Miami

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For other places with the same name, see Miami (disambiguation).

Miami [1], known as the “Magic City,” is the southernmost city of Florida. Part of the South Florida region, it is 20 miles from Fort Lauderdale, 106 miles from Naples and 156 miles from Key West. It was founded in 1843 by William F. English and a group of settlers and slaves that followed him to the area. The city was finally incorporated in 1896 thanks to a deal made by Julia Tuttle to extend the Florida East Coast Railroad into Miami. The population of the city itself is around 404,000 people.

[edit] Districts

Note: This districting is incomplete, obviously. Please plunge forward and improve it!

[edit] Understand

[edit] History

Flagler’s railroad sparked a wave of expansion in areas such as Miami Beach, Homestead and Cutler. Soon after the railroad was built, the Overseas Highway was created; this highway connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Growth and progress continued in Miami continued through World War I as well as the early to mid-1920s.

A devastating hurricane in 1926 halted Miami’s growth and temporarily put the city (as well as Miami Beach) in a recession. It was the city’s support of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal that helped the city rebuild. Roosevelt almost lost his life, however, when Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate him when Roosevelt came to Miami to thank the city for its support of the New Deal.

When a Nazi U-boat sank a US tanker off Florida’s coast, the majority of South Florida was converted into military headquarters for the remainder of World War II. The Army’s WWII legacy in Miami is a school designed for Anti U-boat warfare. After WWII, several soldiers decided to stay in Miami to become permanent residents.

[edit] Climate

Because of its proximity to the equator as opposed to other parts of the United States, Miami weather is often—but not always—warm. Although winter weather averages around 60 to 70º Fahrenheit, temperatures can fall to around 50º during the day and 40º at night. Summer weather can go over 90º Fahrenheit (36.6º Celsius), but very rarely, usually averaging around 80ºF. During June to November, rain and thunderstorms can also be expected to occur every day.

  • Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, +1 305 672-2014, [2]. Daily 10AM-10PM.
  • Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1920 Meridian Avenue, [3]. M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa-Su 10AM-4PM.
  • Greater Miami and the Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau, 27th floor of 701 Brickell Avenue, + 1 305 539-3000, [4]. M-F 8:30AM-5PM.

[edit] Talk

Little Havana
Little Havana

Miami has the largest Latin American population outside of Latin America itself with nearly 65% of its populace either from Latin America or of Latin American ancestry. Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places, although English is the language of preference, especially when dealing with businesses and government. You will find that almost all locals speak English to a comfortable if not fluent level. Despite this, it is not at all uncommon to encounter a local who does not speak English at all, though this is usually centered amongst shops and restaurants in residential communities and not generally the case in large tourist areas or the downtown district. Even when encountering a local who does not speak English, you can easily find another local to help with translation if needed without much effort, since most of the population is fluently bilingual. In certain neighborhoods, such as Little Havana and Hialeah, most locals will address a person first in Spanish, then in English, rather than the other way around. Many times, although someone may speak English, their preference will be to speak Spanish and will resist speaking to one in English. "Spanglish", a mixture of English and Spanish, is a somewhat common occurrence (but less so than in the American Southwest), with bilingual locals switching between English and Spanish mid-sentence and occasionally replacing a common English word for its Spanish equivalent.

Haitian Creole is another language heard in mostly North Miami. It is not uncommon for a person to hear a conversation in Creole when riding public transportation or sitting at a restaurant. Many signs and public announcements are in English, Spanish and Creole because of Miami’s diverse immigrant population. Unlike Spanish, Haitian Creole is generally centered amongst the Haitian neighborhoods in the North of the city. Most Haitians are more adapted to English than their Hispanic neighbors. Portuguese and French are other languages that may be encountered in Miami. These languages tend to be spoken mainly around tourist areas. Most speakers of these languages have adapted to English as well.

The simplest way to get a response in English is to use the "approach rule," where most locals will only respond in the language they were summoned in unless they are not able to speak it. This rule can be used on anyone whether or not their first language was Spanish, English or any other language.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

Miami International Airport (ICAO: KMIA, IATA: MIA) [5] is located just west of the city in an unincorporated suburban area. It is an important hub for traffic between North America and Latin America, and one of the largest airports in the world; therefore, Spanish is just as likely to be understood as English. The international traffic makes MIA a large and congested place. Be sure to allow extra time when departing MIA, particularly if flying internationally, as you may face an hour-long line just to check your bags. Curbside check-in is an excellent idea.

The predominant carrier at MIA is American Airlines, which has direct flights to most major cities in the Americas and several European cities as well. European, Asian, Latin and Caribbean carriers are well-represented at MIA. The airport has no direct service to Africa nor Oceania. The recent construction of two new, modern terminals at MIA have helped with the airport's passenger capacities as well as the efficiency in going through customs and baggage claim.

MIA also has several restaurants ranging from local chains such as La Carreta to national chains such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Burger King and Starbucks. Be aware that some restaurants serve beer, wine and/or cocktails; drink too much and airlines can refuse your boarding on a plane. MIA also has several retail stores, including several magazine stands and bookstores (including a Borders). Other retail stores include (but are not limited to) Brookstone, K-B Toys and Ron Jon Surf Shop. There is also a hotel connected to the airport. Money can be exchanged for US dollars at the airport as well.

Wireless internet is also available at MIA for a small fee.

Fort Lauderdale International Airport (IATA: FLL) [6] is 25-40 minutes north of Miami proper, depending on traffic, and does not have nearly as many international routes, only offer a small variety. However, it is smaller and less trafficked than MIA, making customs, immigration and security a bit easier to go through. Southwest Airlines, JetBlue and other low-cost carriers generally use FLL instead of MIA, making FLL a cheaper alternative in many cases as well.

Public transport is available to MIA and FLL. If arriving from FLL, there is a free shuttle to the nearby Tri-Rail train station ; Tri-Rail trains connect West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale and Miami.

At MIA, public transportation includes a free shuttle to the nearby Tri-Rail station, as well as to Metrorail and Metromover. Your best option is to take a taxi from the airport or rent a car, depending on what your stay involves (if you need to get around parts of Miami with no nearby Metrorail stations). MIA's car rental facilities are scattered around the airport and connected to the terminal by shuttle buses: FLL's facilities are more conveniently located in the parking garage adjacent to the terminals. Currently, at MIA, construction of the new Miami Intermodal Center, is slated to become Miami's Grand Central station with hub connections of Amtrak, Metrorail, Tri-Rail, taxis, Metrobus, and all car-rental facilities. The M.I.C. is expected to be completed around 2009/2010.

[edit] By train

Amtrak's Silver Service operates two trains daily to Miami from New York (city), Washington, D.C. and other cities along the Eastern Seaboard. The ride from New York is about 24 hours but is often subject to delays, as Amtrak uses poorer-quality freight lines south of Washington and must cope with slow freight trains along the way.

There are frequent (at least 1 per hour) Tri-Rail trains every day to Miami from West Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale.

[edit] By car

There are three main highways coming into Miami. I-95 runs along the Atlantic Coast of the United States and terminates in Miami. I-75 comes in from the Midwestern United States and runs through Atlanta and Tampa before terminating in Miami. Florida's Turnpike is a toll road mainly useful for those driving in from Orlando. The only southbound route from Miami is US Highway 1, which runs through the Florida Keys all the way to Key West.

[edit] Get around

[edit] By bus

Miami has a large and elaborate public bus system which covers the entire county and connects to the bus system in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Recent developments have made the bus system more reliable than in the past. Even with the changes and because of high local traffic, buses tend to have a harder time remaining on schedule. However, buses run often enough through each route so as not to be a nuisance. Schedules and routes are available from the Miami-Dade Transit website [7] or by calling +1 305 770-3131.

[edit] By train

Metrorail is a single-line elevated rail system serving Miami and surrounding areas. Due to low funding, Metrorail has not been greatly expanded since its opening in 1984, but serves many areas of tourist interest. These include Downtown Miami, Dadeland Mall, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Lowe Art Museum, Miami Museum of Science, Village at Merrick Park and many other nearby shopping areas. Coconut Grove and downtown Coral Gables can be reached via short shuttle bus from various stations. Metrorail operates between roughly 5AM and midnight, with a bus serving all Metrorail stations operating in the overnight hours, effectively providing 24-hour service.

Downtown Miami is served by a free elevated people mover system known as Metromover, which connects to Metrorail at two stations at Government Center in the Central Business District and at Brickell Station in Brickell. Metromover is free of charge and is the most efficient way to move around Downtown Miami. It is a great way to take a rest when walking around downtown, and a great time to take pictures of the skyscrapers and growing Miami skyline from above.

