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BEST TENNIS COURTS

Fisher Island Tennis Center

BEST TENNIS COURTS Fisher Island Tennis Center 7 Fisher Island Drive

Miami

305-535-6000 Boris Becker lived and played here; so did Jim Courier. Andy Roddick and Mark Philippoussis drop by to hit a few as well. And when Andre Agassi lands in Miami for the NASDAQ-100 Open during March, there's one place you can be sure to find him -- practicing his famous base-line returns on the courts at Fisher Island. Rated among the top 50 tennis centers in the U.S. by Tennis Magazine, the eighteen courts come in three flavors -- two grass, two hard, and fourteen clay. Each is so well maintained you'd swear the staff used tweezers to keep everything in shape. Tennis center director and resident pro Jon Hainline teaches the nuances of the game, but not to just anybody. For a chance to charge the nets at the private club you first have to buddy up with a member or resident who will deign to offer you an invite. That, or pony up the $4500 initiation fee and the $6500 annual dues (plus taxes). Either way, there are no better lines, nets, or surfaces in town.

Readers´ Choice: Sans Souci Tennis Center

BEST TENNIS COURTS

Fisher Island Tennis Center

BEST TENNIS COURTS Fisher Island Tennis Center 7 Fisher Island Drive

Miami

305-535-6000 Boris Becker lived and played here; so did Jim Courier. Andy Roddick and Mark Philippoussis drop by to hit a few as well. And when Andre Agassi lands in Miami for the NASDAQ-100 Open during March, there's one place you can be sure to find him -- practicing his famous base-line returns on the courts at Fisher Island. Rated among the top 50 tennis centers in the U.S. by Tennis Magazine, the eighteen courts come in three flavors -- two grass, two hard, and fourteen clay. Each is so well maintained you'd swear the staff used tweezers to keep everything in shape. Tennis center director and resident pro Jon Hainline teaches the nuances of the game, but not to just anybody. For a chance to charge the nets at the private club you first have to buddy up with a member or resident who will deign to offer you an invite. That, or pony up the $4500 initiation fee and the $6500 annual dues (plus taxes). Either way, there are no better lines, nets, or surfaces in town.

Readers´ Choice: Sans Souci Tennis Center

BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE

Markham Park

BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE Markham Park 16001 W. State Road 84

Sunrise

954-389-2000 The words mountain and Florida rarely come up in the same sentence -- unless you're an upwardly mobile biker who has found the next best thing to an actual mountain range: Markham Park. It may not be the Rockies, but Markham provides intense trails for serious riders. Amateurs beware: If you're not the type who can find an upside to falling down, stick to Oleta River State Recreation Area. "I don't recommend Markham for beginning riders," says Carlos Yulee, who leads group treks at several South Florida parks. He says Oleta is great for a workout and is safer, but for a real challenge he'll take Markham. The park has long steep climbs and even better drops, the latter branded with names like Big Gulp and the oddly (mis)spelled Fred's Foly (which riders have also dubbed Fudge Brownie because it's all dirt the color of bittersweet chocolate). Rider John Sabatier says he likes Markham's variety, adding, "Oleta is technical, Markham is fast and technical."

BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE

Markham Park

BEST PLACE TO MOUNTAIN BIKE Markham Park 16001 W. State Road 84

Sunrise

954-389-2000 The words mountain and Florida rarely come up in the same sentence -- unless you're an upwardly mobile biker who has found the next best thing to an actual mountain range: Markham Park. It may not be the Rockies, but Markham provides intense trails for serious riders. Amateurs beware: If you're not the type who can find an upside to falling down, stick to Oleta River State Recreation Area. "I don't recommend Markham for beginning riders," says Carlos Yulee, who leads group treks at several South Florida parks. He says Oleta is great for a workout and is safer, but for a real challenge he'll take Markham. The park has long steep climbs and even better drops, the latter branded with names like Big Gulp and the oddly (mis)spelled Fred's Foly (which riders have also dubbed Fudge Brownie because it's all dirt the color of bittersweet chocolate). Rider John Sabatier says he likes Markham's variety, adding, "Oleta is technical, Markham is fast and technical."

