Sports & Recreation

Lest ye forget, the miracle 2016 Dolphins season began as a dumpster fire. And no one had a more revolting beginning to the year than Jay Ajayi. When he learned that veteran Arian Foster would be the starting running back for the season opener, Ajayi reportedly grew so outspokenly disgusted that rookie head coach Adam Gase suspended him for the first game. As the season wore on, though, Ajayi was proven right to be outraged. After the team's limp 1-4 start, Ajayi broke records to jump-start the Dolphins into the playoffs by finishing with wins in nine of their final 11 games. Ajayi did what only three other football players in the history of the NFL have ever done by running for back-to-back 200-yard games. When he passed the 200-yard mark for the third time in week 16, it clinched the Dolphins' first playoff trip in eight years, making him one of only 15 NFL players ever to have three 200-yard games in their careers. Can he add to that total in 2017? Seems the only thing that could stop him is another suspension from his coach.

Readers' choice: Jarvis Landry

Miami Heat fans wept over Dwyane Wade's departure, but if they squinted at the court through their teary eyes, they might almost have thought Wade was still playing for Erik Spoelstra. Out at the center of American Airlines Arena was a shooting guard taking and making impossible circus shots, banking in clutch jumpers, and even shouting "This is my city!" when his buzzer-beating three defeated the Golden State Warriors in the midst of a 13-game winning streak. But this heroic new DW wasn't Dwyane Wade: He was Dion Waiters. Before this season, Waiters, drafted fourth overall in 2012, had earned a rep as a talent capable of not only scoring as many points as anyone in the league but also shooting his team right out of certain victory when he was cold. But Spoelstra got Waiters in world-class shape and changed his game by persuading him to be a willing passer. And when the game was on the line, Waiters still got to take — and often make — the crucial baskets in one of the most fun seasons in Miami Heat history. Though Heat fans might not yet be ready to proclaim that it's Miami-Waiters County — especially with the possibility that Waiters could sign as a free agent elsewhere this summer — Waiters' 2017 season at the very least was a hell of a one-night stand after the 13-year Dwyane Wade romance.

Readers' choice: Udonis Haslem

Coaching the Miami Dolphins is a lot like going to college: It's typically a four-year experience that leaves you with an alcohol problem. Adam Gase is only one year into Miami Dolphins U, but it's clear he is well on his way to graduating with honors, unlike the vast majority of his predecessors. Gase took a clunky, spiritless Joe Philbin-led team and turned it into a spunky 1-5 squad right out of the gate last year. Wait, that wasn't the good part. That was the adjusting-to-college portion of his freshman season. Over the next two months, Gase guided the team on an incredible stretch of nine wins in ten games. He didn't let the Dolphins drop out of the playoff race, against all odds, and they eventually made it to the postseason for the first time since 2008. Gase's Flip This Franchise type of impact in just a year has been remarkable. He's already changed the team's narrative from an endless story of negativity to a tale of promise. Dolphins fans are quite rightly thrilled that Gase will again wear the headset on Sundays in Miami this season.

Readers' choice: Erik Spoelstra

For years, it's been a chore to find a bright spot in a Miami Hurricanes football season. Year after year, the campaign opens with promise and ends with a dull thud. New head coach Mark Richt has the ball moving in the right direction, but his first season ended with much of the same usual disappointment. However, Canes tight end David Njoku needs no asterisk at the end of his career. The first-round NFL pick always looked like a man among boys on the college field, and his 2016 campaign stood out even more. Njoku hurdled defenders and stiff-armed jabronis all the way to the end zone eight times on 43 catches for 698 yards. Even on their worst days, the Canes and their quarterback, Brad Kaaya, always had Njoku to lean on. Now that Njoku is in the NFL, he can continue a tradition of Hurricanes tight ends — like Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow II — dominating at the next level. The only regret Canes fans have is that they got to see Njoku in an orange-and-green Adidas uniform for only a short time. Now they'll have to make do with enjoying him vicariously on Sundays.