Currently a funding boost has set forth an expansion for the Metrorail system including a connection to Miami International Airport to be operating by 2010. Further expansion to the north toward Dolphin Stadium (the home of the NFL's Miami Dolphins) is expected to be operating by 2012. A light rail line to Miami Beach is also under development, as well as the Miami Streetcar connecting Downtown Miami to the Media and Entertainment District as well as Midtown Miami.

[edit] By taxi

Taxis are generally expensive with a surcharge of $2.50 for the pick-up and an additional $0.40 for each sixth of a mile traveled. Almost all cab companies in the area have pre-determined rates for travel into the barrier islands of Miami Beach and other beach and nightclub communities popular with tourists which can range from $30-$60 depending on arrival location. For example, South Beach may be the most expensive while a residential neighborhood in Miami Beach may be the cheapest. The charge is the same regardless of pick-up location on the mainland. All taxis are fitted with maps of the barrier islands which state the cost per location. The same applies for passengers leaving the islands onto the mainland, though normal rates apply for person traveling by taxi within the islands or within the mainland.

Service is available throughout Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Monroe counties regardless of pick-up location. The normal service charges apply for these four counties, but it is wise to ask for a pre-determined price beforehand if leaving the county as this will in most cases turn out to be cheaper and most drivers are willing to negotiate when leaving the county. If you wish to be taxied to a location outside of those four counties, you must negotiate a price and advise the cab company first. Drivers may refuse to drive outside of the metropolitan area if they are not advised to do so beforehand.

Usually you will have to call a cab company and request a pick-up. Taxis operated by the major companies are not normally allowed to pick up passengers at random locations for safety and legal reasons except at MIA, the Port of Miami and train stations. Some individual taxi drivers will not follow this rule, however. You can try hailing a taxi in the street.

All taxi drivers must have a valid license to operate. It is uncommon to hear of crimes involving unlicensed taxis anywhere in the metropolitan area since Dade County keeps track of all taxi activity in and around Miami and cooperates with other counties in getting this information. If you enter a cab and do not see a valid license placed in front of the passenger's seat, you should not enter the taxi and instead call another cab company regardless of what the driver says. If you willingly enter a taxi without a license or with an expired license and there is an incident or accident, it is possible that you may not be able to hold the driver accountable by law. When entering a cab you should make note of the driver's name, license number and cab number if any problems arise during the trip. This information should be easily found inside the taxi. It may be able to help you identify the cab driver to the police or the cab company.

[edit] By car

Unless you plan to stay downtown or in a single location elsewhere, you will find that a car is very convenient in Miami, and car rentals are cheap in comparison to other major US cities.

Surface roads in Miami are usually easy to navigate. The area's roads are designed around a grid system, where most roads are numbered based on their distance from the city center. Addresses also conform to the numbering of the roads around them. For instance, "9500 NW 30th Street" would be by the intersection of 30th Street and 95th Road, about 95 blocks west and 30 blocks north of the city center.

Note that if you cross into Broward County, the roads will be numbered based on their distance from the Fort Lauderdale or Hollywood (Florida) city center, which is generally the same going east-west but will be very different going north-south. Some street names also change at the county line. The coastline highway, A1A, is known as "Collins Avenue" in Miami but becomes "Ocean Drive" in Broward. Likewise, "Red Road" in Miami becomes "Flamingo Road" in Broward.

Miami has four primary expressways. In addition to I-95 and Florida’s Turnpike, there is state highway 836 (also known as the Dolphin Expressway) and state highway 826 (also known as the Palmetto Expressway). The Dolphin Expressway runs west from downtown Miami along the edge of Miami International Airport. The Palmetto Expressway and Florida's Turnpike form "F"-shaped loops around the city. The Turnpike continues north, roughly parallel to I-95, and will take you to Orlando if you keep driving.

I-95, the Palmetto and the Turnpike intersect at a junction in North Miami called the Golden Glades. You may find driving in the Glades challenging, especially if you have little experience driving in it.

[edit][add listing] See

The Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach
The Holocaust Memorial, Miami Beach
  • Ancient Spanish Monastery, 16711 West Dixie Highway (near Sunny Isles), +1 305 945-1461, [8]. M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 1PM-5PM (unless there is a wedding scheduled; call ahead or check the website for wedding dates). Originally built in Segovia, Spain in 1141, this monastery was originally supposed to be a part of William Randolph Hearst’s property in California. Partly because he ran out of money and partly because the United States would not allow the monastery to be built in California, the monastery remained in New York Harbor until 1954, when a couple of businessmen bought the property and assembled it in Miami. Parts of the monastery have not been assembled because the government removed the pieces from numbered boxes and then placed the wrong pieces in the wrong boxes. Today the monastery is a church as well as a popular marriage location. As seen on the History Channel show Weird U.S. Adult admission $5, senior and student admission (with valid ID) $2.50, child admission $2.
  • Holocaust Memorial, center of Meridian Drive and Dade Boulevard, +1 305 538-1663, [9]. Daily 9AM-9PM. This memorial was created with the help of Miami Beach Holocaust survivors and sculptor Kenneth Treister in 1984; it was finally opened to the public in 1990. The most noticeable features of this memorial are its large arm with Holocaust victims trying to climb up the arm (it even has an Auschwitz tattoo similar to the ones issued at Auschwitz), its pool with a dedication to the “Jewish victims of the Holocaust” just outside the pool and sculptures of a mother and her children perishing to death surrounded by Anne Frank quotes. Behind the massive arm is the Garden of Meditation, dedicated to life, and a history of the Holocaust etched (with some covered-up errors) in granite. Surrounding the arm is a tunnel highlighted by an eternal flame. The tunnel has the names of the concentration camps sculpted inside of it and leads you to more sculptures surrounding the arm as well as names of victims of the Holocaust etched in granite and items such as Jewish candles placed by visitors honoring the memory of the dead. Free.
  • Coral Castle, 28655 South Dixie Highway, (305) 248-6345, [10]. An odd complex of stone structures, built with enormously heavy stones, and allegedly by one man, without the help of modern equipment.
  • Jewish Museum of Florida, 301 Washington Avenue, +1 305 672-5044 (fax +1 305 672-5933), [11]. Tu-Su 10AM-5PM. Closed on Mondays and civil and Jewish holidays. This museum, located in a 1936 synagogue that hosted Miami’s first Jewish congregation, has a permanent exhibit detailing how Florida’s Jews arrived in Florida as well as their history in Florida and their customs. The museum also has videos to view while you’re inside the museum, temporary exhibits in the center of the synagogue and a gift shop. A small and fairly uninteresting museum. Adult admission $6, senior and student admission $5, family admission $12, children under six and members of the Jewish Museum of Florida free. Admission is also free on Saturdays.
  • Frost Art Museum, SW 107th Ave & SW 8th Street (FIU-University Park), (305) 348-2890, [12]. M-Tu,Th-F 10AM-5PM, W 10AM-9PM, Sa-Su 12PM-4PM. Located at Florida International University, the Frost Art Museum has a large variety of 1960s and 1970s American photography, Pre-Columbian artifacts dating back from 200 to 500 AD, ancient African and Asian bronzes, and a growing number of Caribbean and Latin American paintings and artwork.
  • Bass Museum of Art, 212 Park Avenue, +1 305 673-7530 (fax +1 305 673-7062), [13]. Tu-W and F-Sa 10AM-5PM, Th 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-5PM. This art museum, expanded by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, houses several European artworks from the 15th to the 20th century. Baroque and Northern European artworks are the highlights of the Bass Museum’s collection. The Bass Museum also hosts touring exhibitions and the New Information Workshop, a computer laboratory that allows visitors to create their own artwork. $12 adults, $10 students and seniors, children under 6 years of age free. Free admission the second Thursday of each month from 6PM-9PM.
  • Wolfsonian-Florida International University, 1001 Washington Avenue, +1 305 531-1001 (fax +1 305 531-2133, e-mail pr@thewolf.fiu.edu, phone number for comments +1 305 535-2622), [14]. M-Tu and F-Sa 11AM-6PM, Th-11AM-9PM, Su 12PM-5PM. Back in the 1930s and 1940s this building was the headquarters of the Washington Storage Company, a facility where the rich could stash their valuables whenever they were out of town. Movie theater heir and Miami native Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. stored so much artwork here that he decided to buy the storage company and later give the building to Florida International University, hence the museum’s odd name. The Wolfsonian hosts a large modernist art collection on its upper three floors (the only floors, excluding the first floor, that are open to the public) that includes propaganda posters and postcards and Art Deco household items as well as touring exhibits. There is also a café, bookstore, fountain and a modernist-inspired artwork on the first floor. After paying admission, patrons enter the Wolfsonian with a sticker that has a picture of an artifact from the museum’s permanent collection. $5 ($3.50 seniors, students with ID and children 6-12).
  • Lowe Art Museum, 1301 Stanford Drive, (305) 284-3535, [15]. With many antique art, ceramics, pottery and sculptures ranging from Greco-Roman times, Renaissance, Baroque, Art of Asia, Art of Latin America, and ancient potteries, the Lowe Art Museum offers a great range of art through the centuries.
  • Venetian Pool, 2701 DeSoto Boulevard (in Coral Gables), +1 305 460-5306 (email info@VenetianPool.com, additional phone number +1 305 460-5357), [16]. Hours are around 11AM-5PM every day, but call to verify hours. In the 1920s Denman Dink transformed this limestone quarry into a pool with a waterfall, an area for kids and an area for adults. The water in this pool comes from a spring and is drained daily. In addition to the swimming facilities there is a snack bar (you cannot bring outside food into the Venetian Pool) and lockers. Swimming lessons are also offered here. The Venetian Pool is best known for having Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller (the silver screen’s first Tarzan) swim here. $6 for people 13 years of age and older, $3 children under 13 (between November and March); $9 for people 13 years of age or older, $5 children under 13 (between April and October).
  • Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, 3251 South Miami Avenue, +1 305 250-9133, (fax + 1 305 285-2004), [17]. European-inspired estate. Includes a main house filled with art and furnishings and ten acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay. $12 adults, $9 Miami-Dade residents with ID, patrons using wheelchairs, seniors 62 years of age or older with ID and students with ID, $5 children 6-12. Admission free for children 5 years of age or younger.
  • Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Boulevard (in Downtown Miami). In addition to two amphitheaters (one large amphitheater and a smaller one, the South End Amphitheater, which hosts live performances), this park has memorials for the astronauts who perished in the Challenger spaceship accident, former president John F. Kennedy (the JFK Torch of Friendship), and a fountain dedicated to Claude Pepper, a distinguished US congressman.
  • Oleta River State Recreation Park, 3400 N.E. 163rd St, +1 305 919-1846, [18]. Daily 8AM-sunset. The largest urban park in Florida has trails for biking, a beach for swimming, picnic areas and a playground for kids. Get a canoe or kayak to row to a mangrove island within the park. Several animals such as eagles and fiddler crabs also make their home here. Fourteen cabins with air conditioning are also on the premises, but bathrooms, showers and grills are located outside the cabins and guests should bring their own linens. $5 for a vehicle carrying up to eight passengers, $1 bicyclists, pedestrians and extra passengers ($50.85 a night in a cabin).

