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Downtown | Coconut Grove | Coral Gables | Key Biscayne | Wynwood | Midtown | Design District | Little Haiti | Little Havana | South Beach | Mid-Beach | Fisher and Belle Islands | North Beach | West Miami-Dade
If you’d arrived here 50 years ago with a guidebook in hand, chances are you’d be thumbing through listings looking for alligator wrestlers and you-pick strawberry fields or citrus groves. Things have changed. While Disney sidetracked families in Orlando, Miami was developing a unique culture and attitude that’s equal parts beach town/big business, Latino/Caribbean meets European/American—all of which fuels a great art and food scene, as well as exuberant nightlife and myriad festivals.
To find your way around Greater Miami, learn how the numbering system works (or better yet, use a GPS). Miami is laid out on a grid with four quadrants—northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest—that meet at Miami Avenue and Flagler Street. Miami Avenue separates east from west, and Flagler Street separates north from south. Avenues and courts run north–south; streets, terraces, and ways run east–west. Roads run diagonally, northwest–southeast. But other districts—Miami Beach, Coral Gables, and Hialeah—may or may not follow this system, and along the curve of Biscayne Bay the symmetrical grid shifts diagonally. It’s best to buy a detailed map, stick to the major roads, and ask directions early and often. However, make sure you’re in a safe neighborhood or public place when you seek guidance; cabdrivers and cops are good resources.
Downtown
Downtown Miami dazzles from a distance. America’s third-largest skyline is fluid, thanks to the sheer number of sparkling glass high-rises between Biscayne Boulevard and the Miami River. Business is the key to downtown Miami’s daytime bustle. However, the influx of massive, modern, and affordable condos has lured a young and trendy demographic to the areas in and around downtown, giving Miami much more of a “city” feel come nightfall. In fact, downtown has become a nighttime hot spot in recent years, inciting a cultural revolution that has fostered burgeoning areas north in Wynwood, Midtown, and the Design District, and south along Brickell Avenue. The pedestrian streets here tend to be very restaurant-centric, complemented by lounges and nightclubs.
The free, 4.4-mile, elevated commuter system known as the Metromover runs inner and outer loops through downtown and to nearby neighborhoods south and north. Many attractions are conveniently located within a few blocks of a station.
Top Attractions
Adrienne Arsht Center.
Culture vultures and other artsy types are drawn to this stunning performing arts center, which includes the 2,400-seat Ziff Ballet Opera House, the 2,200-seat Knight Concet Hall, the Carnival Studio black-box Theater, and an outdoor Plaza for the Arts. Throughout the year, you’ll find top-notch performances by local and national touring groups, including Broadway hits like Wicked and Jersey Boys, intimate music concerts, and showstopping ballet. Think of it as a sliver of savoir faire to temper Miami’s often-over-the-top vibe. The massive development was designed by architect César Pelli, and stands as the largest American performing arts center constructed since the 1980s. Complimentary one-hour tours of the Arsht Center, highlighting the architecture and its public art, are offered every Saturday and Monday at noon. | 1300 Biscayne Blvd., at N.E. 13th St. | 305/949–6722 box office | www.arshtcenter.org.
Freedom Tower.
In the 1960s this ornate Spanish-baroque structure was the Cuban Refugee Center, processing more than 500,000 Cubans who entered the United States after fleeing Fidel Castro’s regime. Built in 1925 for the Miami Daily News, it was inspired by the Giralda, an 800-year-old bell tower in Seville, Spain. Preservationists were pleased to see the tower’s exterior restored in 1988. Today, it is owned by Miami Dade College (MDC), functioning as a cultural and educational center; it’s also home to the MDC Museum of Art + Design, which showcases a broad collection of contemporary Latin art as well works in the genres of minimalism and pop art. TIP Admission is free to both the tower and museum. | 600 Biscayne Blvd., at N.E. 6th St. | 305/237–7700 | www.mdcmoad.org | Wed.–Sun. noon–5 pm (3rd Sat. noon–8).
HistoryMiami.
Discover a treasure trove of colorful stories about the region’s history at HistoryMiami, formerly known as the Historical Museum of Southern Florida. Exhibits celebrate the city’s multicultural heritage, including an old Miami streetcar and unique items chronicling the migration of Cubans to Miami. Though HistoryMiami is not wildly popular with tourists, the museum’s tours certainly are. You can take a wide range of walking, boat, coach, bike, gallery, and eco-history tours with varying prices, including culture walks through Little Haiti, informative and exciting Little Havana Arts & Culture Walks, and an evening of storytelling during the “Moon Over Miami” tour led by HistoryMiami historian, Dr. Paul George, where you’ll float through downtown, learning all about Miami’s early history hear circa the Tequesta Indians days. | 101 W. Flagler St., between N.W. 1st and 2nd Aves. | 305/375–1492 | www.historymiami.org | $8; tour costs vary | Mon.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. noon–5.
Fodor’s Choice | Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM).
