Sports
Miami has a lot to offer in spectator sports. Several well-known American teams are from Miami, including the successful basketball team Miami Heat (Internet: www.nba.com/heat), which runs from November to April in its home stadium, the American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Boulevard (Tel: (786) 777 14 60. Internet: www.aaarena.com), plays.
Miami’s best football team, the Miami Dolphins (Internet: www.miamidolphins.com), play from August to December at Sun Life Stadium, 2269 Northwest 199th Street (Tel: (305) 623 61 00. Internet: www.sunlifestadium.com), as well as the Florida Marlins (Internet: www.flamarlins.com). Their season runs from April to September.
Horse races have been taking place in South Florida for many years. One of the most important race tracks is the Calder Racecourse, 21001 Northwest 27th Avenue (Tel: (305) 625 13 11. Internet: www.calderracecourse.com), where thoroughbreds are sent from May to January.
Tickets for sports events are available directly from the event locations or from Ticketmaster (Tel: (305) 358 5885. Internet: www.ticketmaster.com).
Water sports
Biscayne National Underwater Park, 9700 Southwest 328th Street, Homestead (Tel: (305) 230 72 75. Internet: www.nps.gov/bisc), with a marine biotope of over 72,400 hectares, is particularly popular with divers and snorkelers; excursions with glass-bottom boats are also offered.
The PADI affiliated Club South Beach Divers, 850 Washington Avenue (Tel: (305) 531 61 10th Internet: www.southbeachdivers.com), offers diving lessons , equipment rental and daily diving.
Fishing
Various companies offer day trips for deep-sea fishing, including Therapy-IV, 10800 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach (Tel: 305) 945 15 78. Internet: www.therapy4.com), and Reward Fishing Fleet, Miami Beach Marina (Tel: (305) 372 94 70. Internet: www.fishingmiami.com).
Fitness and wellness studios
Many hotels in body-conscious Miami have fitness facilities. Chains of American fitness centers in the Miami area offer day passes starting at US $ 24. These include: Crunch Fitness, 1259 Washington Avenue (Tel: (305) 674 8222), with a selection of aerobics, yoga and fitness classes, Gold’s Gym, 1400 Alton Road, South Beach (Tel: (305) 538 4653) where a lot of weight training is done.
Training halls, such as Club Body Tech, 1259 Washington Avenue (Tel: (305) 674 82 22nd Internet: www.crunch.com), are cheaper.
Baths and wellness facilities, absolutely hip in Miami, can be found in many large hotels.
The Mandarin Oriental Hotel Spa, 500 Brickell Key Drive, Brickell Key (Tel: (305) 913 8288. Internet: www.mandarinoriental.com) is very popular for its algae treatments.
Golf
Florida is a golfer’s paradise because the weather is favorable all year round and there are more golf courses than in any other state in the United States.
The Biltmore Golf Club, 1210 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (tel: (305) 460 53 64 or (1-800) 310 61 43 toll free). Internet: www.biltmorehotel.com/golf), has one of the most beautiful golf courses in Miami.
Crandon Golf Course, 6700 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne (Tel: (305) 361 91 29. Internet: www.crandongolfclub.com), is one of the best public golf courses in America and is the venue for the Royal Caribbean Classic Golf Tournament.
The Doral Golf Resort and Spa, 4400 Northwest 87th Avenue (Tel: (305) 592 20 00. Internet: www.doralresort.com), has five 18-hole courses , all of which have different levels of difficulty, from the simple Great White space to the infamous Monster Blue.
All of the golf clubs mentioned can also be used by non-members.
Rollerblading
Visitors can join the skaters on South Beach and rent inline skates at Skate 2000, 1200 Ocean Drive, (Tel: (305) 538 82 82) (free lessons on Sundays).
Fritz’s Skate and Bike Shop, 730 Lincoln Road (Tel: (305) 532 19 54), rents inline skates by the hour and day.
Sailing
Yachts are rented at Miami Bay at Moorings, 2550 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove (Tel: (305) 858 86 50. Internet: www.moorings.com).
Sailing lessons are given by the Offshore Sailing School, 16731 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers, (Tel: (1-888) 454 80 02 or (239) 454 17 00. Internet: www.offshoresailing.com) on Captiva Island, on the Duck Keys / Florida Keys and in St. Petersburg in Tampa Bay.
Tennis
There are numerous public spaces including Bunkers of Miami, 1802 Northwest 37th Avenue, (Tel: (305) 633-4583), Biltmore Tennis Center, 1210 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (Tel: (305) 460 53 64) and im Normandy Shores Golf Course, 2401 Biarritz Drive, Miami Beach, (Tel: (305) 868-6502).
