Miami is a tapestry of colour, where each neighbourhood brings its own unique flavour to the city’s overall identity. It’s a wonderful place that combines sun, sea and surf, with big city convenience. Check out the peaceful island town of Key Biscayne, with its bike paths and serene beaches, just a bridge away from the bustling metropolis of the Downtown area. The city has must-see destinations and charming secrets in equal measure.
Miami Beach is the epitome of south-east Floridian culture. Start your trip with a little sightseeing in the historic Art Deco District and be sure to stop for food and shopping on Lincoln Road. Don't leave Miami without taking a trip to South Beach, where you can hop aboard a boat tour before working on your tan and experiencing the nightlife made famous in countless music videos.
White sand, cool pools and glamorous Miami hotels are all part of a Miami vacation. Explore new-wave art galleries, colourful 1930s Art Deco architecture and lively Latino neighbourhoods.
Get your bearings
The yacht-filled waters of Biscayne Bay separate Downtown Miami from South Beach, Miami Beach and Key Biscayne island, linked by causeways. Art Deco hotels and trendy bars line South Beach’s Atlantic shores, spilling over to Miami Beach. Downtown Miami, 7 miles from Miami International Airport, is home to Bayside Marketplace’s shops and eateries and the Cuban quarter, Little Havana. To the south lie affluent Coral Gables and Coconut Grove.
Rest and relaxation
Most people take a Miami vacation to relax on the golden sands of South Beach and Miami Beach. Boisterous beach bars, lazy brunch spots and pastel-coloured Art Deco hotels line Ocean Drive’s Atlantic seafront. Brickell Key, off the coast of Downtown Miami, is home to Miami’s only five-star spa at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Cool down on a Biscayne Bay sailing boat trip or escape the urban buzz in the 32-acre Bayfront Park in Downtown.
Historic Miami
From old Latino neighbourhoods to high-rise beach view apartments, Miami’s history is mirrored in its urban landscape. Miami’s Cuban neighbourhood, Little Havana is on 8th Street, (Calle Ocho) where old men play dominos, Spanish tunes blast from stereos and English is a second language. Miami’s architecture is eye-catching, from the sleek, high-rise condominiums on Miami Beach and Art Deco structures in South Beach to the ornate, country club-style Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables.
Latin dining
Miami is known for its ‘Floribbean’ gastronomy -- Florida flavours blended with Caribbean cuisine. In this beach-body-conscious city, food is light with a focus on seafood. Dine in world-conquering South Beach eateries like Nobu or head to long-time favourite, Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant, (open mid-October to mid-May). Tiny hole-in-the-wall Cuban cafes serve fearsomely strong coffees to fuel those South Beach bar hops.
After-dark
Sleek lobby bars, rooftop terraces with outdoor beds and open-air beach clubs compete for A-list guests with their designer interiors. Nikki Beach Miami on Ocean Drive and the art deco lobby of the Raleigh Hotel are top spots. For a laidback and local hangout with pool tables and a jukebox, head to Miami’s oldest bar, Mac’s Club Deuce, in South Beach.
Shopping
Quirky boutiques, expansive malls and designer stores all have their place in Miami. South Beach is fashion central, in particular, Lincoln Road Mall and the southern end of Collins Avenue. Cash-rich shoppers head for Bal Harbour’s exclusive shops on northern Miami Beach. For freshly rolled Cuban cigars, head to Little Havana’s Calle Ocho.Coconut Grove’s alfresco mall, Cocowalk is home to chain stores and boutiques.
