An oasis in the city with direct view to the River Has a…read moreriverwalk wide and stable for a walk or sprint Sunset views here are wonderful

Lummus Park is a historical landmark in Miami. Created in 1909, it was one of the first open spaces…read morein the city. It is named in the National Register of Historical Places. The park is open to the public and is free. There is a full basketball court for teens and adults. It is located a short distance from the Miami River. It is also home to the old Scottish Rite Temple and is still used for small concerts, demonstrations, and ceremonies. The City of Miami Mounted Police Stables are located there, and you will see the horses bring exercised every week as you drive by. Tip: it is best and safest to visit by daytime.

Cuban Memorial Park is located just south of Calle Ocho along SW 13th Ave in Little Havana in the…read moremiddle of a residential neighborhood. Throughout the park are a series of monuments to Cuban and Cuban American icons. The park was created to serve as a place to remember those who fought for freedom and perished during the Cuban Revolution. At the entrance to the park is the Eternal Torch in Honor of the 2506th Brigade in honor of the exiles who died during the Bay of Pigs Invasion. The invasion during the height of the Cold War in April of 1961 was a failed military military operation on the southwest coast of Cuba led by the Cuban Democratic Revolutionary Front, a group of Cuban exiles who attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro. The monument was dedicated in 1971 as an Eternal Torch that burns for those who fell fighting for freedom in the Cuban Revolution. Other monuments in the park include a silhouette of a soldier dedicated to the anti-communist guerrilla that took place in Cuba from 1960-1966. This memorial honors the men and women who fought with weapons against the Castro regime. Near by is bronze statue of Nestor "Tony" Izquierdo, who was a Cuban revolutionary hero. A few steps down is a statue of the Virgin Mary, important for members of the Santeria faith It is said that the statue is illuminated by a shaft of holy light every afternoon. Also sacred to the religion is a huge ceiba tree in the middle of the park. Other monuments include a map of Cuba with a quote from José Martí and a José Martí memorial dedicated to a man considered to be a Cuban national hero. Many parks and monuments throughout South Florida are named in his honor. He was a poet, revolutionary philosopher, writer, journalist, translator, professor, and publisher. He dedicated his life to the promotion of liberty and political independence for Cuba. His death during a battle against Spanish troops at the Battle of Dos Ríos was used to rally people to the cause of the independence of Cuba from Spain. Cuban Memorial Park serves as a hub for the Calle Ocho Music Festival featuring music, dancing, art and food. The park has also been the site of many political demonstrations through the years. Cuban Memorial Park is a great spot for visitors to Little Havana to fill in the gaps in human history. I also enjoyed seeing all of the roosters and chickens, especially the adorable chicks. The park is open every day from sunrise to sunset. Leashed dogs are welcome.

This is a historical site in the middle of a neighborhood. Be aware that parking is hard to find…read moreand both road are one way streets. Finally, be on the look out for wild chickens and rosters running around the site. You might look at doing some reading of the event before you get to the site.

So quiet. Peaceful…read more Up the river is the Wharf. The Wharf is a cool place, been there a couple times, paid $300 minimum for the group to sit in a comfy lounger by the water. But you bring a cooler, a small grill, or use theirs, a call table and chairs and you have the same thing but waaaaay more peaceful. Watching the yachts going up and down the river is fun. This is not your typical free for all park jammed with families on the weekend. No one knows about this little park !! One gazebo, a few picnic tables, playground with rubber below, a couple grills, benches by the water. Plenty of shade. Great park to make- out.