Readers' choice: David Njoku

Miami Hurricanes basketball has a solid reputation at this point: gutsy, never-say-die, athletic players who get after it every single night. Head coach Jim Larrañaga is rightly credited with instilling that attitude, but he couldn't have done it without senior Canes guard Davon Reed. The six-foot-six Jersey native, who was picked for the first-team Atlantic Coast Conference defensive unit last year, is well known as an absolute nightmare on that side of the floor. But Reed isn't just a beast in man-on-man markups. He started all 33 games in 2017, his senior season, and hit at least one three-pointer in all but one contest. He played a ridiculous 1,165 minutes in those 33 starts — the rock a young Canes team needed while it did a little growing up early on. Without Reed, this Hurricanes team definitely wouldn't have fought its way to an NCAA tournament bid. Even for a Larrañaga-coached team, last year's edition was noticeably gritty — and Reed was the beating corazón of a squad with a lot of heart.

Christian Yelich is easy to overlook. Unlike his cartoonishly muscular teammate Giancarlo Stanton, he doesn't resemble Dwayne Johnson. He isn't flashy and lightning-quick like second baseman Dee Gordon. The man they call "Yelly" is more a slow-and-steady-wins-the-race kind of ballplayer. If you're looking for all the bells, whistles, bat-flipping, and over-the-top swag, you've come to the wrong place. But the thing is, the list of those unimportant things Yelich doesn't have is dwarfed by the vital roles he plays for this Fish team. In 2016-17, Yelich exploded in the second half of the season, yanking pitches into the outfield stands more often than he ever has before. He finished with 21 home runs and 98 RBI. Maybe most important, Yelich missed only seven of the Marlins' 162 games. On a team that had a lot of ups and downs, Yelich was a reliable leader in the middle of the lineup and the corner of the outfield. Yelly should be in Miami for years to come, and for beleaguered Fish fans, that's a rare bit of great news. Now if Jeffrey Loria would just sell the team already.

Readers' choice: Giancarlo Stanton

Cats fans had to put their rubber rats back in storage last year. After pulling off a surprising run to the playoffs in 2015-16 and making their signature favorite rodent rain all over the ice, the Florida Panthers regressed last season, stumbling to a mediocre 81 points and missing out on the postseason. But even without any fake-rodent fun, fans weren't totally without reason to cheer thanks to Vincent Trocheck. The 23-year-old continued his rise to NHL stardom, tallying 23 goals and 31 assists while playing all 82 games. Trocheck was a constant in an ever-changing lineup, making it clearer every night that he — along with fellow youngsters Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov, and Jonathan Huberdeau — is the future of the team. With Trocheck in the center of the ice, the Panthers have a cornerstone to build around, and fans have a reason to continue stockpiling those rats.

Among pro sports presidents, Pat Riley has been in a class all his own for decades. But the 2016-17 Miami Heat was an accomplishment right up there with luring LeBron James to Dade County and assembling the Big Three. When the Heat started the season 11-30, that sentiment would have seemed insane. The team's blazing-hot second half, though, when it flipped its record to go 30-11, showed that the Godfather knew exactly what he was up to, even when he was thrown massive curve balls such as Chris Bosh's medically induced retirement and Dwyane Wade's shock defection to Chicago. Between the signings of James Johnson, Dion Waiters, and Wayne Ellington and development of Rodney McGruder and Willie Reed, Riley put together a completely revamped roster on the fly. Not even the most diehard Heat fan saw this year's team becoming an all-time favorite. And now Riley has the Heat in a perfect spot to compete in the near future. He is in the Basketball Hall of Fame for many reasons, but this year's performance in the front office shows he's not resting on his reputation. Bet against Riley at your own risk.

For Miami basketball fans, Tony Fiorentino is family. He's been with the Heat since day one, starting in 1988 as an assistant coach under then-head coach Ron Rothstein and then keeping that job under both Pat Riley and Alvin Gentry. In 2004, Fiorentino moved to the TV booth as the team's main color commentator. After 13 years of him calling games, his sayings have become downright synonymous with Heat basketball, especially his ringing "Yeah, baby!" after big dunks or game-winning three-pointers. Fiorentino is basically the Italian uncle most of Miami has never had. His lovable demeanor and smiling face alongside longtime lead Heat analyst Eric Reid have become a damn near tradition in Dade County. Yes, Fiorentino is an unapologetic homer, but he isn't afraid to mix in moments of "I'm really disappointed in you now" dad dialogues when the team messes up. After several seasons of turmoil — from the Big Three breakup to Dwyane Wade's shocking defection to Chicago — it's nice to know that one member of the Heat Lifer family will always be around for the big games.

