Miami and Miami Beach

Miami

Florida's most exciting city! Blessed with year-round beautiful weather and unparalleled ocean access, America's largest southernmost resort city is also a sought-after international entertainment destination. Miami caters to action and excitement thirsty visitors from around the globe with some of the world's top golf, tennis and sporting venues. Add sparkling waters, sandy beaches, and a good-time atmosphere, and it's easy to see why Miami is the number one choice for holidaymakers of all ages. Miami is also home to many entertainment venues, theatres, museums, and more. Truly a global city, visitors to Miami will find no shortage of fabulous ways to keep busy.

Miami Downtown from Biscayne Bay

There's no place in Florida as exciting as Miami. What was once a city associated with early-bird specials and retirement communities is now a vibrant Mecca of entertainment and flavor that appeals to people of all ages and from every walk of life. A real international city, millions of people from all over the world visit this southern location every year. Always pulsating with the beat of Latin rhythms, Miami is a city that appeals to people looking for a little fun and excitement. Complete with history, culture, entertainment, and beaches, Miami is a must-visit destination for anyone looking for a good time.

Miami has an endless number of sporting, cultural, and recreational activities to keep even the most hard-to-please visitors entertained. The sparkling beaches are beyond compare. There's also world-class shopping; sophisticated nighttime activities including ballet, theater, and opera; as well as the celebrity-filled hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs, all of which helped make Miami famous.

Miami is made up of many diverse neighbourhoods and no matter what you're looking for you'll be able to find it in at least one of them. Here's just a small sampling:

Downtown Miami

Downtown Miami vibrates with activity as commercial, cultural and leisure activities collide. Impressive Downtown Miami skyscrapers will have you looking up in awe, while historic shopping districts and storefronts packed with merchandise will have you reaching for your wallet. Downtown Miami department stores and galleries offer big city shopping with a cosmopolitan flair, while Downtown Miami's diversity encourages delicious dining in a variety of culinary styles.

Skyline of Downtown Miami at night

Coral Gables

Just south of downtown Miami lies beautiful Coral Gables, or simply "The Gables" as it's known to locals. This planned section of town is an oasis of quiet yet impressive homes, upscale shopping, and elegant restaurants. If you're tired of the action in South Beach and the downtown crowds, and are looking to class things up a bit, a visit to the Gables might be in order.

Coconut Grove

Every great city has a hidden treasure. In Miami, it's Coconut Grove. Coconut Grove's variety and unique personality are evidenced in the dining choices offered by its eateries and in the music heard in its eclectic neighbourhood bars, not to mention that of the street musicians that line the brick footpaths. The waterfront parks of Coconut Grove offer some of the best vantage points for watching manatees and sailboats, while specialty Coconut Grove stores sell a superb range of items.

Little Havana

It's the next best thing to actually being in Cuba. A vibrant Hispanic culture infuses everything in this Miami neighbourhood - colorful murals, monuments to heroes past and present, the smell of Cuban coffee, and cigar rollers hard at work; these scenes of daily Little Havana life play out amidst a backdrop of the area's thumping music, colorful storefronts, unique art galleries and quaint restaurants. Definitely worth a visit.

Brickell

Brickell is an urban neighbourhood in Miami. Along with the downtown area, Brickell is Miami's major financial district. Referred to as the "Manhattan of the South", Brickell is home to the largest concentration of international banks in the United States. While it used to be reserved primarily for business, Brickell is taking on a relatively new role as a spirited place to stay, dine, and live. It is now a high-rise residential neighbourhood with many upscale luxury condominiums and excellent restaurants.

Miami Beach

The neighbourhood that is usually number one on most holidaymakers' Miami "must-visit" list is Miami Beach. Located on the isle between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, Miami Beach is an exciting area where the party never stops. One of the most vibrant locales in the world, Miami Beach is a destination where artists, intellectuals, beach bums, and the rich and famous all come to play. It's worth coming to Miami Beach just for the people watching!

Lifeguard station in Art Deco style

Obviously, Miami Beach boasts one of the most famous beaches in the world. But there's far more to it than that. Beyond the radiant sun, surf and sand, Miami Beach has a rich history as an entertainment and cultural destination. From the world-famous Art Deco architecture to renowned nightclubs to designer fashions on Lincoln Road, there's so much going on in Miami Beach, you might want to book an extra few days just to make sure you don't miss anything.

Whether you are an arts enthusiast, gourmand, shopaholic, or sun worshipper, there are plenty of options for how and where to spend your time. The only problem will be fitting everything in.

Ocean Drive is Miami Beach's most famous street, where all things generally considered "Miami" come together: beautiful people, Art Deco buildings, tropical cocktails and Latino music blaring from cafes and restaurants. One trendy boutique hotel follows the other, and the bars, lounges, and clubs are too numerous to name them all.

Two Art Deco style houses on Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami

Another definite must-visit is the Lincoln Road shopping area, a pedestrian-only street mall in South Beach, with specialty shops featuring jewelry, clothing, and art galleries. There's also a huge assortments of restaurants with seating that spills out into the walkways.

Regardless of where you go in Miami, there's no doubt that you'll find entertainment, fabulous shopping, and amazing scenery. Miami is one of the world's top holiday destinations, and all it takes is one visit to realize why.

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See also Cape Canaveral | Daytona Beach | Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach

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