Sunny
Florida skies, a tropical breeze, a buzzing
nightlife and the insistent rhythm of Cuban culture have electrified this sultry
polyglot of a city fronting the Atlantic
Ocean. Celebrity-drenched South Beach
attracts people-watchers, but beyond the glitz, the iconic Art Deco architecture
on Miami's
popular Ocean
Drive is a colourful attraction. Its symmetry with nature is reflected in
the dolphins that play at Miami Sequarium and the tropical birds that flutter at
Parrot
Jungle Island. For each Pan-Mediterranean-Asian haute
dining room is a down-home, no-nonsense Cuban bodega serving hearty food at
ridiculously cheap prices.
.
Miami
Adventure
From
water sports and sunbathing on Miami Beach to
alligators in the Everglades, Miami lives outdoors. Play golf at Crandon Park,
watch manatees on Coconut Grove's waterfront, scuba dive off Jupiter Beach or simply soak up the sun. On rainy days, you can school yourself
in Dutch and Italian tapestries at the upstanding Bass Museum of Art or learn
about the city's humble beginnings at the Historical Museum of Southern
Florida.
Nightlife
& Party with Locals
Nightclubs
change quicker than stoplights in trendy South Beach, where beautiful people groove to
thumping beats in velvet-roped hotspots until dawn. Follow Latin grooves to tiny Española Way and
toast with creative cocktails on Lincoln Road. Sip martinis in the swanky bars and
lounges in the Design District, or watch live, jazz, flamenco, and national
bands at the Carnival Performing Arts Centre. On Sunday, join the locals at Alabama
Jack's for cheap beer and crispy conch fritters.
Gourmet
Cuisine & Dining Out
Greater
Miami is the birthplace of New World cuisine, and without a doubt, dining out here is
like entering a new world of tastes, sights, aromas, seasonings and
sensations. It's a place where
everyone brings something to the table, as the flavours of countless cultures
are showcased on dining tables everywhere, from Aventura to Little Havana. Miami's international flavour is showcased by
the wide variety of cuisines found in its restaurants, including Cuban, Haitian,
Peruvian, Colombian, Indian, Thai, Japanese, Argentinean and many
more.
Traditional
Cuban meets spicy Caribbean and an ocean of seafood to create Floribbean
cuisine, which permeates many Miami restaurants. Eat deliciously sloppy tacos at 24-hour
joints, plus Thai, Japanese, and five-star sensations in South Beach and along Lincoln Road. Try Cuban along Calle Ocho, Haitian in
Overtown, and casual comfort food at the Grove. Dine at an open-air café in Coral Gables, while
enjoying stone crab claws and a mojito, the city's signature
drink.
Joe's
Stone Crab Restaurant in South
Beach is open only during stone-crab
season (October-May) - this always-packed Miami institution knows how to reel in the
crowds with the freshest, meatiest stone crabs and the side dishes to go with
them, from creamed spinach to excellent sweet-potato French
fries.
World's Best Scuba Dive
Sites
In
1981, the U.S. government began a wide-scale
project designed to increase the number of habitats available to marine
organisms. One of the programme's
major accomplishments has been the creation of nearby artificial reefs, which
have attracted all kinds of tropical plants, fish, and animals. In addition, Biscayne National
Park offers a protected marine environment just south of
downtown Miami.
Several dive shops around the city offer organised weekend outings,
either to the reefs or to one of more than a dozen old shipwrecks around
Miami's
shores.
World
Class Golf Courses
There
are more than 50 private and public golf courses in the Miami
area.
The
best hotel courses in Miami are found at the Doral Golf Resort and
Spa, home of the legendary Blue Monster course, as well as the Gold Course,
designed by Raymond Floyd; the Great White Shark Course; and the Silver Course,
perfected by Jerry Pate.
Other
hotels with excellent golf courses include the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort
& Club, with two Robert Trent Jones, Sr.-designed courses for guests and
members, and the Biltmore Hotel, which is one of the best public golf courses
because of its modest greens fees and an 18-hole par-71 course located on the
hotel's spectacular grounds. It
must be good - despite his penchant for privacy, former president Bill Clinton
prefers teeing off at this course more than any other in Miami!
Otherwise,
the following represent some of the area's best public courses. Crandon Park
Golf Course, formerly known as The Links, Key Biscayne, is the number-one-ranked
municipal course in the state and one of the top five in the country. The park is situated on 200 bay front
acres and offers a pro shop, rentals, lessons, carts, and a lighted driving
range. The course is open daily
from dawn to dusk; greens fees are approximately $56.50 for non-residents,
including cart. Special twilight
rates are also available.
One
of the most popular courses among real enthusiasts is the Doral Park Golf and
Country Club, West Miami; it's not related to
the Doral Hotel or spa. Call to
book in advance, since this challenging, semi-private course is extremely
popular with locals.
Known
as one of the best in the city, the Country Club of Miami, North Miami, has three
18-hole courses of varying degrees of difficulty. You'll encounter lush fairways, rolling
greens, and some history, to boot. The west course, designed in 1961 by
Robert Trent Jones, Sr., and updated in the 1990s by the PGA, was where Jack
Nicklaus played his first professional tournament and Lee Trevino won his first
professional championship. Special
twilight rates are also available.
The
recently renovated Miami Beach Golf Club, South Beach, is a gorgeous, 79-year-old course
that received a $10-million face-lift. Miami Heat players and Matt Damon have
been known to tee off here.
Family
Holidays
With
a year-round mild climate and unrivalled water access, Miami is the perfect
holiday destination for families that like to go to the beach. Active families can choose from
locations throughout the city to sail, dive, and snorkel or windsurf. Vacationing families will find that
there's a whole lot more to do in Miami than go
to the beach on their Miami family vacation. With so many family-friendly attractions
located in Greater Miami, they may not even make it to the
beach.