Olympia Heights is home to Santa's Enchanted Forest, the world's largest holiday theme park. It's open from October to January each year. Who knew Santa's elves wore bathing suits instead of parkas? More than 100,000 visitors show up every year to enjoy lights, themed displays, music, carnival rides, and more.
A census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Olympia Heights has around 13,500 residents in its three square miles
Olympia Heights is home to Santa's Enchanted Forest, the world's largest holiday theme park. It's open from October to January each year. Who knew Santa's elves wore bathing suits instead of parkas? More than 100,000 visitors show up every year to enjoy lights, themed displays, music, carnival rides, and more.
A census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Olympia Heights has around 13,500 residents in its three square miles. Just 24 minutes from the excitement of Miami and a 35 minute drive from Miami Beach, this pleasant community offers its own water-oriented delights in the form of small lakes scattered throughout the area.
If you're looking for home rentals in Olympia Heights, you'll be settling into an area where it will be warm and sunny all year long (tough, we know). You'll find plenty of three-bedroom apartments, studio apartments and month-to-month rentals here. While vacancies are available all year, it may be more challenging to find rentals in the winter months, when wannabe residents flock to the sunshine of Florida. Yes, snowbirds flock in, and rentals become scarce, so it may be easier to look in the summer months.
Whatever time of year you choose, look in the local newspaper, the Florida Gazetteer, which also has a strong online presence. Check other rental listing services online, too. And of course, do it yourself -- drive the streets around Lake Catalina or Olympia Heights to find the best spot for you. Be sure to have your credit report, ID, bank statements and work information handy, as many Florida landlords will require that you have this information available before letting you sign the lease to your new home.
Olympia Heights in and of itself is a neighborhood of greater Miami, but the community is divided into two main areas. With beautiful lakes nearby and year-round warm weather, bring your bathing suit and settle in.
Sunset / Olympia Heights: Urban in density, you'll find plenty of single-family homes and apartment complexes of all types here, including high-rise structures and smaller buildings. Many properties are older here, built between 1940 and 1969, although there are also properties constructed from 1970 to 1999. Restaurants such as Sergio's and Casa Paco will help keep you from going hungry.
Lake Catalina: Close to the large and pretty lake that shares the neighborhood's name, you'll find apartments, single-family homes, and duplexes. Properties range in age of construction from 1969 to 1999. Bamboo Restaurant is just down the street.
Yes, the ocean is close -- less than 20 minutes away -- but if you're in the mood for a fresh-water swim, Olympia Heights has some awesome spots you'll want to dive into. Blue Lake, Bluebird Lake, and Lake Catalina are all beautiful bodies of water. Spacious Tropical Park offers plenty of green space to stroll, play, and picnic. It even has its own lake -- Lake Patricia -- to enjoy. Tropical Park was developed at the location of a former horse-racing track in 1979. Residents enjoy bicycling, walking, or jogging along smoothly-paved paths. There's a fitness court and a boxing center if you want to really get in shape. Along with the seasonal attraction of Santa's Enchanted Village, the park also holds Tropical Stadium, a nationally renowned host to the Miami-Dade Track and Field Team. The stadium also houses meets, including the Junior Olympics, and track and field events such as the USA National Track and Field Championships. The park's equestrian center puts on more than 30 horse shows every year, as well as the annual Miami International Agriculture, Horse and Cattle Show. If you're into running, sunning, or all the pretty horses, this park is the place for you.
Blue Lakes Park and Miller Drive Park offer playground facilities for children, and serve as the meeting ground for community activities such as youth sports leagues. Along with lakes and parks, you'll find plenty of retail shops, restaurants, and easy access to I-95. The Interstate can zip you to the museums, businesses, and nightlife of Miami. In the mood for plantains and black beans? How about fragrant tortillas and chicken mole? You'll find both in this neighborhood.
Most residents here drive their own cars, and commute time averages between 30 and 45 minutes. But by the time you're home -- or headed to the beach for fun in the sun -- the drive time won't seem that taxing. You can leave your winter coat and snow boots behind and just relax in some of what the Sunshine State is known for. Just don't forget the sunscreen.
