plages pres de Miami

PLAGES

North Beach Park

North Beach Park, c’est un beau grand parc de 56 âcres situé à Hollywood, angle Sheridan et A1A. Situé directement sur le bord de l’Atlantique et près de l’Intracoastal, North Beach Park aboutit sur la plage de Hollywood et ses 2,2 milles de Broadwalk.

Le parc est superbe. Un oasis de fraîcheur bien aménagé, accessible à tous et agréable avec sa populaire tour d’observation haute de 60 pieds. La plage du parc permet bien des sports. Volleyball, pêche, marche, natation, voile, bicyclette, jogging.

On peut louer une aire de pique-nique privée avec abri en cas de pluie comme on peut y aller en famille les week-ends pour se rafraîchir, profiter du plein air et regarder les tortues de mer évoluer. Chaque abri de pique-nique est muni de l’électricité, d’eau, de tables, de barbecues.

Et, tous les week-ends, des couples y vont pour unir leur destinée pour l’éternité. Le spectacle des mariages est entièrement gratuit. North Beach Park est un parc de l’État de la Floride, donc un parc à tarification

West Lake Park

Pour changer des plages, une journée à West Lake Park Anne Kolb situé au 751 Sheridan St. Hollywood. Pique-nique, tennis, bicyclette, jeux, locations de canots, sentier de la nature, observatoire, jogging. Un très beau parc, idéal pour une journée familiale.

Haulover Beach

Haulover Beach, la plage des naturistes située un peu au sud de Sunny Isles a reçu pas moins de 4 millions de visiteurs de tous âges depuis le début du troisième millénaire, ce qui signifie un million par année.

Ils sont âgés de 6 mois à 80 ans, ils ont toutes les formes, les grosseurs, les langues, les couleurs. Barbus, imberbes, seins droits ou seins tombants, cellulite ou pas, gays ou hétéros, ils sont tous nus et tous sur le même pied d’égalité. Qu’ils soient éboueurs ou médecins, une fois déshabillés, on perd les titres et on ne voit aucune différence.

C’est sûrement ce qui fait la popularité de Haulover Beach. Tout le monde sur le même pied d’égalité. Riches ou pauvres, le porte-monnaie n’est pas collé sur la bédaine

MIAMI-DADE

1. Sunny Isles Beach/Golden Beach
WHERE: On A1A from 163rd St. to the Broward County line.
FLAVOR: RC Cola. Everyone knows it but has forgotten about it.
CROWD: Local residents and families.
DETAILS: William Lane's new exuberant, Deco-styled pavilion at 163rd St. harks back to Sunny Isles Beach's '50s-futurism, even if the kitschy motels are now disappearing under the giant footprints of condo creep. Though there are few amentities, the beach - recently widened - is fine and it seems only locals know about it. Parking can be hard to find though there are metered lots near the Ramada Inn just north of the William Lehman Causeway, for example.

2. Haulover Park Beach
WHERE: On A1A around 10800 Collins Ave.
FLAVOR: Plenty of raw hides.
CROWD: Teens, families and nudists.
DETAILS: This beach would be rather unremarkable save for one thing: The northernmost section is clothing optional. Otherwise, it's a rather run-down and rugged beach with desperate need for refurbishing. Graffiti and broken bottles litter the tunnels that lead from the beach to the parking lots. The bathrooms could stand a cleaning. Other than serving as Miami-Dade's only legal haven for nudists, Haulover offers the usual amenities: picnic area, showers, lifeguards and concession stands. Parking is available in nearby large lots for a fee.

3. Surfside
WHERE: From 87th Terrace to 96th Street.
FLAVOR: Still waters.
CROWD: Somewhat older residents.
DETAILS: A wholly unpretentious area with a walking path, dunes and no clutter. A community center at 93rd Street has a pool, showers and concessions (for $3 for nonresidents). There is parking at meters a block or so away from the waterfront.

4. North Shore Park
WHERE: On A1A and 72nd Street in Miami Beach.
FLAVOR: Trail mix.
CROWD: Nature lovers.
DETAILS: Find long stretches of sand, picnic areas, better than average restrooms, showers and lifeguards, with areas of sea grapes, dunes and decent sand. An often overlooked, but charming gem among Miami-Dade beaches. Parking is available in nearby lots.

5. Miami Beach Central
WHERE: Between 22nd and 46th streets behind the hotels.
FLAVOR: Day-old gum.
CROWD: Tourists uninterested in South Beach's sizzle might come here.
DETAILS: The boardwalk is not bad for a stroll but most of the the beach has thin sand and rocks and a distinct lack of ambience in some spots. Restrooms are few; parking at meters in lots or on side streets near the hotels is available.