[edit][add listing] Do

  • GoCar GPS Tours(1661 James Avenue, just off Lincoln Road between Collins and Washington in South Beach): See Miami Beach in the world's first Storytelling Car. The GoCar will guide you to see what most visitors never see, while telling stories and history along the way that bring the city to life. It's like having your own private tour guide with you. Tours take place at your own pace in a fun to drive, open-air, 2-person scooter car. Rates begin at $29 per hour. Discounted daily rates are also available.
  • Lummus Park Beach, between 6th and 14th streets along Ocean Drive. 5AM to 12AM daily. The beach where you’ll most likely see photo shoots and camera crews on certain days. Topless bathing is allowed here. A mostly homosexual crowd sunbathes around 12th Street. Also nearby is the wavy concrete path known as the Promenade, also a popular shooting locale as well as a favorite volleyball hangout for the locals. The bathrooms, located at around 11th Street, are in a stunning boat-shaped building but have rusty fixtures and are dirty.
  • Haulover Beach Park, Sunny Isles (north of Bal Harbour). One of a handful of areas in Miami to surf and windsurf. Nude sunbathing is allowed here.
  • Dolphin Stadium, 2269 Northwest 199th Street (in Miami Gardens), +1 305 623-6100 (fax +1 305 625-6403, e-mail DS@dolphinstadium.com, TTY +1 305 623-6266 ), [19]. This football stadium has been renamed several times in its history; some of its previous names include Dolphins Stadium and Pro Player Stadium. It is primarily known as the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins. Ironically FedEx Orange Bowl games are held here instead of the Orange Bowl on 11th Street. In another strange twist of fate the Miami Hurricanes are playing their home football games here starting in 2008 instead of…the Orange Bowl. MLB’s Florida Marlins also play baseball here. For tours of Dolphin Stadium, contact rheard@dolphinstadium.com or call +1 305 623-6286. Tour prices are $3 for children under 14, $5 for those 14 and older and $4 for senior citizens. Check website for individual phone numbers for tickets to Miami Dolphins and Florida Marlins games and the Orange Bowl.
  • Miami Orange Bowl, 1145 Northwest 11th Street, +1 305 643-7100, [20]. (fax 305-643-7115, ticket/event information number +1 305 643-7100) For several years this was the actual site of the collegiate Orange Bowl games as well as the home of the Miami Hurricanes. This historic football stadium is also currently hosting Florida International University football games until FIU Stadium construction is completed. No one knows what will happen to the Orange Bowl when the Hurricanes and the Golden Panthers move out. Check the Hurricanes’ official sports page [21] and the Golden Panthers’ official sports page [22] for tickets.
  • American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Boulevard (near Bicentennial Park), + 1 786 777-1000 (box office number +1 786 777-1250), [23]. In addition to Miami Heat (an NBA team) games played here, this arena has hosted several awards shows in its past such as the MTV Video Music Awards (twice). Several concerts are also held here. Call box office for ticket information.

[edit] Events

There are very few city-wide events planned during the months of July and August because of the high temperatures during the summer in Miami.

  • FedEx Orange Bowl Football Game, Dolphin Stadium, +1 305 341-4700, [24]. Held in early January around New Year’s Day. A major Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game held ironically in Dolphin Stadium. Top teams from two conferences, one of the conferences being the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), battle for this prize.
  • South Beach Wine & Food Festival, various locations throughout South Beach, (e-mail: info@sobewineandfoodfest.com), [25]. Held in late February. Sponsored by Food & Wine magazine and the Food Network, this event raises money for Florida International University’s hospitality program by having celebrity cooks and chefs (many of them who work for or have appeared on Food Network at one time) descend upon South Beach to do cooking demonstrations and throw parties. Florida International University’s hospitality program students volunteer at some of the festival’s events. Wine and food tastings featuring local chefs and cuisine are also held during the annual event. Tickets range from $15-$300 depending on the event.
  • Winter Party, various locations throughout South Beach, +1 305 571-1924 (ask for Michael Bath), [26]. Held between mid-February and mid-March. This circuit party benefits several gay organizations throughout Dade County as well as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Beach parties, pool parties, parties held at local clubs and a dinner are the main features of the Winter Party.
  • Winter Music Conference, various locations throughout South Beach, +1 954 563-4444 (fax +1 954 563-1599), [27]. Held in mid-March. Don’t confuse the Winter Music Conference with the Winter Party. While the Winter Music Party attracts queer people for a good cause, the Winter Music Conference attracts electronic musicians (and the labels they belong to) and DJs as well as fans of various electronic music genres for the love of music. In addition to several parties held in clubs, parks and on Lummus Beach (and occasionally in retail stores and hotels), there are seminars for people to learn more about the music business and DJ showcases.
  • Independence Day, city-wide. Held on July 4th. The Miami skyline is illuminated by fireworks on the “birth date” of the United States. While Key Biscayne has great views of the fireworks show, Bayfront Park has live music as well as a laser show.
  • White Party, various locations throughout South Beach, +1 305 667-9296, [28] and [29]. Held in mid-November. Miami’s oldest gay circuit party raises money for Care Resource, the largest and oldest HIV/AIDS association in South Florida, over a span of 10 days. It’s not nearly as popular as the Winter Party held earlier in the year, but the White Party still manages to sell out its tickets nearly a year in advance.
  • King Mango Strut, Main Avenue and Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove, +1 305 401-1171, [30]. Held after Christmas. This parade began as a parody of current events as well as the Orange Bowl Parade. The Orange Bowl Parade, unlike its famous Rose Bowl counterpart, is no longer held anymore, but the King Mango Strut is still having a good time making fun of the previous year’s follies.

