Miami
Miami and Miami Beach Sights
If you had arrived here 40 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 an exuberant nightlife and myriad festivals.
To find your way around Greater Miami, learn how the numbering system works. Miami is laid out on a grid with four quadrants—northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest—which 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 may shift 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.
Miami and Miami Beach Restaurant Reviews
Miami’s melting pot of residents and visitors has brought an array of sophisticated, tasty cuisine. Little Havana is king for Cuban fare and Miami Beach is swept up in a trend of fusion cuisine, which combines Asian, French, American, and Latin cuisine with sumptuous—and pricy—results. Since Miami dining is a part of the trendy nightlife scene, most dinners don’t start until 8 or 9 PM, and may go well into the night. Hot spots fill up quick, so either come before 7 or make reservations. Attire is usually casual-chic, but patrons try to dress to impress. Prices tend to stay high in hot spots like Lincoln Road, but venture off the beaten path and you can find delicious Latin food for reasonable prices. When you get your bill, check whether a gratuity is already included; most restaurants add between 15% and 18% (ostensibly for the convenience of, and protection from, the many Latin American and European tourists who are used to this practice in their homelands), but supplement it depending on your opinion of the service.
Miami and Miami Beach Hotel Reviews
Room rates in Miami tend to swing wildly. In high season, which is January through May, expect to pay at least $150 per night. In summer, however, prices can be as much as 50% lower than the dizzying winter rates. You can also find great values between Easter and Memorial Day, which is actually a delightful time in Miami.
Business travelers tend to stay in downtown Miami, while most tourists stay on Miami Beach, as close as possible to the water. If money isn’t an object, stay in one of the glamorous hotels lining Collins Avenue between 15th and 21st streets. Otherwise, stay on the quiet beaches farther north, or in one of the small boutique hotels on Ocean Drive, Collins, or Washington avenues between 10th and 15th streets. Two important considerations that affect price are balcony and view. If you’re willing to have a room without an ocean view, you can sometimes get a price much lower than the standard rate. Many hotels are aggressive with specials and change their rates hour to hour, so it’s worth calling around.
Miami and Miami Beach Nightlife
The Miami Herald (www.herald.com) is a good source for information on what to do in town. The “Weekend” section, included in the Friday edition, has an annotated guide to everything from plays and galleries to concerts and nightclubs. The “Ticket” column of this section details the week’s entertainment highlights. You can pick up the free weekly tabloid Miami New Times www.miaminewtimes.com), the city’s largest free alternative newspaper, published each Thursday. It lists nightclubs, concerts, and special events; reviews plays and movies; and provides in-depth coverage of the local music scene. “Night & Day” is a rundown of the week’s cultural highlights. Ocean Drive, Miami Beach’s model-strewn, upscale fashion and lifestyle magazine, squeezes club, bar, restaurant, and events listings in with fashion spreads, reviews, and personality profiles. Paparazzi photos of local party people and celebrities give you a taste of Greater Miami nightlife before you even put on your black going-out ensemble.
The Spanish-language Nuevo Herald, published by the Miami Herald, has extensive information on Spanish-language arts and entertainment, including dining reviews, concert previews, and nightclub highlights. Spanish-language radio, primarily on the AM dial, is also a good source of information about arts events. Tune in to WXDJ (95.7 FM), Amor (107.5 FM), or Radio Mambi (710 AM).
Miami and Miami Beach Shopping
Miami teems with sophisticated shopping malls and the bustling avenues of commercial neighborhoods. But this is also a city of tiny boutiques tucked away on side streets—such as South Miami’s Red, Bird, and Sunset roads intersection—and outdoor markets touting unusual and delicious wares. Stroll through Spanish-speaking neighborhoods where shops sell clothing, cigars, and other goods from all over Latin America. At an open-air flea-market stall, score an antique glass shaped like a palm tree and fill it with some fresh Jamaican ginger beer from the table next door. Or stop by your hotel gift shop and snap up an alligator magnet for your refrigerator, an ashtray made of seashells, or a bag of gumballs shaped like Florida oranges. Who can resist?
