Miami & Miami Beach

Cosmopolitan to the hilt, Miami serves as threshold to Caribbean and South American cultures. The influence of its melting pot makes for a rich and multi-hued arts and festivals scene. Yet nowhere in the nation can you find so much culture so close to sybaritic beaches and the raw wilderness of Everglades National Park. Miami's multi-dimensional attractions mean everyone can find what they're looking for in the greater metropolitan area: from the country's best collection of Art Deco architecture to world-class shopping, a tropical breadbasket, backcountry kayaking, family attractions, cutting-edge cuisine, sexy nightclubs, avant-garde ...

Cosmopolitan to the hilt, Miami serves as threshold to Caribbean and South American cultures. The influence of its melting pot makes for a rich and multi-hued arts and festivals scene. Yet nowhere in the nation can you find so much culture so close to sybaritic beaches and the raw wilderness of Everglades National Park. Miami's multi-dimensional attractions mean everyone can find what they're looking for in the greater metropolitan area: from the country's best collection of Art Deco architecture to world-class shopping, a tropical breadbasket, backcountry kayaking, family attractions, cutting-edge cuisine, sexy nightclubs, avant-garde galleries, fashionable spa and golf resorts, topless beaches, saltwater crocodiles and other rare creatures, coral reefs, and a bounty of fish. Its variety of communities and neighborhoods sample Cuban, African-American, Jamaican, Brazilian, Haitian, Peruvian, Jewish, and other cultures. Plus, the city boasts a major cruise-ship port, major league sports teams, and a well-respected design district. The arts and culture scene continually improves with a long-range plan for performing arts and museum complexes downtown and on Miami Beach.

About the Expert

Chelle Walton is coauthor of Fodor's Florida and author of Fodor's Compass American Guides: Florida and The Sarasota, Sanibel Island & Naples Book: A Complete Guide.