Ok this is not the best tourist spot in south Florida but a sentimental favorite as for a while we used to lived there, in fact, it was our last home in the USA ! And even if briefly mentioned in other posts, it really needs a post of its own, me think, Going down memory lane again with wonderful family experiences to remember forever, Therefore, here is my tribute to my sentimental Miramar of Florida !!! for all times’s sake. Do read my other wonderful posts on my Florida. Hope you enjoy the post as I.
My last town in the USA was Miramar, Broward county, before leaping forward to Versailles in France . After, all after convincing my girlfriend to live with me in Florida for 13 years, My then wife convince me in 2003 to come to
France where we are already 23+ years. Sadly, my parents who came with us passed away 2007 and 2023, and my dear Frenchie did in 2018, I came already as French ,since 2000, therefore, no immigration but expatriates. Miramar was name after the city of Miramar in Havana, Cuba (also near where I was born). The city has adjacent towns such as Pembroke Pines,(for shopping) ; Hollywood (for the beach), West Park ,and Miami Gardens. To the extreme west you find the Everglades! The division of Silver Lakes includes part of the towns of Miramar, and Pembroke Pines. We lived at Silver Lakes division or HOA, west of I-75 interstate road on Sapphire Bay sub division. As often the case pic below is from our visit in 2009 of our pool area in Sapphire Bay and my boys !!! And the entrance to our home.
The Silver Lakes Community Association was established in 1990. From the opening of Brittany Bay sub division in 1991 to the opening of Pelican Isle sub division in 1998, SilverLakes has been one of the premier communities in Broward county. My sons went to school here at Silver Lakes Elementary School, 2300 SW 173rd Ave, Miramar, memorable last school in the USA and they fondly remember it as well as their teachers! As well as briefly my oldest at Silver Trail Middle School 18300 Sheridan St, Pembroke Pines. Memorable last schools in the USA and they fondly remember it as well as their teachers! Sapphire Bay (our subdivision) mostly features midsize homes that are competitively priced. This is a well-established community that continues to attract interest from buyers looking in the Miramar area. As often the case, pic below is from our last visit in 2009 of their Silver Lakes school!
The Silver Lakes Community Park is a private park for Silver Lakes residents only. The community pool is only for the use of property owners, tenants, and their guests. The Pavilion at the SilverLakes Community Park can be reserved by SilverLakes residents for outdoor parties . This is at 925 NW 178 Avenue, Pembroke Pines. Boater’s Parks are private and for SilverLakes residents only are in Pembroke Pines City limits North Boater’s Park ,1001 NW 182 Way amenities: Boat Ramp, Large Picnic Area. West Boater’s Park SW 182 Ave amenities: Playground, 2 Small Picnic Pavilions, Exercise Equipment. South Boater’s Park 1401 SW 178 Avenue amenities: 3 Small Picnic Pavilions, Barbeque Station, Basketball Court, Volleyball Area. West Broward Lodge no 253 is a privately owned facility located at the south end of the SilverLakes Community Park. Again, below is a picture from our last Christmas in 2002.
There are several parks and facilities all over the Silver Lakes division, some of our memorable favorites were: in Pembroke Pines city limits : SilverLakes North Park 2300 NW 172nd Avenue. SilverLakes South Park 17601 SW 2nd Street and
SilverLakes Tennis Center 3302 SW 176th Terrace (close to home). These are in Miramar city limits : Silver Lakes Sports Complex 17540 SW 23rd Street (I played softball here ! ) Island Park 2925 SW 178th Avenue (very close to my home!) .
Miramar Regional Park 16801 Miramar Parkway. Silver Lakes Tennis Complex, 3202 SW 176 Terrace,(close to home we taught my boys to play soccer and baseball here!!). Other memorable parks in Miramar were: Forzano Field ,2001 Douglas Road. (where I played beach volleyball), and SoccerZone Indoor, 12216 Miramar Pkwy (where I played indoor soccer).
Elsewhere in the area we enjoyed going to C.B. Smith Park 900 N. Flamingo Rd., Pembroke Pines, and Hollywood North Beach Park at 3601 N. Ocean Dr., Hollywood by the beachfront. The Miramar Cultural Center and ArtsPark was created to celebrate creativity and diversity within the city. situated adjacent to City Hall The Miramar Branch Library Education Center’s collection consists of over 80,000 items in all media and genres. The Miramar Regional Park Amphitheater provides an opportunity for live concert performances and outdoor entertainment to be housed and produced in a uniquely developed venue in South Florida. An open-air venue that will seat 5,000 people (3,000 covered canopy; 2,000 grass area).
