Sports & Recreation

A trip to the mall is called "retail therapy" for some, but for others, a day of shopping — especially holiday shopping — is its own reason for a trip to the therapist. Aventura Mall has found a much more amusing (and cheaper) escape for the shopping-averse. Last Christmas season, the mall debuted a 93-foot-tall spiral slide for guests of all ages. Designed by German artist Carsten Höller, the slide is supported by metal framing that glints in the sunlight, making an impactful visual statement. While kids, parents, and thrill-seekers zoom through a winding, enclosed tube with clear panes, they can look out at the hordes of shoppers bustling below. The ride down is steep enough to incite an adrenaline rush but fun enough to warrant a climb back up the stairs for another go. Admission is free, and the slide is open from noon to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday.

Most locals know the 630-acre Matheson Hammock Park for its beach and boat ramp, but it's also home to a virtually untouched wooded expanse that sits across the street on Old Cutler Road. Matheson Hammock Trail is isolated but demarcated clearly enough so that even the most directionally challenged wanderers will get lost only in thought as they stroll or jog on its path. Get a glimpse of Old Florida's lush, shaded vegetation on this looping mile and a half before heading back across the street to cool down on the water.

If the water isn't what lured you to Miami or keeps you here, it's certainly an added perk. Alice Wainwright Park is a hidden jewel with a bayside view that counters even the most stressful nuisances of daily city life. The nature preserve offers picnic shelters canopied by Australian pines, beneath which you can admire the kiteboarders cruising Biscayne Bay or see the occasional manatee or dolphin. The kids will enjoy a well-equipped playground and a basketball court. But the sea breeze and the vista of the choppy blue water set this Brickell Avenue hideaway apart from the rest of Miami's many parks.

In the tropics, the closest most kids get to participating in winter sports is watching Frozen for the umpteenth time in an air-conditioned bedroom. But at Scott Rakow Youth Center, a winter wonderland awaits in the unlikeliest of places: Miami Beach. The center's 12,885-square-foot Barbara Medina Ice Rink offers public skating sessions at bargain rates. Figure-skating and ice-hockey lessons are available for only $15 to kids who live in Miami Beach, and nonresidents get to lace up for $20. Both rates include a skate rental fee. Public skating sessions take place Friday through Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m.

Key Biscayne has long been a mecca for South Florida cyclists. Bike enthusiasts clad in brightly colored spandex shorts and helmets have made the scenic trek over the Rickenbacker Causeway to Crandon Boulevard for years. A trip on the barrier island can take riders through ritzy residential neighborhoods with an occasional view of the bay. Cyclists who wish to avoid sharing the road with motorists can cruise under the sea grapes and Australian pines at Crandon Park (on the north end of the island) or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (on the south end). And there's no reason to feel left out if you don't own a bike. Last year, Key Biscayne became the first American city to team up with the bicycle-sharing app LimeBike. Users can track bicycle locations and rent one for $1 for every 30 minutes.

Nothing beats the feeling of a potent runner's high. But worrying about aching or stressed knees can dampen the euphoria. The paved rubber-mulch path at Kennedy Park is a welcome alternative to pounding pavement on an urban jog. If you want to turn that run into a full body workout, the park is also equipped with an outdoor exercise course with calisthenic equipment. And if it's one of those brutally hot days and you're not a calorie counter, you can cool down afterward with a frozen lemonade from A.C.'s Icees ($3.50 to $7), whose truck has been a fixture at Kennedy Park for more than 30 years. While you're at it, take a well-deserved break and sit on one of the many benches overlooking scenic Biscayne Bay.

Most local tennis aficionados are upset that the Miami Open will relocate from Key Biscayne to Hard Rock Stadium next year, but no group will be as affected as the people who take advantage of the four free public courts at Calusa Park. Their close proximity to the neighboring Crandon Park Tennis Center — where the Miami Open has been held for the past three decades — allowed tournament directors to use Calusa as additional practice courts for the players. For the duration of this partnership, Calusa Park's courts have been resurfaced to the level professional players expect, and amateur guests have been able to practice their backhand without worrying about cracked surfaces or broken nets. The isolated location keeps the courts generally vacant with the exception of weekday afternoons, when local tennis prodigies hit the courts. It's difficult to predict how the Miami Open's move will affect the quality of Calusa Park's courts, but for now, they're among the best-maintained in town.