Opened in December 2013, the Pérez Art Museum Miami, known locally as PAMM, shines as the city’s first true world-class museum. This über-high-design architectural masterpiece on Biscayne Bay is a sight to behold. Double-story, cylindrical hanging gardens sway from high atop the museum, anchored to stylish wood trusses that help create this gotta-see-it-to-believe-it indoor/outdoor museum. Large sculptures, Asian-inspired gardens, sexy white benches, and steel frames envelop the property. Inside, the 120,000-square-foot space houses multicultural art from the 20th and 21st centuries, some of which were previously on display at the Miami Art Museum (note: downtown’s Miami Art Museum no longer exists and the collection has now been incorporated into PAMM). Most of the interior space is devoted to temporary exhibitions, which have included the likes of Ai Weiwei: According to What? and Edouard Duval-Carrié: Imagined Landscapes. Even if you aren’t a “museum type” per se, come check out this magnum opus over lunch at the Verde, the museum’s sensational waterfront restaurant and bar. TIP Admission is free every first Thursday of the month and every second Saturday of the month. | 1103 Biscayne Blvd. | 305/375–3000 | www.pamm.org | $16 | Tues., Wed., and Fri.–Sun. 10–6, Thurs. 10–9.
Worth Noting
Bayfront Park.
This pedestrian-friendly waterfront park sits on a 32-acre site smack in the heart of downtown Miami on Biscayne Bay, bordered by Bayside Marketplace to the north and the InterContinental Miami to the south. There’s a small but lovely walking trail and two major event spaces—the Tina Hills Pavilion and Klipsch Amphitheater. American sculptor Isamu Noguchi helped redesign the park in the late 1980s, gracing the site with several works, including the white Challenger Memorial, commemorating the space shuttle that exploded in 1986. If you want to live like a local, join in the free yoga on the bayfront Monday and Wednesday (6 pm) or Saturday (9 am). Seven blocks north of Bayfront Park is the 30-acre Museum Park (formerly Bicentennial Park), which houses the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science and the Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM), and is also managed by Bayfront Park Management Trust. | 301 N. Biscayne Blvd., Downtown | 305/358–7550 | www.bayfrontparkmiami.com.
FAMILY | Bayside Marketplace.
The Bayside Marketplace, a waterfront complex of entertainment, dining, and retail stores, was en vogue circa 1992 and remains popular due to its location near PortMiami. You’ll find the area awash in cruise-ship passenger chaos on most days (it’s definitely not a draw for locals), so expect plenty of souvenir shops, a Hard Rock Cafe, and stores like Wet Seal and Sunglass Hut. Many boat tours leave from the marinas lining the festival marketplace. | 401 Biscayne Blvd. | 305/381–8972 | www.baysidemarketplace.com.
Fredric Snitzer Gallery.
The gallery of this longtime figure in the Miami arts scene highlights emerging and mid-career artists, providing them that tipping point needed for national and international exposure and recognition. The newly relocated space maintains its warehouse roots, letting the art speak for itself among the raw walls and ample natural light. Though a commercial gallery, the selection is highly curated. Rotating monthly exhibitions are usually thematic, with works by one of its represented artists including Hernan Bas, Alice Aycock, Jose Bedia, Enrique Martinez Celaya, and Jon Pylypchuk. For the art novice, the team, including Snitzer himself, are readily available and willing to share their knowledge. | 1540 N.E. Miami Ct., Downtown | 305/448–8976 | www.snitzer.com | Tues.–Sat. 10–5.
FAMILY | Jungle Island.
Originally located deep in south Miami and known as Parrot Jungle, South Florida’s original tourist attraction opened in 1936 and moved closer to Miami Beach in 2003. Now on Watson Island, a small stretch of land between Downtown Miami and South Beach, Jungle Island is far more than a place where cockatoos ride tricycles; this interactive zoological park is home to just about every unusual and endangered species you would want to see (if you are into seeing them in zoolike settings that is), including a rare albino alligator, a liger (lion and tiger mix), and myriad exotic birds. With an emphasis on the experiential versus mere observation, the park now offers several new attractions and activities, including private beaches, treetop zip lining, aquatic activities, adventure trails, cultural activities, and enhanced VIP packages where you mingle with an array of furry and feathered friends. Jungle Island offers complimentary shuttle service to most Downtown Miami and South Beach hotels. | Watson Island, 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, off MacArthur Causeway (I–395) | 305/400–7000 | www.jungleisland.com | $34.95, plus $8 parking | Weekdays 10–5, weekends 10–6.
FAMILY | Miami Children’s Museum.
This Arquitectonica-designed museum, both imaginative and geometric in appearance, is directly across the MacArthur Causeway from Jungle Island. Twelve galleries house hundreds of interactive, bilingual exhibits. Children can scan plastic groceries in the supermarket, scramble through a giant sand castle, climb a rock wall, learn about the Everglades, and combine rhythms in the world-music studio. | Watson Island, 980 MacArthur Causeway, off I–395 | 305/373–5437 | www.miamichildrensmuseum.org | $18, parking $1/hr | Daily 10–6.
Coconut Grove
A former haven for writers and artists, Coconut Grove has never quite outgrown its image as a small village. You can still feel the Bohemian roots of this artsy neighborhood, but it has grown increasingly mainstream and residential over the past 20 years. Posh estates mingle with rustic cottages, modest frame homes, and stark modern dwellings, often on the same block. If you’re into horticulture, you’ll be impressed by the Garden of Eden–like foliage that seems to grow everywhere without care. In truth, residents are determined to keep up the Grove’s village-in-a-jungle look, so they lavish attention on exotic plantings even as they battle to protect any remaining native vegetation.
The center of the Grove still attracts its fair share of locals and tourists who enjoy perusing the small boutiques, sidewalk cafés, and cute galleries that remind us of the old Grove. Activities here are family-friendly with easy access to bayside parks, museums, and gardens.
Top Attractions
Fodor’s Choice | Vizcaya Museum and Gardens.
