The QCT Miami Daily City Toursm provides a unique and fresh take on the area's history from the experiences of a native-born Miamian. This tour promises to take you places and introduce you to people previously overlooked on other tours like Moore Park in Miami (segment one), the former home of Pablo Escobar in North Beach (segment two), Miami Beach High School and Mayor Gelber (segment three), and the former Miami Vice hit TV show (segment four), to name a few . The new tour is developed by Mr. Juan D. "Jay" Whipple, a Miami native, who left the area for military service in 1978 upon graduating from Miami Beach High School.
Whipple returned here in late 2014 for a five month stay; his longest stint since graduating. "I was completely blown away and a bit intimidated at how much had changed since the late 1970's when I freely navigated Miami via automobile, my bicycle, the Jitney, city bus, and on foot," says Whipple. "Fast forward nearly four decades and I found myself literally driving in circles trying to get from here to there," he said.
Whipple took on odd jobs through temp agencies which allowed him to begin the long and arduous process of re-learning the city of his birth. He recalls working in formerly very familiar areas such as Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, and even an assignment in Miami Gardens (formerly Carol City) at the then Sun Life Stadium (now Hard Rock). "The Sun Life Stadium assignment brought things full circle for me in that I worked at the old Orange Bowl Stadium in Little Havana while in high school in the late 1970's and actually got a chance to see up close and personal the entire Dolphin roster; including legendary coach Don Shula - at each home game," recalls Whipple.
Whipple then landed a job with an airport shuttle
company located just a few blocks from his mother's home in the Gladeview
Community near the MLK Metrorail station. "It was a blessing and
a challenge," he stated because "I was now being paid to drive around in
circles trying to get from here to there." That job helped him expand his
navigational reach from Florida City to the south and as far north as Lake
Worth. "That job also gave me a chance to interact with both visitors',
newcomers', and local residences' from all walks of life," he said. "After
a while I also began giving them brief tours while in route to their
destinations." Whipple decided to leave that job because the 50-plus
hours per week did not give him enough time to begin the long process of
developing this tour.