Miami is a vibrant city on America’s South Florida coastline, which covers 56 square miles and stretches from the serene Everglades to the stylish haunts of the rich and famous on Miami Beach.
Here are some of the areas you might want to check out on a visit…
South Beach:
This vibrant area is not just famous for its long swathe of white sand but its Art Deco architecture is pretty special too. Stroll through the streets and feast your eyes on the pastel-coloured buildings fashioned in the Art-Deco era of the 1930s.
Indulge in retail therapy along Lincoln Road; enjoy the old Spanish-style architecture mellow vibe of Espanola Way; and visit Wolfsonian-FIU and Bass Museum of Art for a touch of culture. It’s a culinary hotspot too; from fine dining to casual beachside cuisine.
Miami Design District:
This eclectic neighbourhood sits north of Midtown and combines inventive dining with creative entertainment and retail therapy aplenty; equally-matched by art galleries, showrooms, antique dealers, and more.
Designer shops rub shoulders with quirky boutiques and home décor stores. Culture-wise, there are various galleries and museums whilst you’ll also find restaurants by culinary greats such as Michelle Bernstein and Michael Schwartz here too.
Downtown and Brickell:
Downtown Miami is a Mecca for skyscrapers, stunning bay views, and hidden places to explore; plus you can watch Miami Heat play baseball or catch a Broadway-style show.
Brickell mixes old with new; from Henry Flager’s Royal Palm Hotel and the Freedom Tower and shopping at the state-of-the-art Brickell City Centre to culture at the Frost Museum of Science or Perez Art Museum Miami.
Little Havana:
This thrilling neighbourhood is Miami’s Cuban heart, lined with bustling restaurants, speciality food shops, and Latin American art galleries. Get up close to daily life along the main thoroughfare, Calle Ocho, see how cigars at made at El Titan de Bronze or watch a live performance at the unique Cubaocho.
Everglades National Park:
Just a short drive from Miami; these famous swamplands cover 1.5 million acres and are home to crocodiles, alligators, snakes, and an eclectic mix of birds.
Exploring the park is easy; there’s an informative Visitors Centre, boardwalks, and walking trails for wildlife viewing. No visit here would be complete without taking an airboat tour through the streams and marshes.
Nightlife:
A-list celebrities and world-famous DJs head to South Beach’s LIV at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, while Basement at the Edition is a little different - combining a bar, bowling alley, ice skating ring, and dancing.
Enjoy live music from local, international, and cutting-edge bands whilst there is no shortage of options if you want to get your dancing shoes into action.
Food and Drink:
Miami is famous for its street food: from stone crabs with hash browns and coleslaw; freshly-cooked grouper fish in a baked bun; and arepas stuffed with meat, vegetables, and cheese; through to a Cuban sandwich, Chicharron pork, and Key Lime Pie.
Drinks-wise; sip cocktails like a Margarita, Hurricane, and the Caipirinha or sample local craft beers such as Vera Sur, Concrete Beach’s Rose Ale, and Tripping Animal’s Good Karma.
Weather:
Miami enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, with hot and humid summers followed by short, warm, and drier winters.
From April to October, expect highs between 30°C and 33°C with occasional showers in early morning or late at night. October to April look forward to averages of 25°C, with December and January temperatures sometimes falling down to 15°C.