[edit] Learn

  • Barry University, 11300 North East Second Avenue (in Miami Shores), +1 305 899-3100 (e-mail admissions@mail.barry.edu, fax +1 305 899-2971), [31]. This Catholic university, located 20 miles outside of Miami, has majors such as biomedical and forensic photography as well as the very popular nursing, education and liberal arts majors. The university is co-ed with close to 10,000 students enrolled.
  • Florida International University, University Park, +1 305 348-2863 (e-mail admiss@fiu.edu, fax +1 305 348-3648), [32]. With over 40,000 students enrolled in this public co-ed university spread out over two campuses, Florida International University is one of the largest universities in Florida and the 11th-largest university in the U.S. With over 280 majors in 26 schools in colleges including its top-ranked College of Business, School of Architecture, College of Engineering, College of Law, and College of Medicine, it is one of Florida's top universities.
  • Florida Memorial University, 15800 Northwest 42nd Avenue, +1 800 822-1362 (fax +1 305 625-4141), [33]. A largely African-American student body can be found on this private Baptist co-ed college campus (formerly known as Florida Memorial College). The university has over 1,950 students and majors such as business administration, commerce management, elementary education and criminal justice studies.
  • Johnson & Wales University—North Miami Campus, 1701 Northeast 127th Street (in North Miami), +1 305 892-7600 (e-mail admissions@jwu.edu, fax +1 305 892-7020), [34]. One of Johnson & Wales’ many campuses across the country, this co-ed, private university offers majors in the culinary and baking and pastry arts, business and hospitality. This campus is also one of Johnson & Wales’ largest after the original school in Providence, Rhode Island, with 2,500 students enrolled.
  • New World School of the Arts, 300 Northeast 2nd Avenue, Second Avenue (in Downtown Miami), +1 305 237-3135, [35]. Offers programs in theater, visual arts, dance and music for high school students as well as college-bound persons.
  • St. Thomas University,16400 32nd Avenue, +1 305 628-6546 (e-mail signup@stu.edu, fax +1 305 628-6591), [36]. This private university, affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, has an enrollment of over 2,600 men and women. Business/management, education and communication majors are popular here.
  • University of Miami, Coral Gables, +1 305 284-4323 (e-mail admission@miami.edu, fax +1 305 284-2507), [37]. Over 16,000 men and women are enrolled in this private college. Business, communication, medicine and biology majors are popular here.
  • Miami-Dade College, [38]. With more than 165,000 students, it is the United States' largest institution of higher learning, and one of the country's best community college systems. This community college conveniently has locations in Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Downtown Miami, and North Miami and also has locations all around Miami proper.

[edit] Work

If you are not from the United States, you will need a work visa. If you try to work while holding a tourist visa, you are still considered an illegal immigrant in the United States. Immigration and Nationalization Services conduct frequent illegal immigrant checks in Miami businesses since Miami has several refugees from Cuba, Haiti and other nearby countries; if you don’t have the right visa, you may not get a job in Miami.

There is an exception to getting work without a visa in Miami, however. Since yachts and cruise ships sail on international waters, these companies can freely hire any person they like.

[edit][add listing] Buy

Remember that sales tax is 7% in Miami.

[edit] Clothing stores

This is only a handful of clothing shops located away from major Miami area shopping centers.

  • Guess, 736 Collins Avenue, +1 305 673-8880. National retailer specializing in men’s and women’s clothing and accessories. Two-story building.
  • Nicole Miller, 656 Collins Avenue, +1 305 535-2200. Women’s clothing and accessories.
  • United Colors of Benetton, 668 Collins Avenue, +1 305 538-3777. Women’s shoes, clothing and accessories.
  • Kenneth Cole, 190 8th Street, +1 305 673-5151. M-Th 10AM-9PM, F-Sa, 10AM-10PM, Su 12PM-8PM. Men and women’s clothing and accessories. Two-story building with a minimalist feel.
  • Barney’s New York Co-op, 832 Collins Avenue, +1 305 421-2010 (email info-coopmiamibeach@barneys.com, fax +1 305 421-2006). M-Th 11AM-9PM, F-Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 12PM-7PM. Men’s and women’s clothing such as A Bathing Ape. Supposedly more affordable than a regular Barney’s New York, but prices can be steep for those in the middle class.
  • Diesel Jeans, 801 Washington Avenue, +1 305 535-9695. Italian retailer that specializes in jeans for men and women. Sometimes hosts special events such as a showcase for electronic labels Ghostly and Spectral Sound at the 2007 Winter Music Conference.
  • La Casa de las Guayaberas, 5840 Southwest 8th Street (in Little Havana), +1 305 266-9683. A store where you can find guayaberas—a Cuban shirt that has buttons but a loose fit and pleats—for men and women. Ronald Regan came to this store himself to buy a guayabera. Shirts can be bought off the rack or custom-tailored.

[edit] Cosmetics

  • Sephora, 721 Collins Avenue, +1 305 532-0494, [39]. M-Th 10AM-10PM, F-Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Nationwide chain specializing in makeup. There are also branches of Sephora in the Dadeland Mall.
  • M*A*C, 650 Collins Avenue, +1 305 604-9040. Small outpost of the worldwide cosmetic line. There is also a branch of M*A*C in Aventura Mall.

[edit] Record stores

  • FYE #1783, 501 Collins Avenue, +1 305 534-3667. Formerly a Specs Music, this two-floor music store specializes in mainstream music releases.
  • Uncle Sam’s Music, 1141 Washington Avenue, [40]. Since 1984 this independent record store has electronic music as well as items like stickers and incense.

[edit] Shopping centers

  • Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Boulevard (near the Dade/Broward County line), +1 305 935-1110, [41]. M-Sa 10AM-9:30PM, Su 12PM-8PM. This mall, spanning 2.3 million feet, not only has nation-wide chains such as JCPenney and Macy’s but also has chains such as Abercrombie and Fitch as well as Rainbow Valley Playground, a play spot for children. The other notable landmark of this mall is its 24-screen movie theater.
  • Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Avenue (on 97th Street in Bal Harbour), +1 305 866-0311, [42]. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 12PM-6PM (Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue are open from 12PM-7PM). Several designer labels fill up the spaces of Bal Harbour Shops: Chanel, Cartier, Fendi and Gucci among others. For those not wealthy enough to buy these designer labels, Bal Harbour Shops also has Banana Republic and the Gap in the mall as well. $1 (parking fee).
  • Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Boulevard (near Bayfront Park), +1 305 577-3344, [43]. M-F 10AM-10PM, Sa 10AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9PM. Despite having several chain stores such as the Hard Rock Café, the Gap, Sketchers and Victoria’s Secret attached to it, this mall is noted for its gorgeous views of Biscayne Bay. The only downside is that traffic is bad at Bayside when Bayfront Park is having a concert nearby. Connected to public transit via Metrorail and Metromover.
  • CocoWalk, 3015 Grand Avenue (in Coconut Grove), +1 305 577-3344, [44]. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-12AM (stores), restaurants and bars open until 2AM. This open-air mall not only has nice Mediterranean-styled architecture but chain stores such as Victoria’s Secret and FYE Music.
  • Dadeland Mall, 7535 North Kendall Drive (in Kendall), +1 305 665-6226, [45]. M-Sa 10AM-9:30PM, Su 12PM-7PM. Dadeland is one of the United States’ first malls as well as the first mall to have a Burdines, a Florida department store chain. (Don't go looking for Burdines now; it's since closed.) Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue are some of the stores now represented at Dadeland.
  • Dolphin Mall, 11401 Northwest 12th Street, +1 305 365-7446, [46]. M-F 10AM-9:30PM, Sa 10AM-9:30 PM, Su 11AM-7PM. In addition to Off 5th (a Saks Fifth Avenue outlet store), Marshall’s HomeGoods and Burlington Coat Factory, this mall has a movie theater and many busy restaurants.
  • The Falls, 8888 Howard Drive (in Kendall), +1 305 255-4570, [47]. M-Sa 10AM-9:30 PM, Su 12PM-7PM. Shops including Brooks Brothers and Pottery Barn adorn this mall and its tropical waterfalls.
  • Lincoln Road Mall, Lincoln Road between Alton Road and Washington Avenue, [48]. This open-air pedestrian mall was designed in 1957 by legendary Miami architect Morris Lapidus. With the exception of restaurants (running the gamut from two Starbucks stores to Miami originals like Pizza Rustica and David’s Café) and their outside seating areas, more nationally known shops such as French Connection, Ann Taylor and Anthropologie as well as international shops such as Italy’s Miss Sixty are closer to Alton Road while shops selling cheaper (and possibly knock-off) items are found closer to Washington Avenue. There’s also a multiplex theater located on the corner of Lincoln Road and Alton Drive. Lincoln Road Mall also hosts a farmers market on Sundays from 9AM to 6PM and an antiques market on the second and fourth Sundays from 9AM to 5PM. Call +1 305 673-4991 for information about the antiques market.
  • Shops at Sunset Place, 5701 Sunset Drive, +1 305 663-0482, [49]. M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9PM. In addition to nationwide chains such as the Gap, Urban Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret, this mall has a Niketown store, as well as a large movie theater.
  • Village of Merrick Park, 4425 Ponce de Leon Boulevard (in Coral Gables), +1 305 529-0200, [50]. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 12PM-6PM. The Village is Bal Harbour Shops’ major competition; very much like Bal Harbour, this mall features mostly designer stores such as Jimmy Choo, Neiman Marcus and is the home of Miami’s first Nordstrom.
  • Miami International Mall, 1455 NW 107th Avenue, +1 305 593-1775, [51]. M-Sa 10AM-9PM, Su 11AM-7PM. 120 stores including Macy's, Dillard's and JCPenney.