Some might consider it exploitative to take the bus for people-watching purposes, and perhaps there is some truth to that opinion. But the 119 and 120 buses that traverse between downtown Miami and South Beach offer a view of patrons beyond those riding the bus on their way to work. These are tourists from all over the world taking spotty public transportation from their South Beach hotels to Pérez Art Museum Miami, Bayside Marketplace, and Miami Heat games. Eavesdropping on intermingling cultures and languages can be interesting — just don't get so lost in observation that you become the jerk who doesn't give up their seat for the elderly.

South Floridians have a treasure trove of beaches to choose from, but Sunny Isles Beach is the shiniest of seaside jewels. For close to 40 blocks east of Collins Avenue, visitors can admire the turquoise Atlantic Ocean from various lounging and swimming spots. Public parking lots are available at 174th and 193rd Streets, and 21 access points lead visitors directly from Collins to the shore. Most entry points are ADA-accessible. Once you're lounging on the sand, feel free to give the one-finger salute to President Trump's International Beach Resort on 180th Street, or better yet, take a break from the national rancor and enjoy the sights tourists pay big money to see.

If one thing is certain when it comes to getting stoned, it's that reactions vary from person to person. Some people immediately get the munchies, while others just want to lie down. Then there are the adventuresome types who like to go exploring, while some just want to sit on a park bench and people-watch. No matter how you feel after getting ripped, the underrated SoFi neighborhood in Miami Beach can satisfy your every augmented sensation. If you get hungry, a seemingly endless list of restaurants, such as Prime 112, Fogo de Chão, and Joe's Stone Crab, can satisfy a doped-up palate. Feeling active? A scenic jog through beautiful South Pointe Park can burn off some of that energy. Check out the new South Pointe Pier for a trippy, Instagram-ready view of South Beach, or slow down and watch departing cruise ships in the distance. Boats, Jet Skis, scuba equipment, and snorkeling gear are also available for rental at the marina, though you should save those for a sober day.

When his season with the Miami Dolphins began, Kenyan Drake was little more than a spot-duty back-up running back and refreshing change-of-pace complement to then-starter Jay Ajayi. But after a shocking midseason trade that sent Ajayi to the Philadelphia Eagles and Drake into the Dolphins' starting lineup, he became much more than that. Drake wound up becoming the most capable Dolphins player on the field, and one of the best at his position in the entire NFL from December through the duration of the season. He finished the season with 133 carries for 644 yards and four touchdowns. Those stats might not seem like much, but for a guy who had only four carries in the first six games of the season, it was an unexpected level of growth in a short period of time. Drake also pulled in 32 catches in his abbreviated season, and the team improved with him taking the handoffs. In a season that didn't see much go the Dolphins' way, watching Kenyan Drake exceed expectations as a starting running back in the NFL was the most exciting development to emerge from last year's campaign.

Goran Dragic is a load-bearing beam that keeps the Miami Heat's house standing tall. Despite a seemingly never-ending number of changes happening around him, Dragic has been a team mainstay since 2015, when he was traded to the Heat from the Phoenix Suns. Last season, Dragic was pegged to lead the team after Dwyane Wade became a free agent and went on to sign with the Chicago Bulls. The duo's reunion and a better-functioning team elevated the Heat to the sixth seed in the playoffs this year, and Dragic's steady play and incredible work ethic paid off in another big way: He made his first NBA All-Star team this year. His average points per game declined from 20 last season to 17 this year, but that's partly because he's become a facilitator for other Heat scorers who have emerged this season. Dragic's ability to put his ego aside and fill the role that's needed from him at any given moment is his greatest strength and an asset to the team.

You know how the old sports cliché goes: Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. Based on his performance last season, Braxton Berrios definitely fits the bill. He pulled in nine touchdowns and 55 catches last fall with the Miami Hurricanes, and all of those plays were consequential. From scoring TDs to beat Notre Dame, to snagging third-down grabs that extended game-winning drives against Florida State, to making in-your-face touchdowns against North Carolina, Berrios was a beast in his slot in 2017. And beyond the stats, he added something the team lacked in recent years: swagger. The Hurricanes invented swagger, but Berrios brought it back. This fall, after a stellar career in Coral Gables, he'll take his talents to the New England Patriots.

