Florida's state parks now have their own website at www.floridastateparks.org and a central camping reservations service (tel. 800/326-3521; www.reserveamerica.com).
Miami
After the Miami hotel boom started to settle down in 2003, the city got hungry for new restaurants. On any given day, a new eatery seems to open, assuring everyone that while they may have blown their food budget on a swank boutique hotel, they don't necessarily have to starve in the city. And, to compete with the restaurant as nightlife trend, several bars and lounges have opened, offering more than just beer nuts and chips as snacks.
The Eden Roc (4525 Collins Ave.; tel.800/327-8337) is upgrading its property and has added a Starbucks for those who are addicted to the stuff. The Biltmore Hotel (1200 Anastasia Ave.; tel. 305/445-1926) has undergone an $8.5 million renovation of its guest rooms and suites. The Ritz-Carlton South Beach (1 Lincoln Rd.; tel. 800/241-3333) is the last of three Ritz-Carltons to open in Miami (fall of 2003). Two more locations, on Key Biscayne and in Coconut Grove, have already established themselves as magnets for celebrities looking to avoid the South Beach limelight. Star chef David Bouley is slated to open a signature restaurant in the hotel in late 2004. Ian Schrager, the Midas of hip hotels, bought into the hyper-hip Shore Club (1901 Collins Ave.; tel. 877/640-9500), which, in addition to Robert DeNiro's Ago restaurant and the L.A.-imported Skybar, is the new Delano. Miami's first Four Seasons Hotel and Tower (1435 Brickell Ave.; tel. 305/358-7758) opened in the summer of 2003 and has since been joined by neighbor Conrad Miami (1395 Brickell Ave.; tel.305/503-6500),a 36-story, 308-room tower that's part of the Hilton's chichi luxe brand. Andre Balazs, owner of L.A.'s Chateau Marmont and Standard hotels (among others), has purchased South Beach's legendary Raleigh Hotel (1775 Collins Ave.; tel. 800/848-1775), which he is in the process of renovating and restoring to its original Art Deco glory, fusing it with his distinct brand of boutique hotel hip. In Sunny Isles Beach, Donald Trump established his gaudy presence with his Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort (18001 Collins Ave.; tel.305/692-5600), whose bland interior should have Trump screaming "You're fired" to whoever the interior designer was. Not too far away will be the Le Meridien Hotels and Resorts' first Miami property, Le Meridien Beach Resort and Spa (18683 Collins Ave.; tel.305/614-3111, a 25-story, 210 unit resort set to open in December 2004. Swank Italian restaurant Bice will bring fine dining to the chain restaurant-spotted area.
Also, Miami Beach's first ever hotel, Brown's, (112 Ocean Dr.; (tel. 305/674-7977), opened in 1915, has been restored to its old Florida fabulousness featuring original beams of Dade County Pine floorboards and exterior clapboard. The hotel, of course, is a boutique hotel with a requisite see and be seen steakhouse, Prime 112 (tel.305/532-8112).
Still on the verge of becoming a major food city, Miami recently introduced a handful of dining options, mostly on the more upscale side. The tony Nuevo Latino Ola (5061 Biscayne Blvd.; tel.305/758-9195) brings the return of star chef Douglas Rodriguez to his former stomping grounds, not to mention the city's best mojitos and tipicos (Traditional Latin-American dishes). Food Network star Emeril Lagasse started in Miami with his usual 'bam!' with the opening of Emeril's Miami Beach (Loews Hotel, 1601 Collins Ave.; tel.305/695-4540). Yet another star chef, David Bouley, has taken over the restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach (1 Lincoln Rd.; tel.786/276-4000) opening what is to be his first signature restaurant out of Manhattan. Over in the Design District, the aptly named The District Restaurant and Lounge (35 NE 40th St.; tel.305/576-7242) has taken over the old Piccadilly Garden space with a new, modern design and a New American menu.
Originally slated to open as a museum dedicated to Cuban Americans is downtown Miami's Freedom Tower, an Old-Spanish-style building (600 N. Biscayne Blvd.; tel.305/592-7768) purchased by the Cuban American National Foundation, which is now negotiating with several universities to run a museum of South Florida history in the Freedom Tower and is considering keeping its headquarters in Miami's Little Havana instead of moving to the tower.
At press time, the hottest nightspots are located on the still sizzling South Beach. However, over the causeway, a burgeoning nocturnal buzz is emanating from the once desolate area of downtown Miami, off of Biscayne Boulevard, thanks to cheaper rents and 24-hour liquor licenses. Among them, I/O (30 NE 14th St.; tel.305/358-7707), a dance club where indie music fanatics hang out; and Grass Lounge (12 NE 40th St.; tel. 305/573-5003) brings a taste of Tiki-chic to the Design District with thatched-roof banquettes and a decidedly artsy crowd. Back on South Beach, Motley Crue-man Tommy Lee opened Rok Bar (1805 Collins Ave., tel.305/535-7171), a rock and roll themed bar where Lee makes random surprise appearances as guest DJ and musician.
The Gold Coast
While the Gold Coast's beaches remain less congested than those in Miami, the area isn't impervious to development -- especially when it comes to resorts, restaurants, and nightlife. Whereas the Gold Coast used to be a sleepy beachfront, today it's slowly en route to rivaling the liveliness of a big city like Miami.
The $200 million Seminole Hard Rock Resort and Casino (4150 N. State Road 7.; tel.954/966-6300) offers 500 luxury rooms, lakeside beach-club, 130,000 square-foot casino and European Health Spa and is said to be just like the Hard Rock in Vegas, only without Blackjack, slots and all other forms of "bet against the house" gambling. There's always bingo.
Delray Beach is proving itself to be a hip dining destination with places such as Gotham City Restaurant and Bar (16950 Jog Road; tel.561/381-0200) a supper club slash steakhouse with live entertainment and DJ. In West Palm Beach's CityPlace, Tsunami (651 Okeechobee Blvd.; tel.561/835-9696) is a see and be seen sushi place that looks as if it came right off the set of "Sex and the City," with main plate and sushi prices that are nearly the equivalent of a pair of Manolo Blahniks.
Shabby chic types are saying hallelujah over the fact that Swedish home furnishing giant Ikea has chosen Davie as the site for Florida's first ever outpost. No phone or address just yet. For true shopaholics, Activity Planners (tel. 954/525-9194) will arrange a water taxi, limousine, or Town Car for your own private shopping tour through the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. The Mall at Wellington Green (10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington; tel. 561/227-6900) is Palm Beach's newest shopping center. CityPlace is adding more home furnishing and accessories stores such as an 8,600 square foot Roche Bobois (700 S. Rosemary Ave.; tel.561/514-9650; www.roche-bobois.com) showroom.
Everglades
The Everglades National Park is upgrading its boat tours, visitor center, gift shop and canoe and kayak rentals at the Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
Florida Keys
Islamorada's swank Cheeca Lodge and Spa (tel.800/327-2888; www.cheeca.com) is in the process of receiving a $15 million renovation to the main lodge, grounds, spa and pool areas. The resort has also gone condo, converting nearly half of its 202 rooms into luxury apartments.
Over on Grassy Key, the Dolphin Research Center (tel.305/289-1121; www.dolphins.org) introduced a new program, Trainer for a Day, which takes people down on the dock and right into the lagoons for the ultimate dolphin encounter experience.