DK Travel : Miami

At its best, Miami is all pastel hues and warm, velvety zephyrs – a tropical reverie. The culture is sensuous and physical, often spiked with Caribbean rhythms and accents. Outdoor activities hold sway throughout the area, at the world-famous beaches and in the turquoise waters; the vibrant nightlife, too, attracts pleasure-seekers, while significant historical sights are around every corner.

1. SoBe Life

Ever since Miami Vice (see Miami Beach and Key Biscayne) drew attention to this fun-zone, hedonists have flocked for the beaches and nightlife.
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2. Deco District

The whimsical architecture on South Beach ultimately traces its roots back to 1920s Paris (see The Story of Tropical Deco), but it underwent fruitful, exotic influences along the way and blossomed into Florida’s own Tropical Deco.
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3. Calle Ocho, Little Havana

The Cubanization of Miami changed it from sleepy resort to dynamic megalopolis. Little Havana fuels the impression that Miami is Latin American at heart.
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4. Villa Vizcaya

One immensely rich man’s aspiration to European grandeur and appreciation of Western artistic heritage led to the creation of what is probably Miami’s most beautiful cultural treasure.
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5. Merrick’s Coral Gables Fantasies

The 1920s boom saw a need to build not only structures but also an identity. George Merrick rose to the challenge and created fantasy wonderlands that continue to stir the imagination today.
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6. Lowe Art Museum

This major art museum, created by an endowment from George Merrick, has around 12,000 works of art, including masterpieces from cultures the world over, and from every age.
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7. The Wolfsonian

This superb museum (which began life as a storage company) owes much to its founder’s passion for collecting 20th-century propaganda art and design artifacts of the period 1885–1945.
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8. Gold Coast Highway A1A

Route A1A hugs the sands of the Gold Coast, wending through Florida’s wealthiest and most beautiful areas.
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9. Key West

This mythic isle lives up to its reputation as the most outlandishly free spot in the US. A frothy mix of maritime traditions and laid-back style.
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10. The Everglades

Taking up most of South Florida, the Everglades is a vast sea of swamp and sawgrass, dotted with subtropical forests and populated with prolific wildlife. It is also home to Native American Seminoles and Miccosukees ( see Top 10 Ethnic Attractions).
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