South Florida, a meeting place for hedonists, offers all the ingredients for a successful stay. The traveller enjoys idleness on the heavenly beaches of Miami, the most Hispanic of American cities, before taking the road to explore the rich ecosystem of the Everglades. After completing the usual formalities (don't forget to subscribe your ESTA USA before leaving, for example), head for the most calm city in the United States for a colourful trip.
Under the vice: the vibe!
Forget the cliché of Miami Vice, the city has changed a lot and is constantly reinventing itself as an identity. Miami's pulse, sensual and glamorous, beats to Latin and Caribbean rhythms. It succeeds in being the capital of the celebration and idleness, appreciated by American retirees as much as by families or night owls. Miami includes different neighborhoods, with the majority of visitors focusing on Miami Beach, which is actually an island connected to Downtown by various bridges. South Miami Beach (including South Beach) is the tourist haven. You can relax on the postcard beach bordered by Ocean Drive where the Art Deco buildings line up, a typical architectural style of années 1920 associated with a tropical touch that is expressed in pastel colours. The whole is harmonious and contributes to the warmth of the atmosphere so characteristic of SoBe. From the terraces, you can enjoy your brunch without guilt by watching the morning sportsmen, joggers, skaters or cyclists. Body worship is here, as in California, a religion.
Miami can also claim to be a cultural centre. The Wolfsonian and its furniture collection from 1900 to 1945 and the Lowe Art Museum are two of the many museums that bear witness to this. The Design District is also full of small galleries where artists from all walks of life can be seen. At sunset, as the beach empties, the crowd congregates on the sidewalks, bars and restaurants of Ocean Drive. We come here to see and be seen, so all extravagances are allowed. As the evening progresses, the crowd distils on the parallel avenues, Washington and Collins, where endless queues patiently wait in front of the trendy discotheques
Going to Miami is also an opportunity to immerse yourself in the Cuban melting pot that has energized the city so much in recent years. The Little Havana district is a real islet of America latine ; this enclave and especially Calle Ocho testify to the " cubanisation " of the city
Mysteries of the Everglades
One hardly expects to find such an exotic natural environment less than an hour from Miami. The second largest national park and the only subtropical reserve in the United States, this expanse of swamps and marshes deserves all the superlatives. It is home to 350 species of birds, 500 species of fish and dozens of different reptiles and mammals that can be observed during the dry season. It is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles coexist. Travellers have the opportunity to drive through the park by car on the Northern Road, the Tamiamiami Trail, which also crosses the Big Cypress National Preserve and connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. The Anhinga Trail offers the best opportunities to observe wildlife, including the famous long-necked bird, the anhinga. The Pinelands Trail winds its way through an impressive pine forest, and at Pa-hay-okee Overlook, a path from 400 mètres leads to a panoramic view of the " rivière herbeuse " : the sunset colours the vegetation which then recalls the African savannah. The West Lake Trail, on the other hand, winds through a mangrove forest with exceptionally rich underwater life between its roots. Exploration of the Ten Thousand Islands area begins at the northwest entrance to the park at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center. Alligators, dolphins and fish-eagles can be seen on boat trips. Kayaking trips on the Wilderness Waterway route offer a unique experience. We paddle from island to island, in the middle of the mangrove swamp, between small bays and still lakes, hoping to meet a manatee. The sunsets from the chickees (huts on stilts in the middle of the mangrove swamp), only disturbed by the flight of majestic white herons, remain the most unforgettable. This immense grassy plain called the Everglades flows slowly towards the sea
But don't worry, the Alligator Farm offers a ride on board these flat-bottomed machines powered by a powerful ventilation system as in Crocodile Dundee!
The Overseas Highway, the most beautiful road in the United States
These 200 kilomètres in the middle of the sea are considered as the most beautiful road in the United States. It connects a string of islands, the Keys, to the far south of Florida. It is a real paradise for water sports, from deep-sea fishing to scuba diving, with most activities focused on the sea. The first must-see is John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, which can be explored on board a glass-bottomed boat or during diving trips. Continuing southwards, you reach Islamorada, a group of small islands from which the road becomes much more impressive, as the view of the sea is perfectly clear. Between the islands of Islamorada and Marathon, we have several opportunities to swim with dolphins for a memorable experience
Caribbean airs
It is time to set off again for more adventures further south. It is claimed here that Bahia Honda beach is one of the most beautiful in the country. Finally, it is impossible not to fall under the spell of Key West, the meeting point between the United States and the Caribbean. The architecture of the Bahamas has influenced the constructions with these small wooden houses in pastel colours. This confetti, discovered by the Spaniards at XVIe siècle, has always attracted artists, free thinkers, eccentrics and a large gay community. At sunset, a colourful crowd converges on Mallory Square where street artists shine... The atmosphere is wild and the party stretches across Duval Street until the early morning. It is now time to head north and leave the gentle way of life in which the visitor slipped with delight on arrival and which accompanied him throughout his journey as surely as the omnipresent sun
Smart info
Useful. To prepare your stay as well as possible
ESTA - More information on the website
VISIT FLORIDA - More information on the website
