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Nine of Miami's Greatest Lesser-Known Parks & Green Spots

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Some of Miami's greatest green spaces include its small, lesser-known (sometimes much lesser known) parks and gardens, tucked away here and there and often treasured by the communities in which they are located but invisible and nonexistent to the outside world. They are secret oases, and even with big park wins like Museum Park, the small, surprise parks are what we need more of as Miami grows. And so, we present nine of Miami's best, after the jump.


· Outdoors Week 2014 [Curbed Miami]

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Crandon Park Gardens

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[Photo via MiaUrbex blog]

Simpson Park

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[Image Ken Hayden/archdail]

Morningside Park

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A large park hidden within the enclave of Morningside, the area's namesake park is a great neighborhood park, with tons of room to run and climb trees and a variety sports facilities.

Ancient Spanish Monastery

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Not actually a park, the monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux has a history going back a thousand years, although only the last 75 have been in the United States, and maybe 50 of those in Florida. The Ancient Spanish Monastery sits among a small wood, with formal gardens at the front, and a cloister courtyard within.

Fruit and Spice Park

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One of Miami's lesser-known botanical gardens, the Fruit & Spice Park has hundreds of varieties of this and that, massive rows of mango trees, and lots of other goodies.

Manatee Bend Park

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The Little River's very new Manatee Bend Park, where you can spot actual manatees, (six of them are in that picture!) is a small, green space to relax, a communal outdoor living room for the surrounding neighborhood.

Virginia Key Beach Park

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Consisting of Virginia Key Beach (obviously) as well as a lagoon, a variety of habitats, bike trails, etc. the Virginia Key Beach Park is big. A lot bigger than you'd think by just driving over the island to Key Biscayne.

The Empty Part Of Watson Island

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Watson Island already contains one large and elaborate 'park': Jungle Island, and another smaller, and an almost completely unknown Japanese garden next door. What isn't a park is the barren earth across the causeway, a hodgepodge of sand, grass, dirt, asphalt, and a few poetically rooted palm trees. But the views are killer, and the area's emptiness (even with the highway right there) gives it a wonderful, park like serenity.

Alice Wainwright Park

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Photo courtesy FAU Science Dept.

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Crandon Park Gardens

[Photo via MiaUrbex blog]

Simpson Park

[Image Ken Hayden/archdail]

Morningside Park

A large park hidden within the enclave of Morningside, the area's namesake park is a great neighborhood park, with tons of room to run and climb trees and a variety sports facilities.

Ancient Spanish Monastery

Not actually a park, the monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux has a history going back a thousand years, although only the last 75 have been in the United States, and maybe 50 of those in Florida. The Ancient Spanish Monastery sits among a small wood, with formal gardens at the front, and a cloister courtyard within.

Fruit and Spice Park

One of Miami's lesser-known botanical gardens, the Fruit & Spice Park has hundreds of varieties of this and that, massive rows of mango trees, and lots of other goodies.

Manatee Bend Park

The Little River's very new Manatee Bend Park, where you can spot actual manatees, (six of them are in that picture!) is a small, green space to relax, a communal outdoor living room for the surrounding neighborhood.

Virginia Key Beach Park

Consisting of Virginia Key Beach (obviously) as well as a lagoon, a variety of habitats, bike trails, etc. the Virginia Key Beach Park is big. A lot bigger than you'd think by just driving over the island to Key Biscayne.

The Empty Part Of Watson Island

Watson Island already contains one large and elaborate 'park': Jungle Island, and another smaller, and an almost completely unknown Japanese garden next door. What isn't a park is the barren earth across the causeway, a hodgepodge of sand, grass, dirt, asphalt, and a few poetically rooted palm trees. But the views are killer, and the area's emptiness (even with the highway right there) gives it a wonderful, park like serenity.

Alice Wainwright Park

Photo courtesy FAU Science Dept.