Green Planet named the Miami Seaquarium one of its “7 Amazing Eco-Oriented Aquariums.” They cited the educational nature of many of the programs put on by the Seaquarium as one of the reasons it gets their stamp of approval.

The Manatee exhibit came in for special praise, particularly with the Seaquarium’s efforts around Manatee rescue and rehabilitation to help preserve these gentle but endangered aquatic creatures.

One highlight that is hard to find elsewhere is the Dolphin Interaction program. Participants get to learn about dolphins and then actually enter the water and interact with them. You were probably expecting me to now say how you can’t ride them, but in fact a dolphin ride is part of the experience!

The Seaquarium is one of 35 area museums, tours, and things to do in Miami that participate in the Go Miami Card program. With the card, holders get into any and all of the participating attractions for one flat price. Other participants include Jungle Island, an Everglades tour, the Miami Children’s Museum, Duck Tours, and more. The Seaquarium is also part of the Miami Explorer Pass Program, which let’s holders choose three sights from a list of 12. Either program is a great way to see the Seaquarium and the rest of Miami’s many attractions.

Green Planet’s & Amazing Eco-Oriented Aquariums can be found here. You can read about all seven aquariums chosen, including the Moody Gardens Aquarium and the Aquarium of the Pacific.

For the first time, South Florida visitors and residents will be able to get up-close and personal with some of the rarest primates on Earth. Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience allows members of the public the chance to learn extensively about these colorful and vivacious creatures, while interacting with them in a hands-on way.

The 45-minute experience brings small groups of guests – no more than six at a time – in the park’s Lemur Nursery, where young ring-tailed lemurs, and the rare red-ruffed and black-and-white ruffed lemurs are growing up and developing. Before the interaction begins, the guests are educated about the lemurs natural habitat, diet and habits and are advised of the best way to pet them and feed them their favorite treat – juicy grapes.

When everyone is comfortable, the lemurs come out to meet their newest friends (and servers!) Quite the rambunctious crowd, the lemurs often make themselves right at home either on guests’ laps, shoulders or heads. (Don’t worry – they don’t charge for their hair styling services.) After a lemur has leaped off of your head, you’ll never be quite the same!

Native only to the island of Madagascar, lemurs are considered very rare in the animal kingdom. While some species of lemurs have actually gone extinct as a result of habitat destruction, the three types of lemurs on Jungle Island are each classified as either endangered or threatened.

As in their natural environment, the female lemurs certainly run the show. Female dominance is common in many branches of the animal kingdom (humanity arguably one of them) and the lemurs are certainly no exception. On Jungle Island, the dominant female is named Susie Q and all the males have been known to mind their P’s and Q’s around her.

Jungle Island’s Lemur Experience is offered daily, but advance reservations are suggested. The Lemur Experience costs $45 per person for the 45-minute experience and can accommodate up to six guests at a time. Reservations can be made by calling (305) 400-7275 between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm, 7 days per week.

Jungle Island, Miami’s entertainment destination, is located in the heart of the city between Downtown Miami and South Beach. The multifaceted grounds host Miami’s newest theme park, home to the world’s most rare and incredible animals. Guests marvel at the engaging animal shows and presentations, participate in hands-on interactions with fascinating animals, and are amazed by the park’s breathtaking landscapes and vistas.

Jungle Island general admission is included on a Go Miami Card or a Go Orlando Card. It can also be one of your choices with a Miami Explorer Pass.

The Venetian Lady Special Dinner Cruise will be boarding from 6:30 to 7:30, cruising from 7:30 until 10:30 and then disembarking between 10:30 and 11pm. This special, all inclusive dinner cruise includes a cheese display, fruit platter, two butler passed hors d’oeuvres, fresh Caesar salad, grilled Chicken Breast with toasted coconut and served with a cilantro mango/papaya salsa, Prime Rib of Beef hand carved slow-roasted prime rib of beef with a rosemary horseradish glaze, rice pilaf, grilled veggies and a full open bar. There will be a professional DJ onboard playing all the latest dance music The Venetian Lady features 3 amazing decks, 2 full bars and 2 dance floors.

Please contact Island Queen Cruises at 305.379.5119 ext 201 to make reservations for this spectacular dinner cruises Miami on the Venetian Lady. Prices are $75 for Adults and $35 for Children. Further details are available at their site.

This Halloween, Miami Seaquarium will unveil it’s newest and biggest haunted attraction, ‘Buried Alive!’ for the Monster Splash Nighttime Bash, the biggest, scariest, nighttime Halloween extravaganza in Miami. 

Not for the faint of heart, ‘Buried Alive!’ will welcome adult guests to the most dreaded funeral of all… their own.  Guests will enter into the darkness where screams wait around every crypt and tomb.  The walls close in …the worms and maggots crawl around…no one can hear the screams…no one can help in ‘BURIED ALIVE!’  

Plus, there will be carnival thrill rides, Halloween-themed animal shows and presentations, Trick-or-Treating and more frightful fun each night.   

The Monster Splash at Miami Seaquarium features six nights of ghoulish fun and frights from Saturday, October 24th through Saturday, October 31^st, excluding Monday and Tuesday, October 26^th and 27^th.  So Grab your Go Miami Card or Miami Explorer Pass and check it out. 

