If You Like…
Beaches
When many people think of Miami, they’re really thinking of Miami Beach – that’s how synonymous South Florida and beaches are. The coastline starts at South Beach and extends over 100 blocks of cityscape.
South Beach Normal folks come here to sight models, celebrities and lifestyles of the fabulous.
Bahia Honda State Park A windswept, serene spot that exemplifies the forested, sun-bleached beauty of the Keys.
Crandon Park A gorgeous beach that mixes nature and fun on offshore Key Biscayne.
Haulover Beach Park In North Beach, Haulover provides privacy, quiet – and birthday suits at the nude beach.
Nightlife
Is it any surprise that a region so famed for its sex appeal knows how to let loose and have a lot of fun come evening? Latin American sensuality, European hipness and the raw American ability to have fun mash up in some fantastic bars and clubs in Miami. The Keys abound with fun joints that attract tourists, fisherfolk and cheerfully insane pirates.
Midtown Miami’s most innovative, interesting bars attract artists, the creative class and, of course, the glam crowd.
The Keys Key West gets the glory, but the other Keys have their own self-contained party scenes.
Key West This island of eccentrics at the end of the rainbow does not lack for good times.
South Beach Lovely local bars and lounges mix it up with a more red-rope scene of models and celebrities.
Cuisine
South Florida is a magnet for immigrants, and as such it has an international palate, supplemented by a local bounty of tropical citrus and sea life. Many flavors are Latin American, but jet-setters demand – and receive – fusion cuisine from Europe and Asia. Heartier home cooking can be found in small towns around the Everglades, while the Keys balance local flavor and cosmopolitan tastes.
Little Havana Miami serves up some of the best Cuban cuisine outside actual Havana.
Midtown Some of Miami’s most original menus are served in some of its most beautiful eating spaces.
North Beach It may not be as glamorous as South Beach, but there are great multicultural eateries up this way.
Everglades Fried gator, fried frogs’ legs, hot sauce and a cold beer – it’s not haute cuisine, but it’s damn delicious.
Key West For an island of this size, there’s a fantastic variety of food on offer.
Outdoor Activities
South Florida’s tropical landscape is unique in the continental USA. From the mangrove islands of the Keys to gentle grasslands, beaches and palm hammock (forest), to the great wetland wilderness that is the Everglades, there is plenty of distinctive beauty here.
Everglades The ‘River of Grass’ is a uniquely beautiful ecosystem that can easily be the highlight of a visit to South Florida.
Crane Point Museum On the island of Marathon, this outdoor museum is a great introduction to the ecology of the Florida Keys.
Oleta River State Park Drive past the condos of North Miami Beach and slip into wilderness serenity on a canoe or kayak.
Hell’s Bay (Royal Palm Visitor Center) Canoe into the bracken heart of the marsh in this attractive series of small streams.
10,000 Islands To truly appreciate the Zen of South Florida, camp in this lovely barrier archipelago.
Music
Miami is arguably the greatest entrepôt in Latin America, a region that – forgive us the stereotype – likes its music. From samba to salsa to reggaeton, the rhythms of the Caribbean and Central and South America resound here, alongside Euro techno, indie rock, Haitian pop and local hip-hop. Needless to say, the beat is infectious.
Bardot Live acts occasionally grace this hip Midtown joint.
Green Parrot Local live bands regularly rock the scene at Key West’s oldest, funkiest bar.
Churchill’s If you think Miami can’t rock, check out the Mohawks at this hard-bitten British pub.
The Stage Live music and performance art takes, well, the stage here on a regular basis.
Big Night in Little Haiti The monthly party at the Little Haiti Cultural Center is a Caribbean and Kreyol feast for the ears.
Wildlife
Discover dinosaur descendants in the Everglades, huge fish in the Keys and plenty of wildlife sanctuaries in-between.
Royal Palm Visitor Center Wander onto the boardwalk here and stare down hundreds of gators prowling the water.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park In the continental USA, diving simply doesn’t get better.
Big Pine Key Tiny deer – cute as all get-out – are the inhabitants of the largest island in the Keys.
Biscayne National Park Come to Biscayne, a national park that’s almost entirely underwater, to catch or spot fish.
