In a town that has a predilection for the newest, sleekest, and most modern, Vizcaya Gardens is a nod to the past and a throwback to classical beauty. The gardens feature Italian and French Renaissance elements lined with walkways and ponds that make you feel as though you're strolling through a 400-year-old villa in Tuscany rather than a property near the heart of Miami. Designed more than 100 years ago by Diego Suarez for James Deering (heir to an agricultural equipment fortune), the gardens remain a serene spot to spend an afternoon on the edge of Biscayne Bay. Overlooking the gardens is Deering's historic mansion, which boasts one of the most impressive local collections of antique Italian furniture. Tickets for the mansion and gardens run $25 for adults and $10 for children ages 6 to 12 (free for the youngest ones). The gate is open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day except Tuesday.

In a town where summer never really ends, there's a place where it's always winter. It's not a cryptic fortune cookie or meteorological riddle, but the southernmost ice rink in the continental United States. The Kendall Ice Arena offers public skating hours, hockey and figure skating programs, expert sharpening and blade-mounting services, skating lessons, a vintage arcade, a concession stand, and a Colombian restaurant overlooking the ice. More than anything, it offers locals one of the only legitimate reasons to leave home with their mittens.

True cue masters know the Billiard Club has been racking up an unspoken reputation as the go-to spot for some eight-ball and nine-ball action since its grand opening in the early 2000s. At $12 an hour Sunday through Thursday and $15 an hour on Friday and Saturday, prices remain fixed since the early 2000s. Located in Royal Oaks Plaza just south of the big bend in the Palmetto Expressway, this Miami Lakes pool joint is not subject to Florida's indoor smoking ban, so the stale miasma of Marlboro Reds and Cohiba cigars sticks to you like blue chalk on a cue the moment you walk in — as it should be at any reputable pool joint. There are plenty of tables, so there's little to zero wait time. Sleepless boozehounds should note that this is one of the few late-night spots in northwest Miami-Dade. Depending on your budget and taste, you can enjoy top-shelf or bottom-of-the-barrel liquor and beer.

The appeal of the oceanfront stretch known as North Beach Oceanside Park is its location. It's far enough from the touristy throngs of South Beach and the teeny thongs of the nude beach at Haulover. Unlike Crandon Park, you don't have to schlep across Biscayne Bay or succumb to a $3 toll. There's typically ample street parking, pavilions to rent for parties, playgrounds for the kids, shaded areas with picnic tables, and, of course, that big, beautiful expanse where the sand meets the Atlantic surf.

It was a sad day in 2008 when the Orange Bowl, the stadium that hosted University of Miami Hurricanes football since 1937, was demolished. But the legacy of those hallowed grounds couldn't be wiped away with a wrecking ball. Just three years later, in honor of the Orange Bowl's 75th anniversary, the Orange Bowl Committee celebrated the debut of the $5.7 million Orange Bowl Field at Moore Park, which happened to be the Allapattah grounds where the 'Canes sometimes played during the decade before the Orange Bowl was built. Thanks to the investment, Moore Park now boasts some of the best athletic facilities in the city, including 11 tennis courts, two basketball courts, a baseball field, and a running track on the football field's perimeter. It's equipped with track and field gear, outdoor gym furniture, workout courses, a playground, an indoor recreation center, and barbecue grills. It's a great place to post up and watch athletes train — and if you're lucky, the morning custodian might even suggest a few workout plans, free of charge.

Braving I-95 is no small feat, but what wouldn't man do for his best friend? Just north of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Bark Park at Snyder Park offers fresh air, a clean lake for swimming, and a fenced-in area where Fido can mingle with other members of his species. There's even an obstacle course for the agility-minded pooch.

Take us out to the basketball game! Scientists haven't been able to pinpoint precisely why Miami's single men exhibit such a strong tendency to spend their disposable income on Miami Heat jerseys, Miami Heat tickets, and booze at Miami Heat games when there are other sports in town, but that's neither here nor there. For the best odds on a meet-cute, stake out the concession stands that serve local craft beers outside Sections 110, 114, and 123. Choose your mark, compliment the player he's repping on the back of his shirsey, and you're off and running. The rest is up to you.

With eclectic, forward-thinking acts from international electronic artists, activism-inspired dancers, or futuristic, bass-heavy music producers, this monthly series at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, has become the unofficial meeting of the city's hip and cultured citizenry. It's a great place to meet cool, interesting people of all genders and relationship statuses, and it's particularly well-suited for those searching for a mysterious artistic type to whisper sweet nothings to or debate the simulation hypothesis. They might be here! (And they might be nonbinary, so watch your pronouns.)

One of Miami's premier art destinations is also the low-key perfect spot to plan your first date. Sure, you might sound a tad pretentious suggesting the Pérez Art Museum Miami, AKA PAMM. But if your date can see past that, you both shall uncover an establishment where long silences aren't awkward but welcomed as you peruse the exhibits. And the headline of this item aside, if the date goes well, there's the onsite restaurant Verde overlooking the bay where you can order the "First Love" pizza (stracciatella cheese, tomato sauce, prosciutto, and arugula) and gaze into each other's eyes.

To G-rate the old adage, mini golf is like pizza: Even when it's bad, it's still pretty good. This applies to Palmetto Mini Golf, where young ones can be momentarily pried away from screens to spend quality time outside. Though these 18 well-maintained holes lack the kitschy windmills and cartoonish castles that have defined the mini-golf genre of late, they incorporate myriad obstacles and challenges, including an impressive manmade waterfall and cave. It might be hard to believe, but rest assured that putting a colored, dimpled ball into a hole in the ground is enough to distract any kiddo from his Roblox or Minecraft habit for an hour or two. The best part? It's always there for you! Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily; cost is $7 per person per round Monday through Thursday and $8 per person per round Friday through Sunday.