Five Means Drive

Miami Beach on A1A should sink

The best spot in Miami Beach

Water is amazingly calm, clear, and warm compared to Atlantic

As nice as it was, Indiantown had little to hold the kids' attention and there was a lot more Florida to see. So we hit the road. Just two hours away is Miami so we headed out after some breakfast. Made great time and got some wonderful tips on things to see from Jennifer Gerz-Escandon.

Cruising in on A1A to Miami Beach was beautiful as we saw water on both sides that just sparkled and glowed. I've never seen so many high rise apartments/hotels/condos in my life. As far as I could see in both directions were massive buildings. How the spit of land could hold so much weight and where all the people come from befuddles me. We got out and walked around Lincoln Street (pedestrian mall) where we saw all kinds of fine shops, beach shops, Italian restaurants, and wild parrots. Forgot that wild parrots do exist in the U.S.! Wendy started drooling when she saw the Ghiradelli's shop, so a chocolate milkshake was ordered to beat the heat. Deacon said it tasted like a liquid brownie.

For lunch we headed to the mainland and Little Havana. Gotta say, "Wasn't what I expected." Always thought that this area of Miami would be bustling, vibrant, and colorful.Found the Domino Park where all sorts of folks slap down tiles in a friendly - and sometimes confrontational - game. Maybe we missed some special part but it reminded me more of Sweet Auburn or maybe a small NYC Chinatown. Had a very nice waitress at a restaurant that was more of a club. Still good rice & beans and a decent Cuban sandwich but not the experience I dreamt of.

Throwing the kids back in the car for a couple more hours, we cut across Alligator Alley toward Naples with only one brief rest stop where we could view gators and fish from the road. Ramada Inn is only a half mile from one of the nicest beaches we've ever seen. The public parking is well-manicured (though you have to pay to park), sand is pristine white, water is vibrant blues and greens, and the tide is mellow - due to the shallow water at high tide. An evening dip, walk as the sun set (forgot the camera of course), followed by eating in the room, and watching The Princess Bride until too late made for a relaxing end of the day.