Not far from where children of Miami's 1980s fondly remember summer days at Six Flags Atlantis is a newer, fancier water park, Tidal Cove. Oddly hidden behind Aventura Mall as part of a luxury hotel, it's an aquatic wonderland for chill- and thrill-seeking kids alike. For the tiniest, there are the splash pads and mellow slides of Kids Cove. Bigger kids can laze the hours away in a slow-flowing chlorinated loop of a lazy river. Little daredevils will get their kicks climbing the never-ending stairs of a number of scream-inducing waterslides. Some of the highlights include the Boomerango, where you raft into a zero-gravity effect, or the Aquadrop, where the floor disappears from underneath you for a gut-clenching free fall. Definitely make time for the Flowrider, where you can boogie board or surf in an artificial stationary surf machine. It can be a pricey day out, but the experience is free for JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort and Spa guests.

If you're looking for a dog park where the humans who visit are just as friendly as the dogs, then Blanche Park is your canine hotspot. No matter the time of day (but especially from 4 to 8 p.m.), you'll find more than a dozen dog owners with their well-behaved pooches roaming the tree-lined, fenced-in park. This is a properly nice park with artificial turf, rolling hills, clean-up and water stations, and bench seating. It's also impressively clean, and the Coconut Grove neighborhood it's nestled in is equally charming. A welcoming spot with regulars, you're in good company to gush about your four-legged buddies and to make yourself a few new two-legged friends.

A great Pilates class is a joy: Your body glides along while pushing, pulling, and moving your limbs in time with your breath. It awakens a wonderland of muscles and tissues you didn't know existed. Even gym fanatics bent on HIIT or boot-camp workouts are catching on that Pilates very well will kick their asses, albeit in a gentle way. Pilates has almost become too trendy, with an ever-growing number of corporate franchises crowding out smaller spots that offer personalized, boutique-style classes. But Breathe Pilates is one of the hidden gems, a bright, airy oasis amid the hubbub of Biscayne Boulevard near 79th Street. The impeccable studio is equipped with six reformers and springboards and an advanced piece of equipment called a "Cadillac." Owner Gretchen Wagoner brings decades of experience, and her meticulous approach to form shines with integrity. A few well-trained instructors are hands-on and attentive, and welcoming group classes are geared toward all ages and abilities.

To know Mimi Yoga's founder is to love her. And her studio. And her retreats. A woman as beautiful as her practice, its founder Mimi Ghandour has upped the game and fostered a community that lives by her mantra to "just show up." Within the confines of her transformative central Wynwood space, her seafoam green, posh yet petite operation is where fitness lovers and yogis alike gather to sweat their worries away.

Not to be confused with the geriatric step aerobics classes at your local rec center, Soca Step turns cardio into Carnival. The brainchild of fitness coach Rhomyka Gardner and taught by Tailored Fitness owner Kamal "Coach Kam" Cudjoe, Soca Step is taught every first, third, and fourth Friday at Vincent Torres Memorial Park in Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill Sports Park, and City Park in Sunrise, respectively. What started eight years ago at Tailored Fitness in Lauderhill turned into a viral fitness sensation that attracts hundreds of people every month. Bring your flag — and coordination — to Soca Step and be prepared to whine yuh waist like you're at a Caribbean fete. Cudjoe's energy is as buoyant as the live soca mix. Yes, he'll call you out for not moving your waistline. Partnerships with global brands like Nike have bolstered this friendly class' popularity, but Cudjoe plans to keep the classes free and accessible to the community.

Whereas we may never know whether the Dolphins will be remotely good year to year, we do know this: The tennis action inside Hard Rock Stadium for the annual Miami Open is always top-tier. Since moving from Crandon Park to Hard Rock Stadium in 2019, everything about the Open has been ace. Beyond professional tennis' four grand slam tournaments, it's regarded as the next best tournament on planet Earth. And, for many reasons, people love playing inside a football stadium-gone-tennis court. All of the top players in the world attend (except Novak Djokovic, who keeps bailing for whatever reason), and, well, it's a total vibe. Even if you aren't a tennis fan, you can relish slices of Editor Pizza and booze on a balcony overlooking the grounds.

Winning an award for Best Coach in any sports town would be an accomplishment, but receiving that accolade with Miami Heat coach and future Hall of Famer Erik Spoelstra employed just down the road adds an extra shine to the achievement. Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is this year's pick for the category, thanks to his work in turning the Dolphins offense into a national story through high-speed innovation and creativity that has his counterparts scratching their heads. Between his rejuvenation of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's confidence and, in essence, career, and utilization of Miami's playmakers to the best of their abilities on the way to 11 wins and a second-straight playoff appearance, McDaniel has taken a dormant franchise accustomed to disappointments to a team with Super Bowl or bust expectations for the first time in a quarter-century. Making the Miami Dolphins relevant again? Yeah, that's worthy stuff for the Best Coach of the Year.

The Florida Panthers have been looking fierce and clawing their way deep into the playoffs, thanks in large part to forward Matthew Tkachuk. After arriving in Florida through a trade with the Calgary Flames in 2022, Tkachuk wasted no time making his mark. He scored 40 goals in his first season with the Panthers and led the team on a Cinderella run to the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Along the way, Tkachuk whipped in three game-winning goals in the NHL Eastern Conference Finals in a playoff performance that will go down in franchise lore. Tkachuk brings the kind of dedication and sense of camaraderie that makes championship teams. His scoring prowess is undeniable, but he's an unselfish player — as keen to provide a breakaway assist as he is to slap in a goal himself.

Imagine not giving Lionel Messi the Best Inter Miami CF Player title — it could not be us. Lionel Messi is more than a goal-scorer, but his fast start in his debut with Inter, consisting of 11 goals in his first 11 games with the club, confirmed what was already widely accepted: Nobody has ever put the ball in the back of the net more consistently than the Argentine GOAT himself. Messi's presence with Inter has made the club successful on the field — including last season's League Cup victory — and off the pitch and worldwide, as evidenced by Inter having more social media followers than any sports team. Messi's playing in Miami would be akin to Taylor Swift deciding to have a residency in South Florida. The impact is immeasurable. Not only is Messi the Inter Miami CF Player of 2024, but likely the Best Miami Person of 2024. What happens on the pitch this season is almost second in importance to the attention and entertainment he brings South Florida.

Impactful. That's the best word to describe Jalen Ramsey's absence during the first half of the season due to a knee injury and his season-shifting return in December. An All-Pro his entire career, it was well-known and expected that Ramsey would be a dominant force in the Dolphins' secondary. Still, it wasn't until his belated arrival in the regular season after recovering from a knee injury that Dolphins fans could truly understand what the former Florida State Seminole brings. A glance at the stat sheet may show just three interceptions and five pass defenses last season, but the truth is in the details. They tell the story of a cornerback who deleted an entire side of the field for opposing quarterbacks, forcing them to take advantage of a hobbled and on-the-decline Xavien Howard, who has since left the team. Ramsey already looks 500 percent this offseason — challenging football campers to one-on-one battles galore — so expect to see an even better version of Jalen in 2024.