6. South Beach
WHERE: Along Ocean Drive from the Government Cut area to about 22nd Street.
FLAVOR: Hot spice.
CROWD: Anything goes … and does.
DETAILS: The ocean is still the best thing South Beach has to offer to tourists and natives alike. Thanks, Mother Nature. And South Beach is one hell of a social studies environment: Want to see gay men frolicking in their natural habitat? Stick to 12th Street. Interested in surfers and other thrill seekers? These creatures tend to congregate around First to Fifth streets. (Watch out for reckless jet skiers in this area, though). Families are almost everywhere. Topless women? All over and as easy to spot as a B-list star in one of the nearby clubs' VIP rooms. Across the street is the Art Deco District, where you can find restaurants, shopping and kitsch. And where else but in South Beach will you see pastel-colored lifeguard stands except on reruns of Miami Vice? Negatives: The sand is coarse and you have to walk across a football field expanse of it to get to the water. The restrooms are filthy. Parking is a hassle on the metered streets and the private lots are a rip-off so just park in one of the many garages along Collins Avenue.

7. Crandon Park Beach
WHERE: On Key Biscayne south of the Seaquarium (4000 Crandon Blvd.)
FLAVOR: Like Lay's plain potato chips. Reliable and familiar, but unexciting.
CROWD: Families.
DETAILS: What Crandon lacks in pizazz it makes up for in reliability. Long stretches of soft sand for spreading the towel out and soaking up the sun abound. (Bring sunscreen so you're still around the next time The Herald prints a beach guide). There are palm trees to recline against and read the latest paperback. This is actually the perfect beach for families. Mom and Dad can relax and there is enough for kids to do, too. There are lifeguards, some concessions and picnic areas with tables and grills. Not enough restrooms, though. Parking is generally adequate on the grounds. One quibble: When the waters are calm a distinct aroma of sewage can waft about. There's a $1 toll to access Key Biscayne and parking fees once on the island.

8.Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area
WHERE: End of Key Biscayne.
FLAVOR: Old-fashioned Florida.
CROWD: Families, snorkelers.
DETAILS: Hurricane Andrew did a number on this jewel 10 years ago, but nature is remarkable for its self-healing powers. Once again a mostly shady favorite with families for its plentiful barbecue grills and picnic tables, play areas and restrooms. Also a favorite for those seeking relaxation. This is one quiet (read: nonpretentious) spot. Cape Florida, located at the farthest end of Key Biscayne (look for the centuries-old lighthouse standing proudly against the sky), offers 1.25 miles of sandy beach. Bring snorkeling equipment since sea life such as grass and the animals that live inside spreads about the sea floor just a few yards out. There's a $1 toll to access Key Biscayne and parking fees once on the island.

9. Matheson Hammock
WHERE: Park at 9610 Old Cutler Road in Miami.
FLAVOR: Neighborhood swimming hole … if you live in a million-dollar neighborhood.
CROWD: Families, on the young side.
DETAILS: This isn't really a beach per se, but it boasts a man-made atoll pool that gets its waters from the tides sweeping Biscayne Bay. The bottom is rather slimy and murky but the surrounding park is lovely and families love it here … for good reason. There's a full-service marina and a snack bar and the Red Fish Grill restaurant carved into an historic coral rock building, picnic pavilions and nature trails. Plenty of free parking in lots.

10. Homestead Bayfront Park Beach
WHERE: 9698 SW North Canal Dr., Homestead.
FLAVOR: Pool party!
CROWD: Families.
DETAILS: Features an atoll beach (a pool of water, basically) with amenities including a marina, snack bar, barbecue grills, rental picnic shelter, a playground and lifeguards. Parking is located on the grounds.

BROWARD COUNTY

1. Deerfield Beach
WHERE: Southeast 10th Street to the Palm Beach County line.
FLAVOR: Good clean fun.
CROWD: Families, fans of fishing, surfers.
DETAILS: A 980-foot pier at the north end provides a great spot to fish ($3 fee and fishing license required). If you don't want to fish, pay $1 to watch other people make their catch. Surfing is allowed on the north side of the pier. Volleyball courts are available. The water is clear and inviting.

2. Pompano Beach
WHERE: Atlantic Boulevard to Northeast 16th Street.
FLAVOR: Plain m&ms - always good but, well, plain.
CROWD: Water sport aficionados, fishermen, families.
DETAILS: This big beach has most of the staples: picnic areas, playground, volleyball courts and parking. It also boasts a municipal pier with food available for you and the fish you want to catch. (Bait is for sale in the tackle shop.) Surfers can do their thing north of the pier. Rent water equipment or launch your own - launch area is Northeast 16th Street. Despite all that, there's not much to set it apart from similar beaches.

3. Lauderdale-by-the-Sea
WHERE: At Commercial Boulevard.
FLAVOR: Pink cotton candy and saltwater taffy.
CROWD: Tourists, families with small kids.
DETAILS: Feel like you're on vacation even if you live 10 miles away. The town is full of fun shops and restaurants, offering ice cream, seashell wares and food served on the sand. That's at The Ocean's Edge (formerly Sandy Shoes Cafe), 4512 El Mar Dr., where tables are positioned beachfront and the kids can frolic while the food's on its way. Cute motels and Anglin's Fishing Pier add to the charm. Don't relax too much, though - there are no lifeguards.