Readers' choice: Donovan Campbell

From the early days of D-Wade through the rise and fall of the Big Three, one constant has stood on the Miami Heat's sideline for more than a decade. No, not Burnie. Jason Jackson patrols the hardwood as courtside reporter for Heat telecasts, hosting in-game spots and postgame "Winners Circle" interviews. Known for proudly rocking an ascot, Jackson also hosts the team's Emmy Award-winning Inside the Heat series that could become a spinoff show in its own right. His smooth style is intoxicating, and his demeanor makes players comfortable enough to let loose instead of giving the robotic answers they're usually programmed to spit out at the mere hint of a reporter's voice. Whenever Jackson hits Heat fans before tip-off with his trademark "It's time to ball, y'all," it's a ticket to goose-bumps city.

For decades, Miami has struggled to find its center. With downtown largely a ghost town and towering new condos largely vacant for years after the Great Recession, the Magic City often felt like an urban metropolis without a core. That's all changed. Just look at the huge protest marches that broke out after Donald Trump's inauguration; the tens of thousands who gathered sent a powerful message that Miami now firmly has a focal point. And there's no surprise that it's right along Biscayne Bay, where Miami is stockpiling evidence of its transformation into a world-class city. Begin with Bayfront Park Amphitheater, a strikingly beautiful space that hosts everything from huge national musical acts to weekly free yoga classes. Next comes Bayside Marketplace, the spot to take your visiting relatives shopping when they want a photo of themselves with a parrot on their shoulder. Then you hit American Airlines Arena, home of our beloved Miami Heat and a stop for the biggest musical tours in the world, from Kanye to Radiohead. Finally comes the open greenery of Museum Park and the venues that gave the park its name, Pérez Art Museum Miami and the long-awaited Frost Museum of Science. It feels good to have a center.

We cannot confirm whether Will Manso's apartment smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books, but this much is clear: Manso is sort of a big deal. When he's not a part of the sports segment on the nightly WPLG Local 10 news, he's in the studio for the Miami Heat's pregame and postgame shows on Fox Sports Sun. When he isn't in either of those places, he's appearing on 790 AM the Ticket. If you miss him all of those places, a bus drives by, and there he is, plastered across it. He's everywhere, and for good reason: You can always count on him to get you ready for that night's Heat game or the upcoming Dolphins matchup. Manso, who was raised in South Florida and graduated from the University of Miami, doesn't pretend he's not a homer, but he also doesn't pull out his pompoms. You stay classy, Will Manso.

Do you like dogs? What about naked people? Or kites? You've gotta like kites! OK, that combination might make a strange Venn diagram of hobbies, but bear with us: The point is there is one beach in Miami-Dade where all of these interests come together, and it's at Haulover Park. The 1.4-mile stretch of white sand is one of only two public beaches operated by the county, and it sits on 177 acres of glorious barrier island. On the north end of the park sits the self-proclaimed "best clothing-optional beach" in America. You'll know you've hit it when you reach signs warning, "Attention: Beyond this point you may encounter nude bathers." The south area of the park, meanwhile, is home to the county's only canine-friendly beaches, where dogs are welcome to romp through the surf from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. every day (and till dusk in the dog park itself). To top it off, as the only stretch for miles without any beachfront high-rises, Haulover boasts incredible winds that make it an ideal spot for an annual kite-flying festival every February. Grab your dog and your kite or just leave your clothes at home, and head to Haulover.

Strolling on the recently renovated pier at South Pointe Park is already cheap enough. For the low price of zero dollars, you can walk along the Atlantic Ocean, bask in beautiful sunrises in the morning, and watch massive cruise ships float by a few feet away in Government Cut in the late afternoon. But unlike the rickety old pier that used to be a favorite spot for teenagers to do backflips into the channel, there's now a strictly enforced no-jumping rule at the new structure. Luckily, right next to the pier is a long rock jetty that juts into the ocean seemingly forever. Hopping from rock to rock tests your agility as you try to reach the horizon while waves crash below and churn up salty spray. How far will you go? And more important, just how big was the crab you just saw scurry under that stone?

