Miami Beach is a city in Florida. This small barrier island near Miami was originally cleared of mangroves in the late 1800s to make way for a coconut farm, and was later incorporated as a city by real estate developers in 1915. Miami Beach has been one of America's pre-eminent beach resorts for almost a century.
Although tourists generally consider Miami Beach to be part of Miami, it is in actuality its own municipality. Located on a barrier island east of Miami and Biscayne Bay, it is home to a large number of beach resorts and is one of the most popular spring break party destinations in the world. Because of its length, it is generally broken up into three districts.
Miami Beach, like Miami, has a huge Latin American population, and Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places. However, English is the language of preference, particularly when dealing with businesses and government. Spanglish, a mixture of English and Spanish, is a somewhat common occurrence, with bilingual locals switching between English and Spanish mid-sentence. The local Latin population is mostly Cuban exiles (who have now become second and third generation locals), with South Americans from various countries gaining ground. There is also a large Haitian community and many signs and public announcements are in English, Spanish and Creole.
Miami Beach has a rich history as a trend-setting arts center, from the world famous nightclubs of the 1950s to the rich cultural life of today's modern South Beach. Today the entertainment, production and arts communities of Miami Beach are stronger than ever.
Art museums, ballet performances, cultural events and entertainment are a part of this great city. Art Center at Lincoln Road has performance art exhibitions, as well as classes and courses including photography, jewelry-making and painting.
- Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1920 Meridian Avenue – Open M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM.
Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, 1920 Meridian Avenue – Open M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM.
See #Districts for listings.
See #Districts for listings.
See #Districts for listings.
Miami Beach is a fashionista's paradise, with strips dedicated to designer, from Versace to Missioni, from Vivienne Westwood to Chloe. The Lincoln Road Mall and other shopping centers contain trendy retails stores that carry garments from international designers.
- Collins Avenue/Washington Avenue— Heralded as the designer district, here all your favorite designers labels are within walking distance from each others. Start at Collins and Fifth Avenues and walk north, toward 10th Street. Peek down the side streets and you will find smaller, one-of-a-kind boutiques.
- Lincoln Road— This seven block strip is closed to traffic but open to shoppers and pedestrians. There's the standard stores such as Bebe alongside unique boutiques such as Brownes & Co, an upscale spa/body and bath products store. Great for a stroll and people watching; and Art Deco fans will enjoy the architecture too. If you're looking for a place to eat, a number of excellent restaurants and cafes as well.
- Espanola Way— A pedestrian mall off Washington Avenue near 14th Street. Its charming architecture is reminiscent of a Spanish village, complete with red roofs. On Sundays, the street turns into something of a farmers’ market, with locals selling everything from freshly cut flowers to souvenirs in stalls.
Those without a budget head to Bal Harbour (9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour) where the locals shop at the Versace boutique.
Collins Avenue/Washington Avenue— Heralded as the designer district, here all your favorite designers labels are within walking distance from each others. Start at Collins and Fifth Avenues and walk north, toward 10th Street. Peek down the side streets and you will find smaller, one-of-a-kind boutiques.
Lincoln Road— This seven block strip is closed to traffic but open to shoppers and pedestrians. There's the standard stores such as Bebe alongside unique boutiques such as Brownes & Co, an upscale spa/body and bath products store. Great for a stroll and people watching; and Art Deco fans will enjoy the architecture too. If you're looking for a place to eat, a number of excellent restaurants and cafes as well.
Espanola Way— A pedestrian mall off Washington Avenue near 14th Street. Its charming architecture is reminiscent of a Spanish village, complete with red roofs. On Sundays, the street turns into something of a farmers’ market, with locals selling everything from freshly cut flowers to souvenirs in stalls.
See #Districts for listings.
Many international cuisines are to be found, with a heavy leaning towards Latin foods, particularly Cuban cuisine. Some Cuban cuisine to try includes a sandwich cubano (Cuban sandwich) and a cafecito (literally it means little coffee, but compares to a strong, sweet espresso).
See #Districts for listings.
Most of Miami Beach's nightlife is concentrated in South Beach, but there are still a few places along the rest of the beach. If you go inland, Miami's nightlife will be centered on Coconut Grove. "Cuba Libre" is a popular drink, known to the rest of the world as plain old "Rum and Coke". Also popular is the "Mojito", a sugar/mint/soda-water and rum drink. Joining an organized nightlife tour like the ever-popular South Beach VIP Pub Crawl can save money, and has the added benefit of new friends and other travelers to socialize with.
Emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911.
The main area code for Miami Beach is 305, with an overlay of the 786 area code.