4. Fort Lauderdale
WHERE: From Harbor Beach north of Port Everglades Inlet to Oakland Park Boulevard.
FLAVOR: The coconut smell of suntan lotion on lots of skin.
CROWD: Who doesn't go to Fort Lauderdale Beach? Tourists, families, nature lovers, sports fans, shoppers, spring breakers.
DETAILS: Starting from the south: Harbor Beach, between Port Everglades Inlet and the 17th Street Causeway, boasts powder-soft sand but not good access. There's no where to park, but you can walk or bike - or stay in one of the hotels that front the beach. South of Las Olas Boulevard, there's a playground and plenty of picnic tables as well as volleyball and basketball courts and equipment rentals, making it a great place for families. There's more action just north of Las Olas Boulevard, with the landmark Elbo Room, Beach Place, bars, restaurants, shops, bikers, in-line skaters and that lovely beach wall. Parking lots are all over, but they fill up quickly. Hugh Taylor Birch State Park ($3.25 per carload up to eight people) is at Sunrise Boulevard with access to the beach via tunnel; here you can picnic, camp, bike, canoe and more. North to Oakland Park Boulevard, get away from it all: no shops, no tourists (well, fewer tourists) and also, inevitably, less parking.

5. John U. Lloyd Beach State Park
WHERE: 6503 N. Ocean Dr., Dania Beach.
FLAVOR: A quiet slice of nature amid an urban jungle.
CROWD: Those with a preference for wetlands as a backdrop instead of shopping centers or hotels.
DETAILS: The 251-acre park, adjacent to Port Everglades, offers a subtropical coastal hammock with nature trail, wetlands area, picnicking, kayak and canoe rentals and a boat ramp. The park has, however, been criticized for poor sand quality and less than perfect ambience. It sits between the Atlantic and the Intracoastal Waterway. Entrance is $2 for one person, $4 for two to eight people.

6. Dania Beach
WHERE: Dania Beach Boulevard.
FLAVOR: Quiet time.
CROWD: People who like their beach without huge crowds.
DETAILS: Though it's near Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, it's a quiet little jewel with a fishing pier, tiki-style huts and soft sand. Slightly claustrophobic but worth it for the peace. Shhh! Keep the secret.

7. Hollywood
WHERE: North of Hallandale Beach Boulevard; North Beach Park is at Sheridan Street.
FLAVOR: Heady beach buffet.
CROWD: Families, couples, exercise buffs and, when the season is right, our out-of-town friends from the north.
DETAILS: Hollywood offers a beach for everyone. Want to sun bathe with a backdrop of faded glory? Stake out some sand in front of the old Hollywood Beach Resort at Hollywood Boulevard. Want to shop, bike, eat, people watch or hear a beachside concert? Hit the Broadwalk; the band shell is at Johnson Street. Want to take the family out for a nature-friendly day in the sand? Try North Beach Park at Sheridan Street, where you probably won't mind paying $3-$5 for parking. The water's pretty as a picture, there's a sea turtle hatchery and plenty of sea oats and sand dunes. The north and south ends of Hollywood Beach are comparatively quiet and uncrowded.

8. Hallandale Beach
WHERE: Hallandale Beach Boulevard and State Road A1A.
FLAVOR: Retirees' oasis, for the most part.
CROWD: Condo dwellers, some younger families and anyone who can't make it the extra few minutes to Hollywood.
DETAILS: The landmark beach ball water tower stands guard over the county's southernmost shores. So do the condos. The beach offers bocce ball courts as well as showers, lifeguards, a playground and concession stands.

THE KEYS

11. Clarence S. Higgs Memorial Beach
WHERE: Near the south end of White Street on Atlantic Boulevard in Key West.
FLAVOR: Seaweed salad.
CROWD: Families, tourists.
DETAILS: This beach is on the small side, but includes cartoonish, fish-themed picnic shelters and structures; a pier that's decorated in painted footprints and sand and shore that are brackish and littered with seaweed. The similar C.B. Harvey Rest Beach Park is next door.

12. Smathers Beach
WHERE: On South Roosevelt Boulevard west of the airport in Key West.
FLAVOR: Generic cereal - a nice facsimile of other sandy, sporty South Florida beaches.
CROWD: Volleyball players, sunbathers, tourists. (It's Key West, after all.)
DETAILS: A long stretch of sand populated with palms, the beach is a nice place to seek refuge from the excesses of Duval Street. Volleyball nets beckon, as do rental options for water sports. Parking is metered on the street.

13. Bahia Honda State Park
WHERE: Between Mile Markers 36 and 37 on Bahia Honda Key.
FLAVOR: Paradise … as on a Corona commercial.
CROWD: Campers, snorkelers, explorers, fishermen, boaters, shallow-water wanderers and gazers.
DETAILS: You can do just about anything here. Stay overnight in a cabin or tent and wake to the golden sunrise. Kayak, snorkel, boat or fish. Ride a bike. Swim in the Atlantic or the Florida Bay. Wade through shallow, crystal-clear water. Or just park yourself on the attractive sand and relax. Park entrance is $2.50 a person, $5 for two and $.50 for each additional person. Pedestrians and bicyclists are $1.50.