The Miami Hurricanes had an up-and-down season last year, and many of the downs can be traced to one incident: the loss of Bruce Brown to a foot injury in late January. Up to that point, Brown had been a beast on the field. He led the team in rebounds per game (7.1), assists per game (4), and steals per game (1.3) while clocking in second on the team in points per game (11.4). Soon after the season ended, Brown declared he was ready for the NBA and decided to forgo his final two years at Miami to become eligible for the draft. But Brown's season (albeit abbreviated) and the Hurricanes' success before his injury and after his recovery are testaments to his talent and indicators of his potential for greatness on the professional circuit.

He's the last man standing after a year of painful trades and new ownership for the Miami Marlins. First baseman Justin Bour, along with catcher J.T. Realmuto, now lead the team in tenure, and Bour has risen to the task of elevating a sorely depleted team. He played his greatest season as a pro in his fourth season with the Marlins, when he hit 25 home runs and 83 RBI to go with a .289 average. If the Marlins are to be competitive this season, Bour must outperform those numbers. But with few stars left to latch onto, Marlins fans have rejoiced in the fact that Bour stuck around to see the rebuild through. With young stars coming down the pipeline, he'll be tasked with leading the team for the foreseeable future.

The Florida Panthers are loaded with young talent, but their best player is a future Hall of Fame goaltender who'll turn 40 next season. Roberto Luongo is more than just a clutch net-minder; he's the heart and soul of the Panthers franchise. On a team otherwise in flux, his steady hand in the net and calming veteran influence in the locker room have been driving forces behind the maturation of players such as Aaron Ekblad. Luongo has been there to balance the emotions of a team that has a tendency to oscillate violently between winning and losing streaks.

Clemson had just scored its third touchdown of the first quarter when furious orange-and-green-clad fanatics began streaming out of Sun Life Stadium. By the end of the game, only a few hundred spectators were left in the cavernous stadium to witness coach Al Golden's Hurricanes capitulate 58-0. That was October 2015. Fast-forward two years later, and everything has changed. Sun Life is now Hard Rock Stadium, Mark Richt has taken the coaching reins, and the University of Miami's fans are the loudest in the nation, packed by the tens of thousands into the stadium, rocking golden Turnover Chains around their necks. In just his second season, Richt led the Canes to a 10-3 regular-season record and a berth in the ACC title game. Most important, he reminded UM fans how to bring swagger back into the stands.

Sportscasters are almost part of our families. They are the voices we let into our homes multiple times a week and sometimes yell at in isolation. Award-winning Miami Heat TV analyst Eric Reid has millions of extended family members throughout South Florida, most recently through his work for Fox Sports Sun. From his signature "Kaboom!" call after a Heat player drains a three-point shot, to his elegant storytelling, Reid has been the perfect person for the Heat's sportscaster spot since the franchise's inception in 1988. He's fair to the opponents yet favorable enough to the Heat that you're constantly reminded he's rooting for the home team.

You'd be hard-pressed to make a case for a sports franchise owner that has done more for his city than Miami Heat owner Micky Arison. In the mid- '90s, Arison's first order of business was to hire Pat Riley away from the New York Knicks and give him full control of player-personnel decisions. That move has continued to pay dividends for the past three decades. Arison is everything you'd want in a sports owner: He's supportive, kind, and unintrusive, yet competitive. For years, Heat fans have implored him to buy the Dolphins, the Marlins, or both because he's done such a great job running the hometown basketball team. Fans are willing to hand him the keys to any athletic organization.

The Miami Marlins are having a tough year. OK, fine, they're having a tough decade, but that's not what's important here. What's important is that the Marlins play in one of the most beautiful ballparks in Major League Baseball, and taking a kid to watch a game there always makes for a fun outing. When it comes to game-day excitement for a child, it's not always about winning. For the younger set, food choices — such as the park's many burger options, Papa John's pizza, and bread from Zak the Baker — take precedence over plays or points on the scoreboard. And the stadium's open design makes it easy to grab a bite and walk around without missing a single pitch.

