Weekend Getaways and Day Trips from Miami

From people watching in south beach by quincinera

When you visit or live in Miami, it’s hard to think about wanting to get away. It seems to have it all: the warm weather, cosmopolitan style, sand and surf, great hotels and restaurants, and plenty of fun things to do. But there’s a wonderland of fun and beauty outside Miami, too, so it’s worth taking a look. An overnight getaway or one day excursion can be a great way to spend a weekend! Florida is blessed with year-round balmy weather and the warm Atlantic Ocean, so you really can’t go wrong. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

Jupiter

Just a 20-30 minute drive north of West Palm Beach is a place where travelers will find some of the prettiest, most secluded beaches around. Jupiter’s development has skyrocketed in the last 10 years, but the Atlantic coastline still boasts pristine sand, sparse crowds, and free parking. If you like to surf, Hobe Sound is located just north of town and is known for its consistent hurricane swells.

Quaint shops and restaurants provide the perfect complement to outdoor activities, and for wildlife lovers, Jupiter is also home to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center. Read more about my visit to this fun turtle sanctuary here.

For a voyeuristic drive, take a cruise along A-1-A: this largely shaded, lovely stretch of road is flanked with the ocean on one side and luxury estates on the other. Fishing enthusiasts and anyone who likes a great view of the ocean will also like the Juno Beach Pier. Weather conditions and forums about the local fish can be found on their website.

The Everglades

The largest remaining subtropical wilderness in the United States, the Everglades National Park is rich with wildlife and natural beauty. It’s home to a plethora of endangered, rare, and exotic bird and wildlife species. Realtraveler ktarver took an airboat tour in the Everglades while on a trip to Florida:

“It is amazing how quickly your surroundings change when you hit the border of the Everglades. It is like crossing a line into another world. It was more like a giant savannah with a bayou feel than a tropical paradise (which is what I had been expecting). There was a profusion of exotic and very brave birds in what seems to be every direction you look, and a few birds ever came touching distance to us.” (more…)

Florida Keys

Just an hour’s drive south and you’ll find yourself in the Florida Keys, the perfect destination for a weekend getaway or day trip. There are 1,700 small islands here, starting at Florida’s southernmost tip and reaching to North America’s only living barrier reef, with some of the best beaches, diving, and fishing in the world.

Ernest Hemingway fans and lovers of leisure enjoy Key West, the most well-known spot in the Florida Keys, where lounging by the water with an umbrella in your drink is a favorite pastime. Key Largo is the most popular snorkeling and diving destination in the United States, with John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the nation’s first underwater preserve, and its nearly-translucent waters. For an adventure off the beaten path, water taxi to Cabbage Key and hike its nature trails. There’s also several campgrounds in the Keys for an inexpensive and up-close encounter with the nature that surrounds you.

Staying Nearby

With the large amount of beautiful Miami hotels, perhaps an afternoon out exploring is all you need before returning back to your room. Here are some fun ideas of local attractions worth checking out:

Monkey Jungle

“Where the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild” is this center’s catch-phrase, and for good reason: humans walk through “caged” wire pathways, while several species of primates swing through trees above, play, and interact with each other, providing visitors with an authentic experience of monkeys as they behave in the wild. The center has become an important spot for primate research and observation, as well.

Parrot Jungle Island

The 18.6 acre wonderland allows visitors to interact safely with the more than 3,000 exotic animals and 500 plant species that live there. Its land includes plant nurseries, jungle trails, world-class aviaries, a petting farm, and extensive animal stage shows. Educational exhibits provide a learning experience for all ages. Living in the world’s only aviary replicating the clay cliffs of Manu, Peru are over 200 parrots and macaws.

Resources

Jupiter Travel Guide
Everglades National Park
Key Largo Travel Guide
Key West Travel Guide
Miami Travel Guide
More Miami Attractions

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