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Miami is a number one choice for active travelers of all ages and skill levels. It is blessed with year-round mild climates and unrivaled ocean access, America’s southernmost resort city is also a sought-after international recreation destination. This is a city closely bound up with the sea it sits besides, and no doubt it’s also those waters and miles of sand beaches that draw many to it.
Miami is a multiethnic, multi-cultural city known as the gateway of the Latin American and Caribbean countries. Miami international Airport (MIA) connects almost all major cities in the USA as well as the entire world.
There are historical sites as well as numerous gardens, parks and swamps (including Everglades National Park.) Miami is also a veritable “shopaholic’s “ paradise.
There are hundreds of ways to spend your time in this lively urban metropolis. Each area has its own distinct flavor and style. Miami Beach is where people bronze themselves on miles of sun-bleached sands. South Beach is the Art Deco District containing over 800 buildings in distinct architectural style. Coconut Grove is known for its artsy flavor with renaissance-style castles popular festivals and endless nightlife.
Miami is at 4 hours drive from Orlando famed for thrill and adventure. Attractions include Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and many other theme parks. Regular bus, train and air transportation services are also available.
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Miami is an international city, unlike any other in the United States. It is known as Southeast Florida’s “Magic City,” and is located on the Miami River, between the Florida Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean. Miami is the state’s largest city and the county seat for Miami-Dade County (which is the most populated county in Florida.) Half of the two million people who live in the Miami area are Hispanic and Spanish is the predominant language. Warm, balmy temperatures, giant Banyan trees and palms swaying in the breeze along with an eclectic blend of art, music, food and entertainment makes Miami one of the most exciting cities in the country. It’s hard to believe that just over a century ago, it was nothing more than a swampy outpost of mosquito infested settlements. In 1896, with a population of only 300, the city officially incorporated and things changed with the arrival of the railroad. This gave Miami a link with the rest of the country and cleared the way for the property boom of the 1920s. By the 1950s it had become a popular resort area among celebrities, and at the same time, thousands of Cubans fleeing the regime of Fidel Castro arrived in mainland Miami. After suffering in the 1980s due to reports of the city having the highest crime rate in the country, Miami is back stronger than ever and is now considered one of the most fashionable resorts in the U.S. More than 2.2 million people live in the city and surrounding areas, with over 362,000 in the city proper. The city’s importance as an international financial and cultural city has elevated it to the status of “World City.” Visitors come to Miami for world-class shopping and dining, unparalleled recreational activities, unique attractions and non-stop entertainment in a diverse culture not seen in any other U.S. city.
Blessed with year round mild weather and access to the beautiful beaches of the Atlantic Ocean, Miami has become America’s southernmost resort city and a highly sought after international recreation destination. Miami caters to busy, on-the-go tourists and has some of the world’s top golf courses, tennis and other sporting facilities. In addition, it’s a natural magnet for boating and fishing enthusiasts, divers and other water sports aficionados. For fun in the sun, there are the beaches of Key Biscayne, Virginia Beach and Miami Beach, where you can swim, surf, sunbathe, search for shells, build a sandcastle – the choices are endless. Miami has an Ancient Spanish Monastery, the Miami Metro Zoo and dozens of museums such as the Miami Museum of Science & Space Transit and the Miami Seaquarium. There are literally hundreds of special events going on throughout the city all year long, and when the sun goes down in Miami, the neon begins to glow and the energy pulsates to an ongoing Latin beat. Enticing aromas waft from open restaurants and music soars from the nightclubs and dance clubs along South Beach. The best time to visit Miami, as far as weather goes, is December through May, although it’s much less crowded June to November. Discover all that Miami has to offer as a diverse, international city of culture, commerce and entertainment.
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Attractions in Miami is known for its diverse culture and ethnicities and its’ many attractions, too numerous to list. From exciting nightlife, arts and entertainment, sporting events and outdoor recreation, family attractions and shopping and fine dining, Miami has it all. You’ll need a car to see all the sights because Miami-Dade County sprawls out for miles. Public transportation is available but doesn’t go everywhere and you wont want to miss anything. To begin with, this is a city with close ties to the sea. Miles of white sand beaches provide opportunities for swimming and sunning, while beachfront concessions offer parasailing, windsurfing, water skiing and more. You can go jet skiing in Biscayne Bay or sailing at Miami Harbor. A focal point for water activities is Crandon Park, a two-mile long public beach that has its’ own full service marina and restaurants. The park is also a launching spot for kayaking and snorkeling. Scuba diving opportunities are also plentiful around Miami, thanks to a large profusion of man-made reefs. Miami actually has one of the largest artificial reef programs in the world, in addition to some natural sites. Other recreational spots around the city include Tropical Park, which has ten miles of paved running courses laid out by the Miami Runners Club. If you enjoy biking, ride the South Bay Bike Path, which passes through Coconut Grove. Around the two-mile point, there is a mile-long path that leads to Matheson Hammock Park and connects to a 1.5-mile trail through 100 acres of mangrove wilds. The greater Miami area also has some 180 public tennis courts and over 30 major golf courses, and horse racing at Hialeah Park, one of the country’s oldest and most prominent tracks. Just a few of the family attractions in and around the city include the Cape Florida Lighthouse at Key Biscayne, the Miami Metro Zoo, the Miami Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, the Miami Seaquarium, the Monkey Jungle and the Parrot Jungle and Gardens.
In Miami, you can dine at a different ethnic restaurant every night and the shopping is second to none. The Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami offers over 150 retail shops and restaurants, an open air crafts market and pier and free nightly entertainment. The Art Deco District in Miami Beach has an eclectic mix of chic boutiques, restaurants, produce markets, outdoor cafes and nightclubs. The many different neighborhoods of Miami, which invite exploration, include Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Key Biscayne, Little Havana and Little Haiti. When it comes to nightlife, Miami is as hot as it gets. Think of Latin tempos, sultry nights, trend-setting parties and urban chic revelry and you get the idea. Ocean Drive on South Beach is an artery that bisects Miami’s famed art deco district and is the happening place to be, especially after sunset. Called “one of the most exotic places for Americans to visit without a passport,” this area offers dining, dancing and drinking in a tropical atmosphere where the neon glares and the parties continue from dusk till dawn. South Beach has been called “a feast for the senses.”
Map
http://www.miami.org/Map.html
Weather
http://www.miami.org/Weather.html
Events
http://www.miami.org/Events.html
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