No matter who you are or where you're from, there's one thing we all have in common: We are going to die. If that thought freaks you out, you might take comfort in finding out whether something awaits on the other side. The Deering Estate, the more than 450-acre homestead of South Florida industrialist Charles Deering, is said to be one of Miami-Dade's most haunted places, rife with paranormal activity. Guests have reported seeing the ghosts of everyone from a Native American to a little boy who likes to move furniture. Why not check it out yourself with the help of some professional ghost hunters? The Deering Estate holds regular ghost tours, but you can also set up your own private ghostly encounter. You'll have the run of the estate and the use of divining rods, EVP meters, and digital recorders to discover all manner of things that go bump in the night. The private tour: $1,000. Knowing there's life after death: Priceless.

Sure, childhood is all about adventure — kids gotta stretch their boundaries, explore the world, use that imagination! But even if your inner child wants your kids to have a share of thrills, your inner parent wants to make sure they don't anything too thrilling. The playground at Village Green Park on Key Biscayne can scratch both of those itches. One corner of the park is custom-built for the really little ones, with a tiny school bus and car that spring up and down, along with a slide for toddlers. Bigger kids can engage in slightly riskier activities. A spiderweb made of rope beckons daredevils to climb to its peak, and twisty slides and ladders reach much braver heights. The key aspect of this playground, especially during the sweltering months, is that much of it is shaded, so parents don't have to fret about nasty sunburns. Even better: A central splash fountain spits water all over your grateful sweating children. That's the thrill of a successful summer outing.

Golf? Check. Megaplayground? Check. Peaceful, shaded areas for picnics or quiet walks in the woods? Check. Greynolds Park is the place you need to relax in overdeveloped, overpopulated, overshopped, get-over-it South Florida. This 249-acre, 81-year-old gem offers shelters for birthday parties or family gatherings at a reasonable $126 per day plus tax. There are also cabins and a real hill with a tower on top that dates to the Depression-era Works Progress Administration. (Machinery is buried underneath it.) A nine-hole round of golf here costs $12 or $22 (depending upon whether you walk or ride), and it's $10 or $18 after 3 p.m. Get away from it all. You deserve a break, and Greynolds is the place to take one.

If you're going to survive in South Florida, you have to find a way to make the water a part of your life. Scuba diving is one possibility. Buying a boat is another. Both of these options are expensive and require a serious commitment, however. iPaddle Miami allows you to rent a kayak or paddleboard at a reasonable price and then wander through the islands near the John F. Kennedy Causeway at your leisure. Stop and swim for awhile. Have a picnic. All you need to do is call a bit in advance, and the iPaddle people will set you up. Rentals are available from sunrise to sunset. Buy a membership for as little as $300 for 30 hours of kayak or paddleboard use, or simply pay $50 for two hours or $90 for the day. Trust us: Join this club, and you'll like living in sunny South Florida more.

On the banks of the historic Little River, wedged up against the newly bustling neighborhood of Miami Ironside, sits a patch of grass where you can lie about and let your dog run around. On its surface, Manatee Bend Park isn't particularly majestic or visually striking, but its name is not just a legacy of Miami pioneers or a Parks Department brand. It's where the Little River actually bends and where hordes of manatees often hang out, just lolling around, blissfully doing charmingly lazy sea-cow stuff. The herds are attracted to the brackish water and congregate here (yes, sometimes so they can engage in the manatee nasty). Don't touch them or scare them away, though. They are rare and need room. Pro tip: The potential for manatee encounters rises exponentially if you head west. (There's also road access behind the shopping mall off NE 82nd Street, though that area is not technically part of the park). If you want to commune with Mother Nature's favorite underwater cow, this is the place to do it.

