Florida Beach Getaways 2008

snorkeling over fossil-rock reefs great blue heron on Key Biscayne boating and ﬁshing on Key Biscayne Virginia Key First The southernmost barrier island on the Atlantic coast, Key Biscayne is reached by paying a $1.25 toll to cross the Rickenbacker Causeway, which ﬁrst crosses Virginia Key. Finished in 1947, the causeway was named for World War I ﬁghter ace and Key Biscayne resident Eddie Rickenbacker. Once the bridge was built, the island morphed from a sleepy enclave with few amenities to a community with a school, a church and shops. On the way to Key Biscayne, Virginia Key’s two main attractions still thrive. The 38-acre Miami Seaquarium (see page 20) is the home of TV’s Flipper, dolphin swims and marine animal shows. Island of Parks Miami-Dade County’s parks department promotes the area’s history with an assortment of tours, including Key Biscayne Heritage Bike Trips. These trips, part of Miami Parks and Recreation’s EcoAdventures program, take in the island’s subtropical natural history at Bear Cut Marine Preserve and Crandon Beach. These trips also explore the social history of the island. The island has a great story to tell visitors. In the 1930s, most of Key Biscayne belonged to New York industrialist William John Matheson. Virginia Key Beach Park is OF BILL BAGGS on the National Register of It was Matheson (persuaded Historic Places for its place PARK IS THE 1825 by Charles Crandon, a in history as the only beach county commissioner who CAPE FLORIDA in Miami-Dade County oversaw the public parks that African-Americans system) who, in 1940, donatLIGHTHOUSE, could visit during segreed the 800 acres that is now REBUILT IN 1846 gation. The city of Miami Crandon Park in exchange has restored a 15-acre for the county’s commithammock area, includment to build a causeway. ing removing invasive EcoAdventures offers a wide exotic vegetation and program of tours at Crandon. During the restoring native plants. While ofﬁcials summer turtle season, there are nature have more extensive plans for the area, programs. From April to September, Ecotoday visitors can walk on the Virginia Adventures offers sea kayak and snorkel Key Coastal Hammock Interpretive Trail. adventures on Biscayne Bay. The snorkel part of the trip highlights the bay’s petriﬁed Key Biscayne was ﬁrst settled by the mangrove reefs. Through the year, a Key Tequesta Indians, then “discovered” Biscayne Sunset Boat Cruise lets paddlers in 1513 by the Spanish explorer Juan watch the sun set over Biscayne Bay. Ponce de Leon. Unlike the rest of the Miami area, much of Key Biscayne is Like the rest of Key Biscayne, Crandon Park unchanged from the Spanish colonial era. appeals to those who like cities, beaches Today, visitors staying at the 12-acre RitzCarlton complex or visiting from the MiamiDade County region can get a glimpse of the natural beauty the early settlers saw by exploring either of the island’s parks. and nature. The two miles of Crandon Park Beach have full lifeguard service, concession stands, bathing facilities and beach cabanas. Crandon Park also offers tram trips, golf, tennis and a marina. THE JEWEL 18 VISITFLORIDA.com/beaches VISITFLORIDA. http://VISITFLORIDA.com/beachesVISITFLORIDA

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Florida Beach Getaways 2008

Florida Beach Getaways 2008 Contents Shorts: Sea Schools, Beach Events Travel File: Boat Tours Books: On the Water Deals: Seasonal Florida List: Lifeguard Stands Water: St. Lucie Inlet Key Biscayne Redington Beach Others: Ad Index Others: Florida Map Looking Back: Casinos

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