[edit][add listing] Eat

Foodies and chefs alike herald Miami[52] for its unique New World cuisine. Created in the 90s, the cuisine alternatively known as New World, Nuevo Latino or Florribean cuisine blends local produce, Latin American and Caribbean culinary tradition and the technical skills required in European cooking. Nuevo Latino is said to be the brainchild of four chefs: Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Mark Militello and Douglas Rodriguez. All of them still work in Miami and most of them work at the restaurants they created in the 90s. New World is not restricted to these chefs’ menus; this cuisine influences several restaurants around the city to this day.

Miami may be known for its Latin cuisine, especially its Cuban cuisine, but there are other different kinds of restaurants[53] to be found around the city. In addition to stand-alone restaurants offering up various cuisines from Chinese and Japanese and Middle Eastern and Italian (among other cuisines), there are cafés, steakhouses and restaurants operating from boutique hotels as well as chain restaurants such as TGI Fridays and Ben & Jerry’s.

Miami is known for having nightclubs[54] double as restaurants throughout the city. Most of these restaurants, such as Tantra (which had one of their chefs recently appear on Top Chef: Miami), BED and the Pearl Restaurant and Champagne Lounge (attached to Nikki Beach), are located throughout South Beach. However, some of these restaurants/nightclubs like Grass Lounge can be found in the Design District (north of Downtown but south of North Miami).

If many of Miami’s premiere restaurants don’t fit into your daily budget, consider eating during Miami Restaurant Month (better known as Miami Spice [55]) in August and September. This year at 80 select restaurants lunch costs $22 and dinner is $35.

As the commercial, cultural capital of the Americas, Miami’s dining scene reflects burgeoning diversity, mixing exotic newcomer restaurants with long-standing institutions, often seasoned by Latin influence and hot winds of the Caribbean. New World cuisine, a culinary counterpart to accompany Miami’s New World Symphony, provides a loose fusion of Latin, Asian, and Caribbean flavors utilizing fresh, area-grown ingredients. Innovative restaurateurs and chefs similarly reel in patrons with Floribbean-flavored seafood fare, while keeping true to down-home Florida favorites.

Don't be fooled by the plethora of superlean model types you're likely to see posing throughout Miami: Contrary to popular belief, dining in this city is as much a sport as the in-line skating on Ocean Drive. With over 6,000 restaurants to choose from, dining out in Miami has become a passionate pastime for locals and visitors alike. Our star chefs have fused Californian-Asian with Caribbean and Latin elements to create a world-class flavor all its own: Floribbean. Think mango chutney splashed over fresh swordfish or a spicy sushi sauce served alongside Peruvian ceviche.

Whatever you're craving, Miami's got it -- with the exception of decent Chinese food and a New York-style slice of pizza. If you're craving a scene with your steak, then South Beach is the place to be. Like many cities in Europe and Latin America, it is fashionable to dine late in South Beach, preferably after 9pm, sometimes as late as midnight. Service on South Beach is notoriously slow and arrogant, but it comes with the turf. (Of course, it is possible to find restaurants that defy the notoriety and actually pride themselves on friendly service.) On the mainland -- especially in Coral Gables, and, more recently, downtown and on Brickell Avenue -- you can also experience fine, creative dining without the pretense.

[edit] Budget

  • Pizza Rustica, 863 Washington Avenue, + 1 305 674 8244 (e-mail: contact@pizza-rustica.com), [56]. Pizza. This small chain, also branching out in LA and locations all over South Florida (in Miami, there are locations in Downtown Miami, Cameo and Lincoln Road Mall), serves Roman-style pizza, big slices of pizza cut made by the foot, cut to a desired length and then folded over like a sandwich. Salads are also served. These places accept cash only. $3-$18.
  • David’s Café, 1058 Collins Avenue, +1 305 534-8736 (e-mail: info@davidscafe.com), [57]. Open 24 hours. Cuban. Cheap, legendary Cuban food. Free delivery on South Beach. $2-$19.
  • David’s Café II, 1654 Meridian Avenue (off of the Lincoln Road Mall), +1 305 672-8707, [58]. Open 24 hours. Cuban. The same fare as the original David’s Café, but at a convenient location for tired Lincoln Road shoppers en route to the cheaper or the more expensive stores at the mall. $2-$19.

[edit] Mid-range

  • Big Pink, 157 Collins Avenue (near and across from Privé and Opium Gardens), +1 305 532-4700, [59]. Comfort food. Once you enter this restaurant, head for its large menu near the entrance to see its selection of burgers, breakfasts and other items that have been brought to the present day. Stay if you're interested in what's playing on the televisions. If you’re not in the mood to head to the restaurant, Big Pink offers free takeout in a pink VW bug (and occasionally to bouncers at Privé). $3-$20.
  • News Café, 800 Ocean Drive, [60]. Open 24 hours. Breakfast, pizzas, sandwiches and paninis, burgers, Middle Eastern cuisine, appetizers, entrees and dessert. Because of its location on the corner of 8th Street and Ocean Drive, News Café is the perfect place to see anything from models to shoppers to Duck Tour buses. Note: a 15% tip is added to your order automatically. Internet access also available here for a fee. $2-$25.
  • Larios on the Beach , 820 Ocean Drive, +1 305 532-9577. Su-Th 11:30AM-midnight, F-Sa 11:30AM-1AM. Cuban. One of Gloria Estefan’s many restaurants in South Florida, this place is said to have some of the best mojitos in South Beach. $8-$27.
  • Mango’s Tropical Café, 900 Ocean Drive, +1 305 673-4422, [61]. Su-Sa 11AM-5AM. Caribbean and American. Mango’s appearance in the cinematic bomb From Justin to Kelly—sparsely populated, well-lit at night and quiet enough to have a conversation about conniving girlfriends—is the exact opposite of how Mango’s is on a typical day. This infamous South Beach spot is known for its dancers/bartenders in cat suits gyrating on the center bar to live music. There are also two side bars and plenty of tables if you want to be away from the action in the middle of the restaurant.
  • Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House, 190 Collins Avenue, +1 305 947-4581, [62]. Su-Th 6:30AM-1AM; F-Sa 6:30AM-2AM. Rascal House is now a thing of the past. Close March 2008. Jewish deli food. A Miami institution since 1954, Wolfie’s used to serve the Rat Pack after performances. It’s still beloved today because of its retroactive vibe. $8-$30.
  • Grass Restaurant and Lounge, 28 NE 40th Street, +1 305 573-3355 (fax +1 305 573-5003, e-mail: info@grasslounge.com), [63]. Su-Sa 7PM-12AM, but check website or contact the restaurant to verify seasonal hours. Fusion. Although there’s good food in this restaurant/lounge, this place is notoriously hard to get into unless you look like you belong in it. Yes, even with a reservation. $8-$28.
  • La Carreta, SW 8th Street, +1 305 444-7501, [64]. Open 24 hours. Cuban. The flagship restaurant of a small chain of Cuban restaurants (including one location at Miami International Airport). Be careful though, as many people only speak Spanish. $5-$22.
  • ISHQ, 530 Ocean Drive, +1 305 532-4747, [65]. ISHQ serves the best Indian and vegetarian/vegan cuisine one South Beach. They have a great brunch on Sundays, and serve delicious cocktails $5-$23.

