Great activities for a family holiday in Miami
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Miami is a leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, arts, and international trade in United States; but it is as well a city drawing millions of visitors every year for beaches, events and festivals.
Miami has a wide range of activities to offer for tourists wishing to spend their vacation in Florida:
1. Beaches
Miami first of all has beautiful beaches where to sun bath, do some sport or simply relax and have fun.
One of the most famous beaches is South Beach: a typical place to experience what a beach in Miami means. This beach is featured by miles of white sand and crystal clear water, just across Ocean Drive, the famous promenade. Here, you can take your lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants serving various cuisines and also wait for the lively nights to visit one of the clubs. In particular, The Art Deco District is considered one of the most attractive in the world for its nightclubs, beaches, historical buildings, and shopping. Various events take place here annually such as Sony Ericsson Open, Art Basel, and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Miami.
Another very interesting beach is Virginia Key Beach: it’s situated near the Miami Seaquarium, right off the Rickenbacker Causeway. Due to its location, the access to this beach is very easy and therefore some areas are often very crowded, but there are also several isolated places if you walk around a bit.
On the south of Key Biscayne, you find Bill Baggs State Park, where the famous Cape Florida lighthouse is located. Here fun and history get mixed: you can sunbath or swim and later on take a guided visit of the lighthouse.
A special and quite place, far away from the packed beaches, is Homestead Bayfront Park: it is in the southern part of Miami Dade County; it has various opportunities for swimming and boating with its full-service marina.
2. Zoo Miami
With your family, it could be nice to visit during your holiday Zoo Miami, one of the most popular and appreciated zoos in the nation. Due to the climate, it is possible to keep here a wide selection of animals from different continents. In the zoo, the animals aren’t in cages, but they are only grouped according their place of origin and they live quietly together. The zoo hosts lions, tigers, bears, white tigers, gibbons, Cuban crocodiles and a komodo dragon. The funniest animal is of course the painting elephant: an elephant equipped with a paintbrush and easel, creating a masterwork! It is also possible to climb up a special Giraffe Feeding station and give food to the giraffes directly from your hands.
More than 300 rare and exotic birds live also in the zoo, in the biggest aviary in America.
In Miami Zoo there is also space and time for arts and culture: Zootroupia, in cooperation with the Miami Performing Arts Centre, organizes in various areas of the zoo and at particular times special performances of actors. The zoo is in this way an open stage, where at any time something unexpected can happen to surprise and make fun for the visitors.
Visiting the zoo requires of course some walking; but another good way to go around is renting a bicycle carriage (with two or four seats) at the entrance. During the summer, the zoo is a great location because of the plenty of trees assuring shaded areas. Interesting attractions for the children are also the carousel, the playground and the petting zoo.
An ideal way to visit Miami and all its amusement options is to rent a self catering apartment in the city, in order to organize in the best way and freely how to spend your days.
3. Miami Seaquarium
In the middle of the tourist area, between downtown Miami and Key Biscayne, you can find the Miami Seaquarium: here, you can observe an unique outdoor aquarium experience due to the tropical climate of the region. Events to do not miss are the trained dolphin show, the Lolita the killer whale show and at least one feeding and trainer presentation.
4. Everglades
Everglades National Park is one of the most extraordinary public parks in the United States: it covers 1.5 million acres of marshes, saw-grass plains and sub-tropical jungles. It is situated on the southern angle of Florida and it hosts 14 uncommon and endangered species, including the American Crocodile, the Florida Panther and the West Indian Manatee. The visitors have the chance to walk, camp and canoe in the park, even if a big part of it is still primitive and it’s explored only by adventurists and researchers.
5. Miami Children’s Museum
A great spot to visit with your kids is the Miami Children’s Museum. The motto of this place is “Play, Learn, Imagine, Create”: there is a wide range of interactive exhibits, where the children can discover and explore everything from a supermarket to a television studio, learning something along the way.
In the museum, some exhibits are permanent such as the Bank, the Castle of Dreams, the Pet Central, the Supermarket, the Television Studio, the Ocean Odyssey, the Safety Zone and many more.