Shopping
Miami unabashedly loves consumerism. Fashionistas flaunt Milanese levels of bling and sophistication thanks to a heavy European and Latin presence, alongside more artsy labels and indie boutiques.
Books and Books The best independent bookstore in Miami is a bastion of good taste and great literature.
Pepe Y Berta Slip by this Little Havana tailor and slip into the guayabera, Cuba’s coolest shirt.
Metta Boutique Get your karma balanced at this cute shop of sustainable, fair-trade gifts.
C Madeleine’s This is vintage clothing so beautiful it can rightfully be classified as classic couture.
Arts
From events such as Art Basel to venues including the Adrienne Arsht Center and intimate galleries of Wynwood, the arts have paved the way for much of Miami’s renaissance.
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Resembling a series of seashells, the Arsht Center is a performance space par excellence.
New World Center Not to be outdone, Miami Beach’s concert hall hosts both edgy art and mainstream productions.
Studios of Key West A one-stop gallery-gazing spot for those into the artistic output of Key West.
Cuba Ocho This Little Havana spot hosts visual and performing arts that showcase Miami’s Cuban creativity.
Wynwood Drop by on the second Saturday of each month for an open-house peek into Miami’s best galleries.
Architecture
From deco to the Design District, South Florida's architecture sets it apart as a region unlike any other in the USA.
Art Deco Historic District South Beach’s heart is clustered with hotels, promenades and other prime examples of the art-deco movement.
Freedom Tower Downtown Miami is known for skyscrapers, and this classic tower was one of the first.
Coral Gables The mansions of Coral Gables run the gamut, from Mediterranean wedding cakes to neo-Arabic palaces.
Key West There’s a shady joy to strolling under the eaves of Key West’s French Caribbean and Spanish-revival homes.
Vizcaya This fairy-tale estate is the most opulent, over-the-top jewel in Miami’s considerably sparkly architectural crown.
Quirky Florida
Many eccentrics are attracted to this part of the world. Be it for weather, gators or hedonism, what follows are some of our favorites from the ‘Only in Florida’ category.
Everglades International Hostel The backyard of this fantastic hostel resembles the trippy art of ’60s psychedelic album sleeves.
Skunk Ape Research Headquarters It’s a 'reptile zoo–museum' dedicated to hunting the Everglades’ Bigfoot. Why aren’t you here yet?
Coral Castle A Latvian hewed this palace from coral and now it doubles as a monument to lost love. Why not?
Robbie’s Marina Like an aquatic petting zoo, except the pets are enormous monster tarpon fish.
Florida Keys History of Diving Museum PADI people, check out possibly the most complete collection of diving paraphernalia in the USA.
Old Florida
'Old Florida' is a bit of an invented affectation, but the term is also a byword for ecofriendly, preservation-minded attractions that are well worth your time.
Robert Is Here At this farmers market, taste the bounty of the region – sometimes shipped direct to your home.
Turtle Hospital At this Keys institution, visitors can see injured and sick sea turtles cared for by dedicated volunteers.
Rod & Gun Club Lodge Smooth paneled wood, spirits at the bar and photos from hunting and fishing trips of the past.
Florida Keys Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center This sanctuary for injured avian creatures has long been an attraction in the Keys.
No Name Key This quiet island boasts miniature deer and some of the best pizza in the Keys.
Multicultural Encounters
The Keys are a crossroads of the Caribbean, while Miami is one of the most immigrant-rich cities in the country. Diversity is more than a buzzword here – it’s the cloth that the social fabric of South Florida is cut from. These sites speak to the tropical cosmopolitan nature of this region.
Viernes Culturales Little Havana transforms into a Cuban street party on the last Friday of the month.
Goombay Festival In late October, Key West explodes into a celebration of Bahamian music, food and dance.
Little Haiti Cultural Center Pick up a beaded purse from Port-au-Prince or original art by young Haitian Americans.
Miccosukee Village In the Everglades, learn about the folkways of Florida’s indigenous people.
Arthur Godfrey Road (41st Street) Also known as 41st St, this Miami Beach road is the heart of the city’s sizable Jewish population.