Kendall: Zoo, Sports and Railroad History

Kendall can be explored through several clearly distinct themes: wildlife, sports facilities, and railroad history. When planning your trip, it helps to start by asking which focus matters most to you. Zoo Miami is known for its expansive animal park; Kendall Soccer Park and Kendall Indian Hammocks Action Sports Plaza offer different sporting experiences. The Gold Coast Railroad Museum adds historic railroad equipment to these themes.

Zoo Miami: Animals, Outdoor Facilities, and Paths

Zoo Miami in Kendall is home to more than 2,000 animals from over 375 different species. The grounds cover almost 750 acres and include four miles of paths. This brings together animal populations, the size of the grounds, and the length of the paths as concrete points of interest. These figures also set Zoo Miami apart from the sports facilities, where fields, a walking path, and a skateboard-inspired plaza are the main points of reference.

The zoo’s outdoor facilities recreate the natural habitats of its animals. So, alongside the animal species, the recreated habitats are also part of what defines the place. If you’re prioritizing your trip based on your interests, Zoo Miami offers a distinct focus that combines wildlife with an expansive outdoor setting.

Sports Facilities in Kendall

Kendall Soccer Park covers 42 acres in the heart of Kendall. It has five regulation-size artificial turf soccer fields and a one-mile walking path. This combination is useful for understanding the park’s different features: the soccer fields and walking path serve distinct purposes. If soccer is a factor in your travel plans, you can look to the five fields; the walking path offers another way to be active in the park.

Kendall Indian Hammocks Action Sports Plaza offers a different focus. It is a 14,000-square-foot outdoor concrete area inspired by well-known skate parks. Its influences include Love Park in Philadelphia and the Embarcadero in San Francisco. Unlike Soccer Park, its profile is shaped not by soccer fields but by the open concrete area and its skateboarding inspiration.

Railroad History at the Gold Coast Railroad Museum

The Gold Coast Railroad Museum in Kendall is dedicated to preserving, exhibiting, and operating historic equipment. Its collection includes more than 40 historic railroad cars. This number gives a concrete sense of the collection, while the museum’s activities explain how it engages with the historic equipment: preserving, displaying, and operating it. For travelers interested in railroad history, this is a distinct focus from the animal and sports offerings.

The museum’s history also has a place in the broader historical context: in 1984, it became one of Florida’s three official railroad museums.

Getting to Kendall

Kendall is accessible by the Metrorail rapid transit system and Miami Metrobus. You can include both modes of transport in your travel plans; check the schedules for your travel dates before setting out.

Explore more destinations: Florida City, North Miami, Virginia Gardens, Miami Beach, Glenvar Heights, Aventura, Miami, Naranja

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