6. Parrots Jungle Island
In the Parrot Jungle, the visitors have the opportunity to discover tropical birds living in reproductions of their natural habitats. The park hosts a wide variety of animals, not only parrots: penguins, flamingos, macaws, cranes, condors, ligers (a cross-breed of a lion and a tiger), tigers, llamas, kangaroos, reptiles, monkeys, chimpanzees and baboons. Also various species of fishes and plants are visible in this Park.
7. Monkey jungle
Monkey Jungle is located in southern Miami-Dade County and actually it is an inimitable park. Here, the sentence “Where the humans are caged and the monkeys run wild” is not only a catch-phrase. While you walk through the paths, many species of monkeys run above your head, sway through trees and interrelate with each other in a very special way, difficult to see in other locations.
The Monkey Jungle has been opened in 1935 by Joseph DuMonds and his wife: they brought to Florida six monkeys to observe them living in a natural habitat very similar for climate to their origin’s place. Later, the park started to receive visitors, but Joseph refused to put monkeys in cages: they have to be free and the visitors have to respect them. The park grew up since the opening and it is still operated by Joseph DuMonds’ son, Frank. The monkeys are still observed for researches about the primate behaviour.
The park is divided in three main areas: the wild monkey swimming pool, the Orang-utans, and the Amazonian Rainforest. One of the funniest activities in the park is feeding the monkeys: you can buy peanuts and dried fruit in baskets at the entrance and wait the monkeys to come near you and take the food. You have to take care, because the monkeys often are naughty and they can throw the basket on your head, after they took the food!
8. Coral Castle
The distinctiveness of Miami is represented by Coral Castle. This monument has been built by a Latvian-born Miami resident called Ed Leedskalnin as a tribute to his lover. He took nearly 30 years to complete his 1100-ton coral creation, only with the effort of his two hands refusing to allow anyone to watch him during the work. The visit of the castle is surely an amazing experience to witness the wonder of Ed’s engineering achievement. Audio tours of the castle are organized in English, Spanish, French or German.
Welcome to the Sunshine State
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Situated in the southeastern part of the States, Florida is bordered by the states of Georgia to the north and Alabama to the northwest. The state is actually located on a peninsula with the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west and it is in fact not far from Cuba and the Bahamas. Because of its tropical and subtropical climate, Florida is commonly referred as the Sunshine State.
Most of the population of around 18 million people, also called the Floridians, lives in small towns while huge cosmopolitan areas such as the Miami metropolitan area are rare in Florida. Yet, Florida is the fourth most populated state in the US. Tallahassee is its capital city. Florida was admitted to the US union on March 3, 1845 which made it the 27th memeber of the United States of America.
Year after year a growing number of people choose to move to Florida and it is now one of the most rapidly growing states in USA. People take this decision because there are numerous attractions here and the 40 million tourists coming here annually speak clearly of that. That explains why tourism is one of the most crucial industries in the state.
If you wish to spend your holiday in USA it will be a good idea to rent a Florida self catering holiday villa or apartment.
However, if you are thinking about moving to Florida you will certainly not be let down as Florida has something to offer to everyone.
Moving to the “Sunshine State” has been a dream for lots of retirees, whole families and single men and women. With tropical climate in most regions of this large peninsula, plus miles of fine beaches, it really is easy to daydream of having a home with orange trees and palms, and warm and friendly neighbours. This dream has already become a reality for over 16 million residents. If you are not sure how to choose your dream home in Florida, then consider some of the following tips.
1. Florida is diverse. The truth is that some of the local residents live according to the life-style stereotype, but the fact is that every community is totally different. When researching various areas be sure you are selecting a neighboorhoud or town with an atmosphere close to what you are expecting. For instance, life in Miami is so different compared to that in Pensacola, which resembles more of a southern town. Towns and cities on the gulf coast tend to be more tranquil, while the East Coast is known as a bit more fast-paced. Central Florida varies mainly on whether you will choose South-Central or Central, and also bear in inland homes are generally more affordable than those along the coastline. mind that inland mind that homes are generally more affordable than those along the coastline.
