Just 30 miles south of downtown Miami, Homestead offers visitors a small-town atmosphere with the…read moreamenities of a nearby big city. As we drove over to the Keys, we drove by the town and decided to check it out. We were impressed by the beautiful architecture, colors and variety of shops and restaurants...many very cute and inviting. The town center has many family-owned shops and restaurants, which serves as an enticing introduction to the wealth of natural beauty that makes Homestead special. Indeed, the city is adjacent to two national parks. Ten miles west of Homestead is Everglades National Park, home to vast mangrove forests and watery sawgrass plains. It is truly a subtropical wilderness that shelters alligators, ibis, eagles, manatees and panthers. East of Homestead is Biscayne National Park, encompassing the bay, barrier islands and coral reefs. And, just south of the city, are the Florida Keys, with an abundance of recreational activities. A beautiful town to spend a few hours or a few days if you have the time....

It's always a go to place when I take friends to the Keys, a beautiful building , great fishing…read moremerchandise inside a beautiful establishment that holds a replica of el Pilar , a beautiful art deco elevator

Inside the Islamorada Fish Company you'll find a piece of local flavor, Key history, lore and…read morelegend that is not to be missed. It's an exact to the detail replica of Ernest Hemingway's famous 38 foot wooden 1934 Wheeler boat, the Pilar. It was this boat that was Hemingway's love and refuge leading to literary masterpieces such as "The Old Man and the Sea." He captained it on fishing trips all over the Keys, offshore Marquesas, Bimini, where he became famous not only for his fishing, but his drunkenness, fighting and recklessness. Then of course the primary port, Key West, with the Pilar becoming a leading character of the famous Key West or Bohemian like Conch Republic lifestyle. Be sure to stop in to see and climb aboard the Pilar. It's free and will give the chance to vicariously live the life of Hemingway, standing at his helm, sitting in his fighting chair or at his typewriter desk

Ocean Drive is the most iconic street in Miami Beach, running along South Beach with historic Art…read moreDeco buildings, restaurants, and cafés. The pastel-colored hotels and neon lights make the area feel lively both day and night. Walking here gives you the true South Beach vibe with music, sports cars, and beach views. Even a short stroll along this stretch feels like stepping into a movie scene. At night, the whole area takes on a completely different vibe. Since it's a one way road, you really notice the kind of cars cruising through--and some of them are just incredible to see. The party energy spills out everywhere, with people roaming around freely until the early hours of the morning.

If you haven't been, it's a nice place to visit. We've been numerous of time so it wasn't like we…read morehad ti stop and see and do everything. It is a major tourist trap along the strip with restaurants and bars. They'll solicit you in with deals but once inside, it can be very pricey. Also, be careful with your bill, so many different fees added on as well as gratuity. You may end up tipping double if you don't check. Places does get pretty wild and loud at night and especially on the weekend. It was pretty mellow during the daytime as evening during our stay mid week. Also, weather wasn't that great either. Beside that, it's a staple of your in Miami.

What a wonderful experience! I enjoyed visiting the NightGarden at Fairchild to get some holiday…read morevibes in our tropical climate. After 6pm, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden lights up with disco balls, fairies, and lots of light shows. My son loved the talking tree that you could talk to. I enjoyed the fun light show inside the Rainforest area. While their restaurant and cafe are closed at that time, they do have food trucks and a bar for this event!

Well worth it It can…read morebe expensive if you are dumb but if you look for promo codes and discounts, they can be found and I feel make this night out during the holiday season well worth it. My kids favorite part was by far being able to talk to a tree. Usually, talking to a tree would be some kind of punishment for misbehaving at the playground but this tree actually talks back. Archie is a really cool experience and it's great how he remember the kids names after a while. My favorite part was the garden walk with the crazy lights. Magical

Always fun to feed these big fellas. Watch the pelicans. They are nasty rascals and will steal your…read morefish.

Came here to feed the fishies!!!!…read more Birds are pretty aggressive --- stole 5-6 fish total (from 4 buckets of maybe 30 total fish) ..... The fish are MASSIVE!! 5-6 feet long (some of them).. Lost my hat due to the strong winds ... (got it back). Not sure how I felt about the cleanliness of the restaurant and we didn't ~eat~ there but 10/10 recommend stopping by.

Cool spot, chill vibes will definitely go again to just marvel at the art and creativity.read more

If you love elephants and art, then this exhibit is a must for you to see and experience. Never did…read moreI think that I would see 100 lifelike elephants on the beach in Miami Beach. You can get up close and personal for free until December 8 while Art Basel 2024 is happening in Miami and Miami Beach. The exhibit is located between 36th and 37th Streets on Collins Ave behind the 36th Street Park and the Faena Hotel. There is plenty of free parking. The Great Elephant Migration is a global fundraising adventure to amplify indigenous knowledge and inspire the human race, to share space. I am so thrilled that we were able to view this exhibit ahead of the official opening on Dec. 2. It lasts until Dec. 8. After Miami Beach, it will be traveling to Montana. It migrated from New York City to Miami Beach by truckload.

