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138 MIAMI LIVING ML SELECTS Sunrise to Sunset. Public Parking. The area features a lake with a beach, campgrounds, picnic facilities, hiking, biking and running trails, fitness course, waterslides, playground, showers and restrooms. The large rock mountain has three waterslides carved into them, and ejects you into a refreshing pool. MATHESON HAMMOCK PARK 9610 Old Cutler Rd. | S. Coral Gables (305) 665-5475 Sunrise to sunset. $4 per vehicle. The park has lifeguards, concessions, picnic areas, restaurants, nature trails, fishing, marinas, restrooms and showers. Visit the amazing man-made atoll pool (lagoon- like body of water enclosed typically by a coral island and reef). NORTH SHORES STATE RECREATION AREA Collins Ave. from 78th St. to 87th Terrace | North Miami Beach (305) 993-2032 Sunrise to sunset. There's swimming, picnic tables, pavilions, barbeque grills, playground, trails, volleyball, restrooms, and showers. Just south of Surfside, you get the beach in its natural setting. This beautiful stretch is a rare Miami Beach preserve that is free from the shadows and noise of high-rises; quite often it's practically free of people. OLETA RIVER STATE RECREATION AREA 3400 NE 163 St. | N. Miami Beach (305) 919-1846 | floridastateparks.org 8am to sunset. Car with 2-8 people $5, single occupant vehicles $3. They have nature and bicycle trails, air-conditioned cabin, kayak, canoe, and bike rentals, fishing, concessions, showers, and restrooms. The largest urban park in Florida, it is 1,200 feet of sandy beach along the mangrove-lined Oleta River. SOUTH POINTE PARK 1 Washington Ave. | Miami Beach (305) 460-5306 Beach open 5am to 12 am/ facilities open till sunset. Metered parking. This area has lifeguards on duty, and is great for surfing. It features a pier, restaurants, concessions, picnic areas, fountains, playground, exercise equipment, and is great for people watching. This is a wonderful place to relax--check out the local surfing scene or watch the cruise ships glide by. Or you can play in the fountains, and fish off the jetty. VENETIAN POOL 2701 DeSoto Blvd. | Coral Gables (305) 460-5306 | venetianpool.com Summer hours: Monday-Friday: 11am-7:30pm Saturday and Sunday: 10am-4:30pm Adult admission: $6.25, Children 3-12 years old $4.25. Free parking. Boasting over 800,000 gallons of water to swim in, this place offers swimming lessons, a café, gardens, and has a Visitor's Center. Formed from a coral rock quarry in 1923, the pool has a couple of waterfalls, coral caves, grottos, an island, and is surrounded by a Venetian-style building with a cobblestone bridge. It's a must-see site. VIRGINIA KEY BEACH Off the Rickenbacker Causeway | Key Biscayne (305) 755-7800 | virginiakeybeachpark.net Sunrise to sunset. $5 vehicle entrance fee. Lifeguards are on duty in this great area to enjoy snorkeling, volleyball, nature trails, picnic areas, and concessions--showers and restrooms area also on-site. This historic site (once the only beach in Miami-Dade where African-Americans could legally visit) features a 77-acre park that offers a secluded beach. LARRY AND PENNY THOMPSON PARK 12451 SW 184th St. | South Miami (305) 232-1049 | miamidade.gov/parks BEACH HOURS | PARKING FACILITIES | ACTIVITIES SBF FACTOR Mid Beach Words by Angela Betancourt Never mind 8th and Ocean, with the constant popularity of the Gansevoort South on Collins and 23rd street, the Fontainebleau's billion dollar renovation late last year, and the Eden Roc unveiling its own dramatic changes, Mid Beach (the beaches from 21st- 46th street) is stealing the spotlight and both locals and visitors are taking notice. Last year thousands of people and the national media visited the 4400 and 4500 blocks of Collins Ave. alone, to witness the transformation of two legendary hotels, all the while putting Mid Beach back on the map. Mid Beach has always been a favorite spot for locals looking for an alternative to the often congested, chaotic, and loud sands of South Beach. With ample metered parking, Mid Beach features a popular boardwalk and sand dunes for jogging and other workouts. Beach chairs and concessions are also available. Intrigued? For more information about this beach contact (305) 673-7714 or visit www.miamibeach411.com. ML PICK water Beaches & Water