[edit] Splurge

  • Baleen at Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Four Grove Isle Drive, +1 305 858-8300, [66]. Far beyond typical Miami restaurants, Baleen consistently draws attendance from faire aficionados and consistent critical acclaim from Zagat's, Gourment and AAA. The menu is eclectic and eccentric, with selections fresh from the sea, land and garden. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

  • Joe’s Stone Crab, 11 Washington Avenue, +1 305 673-0365, [67]. Lunch and dinner hours depend on the time of year. Appetizers, seafood, steaks, poultry, lamb, vegetables and dessert. Famous for three things: its stone crabs, its key lime pie and the long lines for its dinner service, but there are plenty of other options to order from the menu. Lines are shorter or non-existent when the restaurant is serving lunch or at its sister restaurant, Joe’s Take-Out. The waiters will be dressed to the nines, but you don’t have to be. $5-$69 (prices of stone crabs vary but are between $23-$63, depending on the size ordered and current market prices for stone crab).
  • Joe’s Take Away , 11 Washington Avenue, +1 305 673-4611, [68]. Lunch and dinner hours depend on the time of year. Breakfast, appetizers, soups, salads, meat & poultry, seafood and dessert. If you’re not in the mood to wait hours for a table in Joe’s, head to this sister establishment, which has many of the items available in the main restaurant without the long lines. Joe’s will also deliver its food to you no matter where you live (even if it is outside of Miami). $3-$40 (prices of stone crabs vary but are between $23-$63, depending on the size ordered and current market prices for stone crab).
  • China Grill, 404 Washington Avenue, +1 305 534-2211, [69]. Lunch M-F 12-5 PM, dinner Su 5-11 PM, M-Th 6 PM-12 AM, F-Sa 6 PM-1 AM. Chinese-fusion cuisine. Courses are served in family style (order to share). $20-$40.
  • Chef Allen’s, 19,088 NE 29th Avenue, +1 305 935-2900, [70]. Su-Th 6-10PM, F-S 6-11PM. Allen Susser was named the best chef in the South in 1994 by the James Beard Foundation. A perfect place to try New World cuisine. Dinner jackets suggested. $9-$46 (the tasting menu is $75 per person).
  • Nobu, 1901 Collins Avenue (located in the Shore Hotel), +1 305 695-3232 (e-mail miamibeach@noburestaurants.com, fax +1 305 695-3246, but reservations taken through the main phone number only), [71]. Japanese. One of the many Nobu restaurants around the world known for its amazing Japanese food. Good luck trying to get a reservation, though. $3-$70 (the NOBU signature menu is $110; the Omakase, a meal determined by the chef, is $150).
  • Blue Sea Restaurant, 1685 Collins Avenue (located in an alcove off the main lobby of the Delano Hotel), +1 305 674-6400, [72]. Su-Th 7PM-12AM, F-Sa 5:30PM-1AM. Sushi.
  • Blue Door Restaurant, 1685 Collins Avenue (located in the Delano Hotel), +1 305 697-1791 [73]. Breakfast Su-Sa 7PM-11:30AM, lunch Su-Sa 11:30AM-4PM, brunch Su 10:30AM-2:30PM, prix fixe dinner 7PM-11PM, a la carte dinner 7PM-12AM. French/Brazilian fusion. Reservations required for the prix fixe dinner. Reservations can be taken online.
  • BED, 929 Washington Avenue, +1 305 532-9070, [74]. Dinner M, W-Sa 8-11PM, bottle service M, W-Sa 11PM-3AM. Fusion. BED (which actually stands for Beverage, Entertainment and Dining) is the only small chain club/eatery where patrons can eat food…on beds. The food is excellent, but be aware that BED has a dress code and no signage during the daytime (like most South Beach clubs). BED unfortunately attracts hipsters that may not have the ability to get into South Beach’s more exclusive clubs, but to ensure you at least have a spot at dinner BED accepts same-day reservations. $12-$38.
  • Casa Tua, 1700 James Avenue, +1 305 673-1010, [75]. Lunch M-F 11:30AM - 3PM, dinner M-Sa 7PM-12AM. Italian. Casa Tua is proud of the fact that there is no outside signage outside its restaurant; if the restaurant decides to advertise out front, it’s not going to be soon. Reservations are required to get inside, but make sure you can find the restaurant first or you might get a headache attempting to get to dinner. $12-$100.
  • Mark’s South Beach, 1120 Collins Avenue (in the Nash Hotel), +1 305 604-9050, [76]. New World/Mediterranean. Mark Militello’s restaurant has people actually trained to work the front of the house instead of models/actors trying to make it big; service is more consistent than other restaurants. It’s also not a celebrity hot-spot, so if you’re looking for the rich and famous, go elsewhere on South Beach. $25-$40.
  • Tantra, 1145 Pennsylvania Avenue (on the corner of Espanola Way), +1 305 672-4765, [77]. Su-Sa 7PM-5AM. Middle Eastern/Mediterranean/Indian. This restaurant/club is heavy on the Middle Eastern vibe—grass lines its floors, booths can be closed in this eatery for privacy and hookah pipes and aphrodisiac cocktails are passed around. $24-$52.
  • Ola, 5061 Biscayne Boulevard (in the Sanctuary Hotel), +1 305 695-9125, [78]. M-Th 6PM-12AM, F-Sa 6PM-2AM. Nuevo Latino. Chef Douglas Rodriguez’ restaurant, Of Latin America, is a mixture of Spanish and Latin American culinary traditions. Reservations recommended. $20-$35.
  • Ortanique on the Mile , 278 Miracle Mile (near Actor’s Playhouse),, +1 305 446-7710. M-Tu 6PM-10PM, W-Sa 6PM-11PM, Su 5:30PM-9:30PM. New World. One of three Ortanique restaurants (the other two are located in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas). The food has a mixture of Caribbean and French influences. Reservations are requested. $19-$36.
  • Barton G. the Restaurant, 1427 West Avenue, +1 305 672-8881, [79]. Su-Sa 6PM-12AM. Experimental American cuisine. Barton G., also a well-known caterer in South Beach, uses the same showy presentation and food in his restaurant as he does with his catering. Reservations are requested. $8-$30.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Nightlife in Miami consists of upscale hotel clubs, independent bars frequented by locals (including sports bars) and nightclubs. Most hotel bars and independent bars turn the other cheek at your physical appearance, but you have to be dressed to impress (which does not mean dress like a stripper) to get into a nightclub. Also remember to never, under any circumstances, insult the doormen and/or nightclub employees that will grant you entry or touch the velvet ropes or you may as well be sitting on the opposite side of the clamoring masses trying to get in. Attempting to tip the doormen and claiming that you know employees that work in the nightclubs (unless you actually called and reserved a table or a spot on the VIP list) is also considered an affront. Getting to the club unfashionably early and pushing through the crowd (and not the doormen) also can help make you stand out in the crowd. Finally, most nightclubs won’t admit groups of men unless those men are waiting in front of a gay bar. Bring some women or leave the pack if you’re desperate to get in. And once you get in, remember that the charge to get in these clubs can cost up to $20—cash only (some clubs, however, mercifully have ATMs—that can charge up to $7 for a withdrawal).

Popular drinks in Miami include the Cuba Libre and the mojito.

  • Rose Bar at the Delano, 1685 Collins Avenue (located in the Delano Hotel), +1 305 672-2000, [80]. Days and times open. Created by Ian Schrager, the bar has several rose-colored glasses surrounding it. Drinks are expensive; be prepared to wear out your wallet.
  • Skybar, 1901 Collins Avenue (located at the Shore Club), +1 305 695-3100, [81]. Times vary depending on rooms within the Skybar. Consisting of several places in the space behind the Shore Club with whimsical names like the Redroom, the Sandbar and the Rumbar, the Shore Club is tough to get into for people not on the A-list or guests at the hotel. Another hotel creation by Ian Schrager.
  • Mac's Club Deuce, 222 14th Street , +1 305 673-9537. Su-Sa 8AM-5AM. Miami Beach’s oldest bar, founded in 1926, is not as pretentious as several other bars around Miami. An affordable, local hangout with a jukebox and a pool table.
  • M-Bar, 500 Brickell Key Drive (in the Mandarin Oriental), +1 305 913-8288, [82]. M-Th, Su 5PM–12AM, F-Sa 5PM-1AM. The M in this bar’s name refers to its martinis, and this bar serves over 250 of them. The dress code is "Miami Chic."
  • Tobacco Road, 626 South Miami Avenue, +1 305 354-1198, [83]. M-F 11:30AM-5AM, Sa-Su 12PM-5AM. Jazz and blues are the sounds that you’ll hear in this bar, Miami’s oldest (established in 1912).
  • Laundry Bar, 721 Lincoln Lane North, +1 305 531-7700, [84]. Su-Sa 7AM-5AM (alcohol is served beginning at 12PM). The only bar in Miami where you can wash clothes, play pool and get drunk at the same time. Welcomes a mixed crowd of straight and queer people.
  • Mansion, 1235 Washington Avenue, +1 305 532-1525 (fax 305-604-9726), [85]. Tu-Su 11PM-5AM. In its heyday back in the 1930s Mansion was a movie theater. The Opium Group, owners of Opium Garden and Privé, bought the nightclub formerly known as Level and converted it into a club with gorgeous surroundings and intimate spaces. The sounds in this club are hip-hop oriented and the scene woefully includes male hipsters in baggy jeans on given nights.
  • Opium Garden and Privé , 136 Collins Avenue (near and across from Big Pink), +1 305 531-5535 (fax 305-604-9726), [86]. Th-Su 11PM-5AM (check with website and/or call club for times open). Opium Garden is a lush, Eastern-inspired outdoor space where the best seats around the dance area (most likely playing hip-hop unless it’s around the time of the Winter Music Conference) can be reserved by hipsters wearing jeans (and a dressy shirt to meet up to the club’s minimum dress requirements) while those without tables can sit on a stair-like resting area—exposing you to any rain in the area. Privé is the lounge upstairs where a reservation for a table can cost around $300 per person. Without a table reservation, it’s tougher to get into Privé than Opium Garden.
  • Nikki Beach Miami, 1 Ocean Drive (behind a gray building that houses Pearl Restaurant and Champagne Lounge), +1 305 531-5535 , [87]. Teepees and beds surround this outdoor space, which feels smaller in person than it does in television shows and movies such as From Justin to Kelly. This club is infamous for welcoming the likes of minor celebrities such as Brooke Hogan (Hulk Hogan’s daughter and a singer in her own right). Part of a small chain of Nikki Beaches across the world.
  • Barracuda Bar & Grill, 3035 Fuller Street (in Coconut Grove), +1 305 448-1144. The Barracuda Bar & Grill, in addition to hamburgers, serves beer & wine only. People from bikers to frat boys hang out here.
  • Mr. Moe's, 3131 Commodore Plaza (in Coconut Grove), +1 305 442-1114, [88]. This bar, recongized as one of "America's Greatest Sports Bars" by the ESPN show Cold Pizza, looks very much like a saloon on the inside. Flat-panel TVs cover nearly all the walls of this bar for sporting events and ESPN. In addition to its 40 beer selections, Mr. Moe's has trivia, live music and karaoke nights, pool tables and a mechanical bull.
  • Sandbar Grill, 3064 Grand Avenue (in Coconut Grove), +1 305 444-5270, [89]. Twenty televisions are located in this bar. In addition to the televisions at this bar, there is a menu with several seafood specialties and $0.25 wings on Mondays. Sandbar also has theme nights like the "White Trash Bash."
  • Greenstreet Cafe, 3468 Main Highway (in Coconut Grove), +1 305 444-0244, [90]. Serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A bit more upscale but has a fantastic outside seating area for cocktails.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Miami is known for its boutique hotels (especially found in South Beach). Designers such as Ian Schrager (the Delano, Shore Club), André Balazs (Raleigh, Standard on Belle Isle) and Todd Oldham (the Hotel) helped put South Beach on the map with their creative hotel designs. The downside of many of the boutique hotels is that rooms can be small especially if the building was built during the height of the Art Deco period in Miami. If you’re a person that values space a boutique hotel may not be the type of hotel for you. For those people that wish to spend hundreds of dollars a night on a room but don’t want to spend time in an upscale South Beach hotel like the Delano or the Raleigh, Miami has several upscale high-rise hotels north and south of South Beach as well as near the downtown area. Miami does have its share of less costly chain hotels, however, for those who value space and/or money.

