If you happen to be in Miami and crave an authentic outdoor experience away from the trendy restaurants and clubs in South Beach, take an hour-long drive on the Tamiami Trail (Route 41) to Shark Valley Visitor Center in Everglades National Park. Try to get here on the early side (before 11 am), because the parking lot fills up quick, and bring water and sandwiches for lunch. Then rent a bike and head out on the 15-mile paved Shark Valley route. Far from the deafening noise of a propeller boat, a tourist magnet in these parts, you get to bike at your own pace along canals teeming with alligators, turtles, and an extraordinary amount of large birds. It took my family of four almost an hour to bike one mile because we had to stop every 50 yards to get a photo of that gator basking in the sun next to the bike trail. Don’t worry. They could care less about you and no one’s ever been attacked on the route. Usually near the alligator was an anhinga drying its wings on a branch, and wood storks and white whooping cranes standing tall in the shallow water. There was every type of heron imaginable, from the stocky black-crowned night heron to the long-legged great blue heron. Another highlight was the pink roseate spoonbills resting in the dense sagebrush along the canal. Stop midway at the observation deck to get a good overview of the Everglades topography, a mix of sinuous waterways and tall swaying grass. This is also a good spot to have that sandwich or snack you brought before heading back.
First located in downtown Sarasota, Derek’s was the place to go to try some of the most innovative fare on the southwestern Florida coast. One bite of the gulf prawns in a maple smoked red chile sauce or the tender beef shot ribs paired with wild mushrooms and you realize why owner Derek Barnes, who trained under Emeril Lagasse in New Orleans, was nominated by the prestigious James Beard Foundation as one of the best chefs in the southeast. Downtown Sarasota, however, never grew into the exciting neighborhood Barnes yearned. So he decided to head north and is now re-launching Derek’s in West Bradenton, an easy drive from Tampa or Sarasota. The ribbon cutting is June 18th. Check it out! 
My cabin at 
Last year’s El Nino did bring much needed snow to drought-stricken California last season but skiers are still waiting for a serious dumping. 
Say ta-ta to the treadmill and sprint on over to the Esplanade, the beginning of a 17-mile paved greenway that lines the Charles River. Boston loves its jogging so don’t be surprised to see runners here year-round. Better yet, get on the Charles and paddle along the Harvard crew team.