Fancy golf courses are typically inaccessible to the average joe, but the Biltmore hotel's course makes the game accessible to locals. Designed in 1925 by legendary course architect Donald Ross, Biltmore Golf is home to the Junior Orange Bowl International Golf Championship and the University of Miami Women's Golf Team. And it can be your golfing home too, with discounted rates for Coral Gables and county residents, as well as hotel guests. Though 18 holes on a weekend or holiday can run $100 to $202 during the peak of winter, nine holes in an evening can cost as little as $40 for Coral Gables residents or $73 for visiting guests. The Biltmore's practice facilities boast more than 22,000 square feet of paspalum grass and 27 artificial-turf hitting surfaces, so this is a great spot to get in some practice before you take mulligans galore.

Dinner Key Marina offers a glimpse into Miami's past, present, and future all at once. Dinner Key is the famed former home of Pan American Airways' flying boats, and the defunct air carrier's old terminal building now serves as Miami City Hall, the focal point of the lush marina grounds. In its modern incarnation, the marina sits adjacent to Regatta Park, a stone's throw from Villa Vizcaya and a short walk to the shops and boutiques of Coconut Grove's village center. For the boaters and yachties out there, the marina boasts a whopping 582 slips, 24-hour staff and security, concrete docks, and wooden finger piers. Locals and casual boaters can also rent pontoons and kayaks for hours at a time. This is a great spot to anchor down for a while.

Oleta River State Park, Florida's largest urban park, boasts 14 cabins equipped with air conditioning, beds, picnic tables, and covered porches, and bathrooms and showers are located nearby. Glampers can also find a fire pit and grill included with their amenities. Cabin rentals cost only $55 per night, plus tax and a $6.70 reservation fee. Camp with friends and explore the waters of Biscayne Bay by canoe or kayak, or go for a bike ride around the campgrounds. This slice of paradise is a safe haven for those in search of complete seclusion and a reprieve from the clamor of the city just a handful of miles away. While you're there, remember to respect the park's wildlife. If you leave your Cheetos outside after a drunken binge, you will find raccoons with orange fingers.

Miami has plenty of options for picturesque picnic spots, from lighthouses to mangrove hammocks. But few places are more perfect for a cross-legged sit-down meal than Pelican Island. The little spit of land in Biscayne Bay, just north of Pelican Harbor, has been through a lot lately. Some nasty storms have torn through the island over the past couple of hurricane seasons — sailboats have been tossed onto its shores, and some of the wooden structures have been torn to bits. But the boats have been removed, the structures are being rebuilt, and, all the while, Pelican Island has retained its charm. The charcoal grills scattered throughout make this spot the ideal location for a summer cookout. It's just far enough removed from terra firma for visitors to disconnect and decompress, but close enough that getting there — whether by boat, kayak, or paddleboard — with your picnic basket is never a hassle.

A beach day is always more fun with friends and family, but four-legged company isn't always welcome on South Florida's shores. If your dog favors pairing a game of fetch with a refreshing swim, head to Haulover Park. From 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fido can run free with all the other good boys and good girls between lifeguard houses 2 and 3. If your dogs aren't fans of getting sand between their toes, just take them to Haulover's Bark Park, open daily from 8 a.m. to sunset. The dog park offers parents separate sections for big pooches and little pups, waste bag stations, and water fountains for you and your fur babies.

Plenty of things can go wrong on a first date, but pizza ain't one of them. The pizzas ($13 to $17), wood-oven-roasted chicken wings ($12), and desserts such as the banana-Nutella panini ($2) at Harry's Pizzeria are creatively crafted, delicious, and affordable. The restaurant's intimate space and effortlessly cool decor give the place a classic Italian vibe with a few modern touches. It's the kind of place that feels upscale without making your wallet cry and might just persuade (or fool) your date into thinking you have good taste. Equally important is the location: It's right on the edge of the Design District, so if the chemistry is promising, you can head to the Institute of Contemporary Art up the street and continue the conversation.

