Miami: Activities

• skydiving

  There's plenty of opportunities to taste the air around Miami, with many adventure companies offering planes and equipment. At Homestead General Aviation Airport you can be trained up and pushed out of a plane for your first jump, all in one day.

• diving

  There's great diving 8km (5mi) east of Key Biscayne, where the Biscayne Wreck lies beneath the Atlantic. Southeast of Key Biscayne is the John Pennecamp Coral Reef State Park, a protected 202 sq km (78 sq mi) section of the Florida Reef (the third largest in the world). The best diving and snorkelling within the park is around Elkhorn Reef, Schooner Wreck Reef and Dome Reef. Key Largo makes a good base for exploring the park. The southern shore of Key West is another prime diving spot, especially around Key West Harbor.

• canoeing/kayaking

  There is something magical about kayaking through the mangroves, and the best thing about it is that you don't need any lessons and you can rent equipment easily and cheaply. Head for the Everglades to canoe around the 10,000 Islands or along the Wilderness Waterway between Everglades City and Flamingo.

• air

  Ultralight aircraft have become so popular that Dade County has built a field specifically for the tiny planes at Homestead General Aviation Airport (HGAA). Ultralights are small aircraft that are regulated, but require no pilot's license to fly.

• team sports

  Local teams followed religiously by Miamians include the Miami Dolphins (tel: 305-620 2578) in the NFL football league (Sep-Dec); the Florida Marlins (tel: 305-626 7400) of Major-league baseball fame (Apr-Sep), both housed at the ProPlayer Stadium (2269 Dan Marino Blvd). The Miami Heat (tel: 786-777 1000) play NBA (Nov-Apr) basketball at the American Airlines Arena (601 Biscayne Blvd). The Florida Panthers (tel: 954-835 7000) play NHL hockey (Oct-Apr) at the Florida Panthers Hockey Club (One Panther Parkway, Sunrise), and Miami Fusion (954-717 2200) of Major-league soccer (Mar-Sep) play at the Lockhart Stadium (5201 NW 12th Ave) in Fort Lauderdale.

Back to top ^