Snorkel with the fishies, spend a day on a boat, relax on the beach, or suit up for a scuba dive at Biscayne National Park. This park is the largest marine park in the National Park System and protects four ecosystems: a stretch of mangrove forest along the shoreline, the southern portion of Biscayne Bay, the northern Florida Keys, and a part of the world's third-longest living coral reef. All of these ecosystems mean that there's plenty of nature to explore here. There's also a visitor center on site with an art gallery featuring works inspired by the park and other attractions.
There's plenty to do outdoors at the Everglades National Park and Shark Valley Visitor Center. From guided tours to hiking and biking, canoeing and kayaking, fishing and camping, you'll get your fill of nature here in the country's largest subtropical wilderness.
Let the people at Everglades Safari Park show you the beautiful Everglades from the best vantage point – on the water! This safari attraction offers airboat rides through the heart of Everglades National Park, so you'll get to see the landscape of Florida's most famous region – if you're lucky, you'll spot an alligator along the way. Safari Park also hosts a wildlife show, and offers the opportunity to hold a real alligator.
Journey through the outdoor oasis known as the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. This particular botanical garden is home to a large collection of rare tropical plants, including palms, cycads, flowering trees, fruit trees, and a variety of others. With literally thousands of plants in bloom, you could spend hours exploring this garden.
There's no end to the recreation opportunities available at John Pennenkamp Coral Reef State Park. Fishing, camping and swimming are just the beginning of the fun. The park offers snorkeling tours, scuba diving tours, cruise tours on a glass bottom boat, and canoe and kayak rentals so you can explore the waters on your own.
No zoological park offers an experience like Jungle Island. This park offers a couple of tours where you can actually touch animals like lemurs and the world's only tame Cassowary. Other animal attractions around the park include orangutans, gibbons, African penguins, Caribbean flamingos, alligators, pythons, tigers, and a rare liger.
Visit the Kampong National Tropical Botanical Garden to see a variety of tropical plants from all around the world. The outdoor garden is full of plant life from Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and the Caribbean, and includes a number of fruit and flowering trees. A few plants you may see are the cultivars of candle fruit, peanut butter fruit, egg fruit, cocoplums, and over 50 varieties of mango.
At Lion Country Safari, you will get an African safari experience right here in the U.S. This zoo attraction was voted “the 3rd best zoo in the nation” by USA Travel Guide, and offers guests the opportunity to drive through the park and see wild animals roaming the outdoor expanse. On your adventure in the park, you'll see zebras, rhinos, African lions, giraffes, and impalas.
Get up-close to the animals at the Miami Metro Zoo. There are over 2,000 animals that call this zoo home, along with 1,200 plant species. As you stroll down the pathways of the zoo, you'll see exhibits and attractions that house tigers, lions, sloths, antelope, kangaroos, monkeys, koala bears, gorillas, elephants, rhinoceros, and hundreds more.
When you're in Miami, you can sit beside the ocean or you can explore it at the Miami Seaquarium. This oceanarium is home to marine mammals, like Lolita the killer whale, and various fish, sharks, sea turtles, birds, reptiles and other animals. Other interesting attractions include live animal shows like the dolphin show, the sea lion show, and the killer whale show.
Outdoor activities have made a cozy home at Tropical Park. Accompanying miles of paved trails for walking, running and biking, are amenities like tennis, racquetball and basketball courts, soccer, football and softball fields, a dog park, and four lakes. The lakes are perfect spots for boating and fishing. There's something for everyone at this park.
Have some fun in the sun at Virginia Key Beach Park. This beautiful park boasts a playground, a miniature train, an antique carousel, a large pavilion and much more. But while you're there, don't forget the park's main attraction – the beach!