For more information, visit www.buriedalive2009.com or phone 305-361-5705 x225

Smart Destinations, the company behind Go Cards and Explorer Passes, along with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors bureau are promoting the wide variety of things to do in Miami by distributing Go Miami Cards to international buyers and travel media at TIA’s International POW WOW May 16^th – 20^th.

The annual event draws over 1500 buyers from 70 countries and over 450 travel journalists from 40 countries to conduct business negotiations that result in an estimated $3.5 Billion in future USA travel.   This year, TIA’s POW WOW will be held in the host city of Miami, Florida.  

Through the efforts of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Smart Destinations Inc, in partnership with over 25 Miami attractions, all International Buyers and media will be hosted to a complimentary VIP Go Miami Card which they can use to visit attractions during or after the show, providing tremendous exposure for Miami’s leading attractions.

The Go Miami Card is an all access attraction pass which offers the ultimate in convenience, cost savings and flexibility for visitors to the city.   Customers choose one, two, three, five or seven day cards at a low, pre-paid price and have the ability to use the card to gain access to an unlimited number of attractions each day saving up to 45% or more over full retail admissions.  

With Go Miami Card, visitors have up to 2 weeks to use the days on their card which allows for plenty of flexibility to alternate beach and shopping days with the attraction visits.     The Go Miami Card also provides discounts at popular restaurants and shops.   Each card comes with a color-printed, pocket-sized guidebook full of maps, travel tips and itineraries for the ultimate Miami visit.

“We wanted to use this opportunity to showcase the broadest possible coverage of the best things to see and do in Miami in a single package,” said Rolando Aedo of the Greater Miami Convention and visitors Bureau, “We look forward to helping promote a product that collectively showcases many of the unique attractions Greater Miami has to offer.”

“We are excited about this opportunity to work jointly with the CVB and our Miami attraction partners to give   POW WOW attendees an easy and convenient way to access Miami’s key attractions while here for the trade-show.   Go Miami Cards are a great way for customers to save on their visit to Miami, while at the same time making it really easy to showcase the entire destination experience on one card.” Said Cecilia Dahl,  Co-Founder and President of Smart Destinations.

The participating attractions include Miami Seaquarium, Jungle Island, Island Queen Cruises, Miami Children’s Museum, Sawgrass Recreation Park, Bass Museum of Art, Bar Hop Shuttle, Art Deco Walking Tour, and much more.

The researchers found that 94% of the customers were either “satisfied” or “extremely satisfied,” with most of them saying “extremely satisfied.”

The reasons customers gave for such an overwhelmingly positive response were mainly:

• The fact that the card saved them money compared with individual tickets at each museum, tour, and attraction
• The quality and quantity of the attractions that accept the card for admission
• The fact the card was convenient and easy to use

Another key finding of the research was that 91% of those surveyed would recommend a Go Card or Explorer Pass to someone else.

So if you are considering buying a Go Miami Card, it is reassuring to know that previous customers have provided such positive reviews of the product.

The Miami International Film Festival runs from March 6^th through March 15^th and is hosted by Miami Dade College. Over 100 wide ranging films are debuted and over 75,000 film fans attend. Events take place at the Colony on Lincoln Rd, the Tower Theater in Little Havana, and the Gusman Center for the performing Arts.

This years’ theme is “Immerse Yourself in MIFF” which promotes the 26^th edition of the Miami International Film Festival. The 137 selections for this year’s Festival represent more than 40 countries. Along with 40 shorts are 97 feature-length films, including four world premieres, 22 North American premieres and 18 U.S. premieres. Of this year’s eight first-time filmmakers, seven are in competition.

Be sure to take along a Go Miami Card to get the most out of Miami while you are attending the festival. And please visit Miami Film Festival Web Site for all the latest and greatest on the MIFF.

Hey everyone, I’m beginning to upload videos all over the internet about the Go Card. You can find them on Youtube, Flickr, and other popular sites. We’re not going to make you scour the web, though. I’ll post them right here! Check out this video about the Miami Seaquarium.

While you can swim with the dolphins at the Seaquarium, Dolphin Harbor isn’t included with the Go Miami Card. You can certainly watch the dolphins though! Like the video says, dolphins prefer Go Card customers either way, even those who just watch. If you like the video, leave a comment, or check out the other Go Card videos at our YouTube page.

On a recent weekend getaway to Miami, I instantly fell in love with this small street. You feel as if you are transported a bit back in time, and perhaps even to another country! Española Way is a historic Spanish village in the vibrant Art Deco area of South Beach (bounded by 14th and 15th streets, Washington and Jefferson Streets).

Here, you’ll find a secluded street lined with shops, art galleries, and numerous restaurants offering al fresco dining. There is a weekly Española Way Weekend Festival that features live music, and an open-air market selling handmade crafts, candles, flowers, and more.

The entrance to Española Way is conveniently located near many tourist attractions. After a stroll, you can tour the city by way of a GoCar, or take a Miami Duck Tour - Both are included with the Go Miami Card!