Miami’s Extraordinary Beaches: Something for Everyone
Though South Beach cannot be missed for its flamboyant range of day and nightlife, we at TOCA Events feel it is incumbent upon us to introduce you to some excellent alternatives for basking in the sun. The sandscapes of Miami are many, making it easy to find your perfect place. Whether it’s a private pearly white shore, an action-packed sporting day, or a chance to get rid of your tan lines at a nude beach, we’ve got a few suggestions on how to mix it up when vacationing in South Florida. North Beach offers a wide beach and waters as gorgeous as you’ll find anywhere. There’s a park at the north end, and the old fashioned band shell is a popular music venue where you can hear some great concerts later in the evening. With concessions and showers, beach volleyball nets for impromptu games, and lots of cafes nearby, North Beach is a great place to spend the day. For dining try Cafe Prima Pasta on 414 71st Street with its excellent Italian menu. North Shore Open Space is ideal for its tranquility, with plenty of shade, soft beach grass, and sandy walking trails. After a quiet day, enjoy a delicious Uruguayan meal at El Rey Del Chivito, 6987 Collins Ave. Bal Harbour Beach is north of the main beaches in Miami. Bal Harbor is considered the Rodeo Drive of South Florida, with high-end boutiques, luxury condos, five star hotels, clear waters, and pristine white sand. The mile-long beach has a jetty at the north end and offers a jogging path along the shore. There are many wonderful cafes at the Bal Harbour Shops or in nearby Surfside. We recommend The Grill at Bal Harbour on 9700 Collins Ave Suite 233. Haulover Beach is one and a half miles north of Miami Beach and is famous for its deep blue waters and a stretch of shoreline that is clothing-optional. Have a picnic lunch, enjoy a kite-making workshop, take some time on the nine hole golf course, or play a few sets of tennis on the courts. Visiting the nearby marina and park on Biscayne Bay is an easy walk through the available tunnels that lead to the sites. Our recommendation for dining is the J & Grill 9703 Collins Avenue where they really know how to make a good steak! Key Biscayne’s Crandon Park is perfect for the entire family. Here you’ll find a family amusement center, a nature center, and loads of beach volleyball. Have a picnic lunch, enjoying the on-site grills, and spend the afternoon roaming about the dunes, taking in the mangrove trees, costal hammock and sea grass beds, and the balmy breezes that play with you all day long. The environmental study area, Bear Cut Preserve, is interesting for the local flora and fauna. Take a tour with an experienced guide and then pop over to Cafe Fresh by Juice Zone in the Galleria Shopping Center on 328 C randon Blvd. for a healthy snack or meal. Attention windsurfers! Hobie/Windsurfer Beach in Key Biscayne is the place for you. Hobie is the home for one of the best locally run windsurfing concessions. Take a private or group lesson with a pro and then get out there to test your mettle. When you’re done, have a couple of cold beers on the beach with the locals to recap the day. www.tocaevents.com
Rio’s Exciting Beach Culture
No wonder Rio de Janeiro, known as “Cidade Maravilhosa” is a place where we at TOCA feel right at home. Jumping from our office in Miami to this Brazilian paradise just shows you what sensualists we are, with an office that allows us to perfectly cover the many corporate events we produce in South America. An Emphasis on Sports Of course, besides the exciting work, its the beach that calls us to Rio, with a totally different vibe than the one we find in Miami. Like Miami, Rio has a huge beach culture, but with an enormous emphasis on sports, with people of all ages playing volleyball, soccer, and enjoying surfboarding whenever they have a spare moment. Mornings and early evenings find the locals exercising, whether its walking or jogging along the water’s edge, or stretching on the sand. In the afternoons, you’ll see some pretty exciting sports being played, with vendors selling coconut water, grilled prawns, and oysters as they wend their way through the throng. Another popular workout on Rio beaches is on the public jungle-gym equipment you see in various areas along the beach. What a great way to keep the public involved in staying fit! Alterro do Flamengo Flamengo Park or “Alterro do Flamengo” is great park for sports, located between the Catete and Botafogo districts right at the edge of Guanabara Bay. Also known as Eduargo Gomes Park, it sits on 286 acres, making it the largest leisure park in Rio. Known for many activities including as the main drag for the Rio Cycling Race and a popular finish line for marathons, the park is dotted with football fields, basketball courts, an outdoor theatre, and even an area for remote control airplane fanatics! And adding to the area’s allure are the exquisitely created gardens by Burle Marx, a famed landscape designer who has made the park as unique as it is practical. Where Socializing is Key The beaches in Rio are where everyone comes to socialize. With 45 miles of gorgeous sand, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon are the most popular and familiar to visitors. If you want to make a date to meet friends, you only have to choose one of the “postas” or lifeguard stations that stretch along the main beaches. Name the number of the posta and everyone will find you! Planning Your Event in Rio If you’re planning an event and aren’t sure where the best place could be for keeping your guests entertained and fit on their time off, look no more! Our TOCA planning experts will make sure that you get the right mix of a perfectly designed corporate gathering with time off for everyone to enjoy Rio’s exciting beach culture. www.tocaevents.com