Founded in 1913, Homestead is the second-oldest city in Miami-Dade County, behind only Miami itself. Despite its designation as a city, this enclave is far more suburban agricultural than it is metropolitan. Homestead is also a gateway of sorts, roughly equidistant to three iconic Florida locales: Biscayne National Park, the Florida Keys, and the Everglades. Even the glow of Miami is only 35 miles northeast. That is not to say Homestead has nothing going on; it simply operates on a different frequency. Local entertainment sources consist of swamp tours and animal rescues, berry farms and wineries, rodeos, and auto racetracks. A rather cute, historic downtown area includes the Seminole Theater, an exemplar of the Art Moderne style. For those who want to be near everything but still have room to stretch out, Homestead offers ample acreage on which to hang your hat.

Florida City marks the southernmost point in the Miami metropolitan area, the last bastion of mainland South Florida civilization. Continue on south, and you’ll find yourself on U.S. Route 1 headed toward the Florida Keys. Venture west and be among the famed natural expanse of Everglades National Park — a haven for aspiring biologists, birders, and kayakers alike. During the initial stages of Florida City’s growth, farming tomato and squash was a driving force of the local economy. Today, agriculture is still vital to the community, and you can support area growers by purchasing their wares at nearby farm stands. There is also the benefit of residing close enough to Miami to soak up its splendor, meanwhile having a quieter hideaway for retreat after a day among the crowds and bustle.

In Florida, “going south” is hardly a bad thing. Miami-Dade includes and surrounds the southernmost metropolis in the entire continental United States — and as the most populous county in the state, it’s home to a confluence of culture, cuisine, and recreation like no other. Its most dense stretch lies clustered in a strip roughly 20 miles wide, with a high-rise-studded coastline balanced by more spread-out suburban neighborhoods that become increasingly prevalent heading inland. Miami-Dade also includes the upper Florida Keys and, lesser-known at large, a $2 billion agricultural industry operating predominantly in the lower half of the county, where farm fields operate in symbiosis with wildlife conservation and water recharge habitats. Residents commuting to the commercial districts of Miami benefit from the extensive Metrorail system, serving 23 stations along a 24-mile route between Palmetto and Kendall with a connection to Miami International Airport.