South Florida has always been a mecca for those seeking a reprieve from the chilly winter months, (or an escape anytime of the year). With miles of white sandy beaches, mild winter temperatures, endless sunny days, unique places to explore, world class culture and art, and a vibrant nightlife, it’s no wonder the tri-county area of Miami-Dade, Broward (Ft. Lauderdale), and Palm Beach counties, better known as South Florida, is one of the most visited places in the world. But, in light of COVID, can you still enjoy vacationing in the Sunshine State? The answer is, yes!
The first thing to remember when traveling to Florida, is that COVID does exist and visitors should heed all CDC guidelines for safe social distancing and mask wearing mandates. However, the good news for tourists is that restaurants, museums, shops, and other venues have taken COVID-19 seriously. By limiting the number of patrons, setting up outdoor seating, and creating marked social distancing routes through their venues, vacationers and locals have found ways to safely entertain themselves.
Why should a trip to South Florida be on your vacation radar? Mostly because Florida has endless outdoor actives and unique venues that are naturally set up for social distancing. Which in light of the pandemic are some of the best reasons to pack your back and visit.
So what does South Florida have to offer someone wanting to safely social distance? We’ve put together a list of some of the Best Places and Things To Do when you want to explore South Florida, but are visiting during a pandemic.
The Beaches
No trip to South Florida is complete without lounging on the beach and soaking up the tropical sun. The wide open spaces and the gentle sea breezes make this the number one activity to stay safely socially distanced.
From Miami Beach’s glittering art deco South Beach and Fort Lauderdale’s iconic Las Olas Beach (think Spring Break) to the surfing beaches of Delray Beach and the uber posh Palm Beach shoreline, there are endless places to discover that are worth digging your toes in the sand. In fact, there are over 90 miles of beaches hugging the coast line from Miami Beach to Jupiter in Palm Beach County, so finding your 6′ of socially distanced space should be easy.
Water sports
The perfect activity for those wishing to stay COVID safe is to take to the water. Whether you want to rent a jet ski, charter a fishing boat, kayak among the mangroves, surf, paddle board, snorkel, or scuba dive, South Florida has it all. The best thing is that most of these activities are naturally social distanced things to do.
Explore South Florida’s Street Art
Communities
If you are leery about being indoors, but still want to take in a bit of art and culture, South Florida is home to some fantastic displays of street art murals. Art lovers will enjoy strolling down side streets and discovering South Florida’s outdoor art oasis. We’ve listed the best places in each county to go on an art safari.
Miami-Dade County:
Wynwood Art District is the epicenter of the South Florida street art scene with the world famous Wynwood Walls taking center stage. You can spend hours soaking in the vivid colors and art murals which adorn every wall, building, and surface you can imagine. This is a must see place and a great Covid-19 socially distanced activity.
Broward County:
Downtown Hollywood Art Mural Project may not be as massive as Wynwood, but the cute historically charming downtown will take you on a treasure hunt as you stroll through the side streets and alleyways.
F.A.T. Village Arts District in Fort Lauderdale is an area that has transformed from a gritty industrial neighborhood to an artsy urban hip place. Here you will find art murals painted on warehouses, art studios, small shops and restaurants.
Palm Beach County
Downtown Lake Worth is another historic area that has transformed itself into a art mural hot spot. The LULA Lake Worth Arts Mural Project is the main reason visitors are re-discovering this South Florida town.
Honorable Mentions: Delray Beach’s Pineapple Grove District and Downtown West Palm Beach both have beautiful art murals, but not as many, or located in as dense of an area as other spots in South Florida.
Check Out South Florida’s Wild Side with an Animal Adventure
South Florida is home to some of the country’s most unique animal experiences and a must see on your Florida itinerary, pandemic or not. From up close alligator encounters, to face -to-face lion adventures, there is no shortage of wildlife to check out.
Our picks for the best outdoor animal adventures will give you the perfect way to enjoy a socially distanced afternoon. Click on each venue for more information.
Miami-Dade County:
Zoo Miami is the only subtropical zoo in the continental U.S. It is also the 5th largest zoo in United States. Zoo Miami has been drawing visitors since 1948.
Monkey Jungle is the only semi-natural rainforest in North America where you can be surrounded by animals in their natural habitat.
Broward County:
Everglades Alligator Farm and Airboat Tours is just one of the many airboat and alligator encounter companies designed to give visitors a unique Florida animal adventure.
Palm Beach County:
Dreher Park (Palm Beach) Zoo is home to 500 exotic animals from around the globe. This regional zoo is a nature and animal lovers oasis in West Palm Beach and should be one your list of socially distanced activities to enjoy.
Lion Country Safari. With over 1,000 animals, Lion Country Safari is the largest drive through animal and amusement park in Florida. After enjoying a ride through the safari park, visitors can stroll through the amusement park, feed the Giraffes and cool off in their splash park.
Explore South Florida’s Natural Beauty
South Florida’s subtropical climate makes it home to some of North America’s most lush and colorful tropical plants. As you stroll through the many tropical and botanical gardens located throughout the tri-county area, the beauty of the unspoiled nature will make you feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle of near by city life.
Miami-Dade County
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens is an oasis in the heart of high energy South Beach. The 3-acre tropical garden has event spaces, sculptures and lush manicured paths to wander through.
Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens This 83-acre tropical paradise located in Coral Gables offers guided tours of the gardens. The Gardens also has an on-site restaurant, event spaces, and educational programs.
Broward County
Flamingo Gardens, is the last natural jungle in South Florida. The gardens date back to 1925 and are home to 3,000 tropical and subtropical species of trees and plants. The park also features an enclave of Flamingos and other exotic animals — it’s not called Flamingo Gardens for nothing.
Palm Beach County
Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens located in Delray Beach is one of South Florida’s most treasured cultural attractions. The 16-acre complex is home to authentic Japanese exhibits containing over 7,000 artifacts, a restaurant, and walking paths that allow visitors to stroll through bamboo forests, see waterfalls, and bonsai gardens.
While this list was not meant to be an all-inclusive list, it is meant to give you the inspiration to explore some of the gems of South Florida, pandemic or not.
You might enjoy reading:
Discover Morikami Museum
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