is a fabulous place to holiday with the family. Offering a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets, the city is warm, welcoming, and full of things to do that will entertain adults and kids alike. Rather than sticking to the beach or the pool for the whole vacation, take a few days and visit a couple of the local attractions.

Jungle Island

If you are a family of animal lovers, why not visit Jungle Island? Formerly called Parrot Island, this interactive zoological park was founded in 1936. Just east of Downtown Miami, the sweeping sails that cover the Jungle Theatre provide the prefect arena from which the whole family can meet wildlife from all over the world.

The Island is home to Hercules, the 900-pound liger (a cross between a lion and a tiger) as well as the trained birds that perform in the Parrot Bowl. The “Winged Wonders” show has captivating and entertaining birds from all over the world for you to enjoy, including Pinky, the cockatoo who has been riding his high-wire bicycle for more than 20 years.

In the Serpentarium there is an exhibition of, amongst other animals, flamingos, penguins and reptiles, as well as regular daily presentations, feedings and keeper talks. There is an Everglades Habitat which recreates the Florida ecosystem, and the whole facility was created without using any artificial pesticides or fertilisers, making it one of the only completely sustainable parks or zoos in the country.

 

Miami Science Museum

Home to some world-class exhibits, the Miami Science Museum is situated just north of Coconut Grove. It isn’t just a museum, though; it houses the Space-Transit Planetarium, where Jack Horkheimer’s Star Gazer television show lives, as well as the Weintraub Observatory and a wildlife centre. The Planetarium has daily shows with surround sound, video projection, lasers and naked-eye astronomy, and seating for more than 230 in the projection dome room which is 65 feet in diameter. The Weintraub Observatory is open from 8 until 10 every evening and has two powerful telescopes. The wildlife centre not only stages annual events – such as Snake Day and Lizard Day – but also runs a rehabilitation programme for injured birds out of the Falcon Batchelor Bird of Prey Center. If the kids like camping out and you have a little time, the Museum also offers the extraordinary opportunity to enjoy an overnight stay among the exhibits after an evening filled with live theatre performances, themed science activities and planetarium shows.

Seaquarium

The Miami climate allows the Seaquarium to offer year-round, open-air marine shows. With Lolita the killer whale, a trained dolphin show, regular feeding and trainer presentations, exhibitions and exhibits, as well as amazing views of Biscayne Bay and the city itself, the oldest oceanarium in the country is a definite must-visit.

The park, like the Miami Science Museum, also offers overnight camps, group programmes and other events for those who are so enthusiastic that a single day is not enough.

 

Images by Bob B. Brown and Global Imagination used under creative commons licence