Miramar was incorporated in 1955 after the construction of about 50 modest homes that served as the beginning of this bedroom community. It is named after the Miramar area of Havana, and it means "to look at the sea." Many of Miramar's more than 137,000 people work in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, but visitors don't have to go to those two cities to have a good time, thanks to the multiple attractions in Miramar.
If you want to take in some art in Miramar, head over to the Miramar Cultural Center. At this lovely facility near City Hall, you can watch a show in the 800-seat theater, stroll around a botanical garden, and tour two art galleries. For a more lighthearted experience, check out Monster Mini Golf, which houses an indoor mini-golf course decorated with a monster theme and illuminated by black lights.
One nice park to visit in Miramar is Miramar Regional Park. This local park features ball fields, a fitness station, an amphitheater, and an aquatic complex. A great place to get out in nature in town is the Snake Warrior Island Natural Area, which has a fishing area, a nature trail, a picnic area, and a scenic viewing area. You could also pay a visit to Miramar Pineland Park, which contains a nature trail, a splash pad, a playground, and a nature center. Another quality park is River Run Park, which is home to a fishing dock, a playground, and a walking trail.
Campgrounds Near Miramar, Florida
One high-quality campground within half an hour of Miramar is Yacht Haven Park and Marina, which is close to Interstates 95 and 595 as well as the South Fork of the New River. This Fort Lauderdale campground features full hookups, back-in sites, and a pool. Many of the campsites are on the waterfront and provide visitors with excellent views of the large yachts that call the marina home.
Roughly five minutes south of Yacht Haven is Northcoast Park and Marina, which is almost right off Interstate 95. Paved back-in sites, private tiki huts, and access to the Dania Cut-Off Canal are all available here. Owners of boats and big rigs love camping here due to the campground's easy accessibility.
Another possibility in Fort Lauderdale is Kozy Kampers RV Park, which is near Florida's Turnpike and Highway 441. This family- and pet-friendly park provides shower facilities and Wi-Fi to its customers, and the beach is just 15 minutes away.
National Sites Near Miramar, Florida
Big Cypress National Preserve is about an hour from Miramar and 10 minutes from Everglades National Park. Within this park's 729,000 acres, you'll find multiple different temperate and tropical ecosystems. Several easy trails are available here, but hikers in search of a challenge can tackle trails that require them to wade through waist-deep water in some places. Five canoe trails provide excellent places to paddle through sawgrass prairies, mangrove forests, oyster banks, an open bay, and more. If you don't want to lead your own adventure, you could participate in a ranger-led canoe trip, wet walk, or boardwalk stroll.
About two and a half hours northwest of Big Cypress is the De Soto National Memorial. This national memorial on the Manatee River commemorates the arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and the conquistadors in 1539. If you want to get a glimpse of what life was like in those days, visit Camp Uzita, which features a living history museum depicting everyday life of the Native Americans and conquistadors of those times. You can also visit the Tabby House, which was built from oyster shells, lime, and sand in the 1800s. The park's nature trail takes you on an easy hike through mangroves and beaches.
If you drive about three hours and 20 minutes north of Miramar on Interstate 95, you'll reach the Canaveral National Seashore. This 25-mile shoreline is Florida's longest piece of undeveloped coastline, so it's an excellent place to fish and boat. Mosquito Lagoon is ripe for exploration by kayak or canoe; you can hike to Mosquito Lagoon on the Castle Windy Trail. Another popular activity in the park is launch viewing — the shoreline provides stellar views of the Kennedy Space Center's launch area. One great historic place to visit in the park is Seminole Rest, which features a Native American shell mound and the Snyder Home.
National Forests Near Miramar, Florida
Ocala National Forest is nearly four and a half hours north of Miramar, but it's only an hour and a half northwest of the Canaveral National Seashore. This Florida national forest's 387,000 acres contain four wilderness areas, two rivers, and more than 600 lakes, rivers, and streams. If you want to spend time on or in the water, you can go swimming, snorkeling, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, and more in the forest's bodies of water. If you'd prefer to keep your feet on terra firma, you'll have no problem finding awesome places to hike, bike, hunt, and ride.
Osceola National Forest is approximately two hours north of Ocala National Forest. One prime attraction in this 229,185-acre national forest is Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park, which protects the site of a Civil War battlefield. Nearby is Olustee Beach, a great place to go boating, fishing, swimming, and waterskiing. Nine hunt camps provide venues for hunting small game; the only place to hunt big game is the Osceola Wildlife Management Area. Other interesting activities you can do in the Osceola Wildlife Management Area include fishing, dispersed camping, wildlife viewing, and non-motorized boating.
To explore some of the Florida Panhandle, travel two and a half hours west of Osceola National Forest to Apalachicola National Forest. Within this national forest's nearly 633,000 acres, you'll find sinkholes, grasslands, bogs, swamps, and more. Those in search of fascinating sinkholes can visit the Leon Sinks Geological Area, which features 5 miles of trails. To view the majesty of Apalachicola from your vehicle, you can drive on the Apalachee Savannahs Scenic Byway and the Big Bend Scenic Byway.