BEST HOLE AT A GOLF COURSE

Seventeenth

1802 NW 37th Avenue

Miami

305-633-4583 Challenging in every sense of the word, 17 is a 602-yard, par 5 dogleg sandwiched between an impressive lake guarding the left and a tee-side waste bunker and sand traps, looming the length of the fairway, to the right. If you manage to avoid a case of "the shanks," you'll end up on an elevated green -- the front of which greets you with more beach -- with all balls accounted for. Other challenges include low-flying airplanes landing at and taking off from nearby Miami International Airport, and resident raccoons that will gladly steal the hot dog you just bought from the snack cart. Melreese is a public course, and greens fees will run South Florida residents $58 on weekends, $48 on weekdays, and $32.10 after 3:00 p.m.

Readers´ Choice: Sixth at the Biltmore Golf Course

BEST HOLE AT A GOLF COURSE

Seventeenth

1802 NW 37th Avenue

Miami

305-633-4583 Challenging in every sense of the word, 17 is a 602-yard, par 5 dogleg sandwiched between an impressive lake guarding the left and a tee-side waste bunker and sand traps, looming the length of the fairway, to the right. If you manage to avoid a case of "the shanks," you'll end up on an elevated green -- the front of which greets you with more beach -- with all balls accounted for. Other challenges include low-flying airplanes landing at and taking off from nearby Miami International Airport, and resident raccoons that will gladly steal the hot dog you just bought from the snack cart. Melreese is a public course, and greens fees will run South Florida residents $58 on weekends, $48 on weekdays, and $32.10 after 3:00 p.m.

Readers´ Choice: Sixth at the Biltmore Golf Course

BEST POWERBOAT RENTAL

Ablaze Boat Rental

BEST POWERBOAT RENTAL Ablaze Boat Rental 24th Street and Collins Avenue

Miami Beach

305-674-9300 This business (formerly Beach Boat Rental) has occupied the same spot for 40 years. From the little roadside stand near the pedestrian bridge over Indian Creek, you can rent an eighteen-footer for $99 (two hours) or a yacht for 30 grand daily (with captain and crew, of course). Proprietor Anthony Marzilli owns every boat in his eleven-strong fleet and claims they all have current-model-year motors. He can also hook you up with wake boarding, water-skiing, tubing, and marine tours.

BEST POWERBOAT RENTAL

Ablaze Boat Rental

BEST POWERBOAT RENTAL Ablaze Boat Rental 24th Street and Collins Avenue

Miami Beach

305-674-9300 This business (formerly Beach Boat Rental) has occupied the same spot for 40 years. From the little roadside stand near the pedestrian bridge over Indian Creek, you can rent an eighteen-footer for $99 (two hours) or a yacht for 30 grand daily (with captain and crew, of course). Proprietor Anthony Marzilli owns every boat in his eleven-strong fleet and claims they all have current-model-year motors. He can also hook you up with wake boarding, water-skiing, tubing, and marine tours.

BEST TOPLESS BEACH

Haulover Beach

Photo by osseous / Flickr
BEST TOPLESS BEACH Haulover Beach 10800 Collins Avenue

North Miami-Dade

305-944-3040 Wandering around South Beach, the average tourist might think it's the place to go au naturel. The drunk women who parade along Ocean Drive while having deliberate "wardrobe malfunctions" sure make it seem that way. The bare-naked transients taking advantage of the free beach showers add to the effect. But it's a few miles up the coast at the north end of Haulover Beach where getting your privates sunburned is socially acceptable and legal. There's a marvelously diverse display of nature's bounty; some delightful days see thousands of disrobed sunbathers. It's easy to let those bikini-top strings loosen or trunks drop in this setting. Actually you sort of feel like a pervert if you keep the bathing suit on. Go ahead. Take it off. Nobody's looking. Just remember to dress before you drive away.

BEST TOPLESS BEACH

Haulover Beach

BEST TOPLESS BEACH Haulover Beach 10800 Collins Avenue

North Miami-Dade

305-944-3040 Wandering around South Beach, the average tourist might think it's the place to go au naturel. The drunk women who parade along Ocean Drive while having deliberate "wardrobe malfunctions" sure make it seem that way. The bare-naked transients taking advantage of the free beach showers add to the effect. But it's a few miles up the coast at the north end of Haulover Beach where getting your privates sunburned is socially acceptable and legal. There's a marvelously diverse display of nature's bounty; some delightful days see thousands of disrobed sunbathers. It's easy to let those bikini-top strings loosen or trunks drop in this setting. Actually you sort of feel like a pervert if you keep the bathing suit on. Go ahead. Take it off. Nobody's looking. Just remember to dress before you drive away.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®

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