Of the 10,000 people living in Miami between 1912 and 1916, about 1,000 of them were gainfully employed by Chicago industrialist James Deering to build this European-inspired residence. Once comprising 180 acres, this National Historic Landmark now occupies a 30-acre tract that includes a rockland hammock (native forest) and more than 10 acres of formal gardens with fountains overlooking Biscayne Bay. The house, open to the public, contains 70 rooms, 34 of which are filled with paintings, sculpture, antique furniture, and other fine and decorative arts. The collection spans 2,000 years and represents the Renaissance, baroque, rococo, and neoclassical periods. The 90-minute self-guided Discover Vizcaya Audio Tour is available in multiple languages for an additional $5. Moonlight tours, offered on evenings that are nearest the full moon, provide a magical look at the gardens; call for reservations. | 3251 S. Miami Ave. | 305/250–9133 | www.vizcaya.org | $18 | Daily 9:30–4:30 | Closed Tues.
Worth Noting
Barnacle Historic State Park.
A pristine bay-front manse sandwiched between cramped luxury developments, Barnacle is Miami’s oldest house still standing on its original foundation. To get here, you’ll hike along an old buggy trail through a tropical hardwood hammock and landscaped lawn leading to Biscayne Bay. Built in 1891 by Florida’s first snowbird—New Yorker Commodore Ralph Munroe—the large home, built of timber that Munroe salvaged from wrecked ships, has many original furnishings, a broad sloping roof, and deeply recessed verandas that channel sea breezes into the house. If your timing is right, you may catch one of the monthly Moonlight Concerts, and the old-fashioned picnic on July 4 is popular. | 3485 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove | Miami,Florida, United States | 305/442–6866 | www.floridastateparks.org/thebarnacle | $2 park entry, tours $3, concerts $7 | Wed.–Mon. 9–5; tours at 10, 11:30, 1, and 2:30; concerts monthly Sept.–May, 6 am–9 pm (call or check website for dates).
The Kampong.
With nearly 11 acres of exquisite, flamboyant flowering trees and fruits, this former home and garden of horticulturist Dr. David Fairchild is one of five gardens administered by the Hawaii-based National Tropical Botanical Garden. From September to June, guided tours are available on Wednesday and Saturday at 10:30 and noon. Self-guided tours are possible Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm, year-round. TIP Reservations are required for both guided and self-guided tours. | 4013 S. Douglas Rd., Coconut Grove | Miami,Florida, United States | 305/442–7169 | www.ntbg.org/gardens/kampong.php | $20.
Coral Gables
You can easily spot Coral Gables from the window of a Miami-bound jetliner—just look for the massive orange tower of the Biltmore Hotel rising from a lush green carpet of trees concealing the city’s gracious homes. The canopy is as much a part of this planned city as its distinctive architecture, all attributed to the vision of George E. Merrick more than a century ago.
The story of this city began in 1911, when Merrick inherited 1,600 acres of citrus and avocado groves from his father. Through judicious investment he nearly doubled the tract to 3,000 acres by 1921. Merrick dreamed of building an American Venice here, complete with canals and homes. Working from this vision, he began designing a city based on centuries-old prototypes from Mediterranean countries. Unfortunately for Merrick, the devastating no-name hurricane of 1926, followed by the Great Depression, prevented him from fulfilling many of his plans. He died at 54, an employee of the post office. Today Coral Gables has a population of about 47,000. In its bustling downtown more than 150 multinational companies maintain headquarters or regional offices, and the University of Miami campus in the southern part of the Gables brings a youthful vibrancy to the area. A southern branch of the city extends down the shore of Biscayne Bay through neighborhoods threaded with canals.
Top Attractions
Biltmore Hotel.
Bouncing back stunningly from its dark days as an army hospital, this hotel has become the jewel of Coral Gables—a dazzling architectural gem with a colorful past. First opened in 1926, it was a hot spot for the rich and glamorous of the Jazz Age until it was converted to an army–air force regional hospital in 1942. Until 1968, the Veterans Administration continued to operate the hospital after World War II. The Biltmore then lay vacant for nearly 20 years before it underwent extensive renovations and reopened as a luxury hotel in 1987. Its 16-story tower, like the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami, is a replica of Seville’s Giralda Tower. The magnificent pool is reportedly the largest hotel pool in the continental United States. TIP Because it functions as a full-service hotel, your ticket in—if you aren’t staying here—is to patronize one of the hotel’s several restaurants or bars. Try to get a courtyard table for the Sunday champagne brunch, a local legend. | 1200 Anastasia Ave., near De Soto Blvd. | 855/311–6903 | www.biltmorehotel.com.
FAMILY | Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.
With 83 acres of lakes, sunken gardens, a 560-foot vine pergola, orchids, bellflowers, coral trees, bougainvillea, rare palms, and flowering trees, Fairchild is the largest tropical botanical garden in the continental United States. The tram tour highlights the best of South Florida and exotic flora; then you can set off exploring on your own. The 2-acre Simons Rainforest showcases tropical plants from around the world complete with a waterfall and stream. The conservatory is home to rare tropical plants, including the Burmese endemic Amherstia nobilis, flowering annually with orchid-like pink flowers. The Keys Coastal Habitat, created in a marsh and mangrove area in 1995 with assistance from the Tropical Audubon Society, provides food and shelter to resident and migratory birds. The excellent bookstore–gift shop carries books on gardening and horticulture, and the Garden Café serves sandwiches and, seasonally, smoothies made from the garden’s own crop of tropical fruits. | 10901 Old Cutler Rd. | 305/667–1651 | www.fairchildgarden.org | $25 | Daily 7:30–4:30.
FAMILY | Venetian Pool.
