Tag: attractions
Florida was once known for its roadside attractions such as Six-Gun Territory in Ocala, which featured shootouts at high noon on its dusty main drag. Winter Haven also had Cypress Gardens, known for water-ski shows and young women dressed in floral-colored southern belle costumes. Many of them went by the wayside after Walt Disney World opened in the Orlando area in 1972. But this weekend, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Hernando County will celebrate 75 years. The park draws hundreds of thousands of tourists each year for kayaking, to see manatees, and, of course, the live mermaid shows. “The park itself that the underwater theater that visitors when they go see the mermaid shows live is the only theater of its kind in the entire world,” said John Athanason, a tourism marketing specialist for Florida’s Adventure Coast. “It’s a 400-seat theater that was submerged. So the mermaids do not perform in a tank or an aquarium. They’re actually performing in a first-magnitude spring. And all the visitors able to see the magic they perform via this underwater theater.” Thursday at 10 a.m., the park will unveil 28 mermaid statues to celebrate its anniversary, in an exhibition called “Destination Mermaid: The Tail Trail.” The original anniversary observance was to be held on Oct. 13, 2022, but it was pushed back after Hurricane Ian ravaged the southwest Gulf Coast near the end of September. Athanason said the park will bring together mermaids from over the decades, including 92-year-old Diane Wyatt McDonald, one of Weeki Wachee’s first “Aquabelles.” McDonald was the co-creator of a certain pose that is depicted in “Adagio,” one of the statues that can be seen in front of the park. And there’s “legendary siren” Vicki Smith, now in her 80s and who, Athanason said, swam for Elvis Presley when he visited the park in 1961. Athanason said Weeki Wachee Springs is Hernando County’s biggest tourist draw. And after this weekend, most of the mermaid statues will be moved to different spots throughout the county. One of them will be moved to its permanent home at the Visit Florida Welcome Center at the Florida-Georgia line in Jennings, Florida. “We’re going to create a trail with a map where people can go and see these beautiful works of art, and maybe discover pieces of Hernando County that it didn’t know existed,” Athanason said. Later this month, Weeki Wachee will be holding auditions for new mermaids. Athanason said first and foremost, they are athletes. Those who wish to become a Weeki Wachee Springs mermaid have to be strong swimmers. “Someone who looks comfortable underwater or someone who doesn’t look panicky … when you’re underwater and you’re breathing compressed air, it can become dangerous,” Athanason said. Font: https://news.wfsu.org/
In its thirty-season history, the Florida Renaissance Festival recently experienced its most incredible year. After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, ticket sales were better than ever, with organizers reporting over 100,000 attendees. Additionally, a record number of first-timers attended the festival, which is encouraging for the future of the medieval celebration. So why is this year’s Florida Renaissance Festival different from previous years? “We like to keep things fresh for the regulars, especially those season pass holders who come seven, eight or nine times [per season],” Bobby Rodriguez, the festival’s founder and producer, tells Miami New Times over Zoom. “We want to give them a reason to come back. The last thing we want to hear from the patrons that come to the Renaissance Festival is that it’s the same thing every year.” The festival’s expansion from seven to eight weeks is among the most noticeable changes. It will take place in Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach from February 4 through March 26, and week eight will have a theme, just like all the other weeks: a Mad Hatter’s Circus. The new Lewis Caroll-inspired event joins many others, including Steampunk & Time Travelers, Wizarding World’s Faire, Barbarians & Dragons, Pirate Invasion, and Highland Fling. “Our line is that the Florida Renaissance Festival is between myth and history,” Rodriguez says. “We’re not just trying to be historically correct. We also want to bring in myths like fairies and magic. We started doing that ten years ago, and people really bought into it. A lot of the themes have nothing to do with the renaissance, but that’s what people wanted.” This year’s makeover of the festival’s layout is another new addition. With the new stages, signs, and decorations the festival has been constructing throughout the summer, anticipate new walkways. Rodriguez is conscious of the potential for backlash when unveiling a brand-new layout because there was some opposition the previous time the festival underwent a significant revamp. “I thought it was awesome and would work great, but people just hated it,” Rodriguez says of the previous redesign. “Some people like to know that the music stage will be there when they turn the corner. I’m crossing my fingers that after 30 years of experience, I won’t make as many mistakes as I did years ago.” But