A Detailed Itinerary for Your First Visit to Miami

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Miami is a city that needs no introduction. It's known for its stunning beaches, lively nightlife, and diverse culture. However, with so many things to see and do, planning an itinerary for your first visit to Miami can be overwhelming. Here is a comprehensive guide with some of the ultimate Miami itinerary ideas for first-time visitors to ensure you have the best experience during your stay in this vibrant city.

Little Havana and Wynwood

Little Havana and Wynwood are two neighborhoods that you should not miss during your visit to Miami. Start your day by having a cup of Cuban coffee at a local café in Little Havana. Explore the area and immerse yourself in Cuban culture by visiting Calle Ocho and experiencing the historic Ball & Chain bar, famous for its live music and dancing. Then, head to Wynwood, known for its colorful street art and graffiti murals. You can admire the artwork and take lots of pictures at the Wynwood Walls.

Everglades National Park

A visit to Miami would not be complete without a day trip to the Everglades National Park, located just a short drive from Miami. This park is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including alligators, turtles, and many other species. You can take an airboat tour and explore the park's unique ecosystem, which is unlike anywhere else in the world. For the adventurous, you can even try alligator wrestling shows. In the evening, catch a Miami Heat basketball game at the American Airlines Arena and experience the city's sports culture.

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

The Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is a must-visit attraction for those interested in history and architecture. It is a National Historic Landmark that features an Italian Renaissance-style villa and stunning gardens that make it an ideal spot for some picturesque photos. After visiting Vizcaya, head to the nearby Coconut Grove neighborhood for lunch at a waterfront restaurant and explore the local shops.

Miami Design District

Miami is a hub for fashion and art, and the Miami Design District is where you can see the city's creative side. The neighborhood is filled with high-end fashion boutiques, art galleries, and furniture stores. You can admire the modern architecture and contemporary art installations while indulging in some shopping. Stop by the Institute of Contemporary Art and the de la Cruz Collection for some world-class art.

 
The Miami Seaquarium

The Miami Seaquarium is a popular attraction that features a variety of marine animals, including dolphins, sea lions, and manatees. You can watch the daily shows and learn about marine conservation efforts. In the evening, head to the nearby Key Biscayne area for dinner at one of the waterfront restaurants and enjoy the beautiful views of the ocean.

The beaches

South Beach is one of Miami's most iconic neighborhoods. You can take a stroll along the famous Ocean Drive and admire the art deco architecture that characterizes the buildings. The beach is also a great spot to relax, soak up the sun and take in the stunning ocean views. In the evening, head to Lincoln Road Mall, a pedestrian-only street filled with shops, restaurants, and bars. You can indulge in some retail therapy or sample some of Miami's delicious cuisine. Crandon Park Beach on Key Biscayne is another popular spot known for its clear blue water and white sand. You can even travel to other nearby places like Cuba or the Bahamas, and if that’s something you’d like to try, look into ideas for a cool day trip to the Bahamas from Miami, and you’ll end up having the time of your life.

Florida Keys

A day trip to the Florida Keys is a great way to explore the area's natural beauty. The Florida Keys are a string of islands located south of Miami, and you can drive along the scenic Overseas Highway while stopping at various keys to explore the local attractions. Key Largo is known for its coral reefs and is an ideal spot for snorkeling or scuba diving. Islamorada is known for its sport fishing, and you can try your hand at catching some fish or enjoy a meal at one of the local seafood restaurants.

The Art Deco Historic District

The Art Deco Historic District is another must-visit neighborhood in Miami. This area is known for its unique architecture and features over 800 buildings constructed in the Art Deco, Streamline Moderne, and Mediterranean Revival styles. You can take a walking tour and learn about the history of the buildings and the people who shaped the neighborhood. The district is also home to many restaurants and bars, making it a great spot to end the day.

Nightlife

End your trip by experiencing Miami's famous nightlife. Miami has a reputation for being a party city, and there are plenty of options to choose from. You can head to the famous Club Space, known for its electronic music and late-night parties, or the LIV nightclub at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, which features world-class DJs and a luxurious atmosphere. Alternatively, you can head to the Clevelander, a popular bar on Ocean Drive that features live music and a lively atmosphere.

Food scene

Another idea for a day in Miami is to explore the city's thriving food scene. Miami is known for its diverse cuisine, with influences from Latin America, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world. Start your day by having breakfast at a local Cuban bakery, such as Versailles in Little Havana. Try their famous pastries, such as guava pastelitos and Cuban coffee. Next, head to the Miami River neighborhood and visit Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market, a local institution known for its fresh seafood. You can choose from a variety of dishes, including ceviche, fish tacos, and grilled octopus.

Miami is a city that has something for everyone. From its stunning beaches to its vibrant nightlife and diverse culture, there are plenty of things to see and do. Whether you're interested in history, art, or the beaches, Miami has something to offer for every type of traveler.

Young Filipino girls take the spotlight on the stage of robotics

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Female Junior high school students prove that they are ready to break the long-standing gender biases of society and proudly wave the banner of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics as they join the newly-launched Tagisang Robotics Competition 3.0: Girls & Gears – the first and only all-female robotics competition in the country, courtesy of the Department of Science and Technology - Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI).

Aiming to bridge the wide gender gap in robotics education and address issues of underrepresentation of women in STEM, the DOST-SEI recently launched the TRC 3.0: Girls and Gears, which is a reboot of one of its successful and decade-long running programs – the Tagisang Robotics Competition: Design, Build, and Play.

DOST-SEI Director Dr. Josette T. Biyo officially announced the launch last March 27, 2023 during the opening ceremony of the TRC 3.0: Girls & Gears’ Mobot Interfacing Using the Arduino Microcontroller, a five-day technical training and workshop meant to prepare the female students for the Competition Stage.