Miami is paradise, but it's a traffic-gridlocked one. If you're looking for a weekend getaway, you're probably hoping to escape precisely that traffic — and fast. On a good day (i.e., no accidents on Overseas Highway), you can get to Key West in about three and a half hours. Many hotels offer a Florida resident discount, and if you have a medium-to-high tolerance for sweat, you can take advantage of summertime deals, when a decent room goes for around $100 a night. Start your day with a Cuban breakfast sandwich at the Cuban Coffee Queen ($7) or a huevos and chorizo breakfast burrito at Bad Boy Burrito ($11). When you need a midday break from the sun, head to the Porch, a craft beer spot that's one of the island's few indoor, air-conditioned bars, or the Butterfly & Nature Conservatory (general admission costs $12, and discounted rates are available for children and seniors). Sunsets at Mallory Square are a must, as are late-night cafecitos to break up your Duval Street bar crawl. (You can find one on almost any corner.) And don't leave the Conch Republic without at least one trip to Captain Tony's, supposedly one of the oldest bars in Florida. The beers are cold, the bartenders are zippy, and there's always someone playing guitar in the corner.

Situated for a picture-perfect view of Biscayne Bay, the Mondrian has that South Beach pool-party vibe you crave without the rigmarole of an invite list. The hotel's pool area is open to the public daily as long as visitors spend a total of $50 at the pool bar. Hotel guests still get first pick of the chairs, but there's plenty of space to stretch out and grab a tropical cocktail for $16 or a bucket of five beers for $30. The best day to take advantage is Sunday, when the hotel offers free yoga on the dock at 10 a.m., followed by a guest DJ playing poolside until the sun goes down.

Every guest who's ever slept on your couch while visiting Miami eventually wants to try some Cuban food. You already know the go-to spot: Versailles Restaurant, the pride of Calle Ocho since 1971. Yes, it's touristy. Yes, you've been there a million times. But there's no better choice for a first-timer. Accommodating enough for newbies and English speakers but authentic enough for your abuelita, Versailles can't be beat. Go ahead and order each of your guests a cortado ($1.75) and a guava and cheese pastelito ($1.10). Their lives will never be the same.

Not everyone who practices yoga fits the stereotype: thin, white, female, and with money to spare. But that's the image yoga studios in the U.S. have been peddling since the practice went mainstream stateside. Luckily for Miami yogis, Agni offers an egalitarian alternative: a down-to-earth studio that embraces students of all genders, races, and walks of life. Led by co-owners Carrie Guzanick and Viviana Villagra, the studio's instructors come from diverse backgrounds and represent a variety of body types. Its hot yoga sessions aren't tainted by the Bikram brand, so you don't have to sweat about supporting an accused sexual abuser while you sweat it out on the mat. And Agni offers classes designed for students who've traditionally been left out of the practice, including low-cost "drop-in" events for just $10 and special donation-based ($5) sessions for the local queer and trans community. Agni offers more than just a place to practice yoga — it's a progressive space where yogis with open minds can find their Zen. Namaste.

As climate change and resulting flooding reshape Miami's landscape, the city is becoming increasingly reminiscent of Venice. As the sea rises, you'll want to enjoy it as you would the Italian city: in a boat. Rent a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard at Alfresco Fun and head on a five-mile loop. Enter the Oleta River, paddle out to the bay, turn left (or to port, if you want to get nautical), and then beach at Duffy's. Buy yourself lunch or take advantage of the happy-hour specials. Then get back in your boat and paddle north. Turn left again and pass through Maule Lake before heading back to East Greynolds Park. Alfresco's rental prices dip as low as $12 for 45 minutes on a single kayak. The only mildly hairy spot on this route is passing under the 163rd Street Bridge, where big boats can make a wake.

This isn't I-95, with its multiple lanes and sports-car speed demons. It ain't even Biscayne Boulevard, the scene of March's attempted hit-and-run and ensuing sledgehammer retaliation. Hell, there are even some pretty good Haitian restaurants and a Panther Coffee outpost along this stretch of NW Second Avenue. But like Sledgehammer Man, many of the drivers on this relatively quiet street are seemingly crazy. There are lines that appear to mark a bicycle route, but few motorists seem to comprehend the concept. People open their car doors without looking, and accidents happen. Cars hit bikes. Cars hit cars. Cars hit pedestrians. If you're headed to Wynwood from the north, stick to North Miami Avenue or, if you have a bike, use NW Third Avenue. It's pleasant, tree-lined, and definitely not as chaotic as NW Second Avenue.

