There was a time when nobody in their right mind would want to spend much time in Opa-locka. About ten miles north-north-west of downtown Miami, this city was long associated with deprivation and high crime rates. When I was in town there were a lot of green shoots. The Arts & Recreation Center downtown has …
This city in Central Florida has the only piece of developed shoreline on Lake Jesup. That 16,000-acre body of water is thought to be home to more than 10,000 alligators. On the shores you can hike in ancient cypress forest, with trees dating back 2,000 years. Local stables will take you on horseback treks, or …
In a former industrial zone, this city of almost 80,000 people has cropped up almost overnight. Doral is just west of Miami International Airport (MIA) and has quickly become one of South Florida’s most productive local economies. In the last few years alone, glitzy mixed-use developments like CityPlace Doral, Downtown Doral, and Midtown Doral have …
A few miles west of downtown Miami, the affluent Coral Gables has been dubbed The City Beautiful. I’m not about to disagree, as this is one of the most gorgeous cities in America. For this you can thank the real estate developer George E. Merrick (1886-1942). In the 1920s he designed Coral Gables from scratch. …
Next to St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport, Pinellas Park is a city with a mix of residential and industrial areas. Automobiles are a big part of the city’s identity. As well as numerous exclusive car dealerships here, there’s a high-profile automobile museum, and a short-track oval for stock car racing. You can also do some of …
Part of Florida’s Space Coast, Titusville packs a one-two punch of space heritage and natural splendor. The city is minutes from the Kennedy Space Center, NASA’s primary launch center of human spaceflight. This is still one of the launchpads for expendable launch vehicles, which you may see lifting off. I don’t need to tell you …
The place to go for outdoor adventure in Central Florida, Apopka is a city by the headwater of the Wekiva River. The transparent waters at Wekiwa Springs State Park and Kelly Park are mild throughout the year, and pure bliss on hot summer days. People flock to the springs to swim, go tubing or take …
A northern suburb of Orlando, Altamonte Springs is a mostly residential community anchored by a lakefront central business district. Cranes Roost Park here is the city’s outdoor hangout on the shores of the lake. Residents come together at this picture-perfect setting for events like the 4th of July. Altamonte Springs is only a matter of …
Between Fort Myers and Naples, the city of Bonita Springs has some of the most beautiful coastal scenery in Southwest Florida. On the gulf is a chain of barrier islands, each trimmed with sumptuous beaches. Between these and the mainland is the back bay, with mangroves and sheltered waters that could have been designed for …
Near the southern end of the Miami metropolitan area, Cutler Bay was incorporated in 2005. Thirteen years earlier, the area had been completely devastated by Hurricane Andrew, which made landfall here. The population has more than doubled since then, and in 2011 the city opened a stellar performing arts center, a cultural touchstone for South …