Rail Interesting
robin hill
The gift shop at Miami Children’s Museum (left) and the KidScape Village exhibits (below)
Kids Rule
Put this one in the category of “best-kept secrets.” The Gold Coast Railroad Museum (one of three official state railroad museums in Florida) is a little gem, with lots of nostalgia from the golden age of rail travel. For history buffs and train fans, this is a must. Especially worth seeing is the Ferdinand Magellan rail car, which served as the presidential rail car in the 1940s and 1950s. Located on the Zoo Miami grounds. gcrm.org
At the Miami Children’s Museum, the word “boredom” does not exist. There is so much going on here the young ones are constantly engaged and, quite honestly, can’t get enough. Put yourself in their place: If you were 5, wouldn’t you be enthralled by the prospect of riding on a fire engine, exploring the Everglades, crawling through a giant sandcastle or climbing to the top of a mountain? But it’s not just a giant playground. There is plenty of educational value to the exhibits, which teach kids everything from exploration to nutrition. miamichildrensmuseum.org
High Fliers A 100-foot flying dolphin. A soaring 60-foot banana. A string of Disney princesses gliding gracefully through the air. Welcome to the aerial world of Kite Day at Haulover Park. This annual event is worth the visit, if only for the spectacle of hundreds of kites commanding the airspace above Bal Harbour. But, guaranteed, kids will want to be part of the action. Whether the kite is homemade or souped up, it is fun to join in this festival of color and aerial acrobatics. The festival usually takes place in February, but kiting is a main event at Haulover year-round. skywardkites.com
What a Zoo Zoo Miami has all the animals you’d expect to see in a captive environment (tigers, lions, meerkats) and some you wouldn’t (Hello, Bactrian camel!). But the beauty of this zoo isn’t in the animals alone. It’s a complete environment, with swaths of pristine wilderness and purpose-built habitats that make the creatures feel at home (and improve the visitor experience). Be on the lookout for Florida: Mission Everglades, a new, interactive exhibit highlighting Florida’s treasured wilderness and endangered wildlife. It opens in 2014 and, judging by the plans, will be worth the wait. miamimetrozoo.com NAPLESILLUSTRATED.COM | JULY/AUGUST 2012 67