South Miami Dade
South of the city, Miami-Dade County is a mix of modern suburbs, historical villages and bucolic backcountry. The unique blend of impressive sightseeing, superb shopping, and two national parks provide countless urban-tourism and eco-tourism activities. Sightseeing can take you anywhere from the brilliant birds of Parrot Jungle and Gardens, monkeys frolicking free at Monkey Jungle, and remarkable animals roaming at Miami Metrozoo, rated one of the top 10 zoos in the country. You can catch a little bit of history at the nearby Gold Coast Railroad Museum or visit Coral Castle, carved from two million pounds of oolitic limestone. If you're looking for something a little more fast paced, check out The Homestead-Miami Speedway Complex — home to NASCAR, Indy, and other motor-sports.

The City of South Miami is a thriving community with a bustling, pedestrian-oriented downtown and several gay bars. Fast-growing Kendall is home to a significant portion of Miami's commuting population, and several large malls. The upscale Village of Pinecrest offers estate homes on large wooded lots. In the South, the historic communities of Homestead and Florida City have largely recovered from the devastation of Hurricane Andrew, and provide ease of access to the two national parks and the Florida Keys.

A visit to any one of South Miami-Dade County's malls will satisfy any shopper's craving for quality finds. Whether you visit South Miami's Shops at Sunset Place, Kendall's Dadeland Mall and The Falls Shopping Center, Southland Mall, or the open-air Prime Outlets at Florida City, your sweet tooth for shopping will surely be satisfied. Don't miss out on the antique district of Homestead's Main Street or the hidden treasures in Cauley Square Village Shops in Goulds.

Within an hour's drive of Greater Miami is the largest wilderness in the eastern United States — the Everglades. The Everglades is truly a river of grass with fresh water six inches deep and fifty miles wide, home to many rare and endangered species as it creeps seaward from Lake Okeechobee to empty into Florida Bay. Enjoy hiking, biking, or a two-hour guided tram ride. Explore the coral reef of Biscayne National Park on a glass-bottomed boat tour or get into your wetsuit and check out this delicate ecosystem for yourself, as diving and snorkeling are available. At Miccosukee Indian Village and Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, you can skim through the saw grass in swamp buggies or on airboats and observe exhibitions of alligator wrestling.