Iguanas - See Giant Lizards in the Wild in Miami and South Florida

Iguana, Fairchild Tropical Garden

You can see iguanas in the wild in South Beach, although I took the photo of this orange iguana at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Coral Gables.

These giant lizards are often over a metre long, but despite their ferocious dragon-like appearance iguanas are herbivores, and they will almost certainly scuttle away if you approach them.

Invasive Species, Not Native
Iguanas are not a native species in Miami or anywhere else in South Florida, in fact they are considered an invasive species, and some people would like them controlled, or even eradicated. But let's face it, most of the human population of the USA is made up of invasive species.

Arrived on Ships, or Pets
Early iguana settlers in the Florida Keys were stowaways on ships carrying fruit from Latin America. A second way of immigration occurred when pet iguanas escaped or were deliberately released into the wild. Now they can be seen in many parts of Miami-Dade County, further north in Broward County, for example in Fort Lauderdale, and in the Florida Keys.

Sighting Raccoons in the Wild - in Miami and Fort Lauderdale

Raccoon in Key Biscayne, Miami

Raccoons are nocturnal animals, although I have encountered them during the day, as you can see from the photo, which I took in the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Miami.

Black and White Markings
Usually raccoons can be recognized by a black mask-like band of fur around their eyes and a white band above, but there is only the slightest hint of those markings on this one.

A warden at Bill Baggs Park said that it obviously had some sort of disease or nutritional deficiency. Maybe it's eaten too much junk food supplied by visitors to the park.

Places to See Raccoons in South Florida
I have seen raccoons in three places in South Florida:

• Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne
• Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, Fort Lauderdale
• Miami Beach, Crossing a Street at Dusk

Pelicans in the Wild at Haulover Beach Park - Just North of Miami Beach

Pelicans at Haulover Beach, Miami

Pelicans aren't uncommon in Miami. I sometimes see them nosediving for fish in the Indian Creek waterway, as I look out of my window in Miami Beach. Nevertheless, the brown pelican is a protected species.

Haulover Beach Marina
If you want to see pelicans close-up, not at a distance fishing in the sea or waterways, the best place that I know is Haulover Beach Park Marina.

Haulover Beach is in Miami-Dade County, to the north of Miami Beach, between Bal Harbour Village and Sunny Isles Beach, but not part of any municipality.

Pelicans Await the Return of Fishing Boats
The morning return of fishing boats is the reason for the pelicans' attendance. There's no set time – round about 11 am, or maybe a bit earlier –  but the pelicans seem to know when the boats are due.

They waddle about, clustering around a slab where fish from the boats are gutted, and scramble in competition for the entrails which are discarded.

Bayside Marketplace, Downtown Miami - Shops, Marina and Boat Trips

Bayside Marketplace & Marina, Miami

The touristy Bayside Marketplace is a pleasant spot to take a stroll around the marina, have a coffee or a beer, and shop for souvenirs.

It's not a place where I'd want to spend more than a couple of hours, but you could have an interesting day out if you combined your trip to Bayside with a visit to other nearby attractions in Miami's Downtown, ending the day with a boat trip.

Other Downtown Attractions
Take a look at the nearby Freedom Tower, on the opposite side of Biscayne Boulevard from Bayside, stroll around Miami's main Downtown shopping centre in and around Flagler Street (although not in the evening when the shops are closed) and have a ride on the free Metromover driverless train for a view of the Brickell financial district.

Bayside Boat Trips
A boat trip from Bayside is definitely worth considering. Several companies operate trips which skirt the islands in Biscayne Bay, including Star Island, where you can see the lavish homes of millionaire celebrities such as Gloria Estefan, Sylvester Stallone and Julio Iglesias.

Kennedy Space Center, Florida - Launchpads, Shuttle, Rockets, Lunar Module

Launchpad, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

At the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida, you can get a close-up view of the Saturn rockets used for the Apollo programme, walk around a replica space shuttle, and see the launchpads where they blasted off into orbit, the Vehicle Assembly Building where they were prepared for launch, an amazingly flimsy Lunar Landing Module, a Moon Buggy and lots more.

A Whole Day Needed to See Kennedy Space Center
It's easy to spend a whole day at the Space Center without running out of things to see. The 2-hour bus tour, with stops at various attractions, is included for the standard admission price, but the one which takes you close to the launchpads is extra.

Arrive Early for a Close View of a Launchpad
If you want a close view of a launchpad you need to arrive early as this tour sells out quickly. I don't usually like tours, but there's no other way to get around the sprawling complex.

Here are the main attractions:

Cruise the Waterways of Fort Lauderdale - Water Taxi to the Sights and Beaches

Water Bus, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

The water buses, or water taxis, of Fort Lauderdale provide a pleasant and leisurely way to see the sights and beaches of Fort Lauderdale, in South Florida, about an hour's drive north of Miami.

Regular Schedule
These yellow boats cruise the rivers and canals to a regular schedule, with a fixed route, but the operating company is called Water Taxi.

Riverwalk Near Las Olas Boulevard
Start from Riverwalk, also known as Riverfront, near Las Olas Boulevard, the main shopping street in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Riverfront is a small shopping mall on the New River with waterfront restaurants and bars, and here you'll find Water Taxi stop number 11 (on the Water Taxi map described as Las Olas Riverfront/Briny Pub).

Day Tickets for Water Taxi
Buy a day ticket on the first boat that you board. This allows you to to get on and off as often as you want, and costs $20 for adults, $16 for seniors and $12 for children aged five to eleven. Children under four travel free, and there is also a $55 family ticket for two adults plus three children or seniors.

Boat Trips from Bayside, Downtown Miami - See the Houses of the Rich and Famous

Sailing Boat Trip from Bayside, Miami

Boat trips from the Bayside marina, right next to Miami's Downtown shopping district, are operated by several companies.

Generally I hate tours, but on the boats there's room to move around and the commentary (often in Spanish as well as English) is usually entertaining.

Islands of Biscayne Bay
The route the boats take varies slightly, but most trips skirt round the islands in Biscayne Bay between Miami and Miami Beach, with a view of South Beach, although you can't land there. Trips last about an hour and a quarter.

Sun Setting Behind Towers of Brickell District 
Try to time your trip to leave an hour before sunset so that you'll see the islands in the daylight, while as you return you could have a spectacular view of the sun going down behind the towers of the Brickell financial district.