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_City Overview Miami is no longer the brash, drug-ridden crime capital of America, made famous in the 1980s television series, Miami Vice. Today’s sprawling metropolis has since been dubbed ‘America’s Casablanca’, the ‘Magic City’ and, more recently, the ‘America of the Millennium’. The third most popular city in the United States for international visitors (after Los Angeles and New York), it is also the most un-American city. Miami is a place of refuge and dreams for those fleeing South America or the Caribbean, looking for a new start in the land of the free. Over a third of the population does not speak English and, in some areas, only Spanish is spoken. Take a taxi and the radio will typically be playing salsa – the driver will be Colombian, Chilean, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Haitian… anything but American. As the saying goes: ‘One of the nicest things about Miami… is how close it is to the USA.’ Miami had surprisingly humble beginnings. Located on the far south coast of Florida, perched between a mangrove swamp and a barrier reef, Miami was founded a hundred years ago, when a tycoon called Henry Flagler extended his railroad to carry citrus fruits from the frost-free south. Development was slow until the Florida land boom in the 1920s. During Prohibition years, Al Capone came here when the heat was on in Chicago. After World War II, the Mafia moved in and later, once Fidel Castro seized power in Cuba in 1959, waves of Cuban refugees arrived. Before long, they had established Miami as the Latin capital of the USA. Today, Miami is the second largest city in Florida (after Jacksonville) but easily its most exciting, exotic and cosmopolitan. It covers a number of islands and mainland communities collectively known as Greater Miami and the Beaches. Much of Miami’s appeal is due to its diverse neighbourhoods, which range from the big-city, towering skyscrapers of downtown Miami – the commercial heart of the city – to the small-town neighbourhood of trendy South Beach. South Beach is probably most recognisably ‘Miami’ – with its candy-coloured Art Deco buildings set against a pure South Florida backdrop of cloudless skies, dazzling blue ocean, pale sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. However, near the Port of Miami – the largest cruise ship port in the world, which handles more than three million passengers a year – there is also another face of Miami – Little Havana, where the Cuban community still holds sway. Greater Miami is also an international crossroads of commerce, finance, culture, sports, entertainment, transportation and tourism. Its main source of income is derived from tourism, with Miami Beach world-renowned for its ‘gold coast’ hotel strip, palatial properties and recreational facilities. Its subtropical climate ensures warm weather all year round, with plenty of sunshine. The city’s real genius, however, is the fact that, in recent years, it has successfully absorbed the different cultures of its multiethnic population and been influenced by them all. The result? Miami is considered the model community for the 21st century and a compelling example of America’s changing face. It is undeniably one of the most exhilarating cities in the country – a peaceful, confident, multicultural metropolis with vibrancy and savoir faire – a fascinating, albeit challenging, ‘City of the Future’ for those who strive to understand its diverse personality. Getting There By Air Miami International Airport (MIA) Tel: (305) 876 7000. Fax: (305) 876 7398. Website: www.miami-airport.com Located 11km (seven miles) northwest of the city, Miami International Airport is regarded as the ‘Hub of the Americas’ – the primary connecting point for air travel between the Americas and the Caribbean and a major gateway to Europe. It has the third highest international passenger traffic in the USA and is number one in the world for international freight trade. There are approximately 1500 flights a day, to around 150 destinations on four continents, operated by almost 100 scheduled airlines and over 20 non-scheduled airlines – more airlines than any airport in the Western Hemisphere. The terminal building is in the shape of a horseshoe, with nine concourses (A-J). For easy access to any of the concourses, there is a moving walkway on Level 3. International flights arrive at concourses A, B, D, E and F. Major airlines: National airline American Airlines (tel: (800) 433 7300; website: www.aa.com) serves Miami International Airlines. Other airlines include Air Canada, Air France, Air Jamaica, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Lufthansa, Northwest/KLM, TWA, United, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Approximate flight times to Miami: From London is 8 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 3 hours; from Los Angeles is 5 hours; from Toronto is 3 hours 45 minutes and from Sydney is 18 hours. Airport facilities: Throughout the terminal, there are plenty of restaurants, cafés, snack bars, gift and duty-free shops, newspaper stands, foreign currency exchange booths, a pharmacy (concourse F), a post office (concourse B, level 4), a unisex hair styling salon and even a shoeshine stand. Car hire firms include Alamo (tel: (305) 633 6076), Avis (tel: (305) 637 4900), Budget (tel: (305) 871 3053) and Hertz (tel: (305) 871 0300). There are five Tourist Information Centers (the main one, at level 2 of Concourse E, is open 24 hours), a full-service bank (concourse B, level 4) and several ATMs (concourse C and G, level 2). Business facilities: There are data port connections at various locations throughout the airport terminal. For specific