Best Florida Trips

BEST FLORIDA TRIPS

Florida will cast a spell on you. Spanish explorers saw manatees and imagined they were mermaids. Ponce de Lon found the fabled Fountain of Youth after Native Americans showed him a sacred spring. Latter-day developers dug up mucky swampland and tangled mangrove forests, and sold paradise for a pretty penny to snowbird retirees.

In its history, Florida has inspired as much madness and murder as it has fantasies of a magical kingdom where dreams really do come true. But the Sunshine State is also a kitschy, fun-loving vacationland made for spring breakers, lovebird couples and minivan-driving families. Florida claims 1800 miles of coastline amazingly, two-thirds of that is sandy beaches. Cold beer, a basket of peel-and-eat shrimp, waving palms trees, gentle surf and hypnotic sunsets are never far away.

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Florida has got booty-shakin Latin rhythms and pop sounds, deep veins of Southern blues and folk, the twang of country guitars, and rebellious rock and hip-hop. For Sunshine State road-tripping, download:

Cheeseburger in Paradise, Jimmy Buffet

Free Bird, Lynyrd Skynyrd

Its Five OClock Somewhere, Alan Jackson

Ramblin Man, Allman Brothers

I Wont Back Down, Tom Petty

Hands Down, Dashboard Confessional

Miami, Will Smith

Bella, Los Primeros

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But wait, theres more. Savor Miamis heady Latin American cultural mix, inviting for foodies and nightclub mavens alike. Paddle around pristine bays and go gator spotting in the Everglades. Follow the epic Overseas Highway all the way out to kooky Key West.

Welcome to Florida. The adventure starts now.

TRIP 1

WHY GO Miami is all about Latin flavor, especially when it comes to cuisine. Lee Klein, food critic for the Miami New Times newspaper, shares some of his favorite Latin American eateries in Little Havana and beyond, plus offbeat hideaways and culinary gems in his own bohemian neighborhood, Miami Beach.

While you get ready to jump in and explore Miamis toothsome side, be prepared to speak un poquito espaol (a little Spanish). Or just smile, point politely and ask por favor, quiero esto (Id like, please). But dont let any language barriers get in the way of your mission: to try the most authentic Latin tastes Miami has to offer. Miami has always been strong on ethnic holes-in-the-wall, Klein opines. Cuban, Haitian, Central American, South American the list goes on and on. Many Latin American eateries stay open after midnight, too convenient in a city where la vida nocturna is key.

For a first taste of Miamis melting pot, head out to El Palacio de Los Jugos. This open-air marketplace, with food stands like youd find all over Latin America, is at the intersection of where Havana and Miami shake hands. Klein recommends: Walk over to where the guy is whacking the tops off of coconuts for fresh juices. Buy a plate of pork asada with fried plantains, black beans and rice, and devour it on a bench in the corner while you watch all the activity going on. As for the juices, you can experiment with more exotic flavors like melon, mamey or guarapo (pressed sugarcane).

Little Havana is Miamis best-known Cuban community. Calle Ocho (aka SW 8th St) doesnt just cut through the heart of the neighborhood it is the heart of the neighborhood. Its not commercial. Its not a tourist attraction, Klein points out. This is where youll see old Cuban men smoking cigars and playing chess. Thats especially true in Mximo Gmez Park, named for a late-19th-century Cuban independence fighter. Another Little Havana landmark is Versailles restaurant, where politicians (even US presidents) drop by to take the pulse of the community. When something important happens, Klein says, this is where Cuban Americans go to debate and discuss it. Order a caf Cubano (nicknamed a cafecito), sweetened espresso brewed with sugar, at the walk-up window.

Dont stop your explorations of Little Havana yet. Klein gives us a great tip: At almost any Cuban supermarket, he reveals, they sell great authentic Cuban food to go. Pick up roast chicken, vaca frita (crispy beef) or churrasco (grilled meat kabobs) at El Nuevo Siglo. Get there early in the day before they run out of anything, then scarf it down at the basic counter seats and tables. Kleins pick for Cuban fast food is nearby: El Rey de Las Fritas. I love their pork burgers with sauted onions, loads of seasonings and potato sticks on top, he says.

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To see where all those fresh fruit and veggies on Miami restaurants top tables come from, drive out to Redland, where organic farms and vineyards rub sun-kissed shoulders. Book ahead for a chef-prepared Dinner in Paradise (www.paradisefarms.net). In Homestead, stop by the long-running farm stand Robert Is Here (www.robertishere.com) for a strawberry milkshake. This agricultural region, an hours drive southwest of Miami Beach, has authentic Mexican food, too try out some of those roadside taco trucks.

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Off Little Havanas main drag, Salmon & Salmon proves that, even in this Cuban community, other Latin American groups have their own lively gathering spots. Klein recommends this Peruvian hole-in-the-wall for authentic seafood, like ceviche mixto (raw seafood marinated in citrus juices usually with chiles, garlic, onion and cilantro). The small storefront dining room is always packed with locals, so expect a wait for a table.