In her video message, Dr. Biyo praised the young girls for their burning passion to learn and take part in the field of robotics and promised to continue strengthening initiatives that aim to create a more diverse and more inclusive robotics community.

Dr. Biyo also expressed delight to celebrate the National Women’s Month along with the start of the new TRC. She challenged the female participants to make the most out of their learnings throughout the competition and use the new knowledge they will gain to improve the state of Science and Technology in the country.

In its maiden year, the TRC 3.0 features groups of four female students, together with their coaches, from twenty (20) science and technology-oriented junior high schools battling out to win a trophy and a Php 100,000.00 cash grant.

Here are the 20-participating school-teams who are part of the competition’s pioneering batch: Caloocan National Science and Technology High School
Las Piñas National High School
Makati Science High School
Malabon National High School
Manila Science High School
Marcelo H. Del Pilar National High School
Marikina Science High School
Muntinlupa Science High School
Parañaque Science High School
Pasay City West High School
Pasig City Science High School
Pitogo High School
Quezon City High School
Rizal High School
Rizal National Science High School
San Francisco High School
San Juan City Science High School
Sen. Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Science and Technology High School
Taguig City Science High School
Valenzuela School of Mathematics and Science

The school-teams underwent the five-day technical training and workshop from March 27 to 31, 2023 at the Sequoia Hotel - Manila Bay, which focused on learning the basics about robotic technologies such as the microcontroller basics, electronics, sensors, and automation processes.

The training sessions were facilitated by lecturers from ThinkLab, namely, Engr. Elgie Cabarubias, Ms. Kate Justin Flores, Mr. John Paul Caballeda, Ms. Veena Barnachea, Engr. Mark Jayson de Jesus, and Engr. Josiah Sicad. Teaching young girls everything they need to know about the Arduino and Electronics, ThinkLab helped the female students program their mobots to perform specific tasks.

Caption: Engr. Elgie Cabarubias of ThinkLab gives students a review about the basics of Arduino and Electronics – great foundation lessons to boost their skills, knowledge, and understanding of robotics and engineering.

Caption: Girls of the TRC 3.0 apply their learnings as they make the LED lights go brighter after being taught about the Arduino Analog Input and Output and advance Arduino lessons including Two-Dimensional Arrays and LED Matrix.

 
Caption: A junior high school female student gets excited as she unboxed their school-team's mobot.

In celebration of the National Women’s Month, the students were also given the opportunity to unleash their girl power and join the “60-Minute GEWE for Girls”, a workshop on Gender Equality and Women Empowerment led by an independent Gender and Development consultant Ms. Marita Pimentel.

The five-day technical training and workshop concluded with a brief closing ceremony. During the program, Engr. Carlos Matti Opus, chair of the Board of Judges, explained the mechanics, schedules, and prizes of the game.

The closing ceremony also included a discussion of the DOST-SEI's study “Women in Science Fact Sheet No. 4” - the 2021 publication which paved the way and solidified the need to push for an all-female robotics competition. Ms. Bern Irish Arguelles, a former scholar and currently a statistician of DOST-SEI, led the discussion where she provided an overview of the status of women in the S&T workforce, revealing their low representation in the fields of engineering, architecture, and other related fields.

Caption: Ms. Bern Irish Arguelles of the DOST-SEI motivates the girls of TRC 3.0 as she presents findings of DOST-SEI's 2021 publication “Women in Science”.

Ms. Shumate Royo, a tech community enabler and former managing director of DEVCON, concluded the event by inspiring young girls to hold hands in aiming to close the gender divides in Science and Technology. Her words which focused on expressing women’s involvement in various scientific pursuits sought to give the girls the confidence to continue waving the banner of women, not just in the field of robotics, but in all aspects of life.

Ms. Royo ended her message by challenging the girls to become the STEM role models they ought to be and to not forget to pay it forward.

Caption: Ms. Shumate Royo bolsters the girls’ courage to venture in the fields of STEM as she delivers an inspirational message during the technical training and workshop’s closing ceremonies.

TRC 3.0: Girls and Gears follows the same phase format as the previous TRCs. After the five-day technical training and workshop, a series of practice games will commence to further test the teams’ skills in robotics.

The in-person practice round, along with the final game, is set to take place in July this year. 

EXTENDED CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: UP Cinema sets extended deadline of entries for Kino Punch 7

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UP Cinema’s seventh installment of their official film magazine “KINO PUNCH: KP7ARAN” with the theme of Divination and Future Reading extends their ongoing call for submissions, moving the deadline from April 10, 2023 to April 26, 2023.

With this, the film organization continues its search for film reviews, essays, poetry, artworks, photographs, and photo essays (English and Filipino works are accepted), revolving around the foreseeable future of cinema, with respect to the issue’s theme. In observance of the extended deadline, all entries submitted on or before April 26, 2023 will still be accepted and considered for inclusion in the film magazine.

The call for contributions remains open to ALL Filipino film enthusiasts, literary writers and artists who seek to share their original or collaborative works.

Submission guidelines may be found through this link: https://bit.ly/KP7Guidelines

An in-person issue launch is expected to happen by July 2023. This edition of Kino Punch will be available both digitally and in print this year (2023) through the guidance of its Editorial Board, consisting of Mae Malaya (Editor-in-Chief), Abigael Manalili (Managing Editor), Rian Piamonte (Managing Editor), Ivan Gentolizo (Associate Editor), FJ Calvario (Copy Editor), Althea Ann Laylo (Creative Director), Mikayla Manganti (Creative Director), Ymarc Manzano (Marketing and Publicity Editor), Allen Prodigalidad (Marketing and Publicity Editor), and Max Guanzon (Layout Editor).

For more information on the publication, visit the official Kino Punch social media platforms on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.