Excellent Florida travel attractions by Jill Podehl: Since it opened in 1989, John D. MacArthur Beach State Park has made the flora and fauna that can be found in this part of the “Sunshine State” accessible to all visitors. Covering an area of 438 acres just a short drive away in North Palm Beach, it’s crisscrossed by a superb network of wheelchair-accessible boardwalks, along with well-maintained nature trails. A highlight of a visit is crossing the 1600-foot-long pedestrian bridge over the estuary, which is connected to Lake Worth, to the beach habitat. Along the way, you’ll see and hear an abundance of birdlife, so if you’re a bird watcher, bring your binoculars! If you’re lucky, you may possibly even spot a manatee or two. Feel free to dwell on the bridge awhile; there’s plenty of bench seating along the way, as well as shaded pavilions and picnic tables. The beach itself is magnificent. Unspoiled and quiet, it stretches off into the distance in both directions. Take a stroll along the northernmost section, and you can easily forget you’re just a mile or two away from luxury resorts and condos, at least until you turn around. Those wanting to get out on the water have three choices: canoes, kayaks, or paddleboards, all of them available for rent from the on-site outfitters. Lifejackets are provided, and these watercraft are easy to climb aboard from the sandy launch area. Free nature walks are also available. Discover additional info on https://www.wattpad.com/user/jillpodehl.

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens are set upon the former estate of James Deering. Situated on Biscayne Bay in Miami’s Coconut Grove, the villa and larger grounds once took up 180 acres of land. Now, the expanse of the attraction contains 50 acres of stunning gardens and well-kept grounds. Deering was a conservationist of the renowned Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune. He set up the estate to conserve tropical and mangrove environments, and its main building was completed in 1916. When he passed away, his nieces inherited the estate, and they began to sell parts of the state to pay for the high upkeep costs necessary for the property. Some of the lands were also donated.

Recognized as one of Miami’s greatest treasures, The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens with its stunning architecture, grounds and artwork are certainly worth a visit. Featuring 34 rooms arranged around a breath taking courtyard, the Renaissance-style villa is filled with the most exquisite European furniture and arts reaching from the 15th to the 19th century. Over 1,100 craftsmen were bought over from Europe for true authenticity in design, to complete this 28-acre estate. But to truly enjoy a vacation you also need a nice place to stay.

Do you want to enjoy a blue sky on a perfect beach ? Miami is an amazing location to relax. What can you do in Miami? This former home of Charles Deering is a 444-acre estate, protecting globally endangered pine rockland habitat, as well as coastal tropical hardwood rockland hammocks, mangrove forests, salt marshes, and a coastal dune island. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Deering Estate at Cutler is home to the Richmond Cottage, which served as a hotel, as well as historical buildings dating from 1896 to 1922, and an American Indian burial ground dating from 1500. Charles Deering was an art collector, who, along with his brother James, accumulated a great number of works by the Old Masters. Deering himself also painted, and some of his works are on display here. The Artist Village at the estate has become an important cultural center, featuring art and artists programs.

Fabulous Florida attractions from Jill Podehl: No trip to Miami is complete without a visit to Little Havana. This vibrant, south-of-downtown neighborhood is packed with art galleries, unique shops, and busy restaurants and bars. Explore the area: Head to Maximo Gomez Park (known as Domino Park by the locals) for a real flavor of Hispanic culture, to watch men playing dominoes outdoors, smoking cigars and arguing about politics. Look out for the huge mural depicting the Summit of the Americas in 1993. The neighborhood Calle Ocho is located in the center of it all, where you can watch the markets and street stands in action while soaking up some Cuban culture. Fan of Latin cinema? Another highlight is the Little Havana Paseo de las Estrellas (Walk of the Stars), which is a Latin American version of the Hollywood Walk of the Stars, commemorating Latin American actors, writers, artists and musicians.

New owners William Edgemon and Raymond Moss saw the potential in their purchase and spent the equivalent of 20 million dollars to move the whole structure and rebuilt it in the northern area of Miami. Its life didn’t begin here in Miami, Florida, though – it started out as a building in Spain that served as the living quarters of Cistercian monks, keeping up this purpose for over 700 years. It would fall out of this use after being seized by a revolutionary movement, which repurposed it into a stable and granary. In 1925, William Randolph Hearst, a newspaper magnate, was so impressed by the sheer beauty and wonder of the monastery that he decided to completely purchase it. Each part of it was broken apart into individual stones, packaged into over 11,000 boxes, and sent to Brooklyn, New York. Find extra details on Jill Podehl West Palm Beach.

History and architecture buffs will want to explore Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a romantic Italianate villa overlooking Biscayne Bay in Coconut Grove. It was once the winter home of wealthy industrialist James Deering. In Coral Gables, the Venetian Pool is a one-of-a-kind natural swimming pool set in a coral rock quarry. As such, it’s hard to pick the best places in Miami for guests. There’s simply so much to do and enjoy! It’s a tough list, but we’ve put together a selection of some of the very greatest of the greatest that the city has to offer.