• Driving Along Florida A1A: This oceanfront route, which runs north up Miami Beach, through Sunny Isles and Hollywood, and into Fort Lauderdale (starting at Ocean Dr. and First St. in Miami and merging onto Collins Ave. before running north), embodies the essence that is South Florida. From time-warped hotels steeped in Art Deco kitsch to multimillion-dollar modern high-rises, A1A is one of the most scenic, albeit heavily trafficked, roads in all of Florida.
  • Airboat Ride Through the Outskirts of the Everglades: Unfettered by jet skis, cruise ships, and neon bikinis, the Everglades are Florida's outback, resplendent in their swampy nature. The Everglades are best explored either by slow-moving canoes that really get you acquainted with your surroundings or via an airboat that can quickly navigate its way through the most stubborn of saw grass while providing you with an up-close and personal (as well as fun) view of the land's inhabitants, from alligators and manatees to raccoons and Florida panthers.
  • Dining at Garcia's on the Miami River: Some consider dining on the Miami River to be industrial chic; others consider it seedy in a Miami Vice sort of way. However you choose to look at it, by all means do look at it; the sleepy Miami River is nestled below the sweeping downtown Miami skyline, reminding you that even though you're in a major metropolis, things in this often-frenetic city are capable of slowing down to a more soothing pace.
  • Getting the Juice at El Palacio de los Jugos: For the true, frenetic, cacophonous Miami Cuban experience, this is the place to go, where heaps of gloriously greasy fare and sort of healthy fresh squeezed juices have people coming in packs.
  • Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant: You will wait in line at Miami Beach's landmark spot for crab, but it's never dull, and the cacophony of mostly Northeastern U.S. accents and the occasional celebrity will keep you entertained until you are seated for your feast of crustacean. Dip medium, large, or jumbo crab into a tasty mustard-mayo sauce or just mustard, and save room for Key lime pie. Open October through May only.
  • Midnight Snacking at Versailles: This iconoclastic, gaudy Cuban diner in the heart of Miami's Little Havana is humming with the buzz of old-timers reminiscing about pre-Castro Cuba, local politicos trying to appease them, and a slew of detached people there only for the fantastically cheap and authentic Cuban fare. Much like its French namesake in whose image it's been literally mirrored, Miami's Versailles provides a palatial view of Miami's ever-changing Cuban landscape.
  • Sunset Cocktails at Smith & Wollensky: Say bon voyage to the mega ships sailing out of Government Cut from this, one of the best waterfront vantage points in all of Miami.
  • Learning to Salsa: If the only salsa you're familiar with is the kind you put on your tacos, get over to Bongo's Cuban CafĂ©, the hottest salsa club north of Havana, where Miami's most talented salsa dancers will teach you how to move your two left feet in the right direction.
  • Relishing the View from Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park: You haven't truly seen South Florida until you've checked out the view from the southern point of Key Biscayne. Whether it's the turquoise water or the sight of Stiltsville -- seven still-inhabited aquatic cabins dating back to the 1930s, perched smack in the middle of the Biscayne Channel -- it may take a little coercing to get you to leave.
  • Scuba Diving in the Treasure Coast: They don't call it the Treasure Coast for nothing, you know. Three popular artificial reefs off Hutchinson Island provide excellent scenery for divers of any level. The USS Rankin, sunk in 120 feet of water in 1988, lies 7 miles east-northeast of the St. Lucie Inlet. Donaldson Reef consists of a cluster of plumbing fixtures sunk in 58 feet of water. Ernst Reef, made from old tires, is a 60-foot dive located 4 1/2 miles east-southeast of the St. Lucie inlet.
  • Burgers at Le Tub: This former 1959 Sunoco gas station was transformed into a kitschy waterfront oasis whose resplendent scenery is almost secondary to the decor: old toilet bowls, bathtubs, and sinks -- seriously. Not the least bit as gross as it sounds, Le Tub also has the best hamburgers, chili, a 4am closing time, and a strict "no children" policy.
  • Discovering Your Inner Flipper at the Dolphin Research Center: Learn to communicate with and touch, swim, or play with the mammals at the nonprofit Dolphin Research Center in Marathon Key, home to a school of approximately 15 dolphins.
  • Eyeing the Estates on Palm Beach: The winter playground for the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous set, Palm Beach is lined with jaw-dropping palatial estates. Though many of them are hidden behind towering shrubbery, head south on South County Road, from Brazilian Avenue, where you will see some of the most opulent homes ever built. Make sure someone holds the steering wheel if you're driving, because you will do a double take.
  • Water Taxiing Through the Intracoastal Waterway: The waterway that connects the natural bays, lagoons, and rivers along Florida's East Coast snakes around from the Florida-Georgia border all the way to the port of Miami. A ride through the Fort Lauderdale Intracoastal provides a sublime view of million-dollar waterfront houses.
  • Unleashing Your Inner Gourmand in Miami's Design District: Turns out, the home of high-end furniture showrooms and interior design firms is also home to some of Florida's most lauded eateries -- Michael's Genuine Food & Drink, Sra. Martinez, Pacific Time. Some tapas with your tapestries, perhaps?
  • Channeling Andy Warhol in Miami's Wynwood Arts District: After waiting patiently for this arty, funky area to hit its comeuppance, Miami's hipsters and artists have finally been rewarded with this still raw neighborhood of galleries, studios, and even a few cool bars, lounges, and restaurants that exude that New York City SoHo-meets-Meatpacking District vibe.
  • Sundays at Alabama Jack's: There is nothing like hanging out, chugging a cheap beer, chowing down on amazing conch fritters, and watching a bunch of sauced octogenarians dressed like extras from Hee Haw line-dancing to incredible live country music, all in a Sunday's afternoon. Even better is the spectacular waterfront setting that makes you truly appreciate why you're in Florida in the first place.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.