FLORIDA PLACES AND DESTINATIONS - MIAMI

Miami, Florida

The world's premier playground, Greater Miami offers visitors the best of all worlds – a rare destination where the cutting edge of urban chic co-exists with the beauty and splendor of a tropical paradise. Great year-round weather, top-ranked beaches and the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay are the backdrops for a cosmopolitan metropolis, pulsing with the rhythms of its diverse population.

Boasting a vibrant arts and cultural landscape, renowned nightlife scene and world-class dining and entertainment, Miami draws an eclectic mix of visitors seeking fun in the sun. Glorious weather has always been the main attraction, with yearly temperatures in Miami averaging 76ºF (25ºC).




Miami comprises a network of barrier islands, coral rock and mangrove swamps, connected by manmade additions of soaring bridges, stately causeways and panoramic roads. Miles and miles of white sand beaches hug the coastline.

To the south and west, Everglades National Park is an unique 1.5 million acre eco-system of sawgrass prairies, mangrove swamps subtropical jungle and the warm waters of Florida Bay. Nearby, the primarily underwater Biscayne National Park is teeming with sea life and plants, and features living coral reefs as well as the longest stretch of mangrove forest left on Florida's east coast within its 173,000 acres.

With an unparalleled mix of ethnic and cultural groups spread throughout the sprawling city's environs, Miami offers visitors a new perspective on every corner; a mélange of images, sounds and tastes that range from the familiar to the exotic. It is a meandering collection of more than 35 municipalities.

Downtown Miami is a hub for international business and finance, with soaring office towers and ultra-modern condominiums lining Brickell Avenue. American Airlines Arena (home to the Miami Heat), Bayside Marketplace (a waterfront shopping and dining destination) and Bayfront Park (an outdoor concert amphitheater) draw residents and visitors. Nearby on Tony Brickell Key, the Mandarin Oriental, a AAA Five Diamond resort, has received rave reviews for its beautiful design, world-class service and award-winning restaurants.

It is rumored that one could spend a whole day in Little Havana without hearing a word of English spoken. Saturated with Cuban culture, Little Havana's main thoroughfare, Calle Ocho (Eighth Street) is lined with restaurants featuring Latin specialties and cafes where men sip cafecitos and play dominos and argue about politics all day. Here, artisans still hand-roll cigars, and tailors create custom guayaberas (traditional linen shirts), while the sounds of salsa and merengue fill the air.

The agricultural bounty of Miami's mild climate becomes apparent as visitors head south of Miami to Redland and Homestead, with vast fields of strawberries, tomatoes and other fresh produce, en route to Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. Many of the area's tourist attractions are located here including Miami Dade Metrozoo, Monkey Jungle, Everglades Alligator Farm and the Fruit and Spice Park.








Photo: Visit Florida