SOUTH BEACH, FL

FEB 16 - 20 For the kids midterm we took a quick trip north off the rock to Miami for a little shopping, 'gator hunting, monkey playing and good old fashion r&r. We stayed in South Beach with 45 degree weather (a lovely cold front did not stop the kids from enjoying the heated pool at the hotel) and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the area. The highlight was our trip on Friday to Billie Swamp Safari in the Everglades for a private eco-tour http://www.swampsafari.net. Our tour guide, Shay, took us off track, wrestled a snake, played with an alligator and got us up close and friendly with an Ostrich from the security of our open air swamp buggy. Less than 2 hours from Miami, this is a must-do! I highly recommend taking the time out to do this tour. Before heading to the airport on Saturday we made a quick stop to Monkey Jungle.