2. Prefer river or lake residences over beach ones. Living a little further inland will keep you from spending great amouns on money on property and insurance. You can always rent a beach home during your vacation, instead of spending money into a beach home year-round. Buying a property just 5 miles or more furhter inland can save you thousands of dollars.
3. Basements are usually rare in Florida. Homes are usually built without below ground spaces because of the wet weather and sandy soil. Therefore, it is advisable to reduce their belongings before arriving. Winter necessities are unnecessary for most of Florida.
4. Home-owner organizations. The stereotype of the hyperactive condo board or home-owner organizations is a reality for many designed and gated communities, as well as condo complexes. If you have a chance to talk to some of the residents before buying a property then do it. It is good to know how the governing board performs. Always read carefully the homeowner association agreement, so you are aware of all your responsibilities. Keep in mind that these home-owner organizations are your good friends not your enemies. They are there to protect your home value by implementing the rules. In case you find these rules too rigid for you, then there are always free communities where to live in Florida.
Florida has charming ambience, a beautiful coastline, and plenty of attractions for people of all ages, profession and background. Take into account the features of each area of Florida, and then filter your choices to a few areas. With the right research, you can easily find your dream Florida home.
Western Europe, Mexico, Turkey and Australia are top destinations for Americans headed abroad this summer
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When it comes to heading abroad for summer vacation, London, Rome, Paris, Cancun remained American’s top four choices for the eighth consecutive year according to the 2011 Hot Spots for Summer study. The survey, which asked ASTA travel agents what destinations were hot for this summer season, found that Western European destinations are the most popular overall with six cities in the top 10.
Rounding out the top 10 city hot spots were Punta Cana, Dublin, Barcelona, Venice, Sydney and Istanbul. This year was the first time that Sydney and Istanbul have joined the top 10. Last year, Istanbul hosted ASTA’s International Destination Expo, which brought more than 1,200 travel professionals together to learn about the culture, attractions and travel business of Turkey and its neighboring countries.
“Americans are interspersing trips to such tried-and-true favorites as Mexico and Europe, with the opportunity to experience new cultures and regions of the world. Istanbul and Sydney both are new entrants to the list and are holding a great deal of attraction for U.S. travelers,” said Chris Russo, ASTA president and chair.
When asked to name which countries or regions are most popular with Americans traveling abroad, Italy ranked first, with the United Kingdom remaining in second place again. Mexico ranked third, followed by France and the Caribbean, in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The same five countries/regions have remained in the top five for more than five years.
Survey data was collected through the 2011 ASTA Research Family. This survey has a 95-percent rate confidence with an error rate +/-4.3 percent.
How Much to Tip in USA and Canada
Tipping is customary in both countries and the amount of the tips depends on the quality of the service provided.
Usually the menus of restaurants in the USA indicate that a regulated service charge of about 18% has been added. However, customers are encouraged to pay an additional amount of between 15-25%. Usually American waitstaff and house-keeping personnel are paid very low wages as they are expected to compensate for that with tipping.
The situation in Canada is a bit different as tipping there is a bit lower compared to that in the States. The reason is explained with the higher minimum wages. Customers are usually expected to tip from 10% to 15% on the total bill. In case of exceptional service 20% tip is considered appropriate.
Memorable Holidays In Sunset Palms Villa, Orlando
We all had an “Awesome” time in Orlando and in your lovely villa. The Villa was great, ideal for our family, clean, well equipped with a lovely pool, ideal for chilling after busy days in the parks and for rest days in between. We liked that it was located in a safe local community, only a short drive for supermarkets and the theme parks. The Posher shopping complex is also close enough to walk, with loads of bargains in Target and JC Penny along with a good choice in food outlets including Subway. Local tourist office is also great and handy for stamps and posting cards. Great place both Orlando and the villa, memories will be with us forever. Thanks again, we may well be looking for a return visit.
Posted by Holiday Guests: The Morans