Disregard the propaganda coming from Marlins Park, the fake news from Hard Rock Stadium, and the lies told at the American Airlines Arena: The biggest sport in Miami is soccer. Yes, David Beckham is still fighting through what feels like his 35th straight year of trying to bring a Major League Soccer stadium to South Florida. But if the massive sellouts for every international game held at Hard Rock Stadium don't convince you of Dade's fútbol fanaticism, slide on a team jersey and head to Kendall Soccer Park. Every corner of the 37-acre, county-owned park is packed all week with kids working on their step-overs, dads huffing for headers, and office drones blowing off steam on the pitch. To show off your tekkers, head to Soccer 5 Miami, which rents fields for 5v5, 6v6, and 7v7 games for $75 to $95 per hour. There are snacks for sale and helpful staffers who even keep a running list of solo players looking for a pickup game so they can text you whenever a team needs someone. Or just stop by and hang at the fields — somebody is bound to need an extra goalie. And you'll never know who you might spot: Last year, Becks himself popped by Kendall Soccer Park to juggle a few balls before jetting out of town.

Sure, there are more famous miles of Miami — Ocean Drive, Calle Ocho, the Julia Tuttle Causeway, et al. You can plow across the MacArthur Causeway and scream like you're a guest star on Entourage. Or you can stroll up and down Washington Avenue in the early morning and behold some of the truly strangest people you'll ever encounter. But for the best stretch of road, get off the beaten path and head back to an area of land reminiscent of what this place was like before the Florida East Coast Railway, Miami Vice, EDM, LMFAO's "I'm in Miami Bitch," and whatever Pitbull claims to be doing on a day-to-day basis. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park is a reminder of what the Magic City could have been — a preserved stretch of land unique to Florida and Florida alone, that could have been integrated into Miamians' daily lives instead of drained, plowed over, and turned into sprawling, hot concrete. Join the many cyclists who regularly traverse this path and conclude your ride with a walk to the Cape Florida Lighthouse inside Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. Admission to the park costs only $2 for cyclists, and free lighthouse tours take place Thursday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

There's no shortage of ways to spend some serious cash in Miami. You could charter a yacht, rent a Lamborghini, or order bottle service at an exclusive club. But if it's a thrill you seek, nothing compares to zooming 40 feet above Biscayne Bay with Miami Flyboard. For $129, you get a half-hour on a Flyboard that mounts to your feet and shoots water out below, lifting you high above the bay. Get a full hour for $229. Learning to fly is easy, the company says, and you should get the hang of it in no time. Then maybe you'll be ready to move on to the Hoverboard, which uses the same setup as the Flyboard and goes for the same price but more closely resembles wakeboarding, snowboarding, or Marty McFly's hoverboard — except this one glides over water.

Naples has a well-deserved reputation as a play place for the old and wealthy. But it can also provide a welcome break from the general chaos of Miami. Make the snore-inducing drive across Alligator Alley, and you can spend the day lounging in the sugar-soft sand of the city's much quieter beaches. Head to the downtown strip of Fifth Avenue South to shop at the district's many clothing boutiques, drop by Naples Paddleboard to rent a kayak or paddleboard (rental prices start at $30 per hour), or hit the Naples Beach Brewery to sample the local beer. Grab dinner at the beachfront Turtle Club (be sure to try the $15 famous oysters "Turtlefeller"); then make your way to the Naples Beach Club to take in one of the best parts of Southwest Florida coast: the sunset.

If a public bathroom is noteworthy, it's usually for all the wrong reasons. Not so at South Pointe Park. The rooftop of these restrooms offers a million-dollar view of the water, complete with shaded lounge chairs. Inside, the facilities are sleek and clean, which is about all you can ask for in a restroom that probably gets used hundreds of times a day. Sure beats peeing in the ocean.

