Things to Do in Miramar

Boasting a five-star certification from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, Pompano Dive Center's seasoned staff enlighten aquatic adventurers during comprehensive snorkeling and scuba-diving courses. The crew welcomes divers into a practice swimming pool or aboard their custom-built boat, Sea Dog Diver. The vessel departs into South Florida's beautiful waters in search of marine wildlife, wrecks, and schools of fried fish sticks. The team helps pupils gain PADI certification and teach specialty courses such as underwater photography and freediving, the art of diving with only a single breath. The staff also mans a retail shop, which carries the full ScubaPro line and enough wetsuits to clothe all of Atlantis's top businessmen.

At Sunrise Paddleboards, experienced guides take paddlers of all ages across the Atlantic coast and inland waterways during standup paddleboard tours. Guides give helpful tips on maintaining balance so that sightseers can confidently admire coral reefs and challenge dolphins’ alleged intelligence with the most difficult Trivial Pursuit questions. Experienced boarders can rent a board and chart their own course through the waters with all the necessary gear provided by the center, including a fin, deck pad, handle, leash plug, carbon-fiber paddle, and personal flotation device. In addition to thrilling days on the high seas, paddlers get a core workout as they glide through the water. Along with tours, Sunrise Paddleboards maintains a large selection of boards for sale, including the popular SUP ATX paddleboards.

At Create Your Canvas, students channel their inner Chagall or Rococo as they turn a snow-white canvas into a personalized print. Selecting from a collection of 100 painting, students choose to re-create images from nature, dance, or child-friendly cartoons then fill in the color on a pre-sketched canvas. Guests sip on samples of their own wine or mixed drinks, and compare pointers on how much is appropriate to tip your muse, a pencil sharpener.

At Bloom Nursery, owner Diego Scort and his staff of green thumbs nurture the tender blossoms and lush foliage of their palms, shrubs, and budding vines. They strive to help customers gussy up their gardens with organically and locally grown plants, as well as those that have been adapted to thrive South Florida's climate. In addition to sending visitors off with flourishing florae, the staffers also equip gardeners with materials, supplies, and tips necessary to keep plants from sprouting rampant weeds or eloping with tumbleweeds just passing through town.

An online wine community, Bottlenotes connects vino enthusiasts in the pursuit of discussing wines, getting recommendations, and connecting with experts. Staff members organize public interactive tastings in 10 major cities, gathering people of varying experience to sample vintages and blends from around the world or from a particular region. Each interactive event expands into creative spaces, such as art galleries and museums, emulating the ancient practice of how artists celebrate their paintings' birthdays. Bottlenotes' online wine collection—supplied through retailer Sherry-Lehmann—gives enophiles a communal browsing space for popular tipples. To help guide purchases, the website's interactive forum lets commenters share their tasting notes and wine ratings for each bottle. A daily e-newsletter also fills subscribers' inboxes with articles discussing interesting winemakers, wine-related products, and winemaking regions, keeping them up-to-date on current wine trends and the migration patterns of grapes.

As rum collector and enthusiast Robert Burr sensed what he termed the "awakening of rum" in 2005, he decided to direct his passion toward educating the community. Drawing from an earlier career in magazine publishing, he compiled a list of 100 of his favorite rums each year into a free guide, which he gave to local liquor stores. As he developed connections with other enthusiasts and tasting judges, he formed the International Rum Expert Panel, an organization of 36 cane-spirit lovers from around the world. He gathers the majority of these experts in Miami Beach each year for the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, a celebration of the libation's international varieties. Through the festival's schedule of events, Robert aims to honor iconic spirits while also featuring lesser-known rum makers that guests might not otherwise find without finding and deciphering Blackbeard's long-lost treasure-map pajamas.

Held at the opulent DoubleTree by Hilton, the annual event has grown to include hundreds of rums hailing from countries such as Jamaica, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. As they mingle in spacious convention halls, visitors navigate a labyrinth of bartenders and brand ambassadors proffering island apparel, art, and books. Industry experts expound on the history, origins, and childhood fears of the libation during weekend seminars and bartender competitions. Attendees also revel at a two-day tasting exhibition, late-night parties, and VIP events at various Miami venues.