don’t anticipate the festival getting a major makeover. Regulars will be pleased to hear that the event’s more well-liked features will not change. The festival’s most well-liked attraction, the jousting show, will still take place three times daily. With its adult-oriented comedy performances, including the brand-new “Filthy Irish Pub Stories,” the R-rated tent will once again draw large crowds. In the Tomato Torture game, you can still fire Captain’s Cannons and fling tomatoes at the insult-hurling opponents. As always, turkey legs will be available for purchase; otherwise, it wouldn’t be a true Renaissance Festival. Only crème brûlée will be sold at Chateau Hibbele if you’re seeking something sweet to eat. According to Rodriguez, the first-time vendor will burn the sugar on top of the traditional French delicacy using a dragon-head lighter to achieve the proper caramelized effect. Other noteworthy desserts include the ice cream and cereal puffs that Shawn Grissom (also known as Magical Desserts and Drinks) smokes with nitrogen and the booze-infused cakes that Spirited Slices make. While not required, costumes are usually recommended, not that attendance needs much persuading. To attend the festival, more individuals than ever are dressing up. “It got to the point seven or eight years ago when we had all our performers wear badges so that you’d know they were part of the show. But the badges didn’t help much,” Rodriguez says. “A big percentage of patrons dress up. They don’t need much of an excuse to wear a costume.” Florida Renaissance Festival: Saturday, February 4, through Sunday, March 26, at Quiet Waters Park, 401 S Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach; 954-776-1642; ren-fest.com. Daily tickets cost $14 to $32; children 5 and younger get in free. Font: https://floridainsider.com/
Cultural arts institutions are entering the new year with a diverse selection of artistic programming, experiences and educational outreach. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts has forged a partnership with the Miami-Dade County Department of Cultural Affairs’ Culture Shock Miami to host free pop-up performances with the return of Family Fest. Family Fest is one of Arsht Center’s programs committed to community engagement and deepening the experience of the performing arts for all residents. Serving more than 105,000 people throughout 16 years, the programs have broadened community participation and opened the sights, sounds and possibilities of the world through the performing arts. The next free performance is “Rita Finds Home,” presented by Miami City Ballet at the Arsht Center at 1300 Biscayne Blvd. in downtown Miami. The ballet showcase is about a young artist named Rita, who dreams of living in the big city despite the lush tropical island she calls home. “Rita Finds Home” is a co-commission with the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and performed by the Miami City Ballet School. On March 12, The Miami Children’s Chorus, The Children’s Voices Chorus, The Miami Sound Space Choir and The Civic Chorale of Greater Miami will hit the stage at the Arsht Center for a community sing-along. The “Big Sing” concert works towards a vision of a community where people of all ages can explore the joy of singing and highlights Miami-Dade’s choral community. “The Ocean Lives There,” will feature the Greater Miami Youth Symphony at the Arsht Center. The April 15 performance celebrates Miami’s tropical culture as well as Florida-made music and literature, educating young musicians on the practice of new work, and providing an accessible and engaging musical experience for families. GableStage’s longstanding education initiative that presents 40 performances at upwards of 20 Miami-Dade public and private schools each season is bringing Shakespeare into the schools. Touring throughout March, all performances include a comprehensive, interactive study guide that is delivered in advance of the scheduled dates. The program is meant to expose high school students to classic text that is animated from the pages of Shakespeare and also provide recently graduated actors and stage managers with their first professional opportunities.On March 7, GableStage will have a special performance of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night,” at 1200 Anastasia Ave. in Coral Gables.Directed by New World School of the Arts’ Eddie Brown, the play tells of a shipwrecked woman navigating love and life in a new land. In this adaption, the coast of Illyria is replaced with the vast beaches of Miami, while Haiti stands in the place of the protagonist’s homeland of Messaline.HistoryMiami Museum will be one of eight Smithsonian affiliates across the nation collaborating on Earth Optimism Youth Action and Leadership for Sustainable Communities (EOYAL), a two-year educational program designed to empower high school students to take environmental action on issues facing their community.The museum will work with two groups of high school students and their teachers from Miami-Dade County Public Schools. The program’s overarching goal is to empower students, specifically from schools in vulnerable neighborhoods, who suffer disproportionately from climate change. With the help of mentors, student teams will design an action plan for a specific issue that they will present to a jury of Smithsonian scientists and educators. Once completed, their work will be publicized on Smithsonian websites and social media platforms.“Students will take on leadership roles and explore current environmental issues facing their communities,” said Olgasabrina Rueda, HistoryMiami’s manager of education and school Initiatives, “and will engage with local and national stakeholders as they create solutions to support local communities.” Font: Miami Today News