At the turn of the century, the land where the park is was the property of Civil War General Samuel…read moreC. Lawrence of New England. He was injured in the Battle of Bull Run in 1861. In Miami he created an estate with a lush garden in which he planted with royal palms and a boat slip. He grew grapefruits on the rest of his land. After Lawrence passed away in 1911 the land was subdivided and the city of Miami purchased the land where the garden was 1964. A park was created and named for Miami pioneer Everest George Sewell who opened the first store north of the Miami River on March 26, 1896. He also served four terms as mayor of Miami. He died on April 2, 1940 at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The park is 10.33 acres along the Miami River next to the 17th Street Bridge. The park is two levels with the upper level near the parking lot containing a playground, barbecues, and benches. In this portion of the park you can see a historical marker and columns and stairs that are the ruins of Lawrences guest house that the city demolished in 1969. There is also the remains of the water pump Lawrence used to irrigate his garden. The lower portion of the park is a large linear green space along the Miami River providing a beautiful view of the water. The large royal palm trees that General Lawrence planted line the river bank. Here you will also find caves that belong to the Miccosukee Indian Tribe. There is a no trespassing sign but it is fascinating to think that there might be artifacts in there. I would be remiss if I did not talk about the cats here. This park is filled with stray cats. As an animal lover I was concerned but there were trays of food everywhere and they had the notch in the ear indicating that they are fixed. They looked well cared for. Eating at the buffet and interacting with the cats were various raccoons. Another interesting fact about the park is that the Miami New Times claims it is the best public park for Santeria rituals due to it's proximity to the river. Santeria is an Afro Cuban religion. Supposedly offerings of candy, fruit, and other objects are left on the river banks. The beautiful view and history make this one of Miami's more interesting parks to visit.

This park is a passive green space at the corner of Grand Avenue and Lincoln Drive. It was…read moredesignated to honor Lola B. Walker, an advocate for the Golden Gate subdivision, a predominantly Black neighborhood where the area's first pioneers and Bahamian immigrant laborers settled in the early 1900's before the city was chartered. Lola Walker was civic minded and engaged with city officials to ensure the needs of her community were met and through her efforts a homeowners' organization was formed that focused on improving and preserving Coral Gables' MacFarlane Homestead and Golden Gate subdivisions. In 1994 the MacFarlane Homestead District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In honor of Lola Walker's efforts to improve her community, the association was named the Lola B. Walker Homeowners Association. This park was dedicated in 1989 to pay tribute to Lola Walker and the Bahamian legacy that built this community. The park is across from George Washington Carver Community School founded in 1899 for Black residents living in Dade County. Today this park has trees, plaques, and a public art piece by Hank Willis Thomas titled "The truth is I welcome you." The bright blue sculpture is made from rolled steel is meant to look like a speech bubble which will spark conservation. Other pieces from this series are in other area parks.

I love this peaceful, passive park on Bicayne Bay. The park runs from 94th to 97th Street and N…read more Bayshore Drive and is open from sunrise until 10 PM. Bayfront Park has parking, a paved walkway, water fountains, and benches. There is also a historical marker that relates the history of how the 1870's settlement of Biscayne became the Miami Shores of today. The best feature of the park is the scenic view of Biscayne Bay, a diverse marine ecosystem that is home to two state aquatic preserves, an environmentally important wildlife area, a national park, and national marine sanctuary. Biscayne Bay is a highly productive subtropical estuary fueled by large volumes of freshwater from the Everglades. This clean freshwater mixes with ocean water creating low salinities on the western side of the bay which promotes growth of mangroves, oysters and seagrass beds. During my visit kids were fishing from the walkway, someone was reading a book, and other people were walking their dog. This park is known as a great place to catch a sunset or watch the moon rise. For a few moments you can sit on a bench and escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life as you indulge in relaxation and peaceful reflection.

I always try to find parks or places waterside. This is not quite a park, but a long stretch of a…read morevery thin grass area with benches. It does offer sea views though, so its worthy of some fresh air if you happen to be nearby.