Sculpted from a rock quarry in 1923 and fed by artesian wells, this 820,000-gallon municipal pool had a major face-lift in 2010 and again in 2015. It remains quite popular because of its themed architecture—a fantasy version of a waterfront Italian village—created by Denman Fink. The pool has earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places and showcases a nice collection of vintage photos depicting 1920s beauty pageants and swank soirees held long ago. Paul Whiteman played here, Johnny Weissmuller and Esther Williams swam here, and you should, too (but no kids under age three). A snack bar, lockers, and showers make this must-see user-friendly as well. | 2701 De Soto Blvd., at Toledo St. | 305/460–5306 | www.coralgables.com | $11; free parking across De Soto Blvd. | Usually open Tues.–Sun. 11–4:30, but best to call ahead.
Worth Noting
Coral Gables United Church of Christ.
With George Merrick as a charter member (he donated the land on which it stands) this parish was organized in 1923. Rumor has it that Merrick built Coral Gables’s first church, in honor of his father, a Congregational minister. It’s only natural then that this was the first church in the state of Florida to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Nowadays, this functioning church is welcoming, regardless of age, sexual orientation, or faith. The original interior is still in magnificent condition. The church is located across from the Biltmore Hotel. | 3010 De Soto Blvd., at Anastasia Ave. | Coral Gables, Florida, United States | 305/448–7421 | gablesucc.org | Weekdays 8:30–5, Sun. services at 9 at Moye Chapel and 11 at Sanctuary.
Coral Gables Merrick House.
In 1976 the city of Coral Gables acquired city-founder George Merrick’s boyhood home. Restored to its 1920s appearance, it contains Merrick family furnishings and artwork. The breezy veranda and coral-rock construction are details you’ll see repeated on many of the grand homes along Coral Way. Note that the telephone is disconnected except during open hours and that you must contact the Historical Resources office for specific tour dates (which often fall on Wednesday and Sunday). | 907 Coral Way, at Toledo St. | Coral Gables, Florida, United States | 305/460–5361, 305/460–5093 Historical Resources office | www.coralgables.com | $5 | 45-min house tours at 1, 2, and 3 (call for dates).
Off the Beaten Path: Zoo Miami.
Don’t miss a visit to this top-notch zoo, 14 miles southwest of Coral Gables in the Miami suburbs. The only subtropical zoo in the continental United States, it has 320-plus acres that are home to more than 2,000 animals, including 40 endangered species, which roam on islands surrounded by moats. Amazon & Beyond encompasses 27 acres of simulated tropical rain forests showcasing 600 animals indigenous to the region, such as giant river otters, harpy eagles, anacondas, and jaguars. The Wings of Asia aviary has about 300 exotic birds representing 70 species flying free within the junglelike enclosure. The Samburu Giraffe Feeding Station facilitates personal interaction with these gentle giants as you hand-feed them veggies. There’s also a children’s zoo with a meerkat exhibit and an educational and entertaining wildlife show is given three times daily. | 12400 S.W. 152nd St. (1 Zoo Blvd.), Richmond Heights | 305/251–0400 | www.zoomiami.org | $17.95; 45-min tram tour $4.95 | Weekdays 10–5, weekends 9:30–5:30 (last admission 4).
Key Biscayne
Once upon a time, the two barrier islands that make up the village of Key Biscayne (Key Biscayne itself and Virginia Key) were outposts for fishermen and sailors, pirates and salvagers, soldiers and settlers. The 95-foot Cape Florida Lighthouse stood tall during Seminole Indian battles and hurricanes. Coconut plantations covered two-thirds of Key Biscayne, and there were plans as far back as the 1800s to develop the picturesque island as a resort for the wealthy. Fortunately, the state and county governments set much of the land aside for parks, and both keys are now home to top-ranked beaches and golf, tennis, softball, and picnicking facilities. The long and winding bike paths that run through the islands are favorites for in-line skaters and cyclists. Incorporated in 1991, the village of Key Biscayne is a hospitable community of about 12,500, even though Virginia Key remains undeveloped at the moment. These two playground islands are especially family-friendly.
Top Attractions
Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center.
At the north end of the beach in Crandon Park is the free Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center, where you can explore an indoor mangrove exhibit and several saltwater aquariums. The center runs very cool tours with a naturalist through the seagrass beds; to see red, black, and white mangroves; and to hike along the beach and hammock in the Bear Cut Preserve. These excursions are mainly for large groups like student field trips, but if you have a group of 10 or more, it’s worth contacting the center. | Crandon Park, 6767 Crandon Blvd. | Key Biscayne, Florida, United States | 305/361–6767 | www.biscaynenaturecenter.org | Daily 10–4.
FAMILY | Miami Seaquarium.
This classic family attraction stages shows with sea lions, dolphins, and other marine animals. The Crocodile Flats exhibit has 26 Nile crocodiles. Discovery Bay, an endangered mangrove habitat, is home to sea turtles, alligators, herons, egrets, and ibis. You can also visit a shark pool, a tropical reef aquarium, and West Indian and Florida manatees. A popular interactive attraction is the Stingray Touch Tank, where you can touch and feed cow-nose rays and southern stingrays. Another big draw is the Dolphin Interaction program, including the quite intensive Dolphin Odyssey ($210) experience and the lighter shallow-water Dolphin Encounter ($110). Make reservations for either experience. | 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key | 305/361–5705 | www.miamiseaquarium.com | $40.99, parking $10 (cash only) | Daily 9:30–6, last admission 4:30.
Old Rickenbacker Causeway Bridge.