Some of the businesses we enjoyed and believe some still there and other have closed, check: Publix Supermarket in the Shoppes of Silver Lakes, 18341 Pines Boulevard Pembroke Pines, and our bank was Bank of America in same shopping plaza at 18291 Pines Blvd. Well sometimes we did shop at Walmart Supercenter 151 SW 184th Ave, Pembroke Pines. Also, we love the bakery of Vicky Bakery ,15955 Pines Blvd. The good chicken of Pollo Tropical ,17539 Pines Blvd, the sandwiches of Quiznos Sub,18257 Pines Blvd. And more of Subway ,17724 Pines Blvd. We really like the human size shopping center of Pembroke Lakes Mall , 11401 Pines Blvd, Pembroke Pines. Dillard’s was my late dear Mom Gladys favorite store and all my gifts were purchase there ! The Home Depot ,for home supplies,11001 Pines Blvd, Best Buy for electronics/music etc at 11450 Pines Blvd, and our favorite book store, Barnes & Noble at 11820 Pines Blvd. Memories forever
A wonderful 18 years in the State of Florida living in several cities including Miramar. Memories that will not go away easy. The State was sunshine, friendly, and happy; so many things to do it will take an entire blog history to tell. From here went to my belle France in 2003, and came back with the family in 2009 and a couple days business conference in 2016. Life moves on, but the memories remain.
A bit of history I like tell us that my last city in the USA. Miramar is in Broward county, my last town in the USA, and it was name after the city of Miramar in Havana, Cuba (also near where I was born). Miramar (English is seaview) was founded by A.L. Mailman to serve as a “bedroom community” for nearby Miami and Fort Lauderdale. He bought the original property he was to develop from H.D. Perry, Sr. in 1953. The city was incorporated on May 26, 1955 bordered by the following cities,Pembroke Pines to the northwest and north,Hollywood to the northeast, east West Park, and south Hialeah, Hialeah Gardens, and a bit of Miami Lakes. To the extreme west you find the Everglades
Not to loose the information as it is very nostalgic for us will put this bit of info fitting on this post. We prepare for the move ,and we had it as well easier than most as my French wife had worked in the freight forwarders industry with a French company part of the Groupe Bolloré entities called SDV by Miami international airport. The French manager in Florida, gave us an unbelievable price for a 22 foot container to move all our belongings over , it was 1853 USDollars door to door move!!! This was an awesome price as my estimates with moving companies was from 8k to 15k USDollars !!! Shortly ,after our arrival, I told my wife Martine to contact another French contact who was a VP of her last company there Schenker in the USA, and he recommended a friend at Roissy CDG in the same field as hers. In about a month and a half ,she found her job with a major worldwide freight forwarder at the cargo section of Roissy CDG airport!!! This was her only job in France , DHL Global Forwarders who were an excellent bunch, I went to pick her up several times there and met the staff, She worked 9 years here before departing on disability benefits paying her salary at home ! Vive la France !!! For sentimental reasons putting this picture here of my dear Mom Gladys and dear Wife Martine, in the kitchen, they were inseparable and I love them dearly, remember is a must always and thank you for all they have given us. RIP
The official Silver Lakes HOA : https://www.silverlakes.net/
The city of Miramar on parks and recreation (search silver lakes): https://www.miramarfl.gov/Facilities
The city of Pembroke Pines on parks and recreation (search silver lakes): https://www.ppines.com/facilities
The Greater Ft Lauderdale tourist office on Miramar: https://www.visitlauderdale.com/beaches-and-beyond/cities-towns/miramar/
The Greater Ft Lauderdale tourist office on Pembroke Pines: https://www.visitlauderdale.com/beaches-and-beyond/cities-towns/pembroke-pines/
The official Florida tourist office: https://www.visitflorida.com/
Therefore, Miramar sits as another lovely nostalgic spot in the world for me and my family, maybe never back again, but always in our hearts for the memories that will never fade away. And thank you my readers for all the years together in this blog, Again, hope you enjoy the post on my sentimental Miramar of Florida !!! as I,
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
