Florida

As the only state with two coasts and 1,200 miles of magnificent beaches, Florida beaches are a dime a dozen, it's no wonder Florida has one to please every visitor, a Florida beach can be a little bit of heaven on earth!

Long before the world's most famous mouse and a host of other characters took up residence here, Florida reeled in hordes of visitors to bask in the sun and splash in the surf. They're still coming to pitch their umbrellas on our sandy shores, and who can blame them? Those who visit Florida and Miami Beach travel to enjoy the azure surf and unforgetable palm beaches that are like nowhere else on earth. From the Florida Panhandle beaches to the Florida keys to a nude beach favorite of supermodels, the amazing Florida beaches have it all!

Some of the top beaches in Florida are on the East side of the state. This is where you'll find Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach is known for its open and uncluttered beaches, Fort Lauderdale offers a Florida beach community that is great for those who love to stroll on the beach or lay on the sand, and the Miami beaches have to be experienced, to believe.

Miami

Miami beach

Blessed with year-round mild climates and unrivaled ocean access, America’s southernmost resort city is also a sought-after international recreation destination. Ranked the nation’s #1 Healthiest City by Natural Health Magazine in 2002, Miami caters to action-oriented visitors from around the globe with some of the world's top golf, tennis and sporting facilities. Add sparkling waters that are a magnet for boating enthusiasts, fishermen, divers and water sports aficionados to the equation and it is easy to see why Miami is a number one choice for active travelers of all ages and skill levels. But where to start? Miami’s streets are often busy, some of its attractions often attract crowds, and a few days can leave more to choose from than you have time to include, so knowing the active options in advance—and how to manage your time and movements—is essential Miami planning. Making the best use of what time you have by knowing where your points of interest are can help you save more of your energy for the activities this city offers. Best ways to play along, above or beneath the waves.

Florida

         This is a city closely bound up with the sea it sits besides, and no doubt it’s also those waters and miles of sand beaches that draw many to it. You can get out on the water in a variety of ways in proximity to the city shores, whether it be jet skiing in Biscayne Bay or sailing Miami Harbor. On practically every beach you visit, you will find concessions operating water skiing; the leading beachfront hotels along Collins Avenue offer parasailing lessons, and many have jetski, windsurfing and other sport. If you are staying at a beachfront property, check ahead with your hotel concierge about available activities on their stretch of beach, or nearby operators that you can contact to reserve equipment or sessions from. Different locations in and around Miami produce some very different conditions for water sport. Windsurfing, for instance: Biscayne Bay off Rickenbacker Causeway has winds that usually blow side-onshore, and the water stays fairly shallow, allowing even a beginner to walk his way back to shore if necessary. If you want to go further afield, however, continue toward Key Biscayne and spots like Hobie Beach, where operators like Sailboards Miami can provide you a two-hour lesson if you are new to the sport for about $70. After that, you can rent your own board by the hour. The drive down toward Key Biscayne is itself an experience as you gain a fantastic view of Miami’s skyline and closer by beneath you, the water’s surfaces alive with sailboats of all kinds, jet skiers, or just people fishing from the boats. The biggest collection of rental outlets for jet skis are to be found at Virginia Key on the way to Key Biscayne. A focal point for water action of all kinds on the Key is at Crandon Park: this two-mile long public beach also has its own full service-marina and restaurants a short drive from the beach.

Florida Map

Not surprisingly, since the city itself is also an easy drive, many people make a day of coming to this lovely but accessible area. The Park is also a launching spot for some of the kayaking and snorkeling outings organized by Miami-Dade Park and Recreation Department through its eco-adventure program. On some of these naturalist-guided trips, you kayak out to various underwater preserves and wreck sites off the Key and snorkel off to explore the diverse marine life that populates the dense sea grass beds, sand flats and wreckage; local inhabitants you might observe hereabout range from Spotted Leopard Rays to a Bottle-nosed Dolphins, soft corals, sponges, damsel fish to enormous Pufferfish, and Gray Angelfish. Other kayak and snorkeling expeditions you can do hereabouts will take you into fossilized mangrove reef areas formed by petrified black mangroves over 1500 years ago, or into the artificial reefs that have been created offshore to preserve and enhance the marine eco-systems. Check ahead to book for these easy to moderate adventures. So you’re up for some deeper and lengthier underwater exploration? The scuba diving opportunities are also plentiful around Miami waters, thanks in large part to the profusion of man-made reefs. Various dive shops around town can get you out on organized weekend dives to the 10 designated offshore artificial reef sites, along with explorations of some offshore wreck sites. Actually, the Miami region has one of

the largest artificial-reef programs in the world in addition to the natural sites. Fish flock to the more than thirty ships, tanks, concrete, limestone and other structures which have been sunk over the past 20 years off Miami's coast, as far south as Florida City and north to Sunny Isles Beach. Most are located just a few miles offshore, in less than 130 feet of water, providing great diving for all levels. One of the most popular routes is the Wreck Trek, located off Miami Beach, just north of the Art Deco District. Here, divers can explore the 85-foot tug Patricia, the 100-foot steel fishing vessel Miss Karline, and an old radio antenna welded into 19 pyramids.