Here you can watch boat traffic pass through the channel, pelicans and other seabirds soar and dive, and dolphins cavort in the bay. Park at the bridge entrance, about a mile from the tollgate, and walk past anglers tending their lines. | Rickenbacker Causeway, south of Powell Bridge, east of Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne | Miami, Florida, United States.
Wynwood
North of downtown, the former downtrodden Wynwood neighborhood is developing, with an impressive mix of one-of-a-kind shops and art galleries, public art displays, see-and-be-seen bars, slick restaurants, and plenty of eye-popping graffiti. Wynwood’s trendiness has proven infectious, also taking root in proximate neighborhoods. One thing is still missing from the emerging landscape: a decent hotel. On a positive note, it’s kept the Wynwood vibe more local and less touristy. The downside: you’ll need a vehicle to get here, and though in close proximity to one another, you’ll also need a vehicle to get to nearby Midtown and The Design District.
Between Interstate 95 and Northeast 1st Avenue from 29th to 22nd streets lies the centerpiece of the edgy Wynwood neighborhood—the funky and edgy Wynwood Art District (www.wynwoodmiami.com), which is peppered with galleries, art studios, and private collections accessible to the public. Though the neighborhood hasn’t completely shed its dodgy past, artist-painted graffiti walls and reinvented urban warehouses have transformed the area from plain old grimy to super trendy. The Wynwood Walls on Northwest 2nd Avenue between Northeast 25th and 26th streets are a cutting-edge enclave of modern urban murals. However, these avant-garde graffiti displays by renowned artists are just the beginning; in fact, almost every street is colored with funky spray-paint art, making the neighborhood a photographer’s dream. Wynwood’s retail space is a hodgepodge of cheap garment stores, upscale boutiques, and contemporary galleries (some by appointment only). First-timers may want to visit during Wynwood’s monthly gallery walk on the second Saturday evening of each month, when studios and galleries are all open at the same time.
Top Attractions
Margulies Collection at the Warehouse.
Make sure a visit to Wynwood includes a stop at the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse. Martin Margulies’s collection of vintage and contemporary photography, videos, and installation art in a 45,000-square-foot space makes for eye-popping viewing. Admission proceeds go to the Lotus House, a local homeless shelter for women and children. | 591 N.W. 27th St., between N.W. 5th and 6th Aves. | 305/576–1051 | www.margulieswarehouse.com | $10 | Oct.–Apr., Wed.–Sat. 11–4.
Fodor’s Choice | Rubell Family Collection.
Fans of edgy art will appreciate the Rubell Family Collection. Mera and Don Rubell have accumulated work by artists from the 1970s to the present, including Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman, Damien Hirst, and Keith Haring. Admission always includes a complimentary audio tour; however, true art lovers should opt for a complimentary guided tour of the collection, offered Wednesday through Saturday at 3 pm. | 95 N.W. 29th St., between N. Miami and N.W. 1st Aves. | 305/573–6090 | rfc.museum | $10 | Dec.–May, Wed.–Sat. 10–5:30.
Fodor’s Choice | Wynwood Walls.
Between Northeast 25th and 26th streets on Northwest 2nd Avenue, the Wynwood Walls are a cutting-edge enclave of modern urban murals, reflecting diversity in graffiti and street art. More than 50 well-known and lesser-known artists have transformed 80,000 square feet of warehouse walls into an outdoor museum of sorts (and a photographer’s dream). The popularity of the walls spawned the neighboring Wynwood Doors, an industrial space rife with metal roll-down gates also used as blank canvases. Even more recently, the Outside the Walls project is spreading the Walls love across the neighborhood, as artists are commissioned to transform Wynwood’s surrounding warehouses and building spaces into singular pieces of painted art. | 2520 N.W. 2nd Ave. | www.thewynwoodwalls.com.
Midtown
Northeast of Wynwood, Midtown (www.midtownmiami.com) lies between Northeast 29th and 36th streets, from North Miami Avenue to Northeast 2nd Avenue. This subcity is anchored by a multitower residential complex with prolific retail space, often housing the latest and greatest in dining and shopping trends.
Design District
North of Midtown, from about Northeast 38th to Northeast 42nd streets and across the other side of Interstate 195, the Design District (www.miamidesigndistrict.net) is yet another 18 blocks of clothiers, antiques shops, design stores, and bars and eateries. The real draws here are the interior design and furniture galleries as well as über-high-end shopping that’s oh-so Rodeo Drive (and rivals Bal Harbour in North Beach).
Right outside Little Haiti’s boundaries, running from 50th to 77th streets along Biscayne Boulevard, is the MiMo Biscayne Boulevard Historic District, known in short as the MiMo District. This strip is noted for its Miami Modernist Architecture and houses a number of boutiques and design galleries. It’s sometimes seen as the latest extension of the growing Design District (with much cheaper rents). Within this district and in the neighborhoods to the east—collectively known as Miami’s “Upper East Side”—several new restaurants are beginning to open.
Little Haiti
Once a small farming community, Little Haiti is the heart and soul of Haitian society in the United States. In fact, Miami’s Little Haiti is the largest Haitian community outside of Haiti itself. While people of different ethnic backgrounds have begun to move into the neighborhood, people here are still surprised to see tourists. However, owners of shops and restaurants tend to be welcoming. Creole is commonly spoken, although some people—especially younger folks—also speak English. Its northern and southern boundaries are 85th Street and 42nd Street, respectively, with Interstate 95 to the west and Biscayne Boulevard to the east in its southern reaches, then Northeast 4th Court to the east (two blocks west of Biscayne Boulevard). The best section to visit is along North Miami Avenue from 54th to 59th streets.