Miami is a destination increasingly present in the plans of Brazilians. The city has a lively atmosphere, a variety of outdoor activities to do, good nightlife attractions, as well as a super-beautiful sea. With this attractive combination of factors, many people fall in love with the place, repeating the trip several times or even choosing Miami to spend a season studying or living. A trip to Miami calls for a stroll through Miami Beach, especially in the South Beach area, the art deco architecture district that still preserves some of the atmosphere in which Miami was founded. In South Beach, stroll along Ocean Drive, a tree-lined avenue that is ideal for having a coffee watching the movement of people and imported cars on the street, and relax in Lummus Park, with many coconut trees. Rent a bike to ride on the shore and, if you are looking for a quieter corner, head to the beach or to the park at South Pointe Park, at the very end of the island, which has a beautiful sunset. South Beach is a busy region day and night, suitable for partying, dancing and meeting people from all over the world. If you love nightlife, don’t miss the bars and clubs on Ocean Drive, Española Way and Lincoln Road (which is also a great mall for shopping and eating). If clubs aren’t your type and you don’t even like crowded beaches, try to get to know the stretch of beaches in the central and northern part of Miami Beach, where many hotels offer structure for their guests on the sand. Miami’s beaches have pale, almost white sand and an enchanting turquoise sea! When coconut trees are integrated into the landscape, the scenery is irresistible for a walk with your feet in the sand and a dip in the sea. Downtown Miami, connected to Miami Beach by bridges, is also worth a visit. Downtown is the area of Miami that concentrates offices in tall and modern buildings, and the financial center of the city, which is located in Brickell. It is the region of wide and well-kept avenues, where the city’s public transport is more present – if you have the opportunity, ride the metromover, a suspended vehicle that works as a means of transport, but is worth a mini tourist tour. In Downtown are also: the AmericanAirlines Arena, home of the Miami Heat, the excellent Miami basketball team that is part of the NBA; the Pérez Art Museum (contemporary art museum); and the Bayside Marketplace, a shopping mall with a very pleasant view to grab a bite to eat. From Bayside depart boat tours of Biscayne Bay, where there are several islands with stunning houses! One of Miami’s most important tourist attractions is the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a property that belonged to one of the millionaires who were part of the city’s founding. The place has ornate gardens, a beautiful view of the sea and a mansion in the best European style with a very beautiful interior decoration – for those who enjoy history and architecture, the place is very cool and stands out because it is a little different from what you would expect to find. in the city. Those who want to know more about this cultural side of the city should include in their itinerary a visit to Little Havana, the most Cuban neighborhood in Miami, with shops selling Cuban products, as well as restaurants with typical dishes. Another cool neighborhood is Wynwood, whose look has been revamped through graffiti-painted walls; there, it is worth visiting the Wynwood Walls, a kind of open-air museum, with walls painted by different artists in completely different styles. For outdoor walks, connected to nature, our tip is the Miami Beach Botanical Garden or the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, which has a guided tour and a very beautiful butterfly garden. To the north of Miami Beach is Haulover Park, ideal for enjoying a beach without many people – in this park there is even a part of the beach dedicated to nudism. A different option is to visit the Everglades, native vegetation of Florida, where you can take an air boat (propeller boat) amid lakes full of plants and see crocodiles in their natural habitat. Jungle Island, a zoo with interactive shows, and the Miami Seaquarium, are program options to see different species of animals. Both locations are popular with families with children – particularly the Miami Seaquarium, which is a popular point of interest on weekends for shows featuring dolphins, sea lions and whales. If you want to let your child play freely, head to the Miami Children’s Museum, a perfect playground for young children.
