Key Biscayne & Coconut Grove
Once you've cruised over the Rickenbacker Causeway to the small island of Key Biscayne, the beaches get quieter, the landscape greener, and the pace significantly slower. For kids, Crandon Park is an outdoor fun house with wide, palm-dotted beaches and a marina where watching the fishermen unload their boats is a time-honored pastime. Head back to the mainland (the Miami Seaquarium—once home to the original Flipper—is on the way), and hit the leafy shores of Coconut Grove. More upscale than laid-back Key Biscayne, it's known for its open-air shops and cafés and, on Saturdays, one of the best organic farmers' markets in the city. Go early to get just-picked fruit; the awnings will keep you in the shade.
Restaurants
Daily Bread Marketplace
Local families flock to this Middle Eastern restaurant and grocery for baba ghanoush, hummus, and its famous baklava.
2400 SW 27th St., (305) 856-0363
The fish fingers are made from fresh mahimahi at this Cuban-influenced, family-run restaurant in Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park.
1200 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, (305) 361-0080
Shops
Toy Town
Crammed with Legos, board games, and art supplies, this small sliver of a shop is the key's answer to rainy days.
260 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, (305) 361-5501
Teens and tweens will love browsing this shop, which is dedicated to extreme beach sports. Go for kid-size Sanuk flip-flops and Quiksilver clothes.
260 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, (305) 361-0168
Activities
Crandon Park
Lounge on the lagoon-style beach, ride the newly restored carousel, or check out the peacocks in the bird sanctuary.
4000 Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, (305) 361-5421
Vizcaya Museum & Gardens
This 1916 Italian-inspired estate is surrounded by 10 acres of formal gardens. Little legs get plenty of exercise, especially in the hedge maze.
3251 S. Miami Ave., Coconut Grove, (305) 250-9133
Hike, bike, or kayak among the dunes and red mangroves (you can follow the marked bike paths and nature trails). Or climb 109 steps to the top of the Cape Florida Lighthouse, where free tours are given twice daily.
1200 S. Crandon Blvd., Key Biscayne, (305) 361-5811; $5 per vehicle (up to eight people), $3 per vehicle (single person), and $1 each for bicycle/walk-in
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