Little Havana
First settled en masse by Cubans in the early 1960s, after Cuba’s Communist revolution, Little Havana is a predominantly working-class area and the core of Miami’s Hispanic community. Spanish is the principal language, but don’t be surprised if the cadence is less Cuban and more Salvadoran or Nicaraguan: the neighborhood is now home to people from all Latin American countries.
If you come to Little Havana expecting the Latino version of New Orleans’s French Quarter, you’re apt to be disappointed—it’s not about the architecture here. Rather, it’s a place to soak in the atmosphere. Little Havana is more about great, inexpensive food (not just Cuban; there’s Vietnamese, Mexican, and Argentinean here as well), distinctive affordable Cuban-American art, cigars, and great coffee. It’s not a prefab tourist destination—this is real life in Spanish-speaking Miami.
Little Havana’s semiofficial boundaries are 27th Avenue to 4th Avenue on the west, Miami River to the north, and Southwest 13th Street to the south. Much of the neighborhood is residential; however, you’ll quickly discover the area’s flavor, both literally and figuratively, along Calle Ocho (Southwest 8th Street), between Southwest 11th and 17th avenues, which is lined with cigar factories, cafés selling guava pastries and rose petal flan, botanicas brimming with candles, and Cuban clothes and crafts stores. Your “Welcome to Little Havana” photo op shines on 27th Avenue and 8th Street. Giant hand-painted roosters are found scattered throughout the entire neighborhood, an artistic nod to their real-life counterparts that roam the streets here. You’ll need to drive into Little Havana, since public transportation here is limited; but once on Calle Ocho, it’s best to experience the neighborhood on foot.
Top Attractions
Cuban Memorial Boulevard.
Four blocks in the heart of Little Havana are filled with monuments to Cuba’s freedom fighters. South of Calle Ocho (8th Street), Southwest 13th Avenue becomes a ceiba tree–lined parkway known as Cuban Memorial Boulevard, divided at the center by a narrow grassy mall with a walking path through the various memorials. Among them is the Eternal Torch of the Brigade 2506, blazing with an endless flame and commemorating those who were killed in the failed Bay of Pigs invasion of 1961. Another is a bas-relief map of Cuba depicting each of its municipios. There’s also a bronze statue in honor of Nestory (Tony) Izquierdo, who participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion and served in Nicaragua’s Somozan forces. | S.W. 13th Ave., between S.W. 8th and S.W. 12th Sts.
Domino Park.
If you’re not yet ready to take advantage of the relaxed restrictions on travel to Cuba, watch a slice of old Havana come to life in Miami’s Little Havana. At Domino Park, officially known as Maximo Gomez Park, guayabera-clad seniors bask in the sun and play dominoes, while onlookers share neighborhood gossip and political opinions. TIP There is a little office at the park with a window where you can get information on Little Havana; the office also stores the dominoes for the older gents who play regularly, but it’s BYOD (bring your own dominoes) for everyone else. | 801 S.W. 15th Ave. | 305/859–2717 park office.
Quick Bites: Las Pinareños Fruteria y Floreria.
In the mood for something refreshing or a high-octane jolt? Try Las Pinareños, a fruteria (fruit stand) that serves coco frio (fresh, cold coconut juice served in a whole coconut), mango juice, and other jugos (juices), as well as Cuban coffees and Cuban finger foods. You can order your sweet, hot cortadito (coffee with milk) or a cafecito (no milk) from the walk-up window and enjoy it at one of the stools in front of the shop or sit at one of the tables inside the fruit and flower market. | 1334 S.W. 8th St. | 305/285–1135.
El Titan de Bronze.
A peek at the intently focused cigar rollers through the windows doesn’t prepare you for the rich, pungent scent that jolts your senses as you step inside the store. Millions of stogies are deftly hand-rolled at this family-owned cigar factory and retail store each year. Visitors are welcome to watch the rolling action (and of course buy some cigars). | 1071 S.W. 8th St. | 305/860–1412 | www.eltitancigars.com.
South Beach
The hub of Miami Beach is South Beach (better known as SoBe), with its energetic Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue. Here life unfolds 24 hours a day. Beautiful people pose in hotel lounges and sidewalk cafés, bronzed cyclists zoom past palm trees, and visitors flock to see the action. On Lincoln Road, café crowds spill onto the sidewalks, weekend markets draw all kinds of visitors and their dogs, and thanks to a few late-night lounges, the scene is just as alive at night. Farther north (in Mid-Beach and North Beach), the vibe is decidedly quieter.
Top Attractions
Española Way.
There’s a bohemian feel to this street lined with Mediterranean-revival buildings constructed in 1925. Al Capone’s gambling syndicate ran its operations upstairs at what is now the Clay Hotel, a youth hostel. At a nightclub here in the 1930s, future bandleader Desi Arnaz strapped on a conga drum and started beating out a rumba rhythm. Visit this quaint avenue on a weekend afternoon, when merchants and craftspeople set up shop to sell everything from handcrafted bongo drums to fresh flowers. Between Washington and Drexel avenues the road has been narrowed to a single lane and Miami Beach’s trademark pink sidewalks have been widened to accommodate sidewalk cafés and shops selling imaginative clothing, jewelry, and art. | Española Way, between 14th and 15th Sts. from Washington to Jefferson Aves. | www.myespanolaway.com.
Holocaust Memorial.