Super cute and a nice photo op too. This 120 year old Banyan tree is a central inside the cute and…read morelush Upper Buena Vista, a sanctuary that offers local independent shops, and cute restaurants. This tree is known as is "the Bodhi Wish tree." Adorned in colourful ribbons. This tree is reputed to have special magnetic and spiritual values. An ancestral Asian tradition suggests that writing a wish on a ribbon and tying it to the tree could lead to eternal blessings. If you look closely at the ribbons, you'll find that each one carries a special wish! Upper Buena Vista partners with non-profit One Tree Planted, which plants trees in North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific to support reforestation and preservation of nature. So, purchase a ribbon, write your wish and there will be a tree planted in your honour.

I love a historic tree so much that I even have a collection on Yelp. I discovered the Bodhi…read moreWishtree on a recent visit to Upper Buena Vista. The Bodhi Wishtree is a 120 year old banyan tree located in Upper Buena Vista retail and dining development which was actually designed around it. The tree is said to have spiritual and magnetic properties. According to Asian tradition you can write a wish on a ribbon, tie it to the tree, and receive eternal blessings. Ribbons used to be sold by the The House of Findings for a $1 donation given to the non profit One Tree Planted foundation that seeks to support reforestation in four continents. The House of Findings is currently closed except for appointments so I'm not sure how they are handling ribbon sales now. The tree is the centerpiece of the Upper Buena Vista complex providing shade, shelter, and positive energy to visitors. Beneath the tree is a giant colorful Pinocchio sculpture. Tons of people were getting their picture taken in front of the tree and it is the perfect backdrop for an Instagram shot of one of the amazing drinks from Amazonica.. Upper Buena Vista is such a cool place and the Bodhi Wishtree is front and center of all of the fun.

The marine driven town is not so quiet anymore. The once lazy area has drastically changed erupting…read morein mass tourism as noticed today. Not nearly as busy as Key West, but traffic south along the two lane Overseas Highway or U.S. Route 1, was just as brutal with very few areas permitting a lane change. If you get behind a truck or boat on your drive thru Key Largo get ready for a long day of driving 25 MPH. Still noticed the weekend flea markets as crowds gather in the parking lots across from the Publix. A few mom & pop shell shops and small tiki style eateries still stand but most are now commercially managed. Probably not the best place to raise a family but for late night partying and fishing this not so lazy city is awesome. My family owned a waterfront house here in the late 1980s and used it frequently on the weekends. Key Largo stretches 33 miles from MM107 to MM90. Not much a view of the bay or ocean while driving along the Overseas Hwy but its there. There are some restaurants that stood the test of time for over forty years like Hobo's Cafe. Lots of little flea markets to shop at on the weekends. Stayed at the Holiday Inn Resort at MM100 and had a great time. Spent the evening at The Caribbean Club listening to live 70's rock & roll and ate at Tower of Pizza, Doc's Diner and the Fish House.

This area is not as fun as Key West but has a few great restaurants. Weve been stuck in traffic a…read morefew times but the overseas highway is the only way back home to fort lauderdale. If you are in the area i strongly urge you to try Mrs Mac's Kitchen for lunch. I got the conch fritters and conch chowder today, Yummy. During our few trips to key largo we stayed at the holiday inn and listened to live bands at the big chill. Lazy town with a lazy crowd so dont expect quick service anywhere. Lots of places to sit out on the water and have a cocktail.

While driving through the Florida Everglades, I saw a large Bigfoot statue on the side of the road…read more We drove by it without thinking too much of it but I couldn't just pass up the photo opportunity so we made the first U-turn I could make and backtracked to check out this funky, little place. Let's be honest here. It is a tourist trap through and through but if you don't like Bigfoot, you obviously have no joy in life. Just keep driving bub. Now, I'm not a local but I know plenty about the Skunk Ape. Bigfoot's smelly cousin basically. I've seen the interesting pictures (some are more believable than others) and I usually stay away from any story that starts with "It was a very dark night and I was stumbling home from the bar... But hey, I've seen the Patterson Gimlin Film and you cannot convince me that that is a man in a monkey suit. You can see the muscles of that creature move while it walks! But I digress, back to the Skunk Ape HQ. We stopped for three things: to snoop, to poop, and to shop for a souvenir (can't think of another oop, damn). The gift store has quite the selection of Skunk Ape and Bigfoot memorabilia to look through - t-shirts, stickers, mugs, stuffies, and a very oddly illustrated book about Goldilocks and the Three Squatches. The bathroom had some interesting articles clipped out from local newspapers about sightings in the area and even a flier for an upcoming Bigfoot hoedown. There was another one about Bigfoot stealing someone's girlfriend. Interesting. There is a small reptile zoo that you have to pay extra for and we decided to skip it and get back on the road. This place is also a rustic campsite, so if you are really serious about meeting the big, stinky fella, that is probably the best way to it. Just make sure you don't become the big guy's next hostage or snack, whatever those things decide to do with us. I've seen Harry and the Henderson's - I bet that camping trip would be tight. Anyways, I bought a sticker to put on my cooler. Oh, and yes we did snap a few pictures of that statue. Maybe one day I will drag the family back here and we will go hollering for some Squatches. Who knows, I might just get some pictures and video and you will all say - Hey, that's the guy that wrote the Yelp review about the Skunk Ape that one time... Yeah, that would be pretty rad.

Wonderful place to visit!…read more This place is a fun road side stop! Tons of things to look outside as well as inside! The gift shop is well stocked with assorted wear and trinkets. Plus there's a reptile museum inside! The outside has a huge skunk ape plus there's a giant panther and gator to see! Definitely a must stop road side attraction!