Lavish on the Coast of the Atlantic! Top Attractions in Miami

Situated on the American Atlantic coast, Miami is the county seat of the state of Florida. With a population of 400,000, the city ranks 42 in the US and is a major centre in finance, commerce, culture, media and entertainment. In 2009, Miami was the richest city in the US and a year earlier, it was proclaimed “America’s Cleanest City” by Forbes, for its vast green spaces, clean streets and water, and good air quality.

South Beach

In the past two decades, the Port of Miami was also known as the Cruise Capital of the World, being the home of the largest cruise ships and operations on the planet and the busiest port in passenger traffic.

1. South Beach

Miami has a great location, on the south east of Florida Peninsula. The Atlantic simply embraces this enormous promontory and there’s nothing better than the weather and the playful waves. A real paradise for surfers, South Beach benefits of foamy blue tides and mostly sunny days. The beach is filled with beautiful people, tanned models and generally happy faces, due to the great holiday scenario Miami offers its inhabitants and visitors. A popular hangout is Nikki Beach Club, the place where celebrities rub shoulders with locals, to get a cool suntan and break waves.

2. Ocean Drive

Leaving the beach you will enter Ocean Drive, the Art Deco neighbourhood of Miami. Along this street rise majestically some of the most popular hotels in town, with architecture hailing back from the 1920s. The Art Deco district is home for over 800 buildings from the 30s onwards, and information on them can be found at the Art Deco District Welcome Center. Notable venues are the World Erotic Art Museum and cosy sidewalk cafes, designer boutiques, lounge bars and non stop clubs. Hang out at the Opium Garden and have a great meal at Joe’s Stone Crab.

Design District Gallery

3. Design District

The architectural boom of 1920 brought along some talented people that transformed the pineapple grove that stretched in the area into a must-see district. Today, the lane is populated with interior design galleries, stores and showrooms, featuring the works of famous designers such as Rose Tarlow, Christian Liaigre and Wendell Castle. European classics have found their way into Miami as well, including Bulthaup, who has on display and sale reproductions of mid century classic furniture.

4. Little Havana

Florida is a state where knowledge of Spanish language is a must. For a taste of Cuba, visit Little Havana neighbourhood and have a traditional Cuban cigar surrounded by replicas of Cuban restaurants and shops. The venue is a testimony to the hundreds of thousands of Cubans who immigrated to Florida after the arrival of Fidel Castro to power in 1959. A trip to Little Havana is quite fascinating, as Latin songs and tobacco scent fill the hot air.

Little Havana - Freedom wall

5. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

Travel to Biscayne Bay and visit the Italian Renaissance Vizcaya Museum, it seems somebody cut it out of a fairytale. In the middle of modern beaches and flashing billboards advertising shopping malls, the European palace seems to have come out of nowhere. Built in the 20th century, the palace become museum has an impressively opulent interior. It is home to numerous European antiques and decorative works belonging to the golden ages, hailing back to the 16th through the 19th century. The venue is quite a popular wedding destination and its gardens resemble wonderland.

6. Key Biscayne

Most tourists prefer South Beach for its crowds of heavy tanned catwalk bodies and muscular abs. However, if you would rather a quiet venue, serenity instead of loud music and a truly beautiful Florida beach, head to the Key and enjoy a relaxing weekend in a tranquil part of Miami. Biscayne is poorer in nightlife and shopping, as people who prefer it enjoy its natural aspect with pristine beaches, two waterfront parks, a cycling path an magnificent Miami panoramas. On the eastern part lies Crandon Park, popular for its barbecue and picnic areas, whilst going west you will find the 400 acre Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area, for great swimming opportunities on the tip of the island.

Vizcaya Museum site

7. Miami museums

The majority of people who choose Miami as a holiday destination, generally do that for the wide beaches with white sands, in search of tall waves for surfing, for the warm sun rays and for the great nightlife this south American city has to offer. However, for a bit of culture, go downtown and stroll in some of the numerous museums Miami has to offer its art thirsty visitors: Bass Museum, Coral Gables Museum, Frost Art Museum, Historical Museum of Southern Florida, Jewish Museum of Florida, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Art Museum, Miami Children’s Museum, Miami Science Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Wolfsonian-FIU Museum and the Miami Cultural Center, home of the Miami Main Library.

8. Fashion and shopping

Every year, Miami Fashion Week gathers locals and tourists alike for one of the most entertaining events on the East Coast. Fashion buffs will feel right at home with the numerous designer shops and ample malls in town: the Village of Merrick Park – South Florida’s newest upscale mall features 115 boutiques and shops including Burberry, Diane von Furstenberg, Etro, Gucci, Jimmy Choo and Sonia Rykiel. Aventura Mall is home to large department stores such as Bloomigdale’s and Macy’s.

Tennis club in Key Biscayne

Whilst shopping, you might rub shoulders with celebrities who splurge around town in the Design District and designer shops. Janet Jackson, Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, P. Diddy, Usher and Kanye West are just some of the often spotted characters on South Beach and Ocean Drive.

9. Dine in style

Glamorous Miami is full of fancy places where you can get a delicious meal. Try The Forge for great food and a beautiful rococo interior, the dining place of Frank Sinatra, Richard Nixon and Judy Garland. For fresh American food, with less “pretention”, go to Segafredo or Barton G and have a tasty dinner in the South Beach area.

10. Bienvenido a Miami

The East Coast charismatic city has a reputation for its sharp and elegant nightclubs. Glamorous places such as Florida Room attracts sophisticated folk and young hipsters alike to a chandelier lit old school venue. A premier spot for superstar DJs is Cameo, a former movie theatre refurbished art deco style.

Miami skyline

To enjoy a quiet pint of European beer, hang out at Abbey on South Beach and have a nice chat with locals.

Miami is one of the most amazing cities on the East Coast and together with Los Angeles, are the most popular holiday venues for those who are seeking for sandy beaches and splendid weather. So just buckle up and head to Southeast Florida for a terrific vacation on the American Atlantic Coast.