A bronze sculpture depicts refugees clinging to a giant bronze arm that reaches out of the ground and 42 feet into the air. Enter the surrounding courtyard to see a memorial wall and hear the music that seems to give voice to the 6 million Jews who died at the hands of the Nazis. It’s easy to understand why Kenneth Treister’s dramatic memorial is in Miami Beach: the city’s community of Holocaust survivors was once the second largest in the country. | 1933–1945 Meridian Ave., at Dade Blvd. | 305/538–1663 | holocaustmemorialmiamibeach.org/ | Free | Daily 9–sunset.
FAMILY | Fodor’s Choice | Lincoln Road Mall.
This open-air pedestrian mall flaunts some of Miami’s best people-watching. The eclectic interiors of myriad fabulous restaurants, colorful boutiques, art galleries, lounges, and cafés are often upstaged by the bustling outdoor scene. It’s here among the prolific alfresco dining enclaves that you can pass the hours easily beholding the beautiful people. Indeed, outdoor restaurant and café seating take center stage along this wide pedestrian road adorned with towering date palms, linear pools, and colorful broken-tile mosaics. Some of the shops on Lincoln Road are owner-operated boutiques carrying a smart variety of clothing, furnishings, jewelry, and decorative elements. You’ll also find typical upscale chain stores—H & M, American Eagle Outfitters, Forever 21, and so on. Lincoln Road is fun, lively, and friendly for people–old, young, gay, and straight—and their dogs.
Two landmarks worth checking out at the eastern end of Lincoln Road are the massive 1940s keystone building at 420 Lincoln Road, which has a 1945 Leo Birchanky mural in the lobby, and the 1921 Mission-style Miami Beach Community Church, at Drexel Avenue. The Lincoln Theatre (No. 541–545), at Pennsylvania Avenue, is a classical four-story art deco gem with friezes, which now houses H &M. At Euclid Avenue there’s a monument to Morris Lapidus, the brains behind Lincoln Road Mall, who in his 90s watched the renaissance of his whimsical South Beach creation. At Lenox Avenue, a black-and-white art deco movie house with a Mediterranean barrel-tile roof is now the Colony Theater (1040 Lincoln Rd.), where live theater and experimental films are presented. | Lincoln Rd., between Washington Ave. and Alton Rd. | www.lincolnroadmall.com.
Quick Bites: Lincoln Road is a great place to cool down with an icy treat while touring South Beach. If you visit on a Sunday, stop at one of the many juice vendors, who’ll whip up made-to-order smoothies from mangoes, oranges, and other fresh local fruits.
Frieze Ice Cream Factory.
A true South Beach original, this mom-and-pop ice cream shop serves what could very well be the best ice cream in Florida (except Azucar in Little Havana). Delight in mouthwatering homemade ice cream and sorbets including Indian mango, key lime pie, cashew toffee crunch, and chocolate decadence. | 1626 Michigan Ave., just south of Lincoln Rd. | 305/538–0207 | www.thefrieze.com.
Gelateria 4D.
Authentic Italian gelato is scooped up with plenty of authentic Miami attitude at this sleek glass-and-stainless-steel sweet spot. The gelato is delicious despite the not-so-sweet service and exorbitant price. If you are wavering in your decision to indulge, the second location just down the street, on the opposite side of Lincoln Road, seals the deal. | 670 Lincoln Rd., between Euclid and Pennsylvania Aves., South Beach | 786/276–9475 | www.gelateria4d.com.
Worth Noting
Art Deco Welcome Center and Museum.
Run by the Miami Design Preservation League, the center provides information about the buildings in the district. An official Art Deco Museum opened within the center in October 2014, and an improved gift shop sells 1930s–‘50s art deco memorabilia, posters, and books on Miami’s history. Several tours—covering Lincoln Road, Española Way, North Beach, and the entire Art Deco District, among others—start here. You can choose from a self-guided iPod audio tour or join one of the regular morning walking tours at 10:30 every day. On Thursday a second tour takes place at 6:30 pm. Arrive at the center 15 minutes beforehand and prepurchase tickets online; all tours leave from the gift shop. All of the options provide detailed histories of the art deco hotels as well as an introduction to the art deco, Mediterranean revival, and Miami Modern (MiMo) styles found within the Miami Beach Architectural Historic District. Don’t miss the special boat tours during Art Deco Weekend, in early January. | 1001 Ocean Dr. | 305/672–2014, 305/531–3484 for tours | www.mdpl.org | Tours $25 | Gift shop and center daily 9:30–7; museum Tues.–Sun. 10–5.
Bass Museum of Art.
Special exhibitions join a diverse collection of European art at this museum whose original building is constructed of keystone and has unique Maya-inspired carvings. An expansion designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki houses another wing and an outdoor sculpture garden. Works on permanent display include The Holy Family, a painting by Peter Paul Rubens; The Tournament, one of several 16th-century Flemish tapestries; and works by Albrecht Dürer and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. Docent tours are by appointment but free with entry. Renovations to the museum will begin in June 2015. | 2100 Collins Ave. | 305/673–7530 | www.bassmuseum.org | $8 | Wed.–Sun. noon–5, Fri. noon–9.
Jewish Museum of Florida - FIU.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this former synagogue, built in 1936, contains art deco chandeliers, 80 impressive stained-glass windows, and a permanent exhibit, MOSAIC: Jewish Life in Florida, which depicts more than 235 years of the Florida Jewish experience. A partnership with Florida International University, the Jewish Museum also houses a store filled with books, jewelry, and other souvenirs as well as playing host to traveling exhibits and special events. Twice monthly, the museum hosts “Jewish Food Walking Tours,” where you’ll learn about Jewish-owned businesses, past and present, and eat your way through Miami Beach’s burgeoning SoFi neighborhood. The museum store is closed Saturday, though the museum itself is open. | 301 Washington Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/672–5044 | www.jmof.fiu.edu | $6 museum; $46 food tours | Tues.–Sun. 10–5.
