Jun 28, 2020

Pembroke Pines is a Florida city nestled just north of the bustling metropolis of Miami. Many people are drawn to its parks, arts, and culture. If you’re visiting Pembroke Pines, check out these top four things to do.

Play in C.B. Smith Park 

Award-winning C.B. Smith Park is a 299-acre parcel of public land that offers a wealth of activities for all ages. If you plan to spend a day there, you can hang out at the seasonal Paradise Cove water park, play miniature golf, enjoy a picnic, or go fishing. Sports enthusiasts can practice their swing in the batting cages or on the tennis, racquetball, and basketball courts. C.B. Smith also has a popular camping area if you want to make a weekend of your visit.

C.B. Smith is home to a group of burrowing owls, which is an endangered species, who inhabit a protected area of the park. You might spot one if you’re lucky.

Go Shopping at Pembroke Gardens

Find stores to suit all tastes and budgets at Pembroke Gardens, a trendy open-air shopping center off SW 145th Avenue. The shopping center’s 75 stores range from children’s boutiques to beauty shops to high-end fashion lines. Pembroke Gardens also boasts more than 20 restaurants and bars. Satisfy your sweet tooth at an ice cream parlor, lunch with friends at a casual dining spot, or cap off your day with a cool beverage.

Pembroke Gardens is a fun place to spend several hours on a nice day. You can enjoy the fresh air, get your steps in, and browse for gifts for your loved ones or items for yourself. See if fun events, such as the farmers market, are taking place before you visit.

Take a Helicopter Tour

To truly appreciate Pembroke Pines and the surrounding Everglades, book a helicopter tour. Several companies offer private or group flights around South Florida that last anywhere from 15 to 90 minutes. Depart from North Perry Airport, right in Pembroke Pines, and highly skilled pilots will show you a variety of sights, depending on which tour package you choose. Helicopter rides give visitors unparalleled aerial views of the city, coastline, and nearby lakes and wetlands.

Visit Flamingo Gardens

Flamingo Gardens is a fun and unique nature sanctuary that’s home to a variety of native plants and animals. The staff here also rescue and rehabilitate injured animals and give them a place to live.

You’ll find plenty of things to do during a visit to Flamingo Gardens. Stroll through the arboretum, and admire the many gardens throughout the park. Within the wildlife sanctuary, you can view alligators, black bears, birds of prey, parrots, turtles, panthers, and, of course, flamingos. Catch the daily Wildlife Encounter show where caretakers showcase and talk about different animals in the sanctuary. Stop by the Wray House Museum to learn about early 20th-century life in the area, and take a 25-minute tram tour around the grounds as well.

These are just a few of the great things to do in Pembroke Pines, but they should provide you with a fun taste of South Florida.