Miami Beach Sports & Outdoors

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Miccosukee Indians, maybe better spelled Mikasuki, since the official name looks too much like Suckee Suckee, which I believe is an Asian tribe. The tribe originated in Georgia before migrating to the Carolinas, then Alabama, before ending up in Florida. They were long part of the Seminole Tribe until 1962 when they were recognized as a separate tribe.

Today the Miccosukee, like many other Indian tribes in the US, are most famous for their gambling casinos. Their casinos make so much money this tribe sponsors NASCAR teams, PGA tournaments, and the Miami Dolphins. Woohoo, penny slots!

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The American Airlines Arena is home to the NBA's Miami Heat. It opened in 1999, at a cost of 213 million dollars. The arena holds over 19,000 spectators, and it has 80 luxury boxes. The arena has hosted an NBA finals series, a variety of top-tier concerts, professional wrestling, and two MTV Music Awards shows.

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Sun Life Stadium is home to the NFL Miami Dolphins, the Florida Marlins, and the Miami Hurricanes. The stadium has had a number of names since it was constructed in 1987: Land Shark Stadium, Dolphins Stadium, Pro Player Stadium, Pro Player Park and originally Joe Robbie Stadium.

The stadium was constructed and funded by former Dolphins owner Joe Robbie in 1987. It cost just $115 million to build, and it seats 75,000 people. The Florida Marlins were introduced as a Major League Baseball franchise in 1990 and they began play here that year.

If you're staying in SoBe and the Marlins are in town, it might be worth the drive to relax a night and check out some Major League Baseball. Dolphins Stadium is about 25 minutes away (if 95 has mercy that evening) and is very easy to get in and out of. From SoBe drive to 95, hit exit 12, then the Turnpike takes you right to the Stadium. Tickets can be purchased ahead of the game or usually at gametime, the Marlins do not sell out like the Red Sox or Cubs. The tickets are fairly cheap ($10-$100) as well.

Equipment: Bring a glove if you're in the bleachers!

Lummus park is great for rollerblading and jogging, as is the beach in the morning. If you're into watching sports, then the Miami Heat play in Bayside, a mere $12-$15 cab ride away. The Miami Dolphins play a bit further North, and you'll have to plan that one out if you stay here without personal use of a car.

Golfing at one of Miami's many courses; betting on a horse race; scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing in the Atlantic or Biscayne Bay; hang gliding, kiteboarding and windsurfing on Biscayne Bay along Rickenbacker Causeway; bicycling or Rollerblading through Coconut Grove or South Beach.

South Beach Divers offers diving and snorkeling excursions to Key Largo almost daily. Check their schedule web page for further information. They are probably the best choice if you want to practice diving during your visit.

Equipment: Diving equipment could be rented at their shop. Just remember to bring your diving license!

In Miami we went into Miami Beach Marina initially which is right inside the breakwater on Government Cut - was $2/foot as long as your boat isn't longer than 79 feet. Very convenient from the ocean. Electricity, and water included. There was a $25 deposit for a gate key to get access to the boat, and one of us had to go up to the gate to let our daughter in when she came to get us.

Not much in the way of services for that - did get a daily Miami paper, but that might have been meant for the bareboat that shared the short fixed finger pier. The docks are concrete, and they tied us so far out that I couldn't get to the finger pier from the boat except by special gymnastics - either I went out the gate and sidled along the lifelines until I got to the piling at the end of the finger pier and then leaned back and clutched the piling with one hand while clinging to the shrouds with the other hand and stepped backwards groping for the pier with my foot.

Equipment: OR - I climbed over the lifelines forward of the shrouds (can't go through the shrouds) and then sidled sternward toward the piling and went through the same manuever. The boat was only close enough to the pier to step across right at the piling.

Our boat was full of soot when we got back to it - the air is very dirty here. This is also where the boat show is held, so you can't get a slip then.

They advertise a fuel dock, pumpout, ice and:

Casual and fine dining
Neam's Gourmet Market, gourmet grocery and provisioning
Hopkins Carter, complete marine hardware, bait and tackle
Tarpoon Lagoon Diving Center
Dive Charters
Club Nautico, boat rentals
Biscayne Towing
Yacht and Sailboat charters
Yacht and Sailboat brokers
New boat sales
Sport and drift fishing charters
Majesty Casino Cruises
Water Taxi