Travel

Orlando was overtaken by witches and wizards during “A Celebration of Harry Potter” at Universal Studios. For the second consecutive year, the theme park put together an expo space dedicated to all things Potter and invited talent from the movies to share the excitement with fans. For the layperson who…

Fans from all over gathered last weekend at Universal Studios Orlando’s A Celebration of Harry Potter. The annual event provided the opportunity for Harry Potter devotees to mingle with fellow aficionados and actors from the movies, and was nothing short of magical. It was like a scene straight out of…

People’s Choice Awards nominees are live. The community can vote now through November 17 via text message for one of six selected Knight Arts Challenge finalists to receive $20,000 to fund their projects. It’s a text-to-vote campaign: Choose your favorite group and text its code to 22333. Of the 75…

Traveling to exotic lands has always grasped the imaginations of those with an adventurous spirit. Looking to break from the routine of their daily grind in South Florida, friends and photographers Jacob Bacallao and Nicolas Stipcianos decided to cast their luck into the wind and travel to Southeast Asia this…

The sun had set and the sky was indigo. As you walked passed the revolving globe and up to the arches, the eerie music coming from the loudspeakers and musky, earthy smell of the lingering rainfall set the scene perfectly. Though Universal Studios Orlando can’t control the weather (and they…

Somewhere deep within Universal Studios in Orlando Florida, magic is brewing. As the latest expansion to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter gears up for its grand opening on July 8, members of the media (and film talent) were invited for a spectacular peek of Diagon Alley. The entrance sits…

“What are you doing Memorial Day Weekend?” If you still don’t have an answer to that question, you might think you’re stuck toughing it out here at home. But fret not — there are plenty of ways for you to get out of town this weekend — none of which…

Ever since your glory days were over and done with, you’ve regretted your lack of high school hero status. We know, we know, if you could go back in time, you’d totally take state in baseball. Uncle Rico, eat your heart out. Luckily, if you’ve been honing those pitching skills…

Even if you’re a pro at hiding your collection of erotic fan fiction starring Luna Lovegood, your dedication to the local Quidditch league and your Gryffindor 4 Life tattoo — you won’t be able to fool anyone once Diagon Alley opens at Universal Studios this summer. Harry Potter is inevitable…

It’s Christmas in Miami, which means yet another year of fried dough and crushed dreams at Santa’s Enchanted Forest. But if you’re looking for something — anything — else to do that doesn’t involve flying into a snowstorm, there’s always Orlando. Our easy-to-access neighbor to the north offers tons of…

Darkness creeps up on you while you’re standing in the middle of a field, and all you can see is an old farmhouse and windmill. Is there enough time to make it there before they find you? Before you can turn to run, the walking dead are upon you, bloody-faced,…

For those of us who have grown up visiting theme parks in Orlando, taking advantage of that four hour drive from Miami, the same old attractions can start to get a little boring. Luckily, the amusement parks have started to notice they were in need of a revamping. This year…

If you’ve ever been flustered by Miami International Airport’s labyrinthine terminals, constant renovations, and misleading signage, you’re not alone. The nation’s travel agents are right there with you. A survey of travel agents by Travel Leaders Group named the top ten worst airports for travelers hoping to catch a connecting…

It’s no secret that Florida is weird. Many a journalist, politician, reality TV watcher, and even your average Fark browser can attest to the fact that we’re the weirdest state out of all 50. And while lots of bizarre crap goes down in South Florida (causeway face-eaters, anyone?), we’d argue…

New Year’s Eve is a night when Magic City locals really let loose — we drink and dance the night away, spending hour after sweaty hour in an overcrowded nightclub, racking up a three digit bar tab. Wait, that’s just a regular night in the 305, isn’t it?Why do we…

Viva la long weekend! Except if you don’t start making plans soon, you’ll probably spend the next four days watching a Saved by the Bell marathon with a straw stuck in your Jimmy Buffet brand margarita machine. But planning a weekend trip from Miami ain’t easy. We’re surrounded by water…

Do you need an escape from Miami but don’t want to travel far? Drive down to John Pennekamp in Key Largo and snorkel out to Jesus. That’s right, we said Jesus! The 10-foot statue of Jesus was made by Italian artist/professor Guido Galletti. But before you dive in, here are…

Feeling restless this summer? You don’t have to travel half-way around the globe to witness something awesome. Just take a drive in the 305. Coral Castle in Homestead is just creepy, weird, and wonderful enough to lure in both locals and tourists.Like the Taj Mahal, the Castle is a monument…

Remember some years back when it was cool to own pot bellied pigs as pets? Those porkers were pretty damn cute. But eventually you sat down for a meal and looked at your plate of bacon, ham, or pork chops, then down at old “Wilbur” and realized something was inherently…

It’s easy to forget Miami and South Florida are actually part of the rest of Florida most of the time. We might fancy ourselves cosmopolitan, but invariably we are humbled by the realization that we are closer to the “South” than we are comfortable admitting. That point is unmistakably driven…

What can you get for $10 at the Swap Shop? In past years, we’ve haggled over knickknacks from animals to construction equipment to a handgun. We bought a fat-tailed gecko from a toothless woman who had, amongst other animals, prairie dogs and baby alligators. On another occasion, we held our…