From splashy international art fairs and thrilling performing arts theaters to a dynamic museum and gallery scene, Greater Miami & Miami Beach is a world-class destination for arts and culture that will inspire and captivate you with its spirited energy and contemporary vision. Every year in early December, the international Art Basel Miami Beach art fair draws thousands of artists and collectors to our shores. The week surrounding it – Miami Art Week – is filled with satellite fairs, art shows and other events that showcase local artists. All year long, the destination’s dynamic gallery scene encompasses mainstream, thought-provoking and emerging artists. Galleries abound in areas including the Miami Design District, Allapattah, Little Haiti, Downtown Miami and South Beach. In the Wynwood Arts District, a kaleidoscope of works by groundbreaking artists can be seen throughout the neighborhood and at Wynwood Walls, an outdoor museum dedicated to street art. In Downtown Miami, the Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is a must-visit for its impressive collection of contemporary art of the Americas, as well as for its breathtaking architecture by Herzog & de Meuron, with Biscayne Bay as its backdrop. Greater Miami & Miami Beach is also a dynamic destination for the performing arts. The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Miami hosts touring Broadway shows as well as performances by its resident companies: Miami City Ballet, Florida Grand Opera and the New World Symphony. The New World Symphony also performs at the New World Center, its cutting-edge space in South Beach designed by Frank Gehry. With all of this culture set in our subtropical natural beauty, it’s easy to think of the destination itself as an art gallery and performance space. Greater Miami & Miami Beach’s science and history museums open up new worlds for exploration. At the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science in Downtown Miami, you can visit the planetarium and check out the 500,000-gallon aquarium. Just across Biscayne Boulevard, the Freedom Tower is the place to learn about Miami’s Cuban diaspora. The historic building is also home to the Museum of Art and Design (MOAD) at Miami Dade College. Continue your exploration of Miami’s rich Caribbean and Latin American culture in neighborhoods including Little Havana and Little Haiti, as well as its fascinating Black history in Historic Overtown. No matter which activities you include in your itinerary, you’ll find that Miami’s arts and culture scene is filled with an international flavor and vibrant energy that shines brighter than ever.
How do I get my pass? Firstly, download the Go City app. You can then use your order confirmation number to add your pass to your phone. Et voilà, it’ll be right there on the app. (But don’t worry, your pass won’t activate until you visit your first attraction!). Feeling old-school? You can also print your pass at home using the link in your confirmation email. (You can also show this version of the pass on your phone if you’d prefer!). How do I use my All-Inclusive Pass? Got your pass? Let the sightseeing begin! Some attractions welcome visitors on the day and some need to be booked in advance, so be sure to check our All-Inclusive Pass reservations page before you travel. When you get to each attraction, tour, or activity, show your pass for entry. You’ve got total control of your sightseeing – plan ahead, or choose attractions as you go! What’s included with the All-Inclusive Pass? With the All-Inclusive Pass, you can visit as many of the top Miami sights, tours, and must-sees as you wish while your pass is valid. Plus, with the Go City app, you’ll have all the information you need at your fingertips. We’re talking attraction information, suggested itineraries, a handy map, and more! How long do I have to use my pass? Visiting your first chosen attraction will activate your pass. Once activated, your pass will be valid for the number of calendar days (not 24-hour periods) indicated on your pass, over a two-week period. For example, if you have a three-day pass and visit an attraction on Monday afternoon, your pass is valid for the remainder of Monday and two additional calendar days over the next two weeks.