For most dog owners, a big, wet, sloppy kiss on the face is all it takes to turn a crappy day into a pretty good one. Think how often your pooch has saved your mood after yet another terrible meeting with middle management. And now consider all that your dog wants: a few minutes in the park to romp after a tennis ball and maybe engage in a little recreational butt-sniffing. Is that so much to ask? Take your canine to West Kendall District Park already. This green paradise is massive, with two fenced-off areas where dogs of all sizes have the freedom to go buck wild from dawn till dusk. There's dog-friendly exercise equipment, including tire jumps. If you arrive on a weekend, though, your dog will definitely make some friends — and who knows, you might meet some cool fellow dog owners yourself. Your pup gives you a lot. Give back with a trip to West Kendall District Park.

Salsa blares from tinny-sounding stereo speakers. The savory aroma of mouthwatering churrasco wafts through the air. Baseballs fly, and children squeal. It can only be a weekend in Tropical Park, a green oasis of barbecue grills and infield diamonds where Miamians have gathered for decades to play softball and drink Presidente. Sure, you might wish it were the holidays so you could pay your respects to the almighty Santa's Enchanted Forest, but if you listen closely enough, you can probably hear "Mi Burrito Sabanero" playing on the radio in the distance year-round. There are two picnic options at Tropical Park: The planners out there who want to picnic in style can reserve a small or large shelter (for a rental fee of about $200 or $240) that comes with a barbecue pit, picnic tables, electricity, and water. You'll probably need to book that bad boy two to four months in advance. For a more mellow and spontaneous picnic, bring a blanket, a good book, and some snacks and plop down under a tree. Tropical Park is massive, so there isn't a shortage of picnic spots, but don't miss some of the quieter areas near the lake. You won't miss out on any of the sights that make a Tropical Park visit so very Miami, but you might avoid getting hit in the head by one of those baseballs.

Every year, an average of 60,000 fútbol fiends lace up for a game of footy on the four fields at Morgan Levy Park in Doral. That means more than a million cleats ripped into the synthetic turf since the fields were completed in 2007. Beymar Pirquive, director of the Doral Soccer Club, says the fields had become a hazard for the children and teenagers playing in the youth programs his organization runs at Morgan Levy. "After nearly a decade of use and abuse, the turf had gotten very worn out," Pirquive says. "There were a lot of holes." It was time for a serious renovation. And Doral leaders came through for the city's soccer lovers, spending $932,470 installing new, high-tech turf worthy of Wembley Stadium. The revamped fields reopened for play in January. "This turf is a lot better," Pirquive raves. "It feels more natural." Thankfully, Doral Soccer Club doesn't have exclusive use of Morgan Levy Park's soccer facilities. When the kids aren't practicing or playing league games, the fields are available to the public for free.

In 2015, future U.S. president and golf course hobgoblin Donald Trump sent an unsolicited bid to remodel Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne in exchange for a 99-year management deal on the property. Without making any judgments about the merits of the deal or its artistry, we're happy to report it did not work. Feckless satisfaction at Trump's past failures notwithstanding, there are even better reasons than Schadenfreude to visit Crandon Golf. The course offers the purest form of tropical golf available at relatively low prices (thanks in no small part to the absence of the Trump name). It is an amazing place to possibly encounter an alligator, lose your ball in the mangroves, and bask in the beautiful, lush greenery of South Florida's landscape. And though we can't fully erase Trump's presence down here, we can give our greens fees to the county in a small act of resistance on this serene patch of land and hope it remains Miami's forever.

Tennis has a reputation as a sport for sensitive sorts who don't like to get dirty. Images spring to mind of all-white Wimbledon outfits and carefully manicured country clubs. But anyone who believes that lie has never had the pleasure of playing on a clay court. Luckily, Salvadore Tennis Center in Coral Gables gives weekend warriors and aspiring pros the opportunity to see why clay is superior — and, yes, much dirtier — than hard-court. Salvadore Park has 13 clay courts available at the reasonable rate of $4.60 an hour per player before 5 p.m. and $8 an hour per player per hour after 5. All the courts have lights for night matches. Plus, clay is actually easier on the joints than the heavy-impact hard court, and the balls bounce higher and slower, giving you a better opportunity to perfect your strokes. The only downside: You'll spend a lot more time washing your socks.

