BEST FILM FESTIVAL Miami International Film Festival.BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE Lia Rodrigues Dance Company.BEST DANCE COMPANY Maximum Dance Company.BEST CONCERT OF THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS Elvis Costello, Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts.BEST CHILDRENS THEATER Actors Playhouse Musical Theatre for Young Audiences.BEST BOOK BY A LOCAL AUTHOR Working Stiffs: Occupational Portraits in the Age of Tintypes.BEST ART CINEMA Sunrise Intracoastal Cinema.BEST AM RADIO PERSONALITY Jim "Mad Dog" Mandich.BEST ACTIVITY TO DO WHILE INTOXICATED Sober up at Puerto Sagua.So plan ahead, make reservations (cabins book well in advance), and take a long weekend to enjoy an unforgettable kayaking experience. And the place is much more than water, of course, including 39 miles of hiking and biking trails, plus camping facilities that range from primitive to comfy (the five historic log cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s). Between the lakes and the river, an earnest paddler would need at least a couple of full days to get a good feel for the place. A bazillion alligators live here, including some true leviathans. The stretch between Upper Myakka Lake and Lower Myakka Lake meanders through a gorgeous landscape of moss-covered oaks, palm groves, and reedy marshes. It flows for fourteen miles through the park boundaries, with many more miles downstream through protected lands - all the way to Charlotte Harbor. This is Florida's largest state park (roughly 45 square miles), and the Myakka is a rare gem, one of only two state-designated "wild and scenic" rivers. Why should anyone drive roughly three and a half hours from Miami just to put a kayak in the water? Because Myakka River State Park offers fantastic paddling unlike anything in these parts. No matter what your fancy, it's best to avoid the park June through October, when the skeeter population grows exponentially as the mercury rises. Walking enthusiasts should consider the trails that start at Long Pine Key, en route between the main park entrance and Flamingo. To get out on the water, you need to go further afield, to Everglades City or Flamingo, to rent canoes or kayaks or, for the less energetic, take a boat tour. During a visit this past January, easily 200 gators could be seen alongside the paths and waterways, catching some rays. To traverse the fifteen-mile loop road, bring your own bike or rent one there (a tram ride is available, but you wouldn't really be communing with nature on the thing). A nearby, fun, and easy expedition is Shark Valley, a straight shot along the Tamiami Trail, twenty miles west of Krome Avenue. Thank your lucky stars that you live so close to a spectacular, albeit unusual environment. Big Developer is licking his chops over the eastern fringes, so get to 'em while you can. As Uncle Sam is preparing to spend billions on restoring the River of Grass, Mr.
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