Those students living in Miami are likely to find it a far-more-international city than many others in the United States. Its strong growth due to immigration in recent years gives the city a decided Latin flavor. Residents and visitors alike can savor the music, food and culture of nearby Cuba as well as a variety of Caribbean and other Latin American cultures.

Obviously a popular destination for tourists, the city and surrounding county also have some excellent schools. The University of Miami is a private research university, which educates more than 15,000 students each year. It was chartered in 1925 by a group of citizens concerned with the development of their young, growing community. The school prides itself on its diversity with students from more than 110 countries.

Florida International University (FIU) is the area's largest public research university. It was first proposed by Senator Ernest "Cap" Graham in 1943, but it wasn't until 1972 that the first students entered classes. Today FIU offers more than 200 degree programs in 17 colleges and schools and prides itself on its record of innovation and research that improves the quality of life in its communities.

Many other excellent schools offer adult students a range of programs including the Acupuncture & Massage College, Barry University, and more. Nearby Fort Lauderdale also offers the Atlantic Institute of Oriental Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Florida Atlantic University and Knox Theological Seminary, among others.

While you're not studying, Miami provides a range of exciting options from the beaches to the cultural attractions to the nightlife. There's almost always something going on, and you can check out our Events ( http://www.educationforadults.com/miami/events.html ) page for a sampling of the many festivities that occur during the year.

Part of Miami Beach is affectionately called the "Billion Dollar Sandbar" because of its dazzling stretch of beautiful beaches and beautiful people (models and celebrities among them), and also because it includes South Beach's Architectural Historic District which preserves its Art Deco buildings. Other interesting neighborhoods include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables and Little Havana. Downtown Miami offers exciting nightlife. Coconut Grove and Coral Gables are the cultural and shopping centers of the city with trendy bars and world-class restaurants.

Below we describe a few of Miami's attractions:

BEACHES

Crandon Park Beach
At $2 a vehicle, Crandon Park Beach makes a great family outing. The three miles of oceanfront beach are just the beginning, with 493 acres of park, fields for soccer and softball, golf, open grills and more providing the perfect selection of activities for a fun day with the kids.

Miami Beach - Haulover Beach Park
Surfers will direct you here for the waves.

PARKS AND GARDENS

Preston B. Bird and Mary Heinlein Fruit and Spice Park
Where else can you find more than 500 varieties of exotic fruits, herbs, spice and nuts in a 32-acre park? Visitors can also sample and purchase canned fruit, jams and jellies, teas, gardening books and many other related products at the park's shop.

Florida Everglades National Park
The nation's third largest park preserves 1.5 million acres of the Everglades. It also provides drinking water for 5 million residents in the region and offers a haven for countless plants and animals including 1,000 species of plants, 125 species of fish and 300 species of birds and forest creatures. However, the highlight for many visitors is an airboat tour of the Everglades Alligator Farm.

ZOOS

Monkey Jungle
Almost 400 primates reside on this 30-acre reserve, including 30 species of gibbons, guenons, spider monkeys and colobus. The quirky spirit of the jungle can be summed up in their mantra: "Where Humans Are Caged and Monkeys Run Wild!"

Miami Seaquarium
The Seaquarium's mission is to display the natural abilities and beauty of their creatures to entertain their visitors. The hope is that visitors will then be anxious to preserve the delicate balance of our oceans and to protect the home of the many sea creatures they appreciate at the Seaquarium. Visitors love swimming with the dolphins.

MUSEUMS

Wolfsonian
This modern art museum explores how material culture, the decorative arts and design help shape the way people interpret the world. The Wolfsonian attempts to create an active dialogue and research in this field. Many exhibits feature propaganda that has helped shape different periods of Western history.

Miami Museum of Science and Planetarium
If you've taken your family with you to your new school location, consider this exciting museum with interactive, hands-on exhibits. Visitors to the wildlife center can see more than 175 live reptiles and birds of prey while learning about the work the center does in rehabilitating wild animals that have been injured. Lizard and snake days will bring kids flocking (with their scaly pets for free admission). The planetarium offers laser light shows and other interactive displays.

Sources:
( http://www.miami-travel-services.com/ )
(Accessed July 13, 2004)

( http://www.lonelyplanet.com )
(Accessed July 14, 2004)