Ask an average outsider to picture the stereotypical Miami woman and, unfortunately, many will think of a scantily clad party girl in heels teetering along Ocean Drive and speaking with a Sofia Vergara accent. Thanks, Hollywood! Let's hope the next film crew wanting a real slice of women in the 305 will pay a visit to the gloriously rough-and-tough members of the Vice City Rollers, Miami's only roller derby team. These Magic City mavens don't mind their manners and surely aren't afraid to throw an elbow when it's called for. They fall down hard. They're toppled over. Gnarly bruises in ever-morphing shades of green, blue, purple, and black are worn with pride. Founded in 2011, the team has garnered a dedicated following, which shows up for "bouts" at the squad's no-frills hockey rink just west of South Dixie Highway in the neighborhood of Suniland. And in a city that hypersexualizes women, the folks who show up to cheer for these badass ladies in all their unadulterated and unladylike athleticism are the real Miami heroes.

Scientists have proven it: Florida is flatter than a pancake. In fact, it's flatter than Kansas, Nebraska, or any other state in the whole country. We live in a drained swamp that's slowly refilling from sea-level rise. That means if you're the type of cyclist who gets off on huffing up a hill and then flying down the backslope, you're pretty much out of luck here. There is one notable exception: the William Powell Bridge that spans between Hobie Island Beach Park and Virginia Key on the way to Key Biscayne. Built in 1985 to be tall enough so boats can pass beneath it, the bridge has a fringe benefit of its steep grade: Cyclists can finally click through all their gears. Sure, the way up is a legit workout, but you can find inspiration in the glorious views of Brickell and downtown and the sparkling blue grandeur of Biscayne Bay. Then the way down is all adrenaline, where you can let your bike fly and try to keep up with the cars. But be warned: This is a bridge, after all, so there's no such thing as a one-way ride. If you want to get home, you'll have to scale this beast again.

Strap on your helmet cam, roll your pants leg up, and hop onto that fixie. It's the first Thursday of the month, which means it's time for Cañones Sueltos (AKA Loose Cannons among those not fluent in Spanish). Sure, a bike race though the 305 isn't the safest way to spend a weeknight, but Jonathan Sauceda has been hosting this ball-busting ride for years, and he knows what he's doing. Like a cannonball, you'll shoot eight miles from one side of the city to the other. And be warned: Anything goes. Though starting and ending points switch up, Sauceda always advises cyclists to bring a light and a helmet. Safety comes first, even when you're risking it all to win. After all, there's more than pride on the line: Prizes for top finishers usually include bar tabs, free shots, and bike club memberships.

Warm up in the rays of the rising sun as you stretch those muscles on the sand. Feel the warm ocean breeze against your face. Hear the crashing waves, the caw of the seabirds, and the soft stirring of machines as Miami Beach comes to life. Put in your earbuds. Turn up the volume. Begin to run. Keep a steady pace as you watch the gleaming hotel façades blur in the corner of your eye. Get lost in the motions as you peep the first sunbathers lying on towels by extravagant pools. Nod your head as you pass your fellow athletes. You're all members of the same silent club. About a mile and a half down, make your way off the boardwalk and onto the warm sand. Feel it push against your legs as the sun beats down on your face. The sweat drips and cools in the breeze as you push yourself ever onward. A family builds a sand castle near the surf. The colors of the city brighten as you near your finish line. You get to the end of the boardwalk, a full three-and-a-half miles from where you began, and maybe, just maybe, you're feeling so awake and inspired you dig deep and turn around, ready to run your way back. The scene is never the same twice, but the inspiration to have your best run is always there.

"Twenty-six poses, 90 minutes, 105 degrees." That's the sweaty, salty, flexible promise of Bikram Hot Yoga 305. If it sounds daunting, don't walk away. Dig deep and surprise yourself. It's easy when you're led by studio owner and head instructor Carolina Villalba. Some music fans might know her as half of local booty-bass babe duo Basside, but that's just her night gig. Her days are dedicated to the spiritual and physical practice of Bikram yoga. She's been working at this for more than ten years. It has changed her life, and she hopes it changes yours. "After I started doing this, it completely changed my mind," she says. "I realized what discipline was, what time was, what my time meant. When you're in here, because of the heat and how fast everything goes, it makes you meet your maker. You become really humble when you're in there." A single class at Bikram Hot Yoga 305 runs $30, mat included, and all newcomers are welcome to try a month of unlimited classes for $60. Once you're hooked — and you will be — you can choose from packages of ten classes for $230, 20 for $440, or 30 for $570. Some unlimited packages ranging from a week to a year cost $65 to $1,300, or you can sign up for four-month auto-renewal at $122 every pay period.

