South Florida Vacations

South Florida Getaways

Florida Keys / Key West - A visit to the Florida Keys finds that these islands offer; fishing, diving, snorkeling and cruising on the water, eating in the wide variety of restaurants, walking the waterfronts and beaches, shopping in the many unique boutiques, galleries and gift stores, visiting the museums, theaters, state parks, historical monuments and more.

Fort Lauderdale - Greater Fort Lauderdale is a slice of paradise, from the Blue Wave beaches to the yacht-filled waterways to the exotic Everglades. Activities include; arts and entertainment on Hollywood Beach and at Downtown Riverwalk , diving from Deerfield to Hallandale Beach, a world of golf, museums, shops, parks and restaurants, kid-friendly attractions and sightseeing cruises, watersports and more.

Miami - Families with children will find Miami to be full of unique experiences. The area offers miles of pristine beaches, year-round warm weather and diverse activities. Child Magazine voted Greater Miami as one of the Top 10 Cities for Families. Families will find an assortment of activities such as; swimming, snorkeling in Biscayne National Park, beach games, canoeing through the Florida Everglades, camping adventures, nature hikes, tennis, museum hopping and more.

West Palm Beach - Sunny palm-lined streets, scenic waterfront views, quaint shopping districts, historic neighborhoods, year-round outdoor festivals, elegance and luxurious comfort are the hallmarks of West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach also provides family fun, with the Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park, the South Florida Science Museum or nearby world-class beaches and fishing.

Top tourist destinations in South Florida

1. Lion Country Safari (West Palm Beach) - America’s first drive-through cageless zoo. Lion Country Safari provides a habitat in which many endangered or threatened species live and reproduce. Entertainment includes; boat ride on the Safari Queen, paddleboats, Safari Splash - with 23 interactive water functions, take a ride on the carousel, the El Paso Train, the flying elephant ride, or the Ferris Wheel and also includes a petting zoo.
2. Native Village Zoo (Hollywood) - This private zoo and wildlife sanctuary offers close encounters with native wildlife, including baby alligators, panthers, foxes and monkeys.
3. Butterfly World (Coconut Creek) - Acres of lush, tropical gardens with thousands of live, brilliantly colored butterflies. The park features waterfalls, fish, hummingbirds, an insectarium, orchids and roses.
4. Miami Metrozoo - Metrozoo houses more than 900 wild animals in a cageless setting that closely approximates the animals' natural habitats and gives the visitor the feeling of embarking on an international safari.
5. Miami Seaquarium - See Sharks and Dolphins and Sea Lions and Seals. Learn about Manatees and all about Eels. Offers exciting shows, great exhibits and enjoyable, educational presentations in a beautifully landscaped park overlooking Biscayne Bay.
6. Coral Castle (Homestead) - Coral Castle, a walled palace constructed out of 2 million pounds of coral stone, is on the National Register of historic places and is truly an amazing place to visit. Coral Castle has been featured in many magazines and on television on 'In Search Of', 'Ripley's Believe It Or Not' and 'That's Incredible'.
7. Spanish Monastery (Miami) - At over 860 years of age, the Spanish Monastery is the oldest building in the Western Hemisphere. The Ancient Spanish Monastery was built in Sacramenia, Spain beginning in 1133. Thanks to the efforts of William Randolph Hearst the pieces were disassembled, numbered and rebuilt at its current location becoming a popular highly visited tourist attraction which is also used for weddings, and can be seen in a number of movies and commercials.
8. Monkey Jungle (Miami) - Home to nearly 400 primates, most running free on a 30 acre reserve. It is one of the few protected habitats for endangered primates in the United States and the only one that the general public can explore. Monkey Jungle’s Amazonian Rainforest is only semi-natural tropical rainforest found in North America.
9. Parrot Jungle Island (Miami) - This world-famous bird sanctuary features bird shows and exhibits, an open aviary, serpentarium and lush tropical gardens.
10. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens (Miami) - Vizcaya is a National Historic Landmark. The inside of the house is filled with treasures from around the world. Outside, you'll enjoy spectacular views of Biscayne Bay, colorful orchids in the David A. Klein Orchidarium, and serene gardens and the statues that inhabit them.  
11. Wannado City (Fort Lauderdale) - America's first indoor role-playing theme park for kids. Aimed at the 3-13 year-old set, Wannado City™ recreates all the sites of a major city from the point of view of its kidizens, with many real-play venues and hundreds of career possibilities. Wannado City comprising more than 140,000 square-feet -- the size of three football fields -- is located in South Florida’s Sawgrass Mills, the state’s largest mall.

South Florida's best beaches

Crandon Beach Park (Key Biscayne) : Consistently named among the Top 10 beaches in the nation. There are more than two miles of "lagoon-style" beach, with calm water protected by a constantly shifting offshore sandbar.

Bal Harbour Beach: Bal Harbour Beach stretches behind nearly a mile of resort hotels. The beach is mostly private except for the two public access points, and offers a scenic walking path and a jetty for fishing and sightseeing.

Red Reef Park: Red Reef Park in Boca Raton offers easy access to snorkeling with plenty of fish to see. One of the few beaches open after dark. Red Reef offers swimming, sunbathing, surf casting, and strolling over the dunes along a boardwalk. There's a designated surfing area on south end. The natural reef is about 10 feet off shore, where even beginning snorkelers can catch sight of tropical fish, turtles, eels and stingrays, as well as the man-made reef about 100 feet offshore.

Hollywood Beach: Hollywood's public beach offers sun and sand for sunbathing, swimming and snorkeling. Its adjacent 2.2-mile Broadwalk is crammed with cafes, bars, shops and its own band shell and is a popular spot for strolling.

Fort Lauderdale Beach: The world-famous, Where the Boys Are beach stretches 3.5 miles, offering swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling along three reefs, as well as shops, restaurants, bars and hotels to the south, quieter stretches to the north and a dog-friendly beach in between.