Miami - is a major city located in the southeast corner of the U.S. state of Florida. Second largest city in Florida. The region's importance as an international financial and cultural center. Miami has a warm, humid subtropical climate year round, with occasional cold fronts during the winter.
Miami has come a long way since the 70's. Cruelly nicknamed 'God's Waiting room' due to the number of retirees attracted by the yearlong warmth, it had also become a haven for various criminal fraternities. Years of neglect had seen the once beautiful Seafront transform into a scruffy embarrassment. It wasn't until the mid eighties that a mystifyingly trendy TV show called Miami Vice came along causing a complete reversal in the City's fortunes. In a few short years Miami rose in status and developed into a first class international holiday destination, a stomping ground for the rich and famous. Madonna, Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine all opened businesses. It became the ultimate location for that all important, status-affirming photo shoot. Since then every supermodel worth her suntan has been photographed on the Promenade.
Suddenly tourism began to flourish. Money was ploughed into the rebuilding and renovation of Miami Beach. The once paint peeling Art Deco buildings had new life breathed into them, as some of the worlds top architects were drafted in. New, distinctly stylish buildings started to spring up along the Beach. The boom demanded more hotel space for the nouveau rich that were arriving in their hordes. New bars, clubs and restaurants opened everywhere, each hoping to grab a piece of glamorous action. At last Miami was a serious contender in the beauty stakes, rivalling LA, San Tropez and the Costa del Sol. It now attracts no less than 11mil tourists every year.
One of the most remarkable resurrections is Lincoln Road Pedestrian Mall , which by the 80s had become a no-mans-land of drug dealers, down and outs, closed stores and landscaped eyesores. Following a $17mil facelift it is now thriving. Decorated with glistening pools, fountains, lush trees and plants it is amongst the country's most pleasant promenades. The regeneration has created a hub of social activity for shoppers, people watchers and those wanting to be watched. Here you'll find galleries, bookstores, theatres, South American TV and Music companies, trendy cafes, the New World Symphony Orchestra, Miami City Ballet and Michael Caine's celebrated South Beach Brassiere.
Alternative watersports can be enjoyed inland amongst the Everglades, a literal river of grass that flows 100 miles from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. You can rent a Kayak and explore this fascinating swampland at your leisure or, for around $50 you can book an airboat ride with a professional guide who can introduce you to the fascinating and abundant wildlife - birds and alligators in particular.
Away from the Beach you'll find small ethnic enclaves which hark back to the Miami of fifty years ago and more. The favourite spots are Little Havana, the Cuban American neighbourhood and the best place to buy a box of genuine cigars at a good price. The shops are also remarkable and the food again is delicious and less expensive than around, say, Lincoln Road and Coconut Grove.
The nightlife is superb and, as you would expect, very classy. Be warned, most places have a dress code and do not permit entry for single guys or guys in groups. It's best to turn up with a date. Also most of the more popular places have guest lists, so you're best to ask the bellboy for help - he may be able to phone himself or know someone who can. A few clubs allow you to phone in yourself. Most of the clubs are outdoors or a combination of indoors and outdoors. They mainly cater for beautiful, trendy people and offer a wide range of music and entertainment. Mangos is the place for Latin music, whilst the Bash has the best Cuban music. Chaos and Liquid spin the very latest techno and dance tunes and Fat Tuesday's and the Clevelander are both tourist-orientated hangouts. The food in Miami is varied and usually good but can be a little pricey. You can choose from Cuban, Argentinean, Chinese, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, seafood and steakhouses.
Miami has more than its fair share of celebrations and festivals. The biggest is Caranaval, which lasts 9 days and includes a Miss Carnaval Contest, concerts at Orange Bowl, in-line skating competition, jazz concerts, and Latin Drag Queen contest along with plenty of drink, dancing and consequential debauchery.
Remember the Hurricane season starts in June and doesn't finish until November, so come prepared.