4 great trails in Miami to inline skate
Miami is a sub-tropical paradise with sunshine 320 out of 365 days out of the year. No wonder the people here are so tan! This means we’ve got the ability to spend time outdoors basically year-round. One of the most popular ways to be outside and stay active is to go rollerblading. As you can see, I am a very active skater so when it comes to the best places and trails to go skate, I am your girl.
Virginia Key
Virginia Key ROCKS!! This is absolutely number one. Virginia Key is the first key in the chain of keys that surround the mainland of Miami going all the way down to Key West. If you’re staying in Miami Beach, it is approximately 22 minutes away.
The trail: can be rough at times, especially in the part after the William M. Powell bridge but if you cross the street to the side of the Marine Stadium, the trail is smooth as crystal. I also encourage taking the street going towards Virginia Key Beach since it is also smooth and mostly car-free(see picture). It’s super popular with cyclists as well.
The length: If you are looking for a good workout, this is the ideal location. The William M. Powell bridge offers an adrenaline pumping start to your skate with a nice steep incline and then a scenic flat skate for the rest of the island.
Krome Avenue
On the opposite side of Miami you can find a newly paved trail on Krome Avenue. Although there is no official parking for this area, what I usually do is park anywhere on the side and leave a note on the car. Not sure if I should really be publicizing this but also, why build a trail that is inaccessible?? Park there in protest if you ask me.
The trail: Smooth like butter and flat all throughout. Great place to practice your speed skating.
The length: Uuf this trail goes on forever!
Shark Valley
The name is quite deceiving. No, there are no sharks in Shark Valley. In fact, you will find alligators here because it is smack-dab in the middle of the Everglades. This is a paved road that extends 15 miles! In the middle of the trail there is an overview tower where you can gaze at the extensiveness of the Everglades. Shark Valley is a loop so the way you came in is one of the only ways to go out, unless you do the whole loop. There are no tall trees thus no shade so if you do skate here I recommend either taking loads of water, going very early, or avoiding the summertime at all costs.
The trail: Amazing and smooth
The length: crazy long! 15 miles!
Miami Beach
It would be thoughtless of me if I didn’t include the iconic boardwalk of Miami Beach. The ideal place to skate is between 5th street and 15th street on the boardwalk since this is the smoothest pavement however it is still possible to skate beyond 15th street. In Miami Beach I would only recommend skating early in the morning since after 10 am the city starts to get packed and it could be a bit unsafe. Miami Beach is still a great place to skate because of the abundance of bike lanes at your disposal, including a bike lane on Washington Avenue that stretches from 16th street till the southernmost tip of the island.
The trail: smooth between 5th street and 15th street on the boardwalk. Plenty of bike lanes throughout the city.
The length: 10 city blocks on the boardwalk but you can skate within the confines of the city as well.
So if you were wondering in what places can you skate in Miami, I hope this helps. There is the beach-walk in Miami Beach, the island trail in Virginia Key’s Rickenbacker Causeway, the secluded trail at the edge of Miami, and the extended path in the Everglades called Shark Valley.
Staying active and exercising does not have to be boring and you should take up different hobbies to vary it up. Exercise is not good, it’s necessary. Our bodies NEED to be taken care of and given the proper amount of exercise a day (doctors say you only need a 30 minute walk a day, easy peasy). Love yourself and take yourself out for a nice skate in one of these trails. Let me know how it goes!!