Biscayne Morning Paul Hampton CrockettAnd it's true, we have no pool at the Mission. But, that is far from the end of the story, if you love being outside, in the water.
We are just a stone's throw from Biscayne Bay and from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a number of perfectly fine (and in some cases absolutely magnificent!) swimming pools. So if you love to get wet and bask in Florida sunshine, you should definitely be aware of these options. (I must note that as a boy growing up in Miami, I and my closest friends spent much of our time in the water, only a bit of it in pools. Of course we loved our pool time. The kids in my family learned to swim in summer classes at Shenandoah public pool, shortly after we'd learned to walk. The best part, of course, was the ice cream afterwards!)
Several of our guests have enjoyed that pool, which happens to be quite nice, generally uncrowded, and only blocks from the Mission (1.1 miles and 3 minutes, according to Google maps). . Admission will set you back $1.00!
Shenandoah Pool, 1805 SW 22nd Ave, Miami, FL 33145
Tel. : (305) 856-9549
On a grander (and suitably more expensive) scale is the truly legendary Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. That place offers an experience I cannot recommend highly enough, for children of all ages.
We are just a stone's throw from Biscayne Bay and from the Atlantic Ocean, as well as a number of perfectly fine (and in some cases absolutely magnificent!) swimming pools. So if you love to get wet and bask in Florida sunshine, you should definitely be aware of these options. (I must note that as a boy growing up in Miami, I and my closest friends spent much of our time in the water, only a bit of it in pools. Of course we loved our pool time. The kids in my family learned to swim in summer classes at Shenandoah public pool, shortly after we'd learned to walk. The best part, of course, was the ice cream afterwards!)
Several of our guests have enjoyed that pool, which happens to be quite nice, generally uncrowded, and only blocks from the Mission (1.1 miles and 3 minutes, according to Google maps). . Admission will set you back $1.00!
Shenandoah Pool, 1805 SW 22nd Ave, Miami, FL 33145Tel. : (305) 856-9549
All that being said, most of our swimming time was spent in open salt water, mostly in Biscayne Bay.
We will always look back on those days, based in a deluxe tree-house in the mangrove forest alongside Villa Vizcaya, paddling around on homemade rafts in open water here, there exploring winding coves so lush and green we could easily imagine that we'd somehow been transported to the Amazon. We were often joined by the peaceful manatees, who'd swim alongside. Such quiet moments, under big open sky, will remain sweet in our memories, as so beautifully put by my beloved teacher and friend Jane Reno, "as long as we are able to remember beauty."
Think about it: aren't such scenic journeys much more what the "dream of Florida" are all about than any thing or place made by the hand of Man? Take a step beyond the "hotel pool" or its generic equivalents, I dare you! You will be glad that you did. In any event, you'll take home with you an experience worth really remembering.
The places listed below offer some of the most beautiful vistas in the city, if not the State, and really should not be missed. They often serve to remind me of the much more quiet and beautiful soul underlying this crazed city! I go to these places when I need them, and they are always there for me, awaiting patiently. Each is easily worth a trip for its own sake. (The locations can be "plugged" in to the Google map linked to the Mission
( http://www.shortenurl.com/GoogleMap_Mission ) to get an exact "visual" on location, distance, and route. All distances are measured from the Mission.)
Go on: get sand between your toes! You never know; you might catch a glorious sunset, find the most delicious hot dog you've ever bought from a seaside hot dog stand (OK, for that one, you gotta be really hungry! : ) ), or see birds soaring overhead that you might have seen before only in picture books.
Personally, "you never know" is exactly the way I like to take my adventures.
South Beach 1995 Paul Hampton Crockett
( http://www.shortenurl.com/GoogleMap_Mission ) to get an exact "visual" on location, distance, and route. All distances are measured from the Mission.)
Go on: get sand between your toes! You never know; you might catch a glorious sunset, find the most delicious hot dog you've ever bought from a seaside hot dog stand (OK, for that one, you gotta be really hungry! : ) ), or see birds soaring overhead that you might have seen before only in picture books.
Personally, "you never know" is exactly the way I like to take my adventures.
Beaches!
These are all excellent and generally very safe places to head out with your beach towels and... whatever:
Hobie Island Beach Park, Key Biscayne 2.8 Mi.
Biscayne Day! Paul Hampton Crockett
Virginia Key Beach, Key Biscayne 4.2 Mi.
Crandon Park Beach, Key Biscayne 7.2 Mi.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne 7.0 Mi.
Lummus Park, Miami Beach (South Beach) 6.0 Mi.
South Beach 1995 Paul Hampton Crockett
Pools!
Cool clean chlorinated waters await in a number of public pools within convenient proximity of the Mission. To view a larger image of the map above, just click on it. You can then return with the back arrow in the browser, to the upper left of your screen.
To get to this map yourself, and thus be able to click on the available links for more information, etc., just visit the link mentioned above: http://www.shortenurl.com/GoogleMap_Mission, click on the blue "Find Businesses" tab right in the top middle, and enter "public swimming pools" as a search.
Wherever you decide to do your swimming, do it safe and have a ball!
Wherever you decide to do your swimming, do it safe and have a ball!