Located next to the library on Kendall drive and 152 Ave this park is always very busy because it…read morehas different things for everyone. It has a playground so kids can play in it and it has sand so there you go! Has a good field for people to play or bring their dogs. It also has a walk/run path around the whole park. Plus basketball court which it's the most popular. The parking is kind of an issue because you can either park on the sides of the park or in the library and I don't think is fair to park there because you block other people's space. Also I will add more lights at night because it gets too dark in that area. Este parque está al lado de la librería pública en Kendall drive y la 152 Ave. Siempre está lleno de gente porque tiene varias cosas como un parque infantil con piso de arena para los niños. Un campo amplio para que la gente juegue o traigas tu perro. También tiene el caminito para caminar o trotar. Tiene una cancha de basquetbol que es lo que siempre está más ocupado. Lo que no me gusta es que para estacionar hay que hacerlo a los lados del parque y no hay mucho cupo. Hay gente que se estaciona en la librería pero no creo que sea justo porque le quitan el espacio a otros. También yo agregaría más luces porque en las noches esa zona es muy oscura.

Great parks need trees and this park has them. DFP has a lot of the things I look for when it comes…read moreto spending a weekend afternoon with the kids when they need to touch grass. The playground is top notch and shaded enough that the kids don't whine about heat. Nice walking paths and grassy areas to run around in. Parking could be better but I'm glad they have a bathroom

Dante Fascell Park is located on Red Road, east of US 1. Dante Fascell (December 3, 1983 - January…read more3, 1993) was a politician who represented Florida as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1955 to 1993. He also served as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee for nine years. He was well known for supporting the creation of Biscayne National Park which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968. The visitor center in the park is named in honor of Representative Fascell as is this park. Although this is a small park, it has a lot of amenities including a playground, outdoor fitness equipment, open recreation space, a pavilion, BBQ pits, tennis and volleyball courts, and an exercise trail. My favorite part of the park was all of the public art. Dante Fascell Park is the home of the Columbia Sculpture Garden which currently has six installations. There is also a large sculpture of a nude woman by the playground that was created by local artist Donald Lee Seiler. A naked lady is kind of an odd choice to stick in a kids playground but it is a cool art piece. As I walked around I admired all of the large shade trees and beautiful native flowers in the park. This is the ideal place for a picnic, play, exercise, fresh air, and culture and it is a unique community treasure in South Miami.

This center in Key Biscayne is free to visit. They offer different programs such as a full moon…read morecruise. I came here for a sea grass adventure. You basically go with staff members inside the water and catch some fish and other sea creatures that live within the sea grass. The tour was fun and educational but more geared towards kids age 6 and up. It was still fun for my toddler though to play in the water and watch what the bigger kids have caught. If you do this tour make sure to take water shoes and drinking water. Also keep in mind that seaweed has a stench.

This nature center is a non profit that is run by Miami-Dade County Public Schools, Miami-Dade…read moreCounty Parks and Recreation Department, and The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, Inc. There is no admission but they do have a place for donations. It is located at the north end of Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. You do have to pay for parking in Crandon Park. This is a multifunctional center that contains a reception area, art exhibit space, gift shop, an audio visual presentation room and demonstration lab classroom facilities. This eco friendly center uses alternative technologies such as solar power, water and energy conservation, passive solar design, and recycled materials. During my visit I was enthralled by the sea life in the the three salt water aquariums. I could have watched the hypnotizing pulsating jellyfish swim around all day. I also loved the glass case that contained objects and photos relating to the life of Marjory Stoneman Douglas. In 1947 Douglas wrote the book The Everglades: River of Grass which spawned a movement to save the Everglades from development. I recognized many of the items in the case like a copy of her book, a picture of her house, and her trademark hat. Outside of the nature center is Bear Cut Preserve where the center holds many nature programs for all ages. You can attend a sea turtle release. take a sea grass adventure with a naturalist, and collect sea life in nets and buckets to examine. On most Fridays and Saturdays you can sign up for the Seagrass Adventure where you can drag a net in the seagrass and pull up urchins, pipefish, and starfish. Preregistration is required. I am sure Marjory Stoneman Douglas would be gratified to know that the next generation of ecologists and conservationists are developing a love of nature in center named for her. To quote Marjory Stoneman Douglas "You can't conserve what you haven't got." So visit this Crandon Park and this wonderful center so you can appreciate what we need to protect.