It's Friday night, and you've already wasted more time than you'd like to admit just getting to South Beach. But where to park? Spare yourself the agony of dodging the tourists screeching around in their rented Lamborghinis and head straight for Sunset Harbour, where the city's nicest — and cleanest — parking garage has 439 spots just waiting for you on Bay Road. Whether you're meeting a friend for coffee at Panther, putting out vibes at Purdy Lounge, or catching a class at Flywheel, you won't have to walk far to get there. For only $1 an hour for the first six hours — an almost unspeakable bargain in SoBe — you might even have some cash left for whatever brought you to the Beach in the first place.

Don't do it. Just take I-95. Sure, Brickell Avenue might not look all that bad, and you're in no real hurry to get to Mary Brickell Village. But trust us on this: It doesn't matter the time of day, the weather, or your skills at weaving through traffic. As soon as Biscayne Boulevard curves west to SE Second Street, chaos looms ahead. Everyone ignores the signs telling them which lane will take them onto I-95 and which will take them south to Brickell Avenue. The zero craps given and the slow-moving Brickell drawbridge combine for a catastrophe where every driver stews and curses Miami-Dade Transit for not offering better public transportation. Thirty minutes later, after the bridge has finally reopened and cleared of traffic, the seemingly endless and ill-timed stoplights on Brickell Avenue make the crawl through Miami's financial district that much more torturous. Why exactly are they doing construction on Friday at 8 p.m. while everyone is trying to go out? Sure, taking I-95 to SW Seventh Street might not be as scenic as cruising on Brickell Avenue, but if you value your sanity, you'll take that back route into Brickell. Good luck finding parking once you finally get there, though.

Let's be real for a second: Turtles are awesome. And sea turtles are the coolest turtles of all. Not only do they live inside gorgeous shells and can grow to a massive nine feet and 1,500 pounds, but also they're known to migrate tens of thousands of miles to lay their eggs on exactly the right beaches. Just a two-hour scenic drive from Miami through the Florida Keys is a place where you can learn about these majestic creatures and even help ensure they'll continue returning to Florida shores for decades to come. The Turtle Hospital in Marathon is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured sea turtles and releasing them back into the wild. Visitors can take a 90-minute guided tour that includes a presentation about sea turtles and a behind-the-scenes look at the hospital. At the end of the tour, you can even feed a few recuperating sea turtles. Admission costs $22 for adults and $11 for children aged 4 to 12.

Picture it: Water so pure it makes Biscayne Bay look like a murky bowl of pea soup. Water so clear it makes Crystal Pepsi look like regular Pepsi. Water so fresh that — well, you get the idea. That water you're looking for exists, and it's less than a six-hour drive from Miami. Some of the most unbelievably perfect H20 on Earth burbles up from below Ginnie Springs, a private park connected to the nearby Sante Fe River, just west of the town of High Springs. For more than 40 years, the Wray family has been drawing guests from around the world to their slice of aquatic heaven. Admission costs only $14.02 for adults and $3.73 for kids, which nets you hours of soaking in cerulean water that's 72 degrees year-round. Take your pick how to best enjoy it: Float along in a kayak or a tube, or strap on some fins and a snorkel. For the truly adventuresome, the springs flow through a series of caves perfect for scuba divers to explore. Outdoor enthusiasts can camp at the primitive sites (which cost $22.43 per adult a night), and even glampers are covered: An eight-person cottage with A/C, satellite TV, and a full kitchen is available for $175 per night.

It's a tale as old as time: Your snow-cursed friends plan a tropical Miami vacation weeks in advance, and then, when they finally get here, it rains the whole damn weekend. (Thanks, Florida!) Instead of opting for an afternoon matinee, save yourself a few bucks and head to a free jai alai game at Casino Miami. The facility, built in 1926, harks back to the golden age of jai alai in the '60s and '70s, when the auditorium was so packed you could barely hear the action of players with unpronounceable Basque names flinging balls around at nearly supersonic speeds. Decades later, it's still a good time: Beers are impossibly cheap ($3); your friends get a weird, authentic South Florida experience; and you might even win a little money. Games take place every day except Tuesday and begin promptly at noon (except Sunday, when they begin at 1 p.m.). And, yes, the place has Cigar City's excellent Jai Alai IPA on tap.

