If you want to put the "lazy" back in "lazy river," bring your own inner tube, canoe, or kayak, or rent one from a vendor outside the park. While Rock Springs' 68-degree water temp might at first seem cold to a Floridian's tropical bloodstream, your body will eventually feel refreshed, even if your eyes and brain may never accept such natural beauty existing so close to home. Only 30 miles outside of Disney World lies an Eden that not even Walt's Imagineers could re-create. Turn off the phone, savor the disconnect, and treat yourself to some prime Everglades therapy.Īs you float along the crystal-clear blue water of Rock Springs, admiring the lush forest surroundings and the occasional deer or wild turkey scurrying past, you might just manage to convince yourself you've found paradise. The journey equals the destination: roughly 90 minutes from Miami on the Tamiami Trail, one of the greatest American drives. And of course there'll be the requisite alligators and raccoons, maybe a snake or two, the aforementioned otters, even an occasional black bear. You'll see massive cypress trees, some of them coiled in the grip of strangler figs, their long and arthritic fingers engaged in perhaps the slowest form of homicide on the planet. The birds are breathtaking - anhingas with wings spread like vampires, the blue heron's graceful S-shape neck, a peregrine falcon's detached majesty. If you don't spot otters, it won't matter, because you're still immersed in the River of Grass on a boardwalk that goes an easy half-mile you're gonna want to take real slow. And one spot in the world where you might just witness it is Big Cypress Bend Boardwalk in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. It's so damn cute you just want to puke rainbows and unicorns all over the place. You know what's the cutest thing in the world? A family of otters frolicking in the water out in the wild, that's what. Before you head out in the morning, grab an egg-and-cheese sandwich ($11) and a cold brew ($6) at Cafe Club and snag a spot on the beach to enjoy breakfast - and the knowledge that home is a short drive away.
#SERENITY TATTOO FREE#
Wash it down with a beer or four across the street at Nick's Bar & Grill and - once you're loosened up - free live music at the Margaritaville bandshell. The actual cheeseburger in paradise can be found at Le Tub Saloon, a Hollywood institution with one of the best waterfront views in South Florida, where the 13-ounce sirloin burger with cheese is a bargain at $11.50. Beaching on a budget? The Hollywood Beach Suites and Hotel, just a few blocks south, offers seasonal specials and often has rooms that dip below $200. If you want to go all-in on the Jimmy Buffett vibes, ask for the Florida resident discount at the singer's Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, where rooms typically run $300 and up per night. The Broadwalk is less than an hour from Ocean Drive, but the scene couldn't be more different. Admission to the park is free, but you need to shell out for parking if you drive there: $5 on weekdays, $7 on weekends and holidays. Although it isn't deep, there's a lifeguard on duty to make you feel safe while you enjoy the mini beach. The sun's rays sparkle on the crisp blue water. The view from inside is magical: Tall palms line the area in a semicircle, their fronds dancing in the breeze while waves crash against the nearby rocks. Oh, and they improved the pedestrian walkways. The project included dredging the bed and repairing the pool's three culverts, as well as maintenance on the interior retaining wall and stone breaker wall. According to the Miami-Dade Parks website, the recent improvements have made the pool more resilient and storm-ready. What makes this pool better than any ordinary swimming hole, you ask? It's essentially a saltwater pond that's filled by the tidal movement of the bay. Parts of the round-shaped body of water adjacent to Biscayne Bay were damaged during Hurricane Irma, and Miami-Dade has repaired and reopened the pool hidden behind Redfish by Chef Adrianne. Although the manmade atoll pool at Matheson Hammock Park has been around for decades, it was renovated in the spring of 2022.
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