All-day rain is rare enough in South Florida that when it happens, it's tempting to just lie on the couch binge-watching trashy TV and mainlining potato chips. Next time it pours, head to Glitch Bar instead, where you can lounge on its couches while playing Mario Kart. Located in Flagler Village, AKA Fort Lauderdale's mini version of Wynwood, the bar has all the classic arcade games you remember from childhood: Donkey Kong, Mortal Kombat II, Ms. Pac-Man, and others. It's stocked with more than 100 bottled and canned beers, plus a cocktail list that includes game-themed drinks such as the Yoshi mojito.

Summer can be brutal in South Florida. While the rest of the country celebrates the first warm weather of the year, it's so hot down here that you need a shower after a short walk from your car to the door. But at least we get mangoes. All summer long, trees across South Florida are heavy with the delicious tropical fruit, and there's no bigger celebration of that silver lining than the International Mango & Tropical Fruit Festival. For the past 25 years, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden's fête has been all mangoes, all the time. This year's July 14 and 15 event ($25 for the general public and discounts for children and seniors) will include cooking demonstrations, a tropical beer garden, and a display of the largest mango and tropical fruit collection in the world. Thanks to Fairchild, you can try them all, no backyard tree necessary.

The elevator ride up to W Miami's WET Deck is a long one. Perched 50 stories above the Magic City at the top of the W Miami Hotel, this nightlife spot boasts seemingly endless views of the skyline and Biscayne Bay. The rooftop Brickell establishment has previously been called Club 50, but it's always been known for its unbeatable panorama. Inside, find floor-to-ceiling windows, and outside, a terrace with the highest pool in Miami awaits. Grab a cocktail and hit the dance floor, but fair warning: You might find it hard to look away from the windows.

A private room for around $120 a night in the middle of Miami Beach? Believe it. When it comes to fashionable hospitality on a budget, the Freehand, located in the historic Indian Creek Hotel, more than delivers. Central location? Check. Clean rooms? Check. Award-winning bar? Check. A block from the beach? Check. A restaurant worthy of the hype? Check. Don't let the hostel environs scare you away. Yes, there are shared dormitories, which go for as low as $20 a night during the summer, but if you're wary of that arrangement, private king and queen suites are also available (from $160 to $190). If you're heading to Miami Beach or planning a staycation with a group of friends or large family, consider the quad rooms or bungalow spaces (around $200) that offer bunk beds with privacy screens for when you've had enough of the dad jokes. And don't worry: Both the quad and Super 8 dorm-style rooms have en suite bathrooms — in fact, the shared Super 8 spaces have two — so you have to fight for shower time only with your roommates and not the entire floor. The Freehand's outdoor spaces are the hostel's best feature. The James Beard Award-nominated Broken Shaker spills into the courtyard and small pool area, which though not as impressive as some of the water features at nearby luxury hotels, still draws its fair share of beautiful people taking in the Miami Beach sun.

North Miami Beach became a city in 1926, but one of the buildings within its limits today was first erected almost eight centuries before the city existed. Construction on the Monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux, also known as the Ancient Spanish Monastery, began in Sacramenia, Spain, in 1133 and was completed in 1141. Cistercian monks occupied it for nearly seven centuries. Nineteenth- and 20th-Century media giant William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery, which was then dismantled stone-by-stone and shipped to the United States, where it lay in wait inside a New York warehouse for another quarter-century before being rebuilt in South Florida in the mid-'50s. Today the ancient structure serves many roles, as an Episcopal church, a unique tourist attraction, and a venue for special occasions such as wedding receptions. Tours of the monastery are available most days from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (admission costs $10, with $5 discounts for students and seniors). Availability is dependent upon whether the venue is booked for a special event. Updated hours can be found on the Ancient Spanish Monastery's website.

It's been tough to be a Miami Dolphins fan over the past decade or so, but there's one unquestionably bright spot in Davie: Tom Garfinkel. He was promoted to vice chairman only a couple of months ago, but he should be lauded for the strides the organization has made since he arrived in Miami in 2013. Under Garfinkel's watch, the Dolphins undertook a $500 million renovation of their Miami Gardens stadium, secured a $250 million naming-rights deal for the venue with Hard Rock, boosted ticket sales that had been lagging since Stephen Ross purchased the team in 2009, and lured high-profile events, such as the El Clásico soccer match, to the stadium. Garfinkel is also accessible to fans on social media and routinely posts beautiful photos of the game-day environment.