The typical South Beach pool is a vast, sprawling body of water full of hotel-dwelling tourists so sunburned they might just dissolve in the chlorine. If you're lucky, you might get a corner of the deep end to yourself and an overpriced mojito to keep you company. If you're unlucky, an unconscious Russian man might float by, bumping you in the shoulder like a curious manatee. But Highbar, the name of the pool and bar atop South Beach's Dream Hotel, is a refreshing change of pace. Intimate and cozy yet spacious enough to lounge in, this infinity pool offers vintage vibes with a great rooftop view of the beach. Open till midnight on weekends and with 5-to-8 p.m. happy hour Monday through Saturday, Highbar is that rare South Beach pool that appeals equally to tourists and locals.

Miami Beach may be where all the action is, but across the causeway, Miami's urban core is quickly catching up. The crown jewel of that revitalization is Brickell City Centre (BCC), the massive live/work/shop complex that promises Manhattan-style living in these steamy parts. Looking to experience a more cosmopolitan side of Miami? The East, Miami, located atop BCC, is the first outpost of the East hotel brand outside of Asia. (The other two locations are in Hong Kong and Beijing.) Housed in a striking Arquitectonica-designed building, East is also home to the first American branch of the legendary Uruguayan asador, Quinto La Huella, and also houses Sugar, an Asian-inspired restaurant and bar on the rooftop. With 352 rooms ranging in size from 300 to 1,800 square feet, East boasts contemporary spaces that offer a quiet retreat high above the busy Brickell streets. Room rates depend upon the time of year, but they can be as low as $200 per night if you know when to look.

You just found out that the Icelandic-based airline Wow Air is offering dirt-cheap fights to Reykjavik and beyond, raising the obvious question that hits locals in the face every summer: Why not get as far away as possible from 200 percent humidity during hurricane season? Look, Europe will always be there, but Miami Spa Month lasts only a limited time. Similar to how the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau tempts locals to eat out in August and September during Miami Spice, Spa Month tries to entice Miamians to take it easy during July and August through special offers at some of the city's most relaxing spots. Last year, favorites such as Lapis Spa at the Fontainebleau, the Tierra Santa Healing House at the Faena Hotel, the Spa at the Setai by Thémaé, Agua Spa at the Delano, the Jurlique Spa at Mayfair Hotel & Spa, and the Spa at Mandarin Oriental offered deals on everything from top-quality massages to muscle-melting sessions in hamams and steam rooms. With some Zen-inducing treatments starting as low as $109, anyone can afford to stick around through the boiling summer heat.

Pull up an episode of Miami Vice and look past the white-linen-heavy fashion and the criminally absurd plots to appreciate, for a moment, the Magic City's skyline in the mid-'80s — or rather, the lack thereof. As Det. Sonny Crockett sits on a bench overlooking what is now the magnificent downtown and Brickell strip, behind him stand just a few squat buildings and a lot of sand. Heck, forget the '80s — just load up DJ Khaled's 2007 video hit "I'm on One." Even ten years ago, the skyline was nascent. It's easy to forget just how explosive the Magic City's upward growth has been over the past ten years. The fact is, Miami today has one of America's most striking skylines — neon and glass, spiking perfectly upward on the edge of a glittering bay. And the perfect way to appreciate it is on a drive west on the MacArthur Causeway. As you ride toward the crest of the purple-light-bathed bridge just before downtown, the condo towers along Biscayne Boulevard rise like glowing beacons of energy and self-aggrandizement. Pérez Art Museum Miami —arguably the city's modern architectural gem — sits just to the south of the causeway, framing a view that stretches down to the American Airlines Arena and Zaha Hadid's under-construction final project. Perhaps all of this will sink into the bay in 30 years, but right now, it makes any Miamian's breast swell with inspiration. Plus, the whole view is flanked by the bluest water you've ever seen.