The high season for hotels is around November to April because of the lower (but warmer, especially in comparison to the majority of the United States around this time) temperatures in Miami as well as the various events held around that time, starting around the time of the White Party and ending around the time of the Winter Music Conference. Spring break on college campuses also puts a strain on rooms around this time. If you wish to reserve a room during Miami’s high season, especially at a boutique hotel and/or a hotel on South Beach, book months in advance to beat out people reserving rooms for Miami’s various events.

Be aware that hotels have a 12.5% room tax and some hotels may add a 15% service charge which may or may not be added if you reserve a room through the hotel, through a travel agent/agency (either in person or using an online site such as or similar to Expedia, Orbitz and Travelocity) or through an opaque (prices are given, but the name and location of the hotel is unknown) travel site such as Priceline or Hotwire.

Some hotels offer garage and/or valet parking; check with your hotel about parking before booking a room if you wish to drive around Miami.

[edit] Budget

  • El Palacio Boutique Hotel, 16805 NW 12th Avenue, +1 305 624-8401 (fax +1 305 625-0022), [[91]]El Palacio Boutique Miami Resort features luxury amenities and services with a wide variety of options to satisfy our business travelers, sightseers and every guest of the Miami area who settles for nothing short of the very best!

  • Jazz on South Beach Hostel in Miami, 321 Collins Avenue, +1 305 672-2137 (fax +1 305 672-4227), [[92]]. Formerly the Hotel Atlantica. Free breakfasts, 24 hour security, lounge with television, internet kiosks and wireless internet in the lobby, air conditioning, ATM. No curfew/lockout and 24 hour security and reception desk service. $19-$35 (dorm rooms), $70-$120 (private rooms).
  • Travel Inn Civic Center, 1050 NW 14th Street, +1 305 324-0200 (fax +1 305 545-8482 or +1 305 324-6222, email: dayscivic@aol.com), [93]. 208 rooms. Restaurant and room service, pool and spa, salon, Enterprise car rentals, fitness center, massage center, gift shop, free parking, 24-hour security, shuttle service (call to use in advance). Rooms have cable TV, microwave, refrigerator, coffee makers, safes and dataports. $71 (regular rooms, not apartments).
  • South Beach Hostel in Miami, 235 Washington Avenue, +1 305 407-9731, [94]. Bar, internet, telephone cards, ATM, pool table, lockers, cable TV. Call to book a private room. $15-$20 (dorm rooms).
  • Miami Beach International Travelers Hostel , 236 9th Street, +1 305 534-0268 (toll-free +1 800 978-6787). 100 rooms. Dorm rooms have four beds. Half of the non-dorm rooms are private. Kitchen, internet access (on a dated computer), video rental library. $13-$15 (dorm rooms); $32-$59 (regular rooms, low season); $49-$89 (regular rooms, high season).
  • Tropics Hotel & Hostel, 1550 Collins Avenue, +1 305 531-0361 (fax +1 305 531-8676), [95]. Dorm rooms have 4-8 beds per room. Private rooms have TV and phone. Barbecue, pool. $27-39 (dorm rooms); $90-$180 (private rooms; price varies by the amount of people in room).
  • The Loft Hotel, 952 Collins Avenue, +1 305 534-2244 (fax + 1 305 538-1509, e-mail: thelofthotel@cs.com), [96]. 57 rooms. Air conditioning, TV and VCR, clock radio and kitchens in rooms. $99 (starting price for room rates).
  • Villa Paradiso, 1415 Collins Avenue, +1 305 532-0616 (fax + 1 305 673-5874), [97]. 56 rooms. Rooms have queen sized beds, double beds or couch-beds. Air conditioning, TV, kitchen, refrigerator, coffeemaker. $99 (starting price for room rates).

[edit] Mid-range

  • Amerisuites Extended Stay Hotel Suites 3655 NW 82nd Ave, +1 305 718-8292 [98]. AmeriSuites Miami Airport West is a leading select service hotel offering great rates, attractively designed accommodations, upscale amenities, and a welcoming atmosphere with all the comforts of home.
  • Beacon Hotel 720 Ocean Drive, +1 305 674-8200 (toll-free +1 877 674-8200, fax +1 305 674-8976), [99]. Rooms equipped with flat panel LCD TVs, cable television, IP-phones with voicemail and dataport features, in-room mini-bar, and wireless high speed Internet access. $140-$460.
  • The Mutiny Hotel, 2951 South Bayshore Drive (located in Coconut Grove), + 1 305 441-2100 (toll-free +1 888 868-8469, fax +1 305 441-2822), [100] The hotel’s 12-story tower sits on Sailboat Bay. The hotel's 120, one and two-bedroom deluxe suites and penthouse suites all have bay or city views. $189-$279.
  • The Clay Hotel and Hostel, 1438 Washington Avenue, +1 305 534-2988 (toll-free +1 800 379-2529, fax +1 305 673-0346), [101]. 120 rooms. Member of the International Youth Hostel Federation. Dorm rooms are single sex and have four to eight beds per room. Some rooms have balconies, TVs, phones and baths. Kitchen, laundry, TV, refrigerator,air conditioning. $74-$133 (off-season, hotel rooms); $150-$240 (winter, hotel rooms).
  • Marriott Biscayne Bay, 1633 North Bayshore Drive, +1 305 374-3900, (fax +1 305 536-6411), [102]. Amenities include waterfront accommodations, onsite dining/catering, a heated pool and event space. $249-$349.
  • The Hotel, 801 Collins Avenue, +1 305 531-2222 (toll-free +1 877 843-4683, fax +1 305 531-3222), [103]. Formerly the Tiffany Hotel (as implied by its spire on the top of the building), clothing and home decorating designer Todd Oldham renovated The Hotel to have a blank façade on the outside but a multi-colored space on the inside. The 53 rooms are decorated with mirrors rather than artwork and have plenty of storage space around the room to compensate for room size. There’s also a gem-cut swimming pool and lounge on the upper decks, room service, air conditioning, TV, stereo, and Wish, The Hotel’s French-Brazilian restaurant which also has a bar. $245-$285 (winter rates), $144-$245 (off-season rates).
  • Pelican Hotel, 826 Ocean Drive, + 1 305 673-3373 (toll-free +1 800 7-PELICAN, fax +1 305 673-3235), [104]. Pelican Hotel claims it is a “toy-hotel” rather than a hotel because every one of its 30 rooms and suites is designed around a theme rather than the hotel itself being designed around a theme. Magnus Ehrland, a Swedish designer, created rooms like the “Psychedelic(ate) Girl,” “Jesus Christ Megastar” and the “Best Whorehouse” (which is said to be the most popular, and hardest to score, room in the hotel) rooms using his imagination and lots of flea market goodies. The hotel also has a restaurant that serves breakfast well into the day, a bar, a concierge, room and laundry service, air conditioning, TV, refrigerator, hair dryer, iron, safe, and a stereo. $180-$440 (winter rates), $155-$310 (off-season rates).
  • Holiday Inn Hotels of Miami, [105]. Holiday Inn Hotels offer Free high-speed Internet access in all guestrooms, full-service restaurants and room service, sparkling pools, comfortable work space, and meeting rooms.
  • Ramada MIAMI, 7600 N. KENDALL DRIVE, MIAMI, FL 33156, +1 305-595-6000, [106].