Wolfsonian–FIU.
An elegantly renovated 1926 storage facility is now a research center and museum showcasing a 120,000-item collection of modern design and “propaganda arts” amassed by Miami native Mitchell (“Micky”) Wolfson Jr., a world traveler and connoisseur. Broad themes of the 19th and 20th centuries—nationalism, political persuasion, industrialization—are addressed in permanent and traveling shows. Included in the museum’s eclectic holdings, which represent art deco, art moderne, art nouveau, Arts and Crafts, and other aesthetic movements, are 8,000 matchbooks collected by Egypt’s King Farouk. | 1001 Washington Ave., South Beach | Miami Beach, Florida, United States | 305/531–1001 | www.wolfsonian.org | $7, free Fri. after 6 pm | Sat.–Wed. noon–6, Thurs. and Fri. noon–9 | Closed Wed.
World Erotic Art Museum (WEAM).
The sexy collection of more than 4,000 erotic items, all owned by millionaire Naomi Wilzig, unfolds with unique art of varying quality—fertility statues from around the globe and historic Chinese shunga books (erotic art offered as gifts to new brides on the wedding night) share the space with some kitschy knickknacks. If this is your thing, an original phallic prop from Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and an over-the-top Kama Sutra bed is worth the price of admission, but the real standout is “Miss Naomi,” who is usually on hand to answer questions and provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes. Kids 17 and under are not admitted. | 1205 Washington Ave., at 12th St., South Beach | 305/532–9336 | www.weam.com | $15 | Mon.–Thurs. 11–10, Fri.–Sun. 11–midnight.
Mid-Beach
Where does South Beach end and Mid-Beach begin? With the massive amount of money being spent on former 1950s pleasure palaces like the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc, it could be that Mid-Beach will soon just be considered part of South Beach. North of 23rd Street, Collins Avenue curves its way to 44th Street, where it takes a sharp left turn after running into the Soho House Miami and then the Fontainebleau resort. The area between these two points—and up until 63rd Street—is officially Mid-Beach. The area has been experiencing a renaissance since the $1 billion re-debut of the Fontainebleau resort in 2008. Investors have followed suit with major projects to revive the myriad former 1950s pleasure palaces of mid-Beach. Most recently, Argentinean developer Alan Faena has embarked on the neighborhood’s latest $1 billion-plus mission: to restore the historic buildings along Collins Avenue from 32nd to 36th streets, creating new hotels, condos, and cultural institutions which will collectively become the Miami Beach Faena District.
Fisher and Belle Islands
A private island community near the southern tip of South Beach, Fisher Island is accessible only by the island’s ferry service. The island is predominantly residential with a few hotel rooms on offer at the Resort at Fisher Island Club. Belle Island is a small island connected to both the mainland and Miami Beach by road. It is a mile north of South Beach and just west over the Venetian Causeway.
North Beach
Though often referred to collectively as “North Beach,” there are several neighborhoods above Mid-Beach before reaching the Dade-Broward border. In Miami Beach proper, nearing the 63rd Street mark on Collins Avenue, Mid-Beach gives way to North Beach (until 87th Street), followed by Surfside (up until 96th Street).
Bal Harbour
At 96th Street, the town of Bal Harbour takes over Collins Avenue from Miami Beach. Bal Harbour is famous for its outdoor high-end shops; and if you take your shopping seriously, you may want to spend some considerable time in this area. The town runs a mere 10 blocks to the north before the bridge to another barrier island. After crossing the bridge, you’ll first come to Halouver Beach Park, which is still technically in the village of Bal Harbour.
Sunny Isles Beach
Beyond Haulover Beach (and on the same barrier island) is the town of Sunny Isles Beach. Once over the bridge, Collins Avenue bypasses several dozen street numbers, picking up again in the 150s; that’s when you know you’ve arrived in the town of Sunny Isles Beach—an appealing, calm, and predominantly upscale choice for families looking for a beautiful beach, and where Russian may be heard as often as English. There’s no nightlife to speak of in Sunny Isles, and yet the half dozen mega-luxurious skyscraper hotels that have sprung up here in the past decade have created a niche-resort town from the demolished ashes of much older, affordable hotels.
North Miami
This suburban city, north of Miami proper, is comprised predominantly of older homes in its western reaches—many derelict—but also some snazzy rebuilds in the sections around Biscayne Bay and U.S.1. Several strip malls and restaurants line U.S. 1.
North Miami Beach
Don’t let the name fool you. North Miami Beach actually isn’t on the beach, but its southeastern end does but up against Biscayne Bay. Beyond the popular Oleta River State Park on the bay, the city offers little in terms of touristic appeal.
Aventura
West of Sunny Isles Beach and on the mainland are the high-rises of Aventura. This city is the heart and soul of South Florida’s Jewish community as well as Miami’s growing Russian community (along with Sunny Isles Beach). It is known for its high-end shopping opportunities, from the mega Aventura Mall to smaller boutiques in eclectic strip malls.
West Miami-Dade
Miami’s inland communities offer a glimpse into South Florida residential life. In West Miami-Dade, it’s more about golf courses, sports venues, and chain restaurants than the glitz and originality found along Miami’s beaches and downtown.