FLORIDA PLACES AND DESTINATIONS - MIAMI BEACH

Miami Beach is the stuff of legends, stretching from the tip of South Beach to Sunny Isles Beach, more than 15 miles of white sand, considered one of the nation’s top ten beaches.

On South Beach, wander over to Ocean Drive for a cool drink and people-watch at an outdoor café, or head to quieter North Shore Park in the heart of Miami’s rapidly transforming MiMo North Beach neighborhood.

Located at the southern end of Miami Beach, South Beach's Art Deco District is a whimsical collection of more than 800 architecturally protected buildings from the 1930s and 1940. It has been anointed the “American Riviera” in a nod to the unmistakable air of casual chic that permeates the district. The transformation of South Beach from a downtrodden slum into a pastel wonderland of painstakingly renovated architectural treasures has brought global fame for the historically protected Art Deco District and its glorious beaches and fabled nightlife.




An international symbol for Miami, this popular visitor destination is home to a wondrous mix of luxury resorts, boutique hotels, inexpensive hostels and moderately priced national chain hotels. Ocean Drive is known worldwide for its see-and-be-seen cafes, bikini-clad in-line skaters and beaches packed with beautiful young sun seekers, while trendy Lincoln Road has emerged as a lively magnet for culture, entertainment and shopping.

The rest of Miami Beach continues to thrive, reaping the benefits of its proximity to the Art Deco District's plentiful entertainment and dining offerings. Neighborhoods like funky Surfside and a revitalized North Beach draw many with unpretentious charms, great local restaurants and easy beach access.

North Beach's Ocean Terrace – a five-block stretch just south of expansive North Shore Park – is fast becoming a smaller version of South Beach with its inviting oceanfront cafes. Hotels, restaurants, quaint shops, and an uninterrupted concentration of MiMo (Miami Modern) 50s and 60s era apartment buildings give the entire neighborhood a unique character, as does a recent influx of Brazilian and Argentine immigrants who have added character and flavor to the neighborhood with numerous shops and eateries.










Photo: Visit Florida