55 June 27- July 3, 2024 New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com BEST PLACE TO SEE MANATEES Little River Canal Biscayne Boulevard Bridge SR5 (0.13 miles south of NE 79th Street) Miami, 33138 Sometimes Miami’s natural magic butts right up to and swims underneath its traffic-snarled urban hardscape. Almost as predictable as the northbound gridlock on the stretch of Biscayne just south of 79th Street lies just below a steady stream of traffic of a different, portly, seagrass- munching sort. Yes, we’re talking about mana- tees. The best place to see the slow-moving sea cows is between Advance Auto Parts and the BP station on a bridge that does not look wel- coming to pedestrians across from a strip club. This area of the Little River Canal is a protected reserve, and throughout the season (November to April), you’ll spot manatees here, often with babies in tow. The bridge provides a great van- tage point, perfect angle, and distance for close viewing as they glide by below. BEST ENDANGERED SPECIES Miami Seaquarium 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway Miami, 33149 305-361-5705 miamiseaquarium.com The Seaquarium on Virginia Key used to draw millions of tourists and locals to its dolphin and whale shows. That version of the park now only exists in memories — what remains is simply scandalous. Accusations of animal cruelty sur- rounding the captivity of star attraction Lolita the orca whale had dogged the park for years. In the wake of her death in 2023, horrific re- ports of decrepit facilities, understaffed vet teams, and sick and injured animals have led Miami-Dade County to terminate the park’s lease — a more than welcome development. We’d say see it before it’s too late, but we’re willing to bet you won’t like what you see. BEST VIEW Baywood Park NE 69th Street at Biscayne Bay Miami, 33138 Go east on NE 69th Street in MiMo, and you’ll eventually come upon Baywood Park, a lovely little patch of green abutting Biscayne Bay. Come here on a Sunday afternoon to gaze upon the turquoise blue waters across to the condo towers of Miami Beach and feel the gentle cool- ing breeze, possibly with an iguana at your side. And stay for sunset, as the pastels fade to a black, sparkling sky. You might just forget all the nonsense and stress that comes with living in Miami and remember how truly beautiful this city is. BEST PLACE TO GO STONED Bayside Marketplace 401 Biscayne Boulevard Miami, 33132 baysidemarketplace.com This might not be something you want to do in broad daylight, but for stoners looking for a place to sneak out, spark up, and unwind, Bay- side Marketplace is the move. The best spot to suck down a joint is the pier in the back where the THC, soft tropical breeze, and glitter of downtown lights can hit you all at once. As the stores close around 10 p.m., the area becomes remarkably peaceful, so you can safely light up a doobie and take in the breathtaking pan- orama of the city skyline and the Skyviews Mi- ami Observation Wheel against the night sky. Plus, with plenty of late-night restaurants in the greater downtown area, you’ve got munchie options galore. BEST HISTORIC LANDMARK Cauley Square Historic Village 22400 Old Dixie Highway Miami, 33170 www.cauleysquare.com Right off Old Dixie Highway in Goulds stands one of Miami-Dade County’s best-kept se- crets, a precious postcard-perfect historic vil- lage, Cauley Square. It was first established as a railway siding at the turn of the 20th Cen- tury. Spread across ten acres of lush, tree- shaded gardens colonized by peacocks, this hidden oasis of tranquility — a New Age en- clave, really — is home to open artist studios, an independent bookstore, antique shop, and much more. As big developers continue to raze all of Miami’s historically distinguishing features with impunity, Cauley Square re- mains an authentic time capsule of Old Florida that must be protected at all costs. BEST WALK Brickell Key No need to try and risk your life walking along the traffic-jammed streets of Miami to get your steps in. Instead, head down to Brickell Key near the Mandarin Oriental. The scenic 1.1- mile loop offers a picturesque view of the city, and, if you’re tuned in to the surrounding natu- ral world, you may even spot a dolphin and manatee — all while breaking a sweat and strengthening your calves. Between the dogs, strollers, runners, and occasional wannabe in- fluencers, the path can get a bit crowded. But they’ll all fade away once you cue up your fa- vorite podcast, plug in your noise-canceling headphones, and take in the majesty of the Magic City. BEST ROAD TO AVOID Brickell Avenue What can be said about getting stuck on Brick- ell Avenue traffic that can’t be summarized in a series of loud grunts and unintelligible cries of pain? It’s always a steamy summer’s evening, you just finished up a shitshow day at work, and all you want to do is return to your humble abode to roast a doobie. But standing in your way is that serpentine line of vehicles down Brickell, and it’s slithering along at 2.53 miles per hour. You have two choices: get riled up and tailgate some other poor schmuck or kick back, put on The Very Best of Yanni, and hope that the Bayside Miami aliens deploy a tractor beam to abduct every last vehicle standing be- tween you and your apartment. Argh! Blech! Fkokendrugle! BEST MILE OF MIAMI Meridian Avenue, from First Street to 15th Street Miami Beach, 33139 We’re proudly known as the Sunshine State, but sometimes you want to appreciate those so- lar rays from the cool embrace of a tree-laden street. You can find that right-kind-of-shady mile in Meridian Avenue on South Beach. Mas- sive Brazilian beauty leaf trees cover pedestri- ans, bicyclists, drivers, and packs of tour-guided Segway riders so they can appreciate the rela- tive quiet of the two-lane residential road and its art deco-style apartment buildings. As an added bonus, at night along the Flamingo Park portion of this mile — from 11th to 15th streets — the trees are lit up with white Christmas lights all year, giving off an even more other- worldly aura to this mesmerizing strip.
