July 14th, 2011 
Tushar Mathur The city of Miami is an incredibly popular tourist attraction. People from around the world visit Miami in order to check out its beautiful beaches and attend world-famous events the likes of the Sony Ericsson Open, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and South Beach Wine & Food Festival. The Port of Miami, also known as the “Cruise Capital of the World,” is the number one cruise passenger port in the world; over four million people travel to Miami each year in order to embark upon their cruises. Miami is full of so many things to do that oftentimes people forget that other places and attractions actually exist beyond the city limits. If you find yourself wanting to explore the less urban side of Florida while keeping Miami as your home base, here are three day trips to nearby areas for you to consider.
Everglades National Park – If you need to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, check out the Everglades. Everglades National Park, which contains a good 25% of the original Everglades, is located an hour or so southwest of Miami . The best time of year to visit the Everglades is in the winter during the months of December through March, which is when the temperature is the lowest. You can walk, bike, canoe or kayak through the Everglades. Although many people dismiss the Everglades as a murky swamp, it is actually a breathtaking place filled with a quiet understated beauty. Whichever way you choose to explore the Everglades, be sure to give yourself a moment to stop and actually take in the natural beauty all around you.
Biscayne National Park – Biscayne National Park is located east of Miami in Biscayne Bay. Within this 300 square mile national park you’ll find the world’s third largest reef. One great way to see the reef is to go snorkeling; Biscayne National Park has some of the best snorkeling in the United States. However, if you’d like to see the reef without getting wet, you can go canoeing or take a glass-bottom boat tour.
Key Largo – Key Largo is the largest of the Florida Keys. This island is a popular destination for scuba divers, fishers and kayakers. Serious divers should definitely check out Spiegel Grove and the USCG Duane. If you’ve always dreamed of interacting with a dolphin up close and personal, then visit one of the three dolphin encounter attractions on Key Largo. If, for some reason, you want to see a reef but are too nervous to get onto a boat or go snorkeling, then visit the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park for their reconstruction of a living reef in a 30,000 gallon aquarium.
Tom Forman is from the cheap rental cars website Car Rental Express (CRX). You can also visit CRX on Facebook too.
