SOUTH BEACH

Often called "America’s Riviera", South Beach is just about the coolest place on the planet. With its hot multicultural rhythms and Art Deco ways, South Beach is home to many fabulous restaurants, some of which are owned by celebrities such as Ricky Martin (Casa Salsa) and Gloria and Emilio Estefan (Lario’s). And of course, one cannot forget the beautiful historic hotels and miles of white-sand beaches.

Situated at the southern end of the barrier island in Miami Beach, South Beach is just over the bridge from downtown Miami. But it definitely has a different beat. Whereas Miami is a place of skyscrapers and big-time commerce, South Beach beckons with pleasures of sun-bathing, upscale dining, shopping, and art-hopping. Of course, you could do all that in downtown Miami but it’s not as relaxing or as amusing or as concentrated in one space as it is in SoBe. Actually, that’s what tourists sometimes call this 2-mile jewel. Locals call it by its proper name. Inhabited by Hasidic Jews, Cuban immigrants, homosexuals, yuppies, South American investors, and northern transplants, South Beach is a mingling ground dominated by the pastel colors and whimsical details of its famed Art Deco District. Stretching from 5^th St. northward along the beach to 15^th, the district contains 800 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Small, independently-owned hotels designed in the distinctive Deco/Caribbean style of the area’s original tourist boom of the 1920s and 1930s have been lovingly restored. Preservationists and savvy business people fought hard and invested millions of dollars to save the historic buildings from the wrecking ball. Thanks to their efforts, we can admire this uplifting architecture as we walk the now-bustling streets. South Beach is the home of world-famous Ocean Drive, along the Atlantic Ocean. Traffic comes to a halt, particularly in the evening when so many people from neighboring burgs are trying to get to the elegant cafes and lively nightclubs across the street from the beach. Lincoln Road, a 12-block shopping district, also sizzles with activity. Closed to vehicular traffic, this pedestrian mall boasts 300 unique shops, restaurants, and performing arts centers housing the New World Symphony and Miami City Ballet.