[edit] Splurge

  • Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Four Grove Isle Drive (located on a private island in Coconut Grove), +1 305 858-8300, [107]. Grove Isle Hotel & Spa is a 49-room luxury boutique hotel located on a private island off the coast of Miami, Florida. The hotel features a Tennis Center with 11 Har-Tru courts and one U.S. Open hard tennis court and SpaTerre, a 6,000 square foot spa, featuring a full service salon, seven treatment rooms, fitness room with ocean views, couples treatment rooms and an outdoor, oceanfront Watsu hot tub. Grove Isle is home to Baleen, the romantic, award-winning waterfront restaraunt.
  • The Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Avenue (located in Coral Gables), +1 305 445-1926 (fax +1 305 913-3159 for general inquiries, toll-free 1 800 915-1926 for room reservations and fax +1 305 913-3158 for room reservations), [108]. This hotel is known for its outdoor swimming pool and attached 18-hole golf course. $294-$354 (winter rates); $254-$319 (off-season rates); specialty suites $394-$2,850 all year. $20 per additional person.
  • Four Seasons Hotel Miami, 1435 Brickell Avenue (in the Brickell business district), +1 305 358-3535 (fax 1 305 358-7758), [109]. Has a large pool deck at the seventh-floor lobby level with a view of Biscayne Bay. $250-$3500.
  • The Shore Club Hotel, 1901 Collins Avenue, +1 305 695-3100 (fax +1 305 695-3299, United States reservations toll-free number +1 800 697-1791, international reservations number 00800 4969 1780), [110]. Hotel has the Beach House (a private villa), two pools, a spa, the Skybar, Nobu & Ago restaurant, penthouse suites and meeting facilities. $450-$1500.
  • Delano, 1685 Collins Avenue, +1 305 672-2000 (fax +1 305 532-0099, United States reservations toll-free number 1 800 697-1791, international reservations number 00800 4969 1780), [111]. Hotel has poolside bungalows, the Blue Door restaurant, the Blue Sea restaurant, the Rose Bar, the Agua Spa, penthouse suites and meeting facilities. Known in the past for Madonna hanging around the hotel, but nowadays you may find the likes of Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis in the hotel whenever she's in town. $650-$925 standard room, $1,050-$2,100 suite, $2,000-$3,000 bungalow/two bedroom, $2,900-$3,800 penthouse (winter rates); $315-$795 standard room, $950-$2,000 suite, $1,500-$3,000 bungalow/two bedroom, $2,400-$3,000 penthouse (off-season rates). $25 per additional person.
  • The Setai, 2001 Collins Avenue, +1 305 520-6000 (fax +1 305 520-6600), [112]. Contemporary Asian style hotel in a reconstructed Deco building. Managed by GHM hotels, operator of the high-end Chedi chain. Quite possibly one of the most expensive boutique hotels in Miami (let alone South Beach). $950-$9000+ (ask about their prices for their four bedroom penthouse).

[edit] Contact

The major area code for the Miami area is 305.

[edit] Internet

In addition to some of the places listed in Eat and Miami International Airport, several hotels have Internet access—both LAN connections and wireless—but it is not free in all hotels. Check with your hotel to see if Internet access is free or for a fee.

Several cafes have wireless internet connections, but depending on the café Internet access may incur a fee. Unless it’s a nation-wide chain offering free Internet access like Starbucks, check with your café to inquire about whether your Internet access is charged separately from your meal.

There has been talk of free wireless to be installed all over Miami Beach and the Miami-Dade area, but nothing has been done about this yet.

  • Miami-Dade Public Library System, +1 305 535-4219 (main branch number), [113]. Free wireless internet access at any of the system’s libraries.
  • Kafka's Cybercafe and Bookstore, 1464 Washington Avenue, +1 305 673-9669, [114]. Daily 8AM-12AM. Internet access $6 per hour.
  • D’Vine Cyber Lounge, 910 Collins Avenue, +1 305 534-1414, [115]. Local area connection $5, Wi-fi $3 (without purchase of food).

[edit] Stay safe

Miami, frequently heralded in the news as a center of crime and drug smuggling, is relatively dangerous for the passing tourist in certain areas. Overtown has the highest violent crime rate in the city and is best if avoided all together. If in this, or any other high crime neighborhood for any reason, take the same precautions as you would in other high crime neighborhoods around the country. Such as minding one's business, getting to your destination quickly, and avoid wearing flashy jewelry and electronics. Remember that most common sense rules such as being aware of your surroundings at night and traveling in high-traffic areas at night apply in Miami as it does in all other urban areas around the United States.

[edit] Emergency numbers

The emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911. If you require non-emergency assistance, do not call 911. To contact police in a non-emergency situation, call +1 305 4POLICE.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Consulates

There are lots of consulates in the Miami area; this is only a small listing of them. Check the United States Department of State's Foreign Consular Offices website [116] for more consulates.

  • Canadian Consulate, 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 1600, +1 305 579-1600.
  • British Consulate, 1001 Brickell Bay Drive, Suite 2800, + 1 305 374-1522 (fax +1 305 374-8196).
  • French Consulate, 1395 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1050, + 1 305 403-4150 (fax +1 305 403-4151).
  • Italian Consulate, 4000 Ponce De Leon Boulevard, Suite 590, +1 305 374-6322 (fax +1 305 374-7945).
  • Israeli Consulate, 100 North Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 1800-1801, +1 305 358-8111 (fax +1 305 371-5034).
  • German Consulate, 100 North Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2200, +1 305 358-0290.
  • Australian Consulate, 2223 Coral Way, +1 305519-8814 (fax +1 305 361-7021).
  • Brazilian Consulate General, 80 Southwest 8th Street, 26th Floor, +1 305 285-6200 (fax +1 305 285-6229).

[edit] Newspapers

  • Miami Herald, 1 Herald Place, +1 305 350-2111, [117]. The city’s main newspaper that is read throughout the city, state and various places such as university libraries across the nation.
  • El Nuevo Herald, 1 Herald Place, +1 305 350-2111, [118]. Spanish-language version of the Herald.
  • South Florida Sun-Sentinel, 200 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, +1 954 356-4000, [119]. News concerning South Florida (including Miami).
  • Miami New Times, 2800 Biscayne Boulevard, +1 305 576-8000 (fax +1 305 571-7677), [120]. An alternative, free weekly newspaper which focuses on lesser-known news as well as movies and local events ranging from current theatrical productions to the Winter Music Conference.
  • Miami Today News, 710 Brickell Avenue, +1 305 358-2663, [121]. Miami business news.
  • Diario Las Americas, 2900 N.W. 39 Street, +1 305 633-3341 (fax +1 305 635-7668), [122]. Spanish-language news focusing on Latin America.
  • Biscayne Times , 9325 Park Drive, Suite C, [123]. News concerning Northern Miami communities and some Miami communities located in the city (i.e. the Design District).
  • Miami Living Magazine, 1602 Alton Road, Suite 50, +1 305 538-4282 (fax +1 305 535-6531), [124]. Magazine focusing on food and nightlife.
  • Home Miami, 445 North Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, +1 305 673-2112 (email info@homemia.com, fax +1 305 673-2101), [125]. Homes for sale and interior design.
  • Ocean Drive, 404 Washington Ave, Suite 650, +1 305 532-2544 (fax +1 305 532-4366), [126]. Fashion and events in South Beach.
  • Ocean Drive Español, 404 Washington Ave, Suite 650, +1 305 532-2544 (fax +1 305 532-4366), [127]. Spanish-language edition of Ocean Drive.
  • Press Release 365, 11900 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 210, +1 305 292-6712(fax +1 305 292-1398), [128]. Miami-based news outlet specializing in breaking-news and press release distribution services.

[edit] Get out

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!
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