locations, visitors should either pick up a white paging phone or ask at one of the Information Counters. The Miami International Airport Hotel (tel: (305) 871 4100; fax: (305) 871 0800) offers conference suites, boardrooms and other meeting facilities, with catering service available. Many airlines (including American Airlines, Delta and United) belong to the airline VIP club, enabling their business-class passengers to access executive lounges. Arrival/departure tax: US$50-65, depending on airline and destination. Transport to the city: Public transport from the airport to Miami is complicated. A 24-hour shuttle bus (departing from the ground level of concourse E, directly across from US Customs) connects with the Tri-Rail (tel: (954) 942 7248; fax: (954) 788 7878; website: www.tri-rail.com) station, from which trains run along the coast as far as Palm Beach. To reach downtown Miami, passengers must transfer from Tri-Rail to Metrorail, operated by Miami-Dade Transit Department (tel: (305) 770 3131; fax: (305) 654 6583; e-mail: transit@miamidade.gov; website: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit). Metrorail trains run 0500-2400, arriving every six minutes during weekday rush hours, every 15 minutes at midday and every 30 minutes after 2000. Weekend services run every 20 minutes until 2000, when trains arrive every half an hour. Tri-Rail trains run from Miami Airport station northwards to Mangonia Park station, Palm Beach, approximately once an hour, 0416-2210 weekdays and 0700-2157 weekends. In the opposite direction (southbound), Tri-Rail operates 0420-2157 weekdays, 0700-2144 weekends. Alternatively, the Miami-Dade Metrobus number 7 leaves from the lower level of Concourse E every 40 minutes 0600-2200, going to the Government Center in downtown Miami and the main bus terminal (journey time – 35 minutes). The Metrobus ‘J’ shuttle bus also departs from here to Miami Beach, every 30 minutes 0440-2400 (journey time – approximately 1 hour). Some hotels provide a free minibus or limousine service. Taxis charge flat fares from the airport to most tourist destinations (Port of Miami US$18, Miami Beach US$24 and Key Biscayne US$31) and take about 20 minutes to downtown Miami. Getting There By Water The Dante B Fascell Port of Miami (tel: (305) 371 7678; fax: (305) 347 4843; website: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/portofmiami), under the authority of Miami-Dade County Seaport Department (tel: (305) 371 7678), is the world’s busiest cruise port – the ‘Cruise Capital of the World’. It serves more than three million passengers a year and handles more ‘megaships’ (vessels capable of transporting 2000-plus passengers) than any other port in the world. Located near the MacArthur Causeway, the port is home to 18 cruise ships and, following an ambitious multimillion-Dollar terminal redevelopment programme, it boasts smart new facilities including VIP lounges and an outdoor observation deck. Boat services: Carnival Cruise Lines (tel: (305) 599 2600), Norwegian Cruise Line (tel: (305) 436 4000) and Royal Caribbean International (tel: (305) 539 6000) are among several cruise lines operating regularly from the port with services to the Caribbean. Passenger terminals are located on Dodge Island. Transport to the city: Bus 3, 16, 95, C or S go from Bayside (Biscayne Boulevard) to downtown Miami. Getting There By Road Americans drive on the right-hand side of the road and pass on the left. Right turns at a red light are permitted (unless otherwise indicated) but only after stopping. Speed limits range from 24kph to 72kph (15-45mph) in the city and 88kph (55mph) on most expressways. Speeding fines are hefty. There are also tough penalties for drink driving – the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. All passengers must wear seatbelts and children under five must be fastened into a child safety seat. All drivers must be over 16 years and are required to hold a current driving licence. The State of Florida recognises valid driver’s licences from the USA and other countries, as well as International Driving Permits. Visitors who plan on driving should have personal accident insurance (PAI) as part of their standard travel insurance. The road system is straightforward, consisting of interstate expressways, toll-paying motorways, primary state highways and other state roads, each identified by a number. The general rule for numbering on US freeways and interstates is that the odd numbers go north–south and the even numbers go east–west over their whole length, although at any single, localised point this may seem different. The American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (800) 222 1333) provides information and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries. Emergency breakdown service: AAA (800) AAA HELP or 222 4357 Routes to the city: The I-95 is the major north–south expressway, providing access into Miami from Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. It runs through downtown Miami and into the US-1 (also called South Dixie Highway), which continues south to Key West. Another toll-paying expressway, the Florida Turnpike, heads southwards from Orlando and central Florida to the Golden Glades Interchange in the northern part of Miami. The major east–west expressway to downtown Miami is State Road 836 (Dolphin Expressway), connecting Florida’s Turnpike in the west with the I-95 and Miami Beach (via the I-395) in the east. Driving times to Miami: From Fort Lauderdale – 1 hour; Palm Beach – 2 hours; Key West – 3 hours 30 minutes; Orlando – 5 hours. Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (800) 231 2222; website: www.greyhound.com) operates three main coach stations in Miami – at 4111 Northwest 27th Street (tel: (305) 871 1810), near the airport, at 100 Northwest Sixth Street (tel: (305) 374 6160), near Bayside, and at 16560 Northeast Sixth Avenue (tel: (305) 945 0801), in North Miami. Facilities at these terminals range from basic to non-existent. Greyhound operates direct links to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West, as well as further-flung destinations, such as New Orleans, Washington DC and New York. Getting There By Rail Amtrak (tel: (305) 835 1222 or (800) 872 7245; website: www.amtrak.com) is the national railway provider. With comfortable trains and a reliable and efficient service, Amtrak is an excellent way to travel. For national rail enquiries, visitors should call the toll-free information line (tel: (800) USA RAIL). Miami’s main Amtrak rail terminal is located at 8303 Northwest 37th Avenue. The station has very basic facilities, including a checked baggage service, an enclosed waiting area, payphones, vending machines and car hire from Hertz (tel: (800) 654 3131). The station is also fully accessible to persons using wheelchairs. Rail services: Amtrak offers a comprehensive rail network to cities throughout the USA and Canada, including Fort Lauderdale (journey time – 45 minutes), Orlando (journey time – 5 hours) and Jacksonville (journey time – 8 hours). Their SilverMeteor and SilverStar trains operate up the Atlantic coast from Miami to New York City (journey time – 25 hours). Transport to the city: Bus 42 connects the Amtrak station with downtown Miami. Getting Around Public Transport Getting around Miami can be difficult, mainly due to the sheer size of the city. Nevertheless, there are a variety of useful transport options provided by the Miami-Dade Transit Department (tel: (305) 770 3131; fax: (305) 654 6583; e-mail: transit@miamidade.gov; website: www.co.miami-dade.fl.us/transit). At 34km (21 miles), the Metrorail (tel: (305) 770 3131) is the longest elevated rapid transit system in America. It runs from Kendall northwards through South Miami, Coral Gables, downtown Miami and then northwest to the Hialeah district. There are 21 stations – each about a mile apart – and the entire journey takes 42 minutes. Trains run 0500-2400 approximately every 15-20 minutes, every six minutes at peak times and every 30 minutes after 2000. Fares are US$1.25 each way – exact change only is placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles). The trains connect to the Metrobus and Tri-Rail. Transfer to the Metromover (tel: (305) 770 3131), at the Government Center station or Brickell station, is free. Metrobus (tel: (305) 638 6700, for travel info) operates a comprehensive bus service with 82 routes running 0400-0213 Monday-Friday (with extended hours at weekends). Blue and green bus-stop signs list the routes and destinations. Fares are US$1.25 each way – exact change only is handed to the driver upon boarding. A transfer from bus to bus, or from bus to Metrorail, costs US$0.25. The Electrowave (tel: (305) 535 9160), South Beach’s electric shuttle bus service, provides transportation up and down Washington Avenue (between 16th Street and South Pointe Drive) and along Collins Avenue (between 16th Street and Dade Boulevard) every 12-15 minutes (0800-0200 on Monday-Wednesday, 0800-0400 on Thursday-Saturday and 1000-0200 on Sunday) for just US$0.25 – tickets are purchased on board. It stops at 38 designated stops in the Art Deco District. Downtown Miami is served by the futuristic, driverless Metromover, an elevated, three-loop, fully automated monorail people-mover. This links major business, entertainment and cultural centres, hotels, shopping malls, government buildings and the Brickell financial district and also connects with the Metrorail and Metrobus. It operates every three minutes daily, every 90 seconds during rush hour, 0530-2200, with the Downtown Inner Loop continuing until 2400. The Metromover costs just US$0.25 – exact fare only is placed in the slot at the entrance turnstiles. It is safe, air-conditioned and it also provides unparalleled views of downtown Miami. A monthly Metropass, costing US$60, allows for unlimited travel on the Metrobus, Metrorail and Metromover. This pass is available for purchase from the Transit Information Centre on the second level of the Government Center Metrorail station and at designated outlets (listed on the website). Taxis and Water Taxis Taxis are plentiful but it is not the norm to hail one in the street. They are easily available from taxi stands or most hotels and shopping malls, although it is more common to telephone for one. Firms include Metro Taxi Co (tel: (305) 888 8888), Aventura Taxi (tel: (305) 599 9999), Coral Gables City Taxi (tel: (305) 444 4242) and South Dade Miami Taxi (tel: (305) 448 8888). All service providers offer flat-rate fares (including tolls but not tips) from Miami International Airport to some of the more popular destinations (see the Air section), otherwise visitors should expect to pay US$3 for the first mile and US$2 for each mile thereafter. A tip of 15-20% of the fare is usual and expected. The local waterways are served by a water taxi fleet, which operates two main routes (from Bayside Marketplace to the Fifth Street Marina at the southwestern end of south Beach or to the western end of Lincoln Road) 1000-2300 daily. Fares are US$7 one way, US$12 round trip and US$15 for an all-day pass. Limousines Dolphin Limousine Service Inc (tel: (305) 651 1641; website: www.dolphin-limo.com), Extreme Limousines (tel: (305) 262 7071; website: www.extremelimos.com) and Royal Limousines (tel: (305) 442 1414; website: www.royal-limousines.com) all cater for both business and leisure needs. Visitors should expect to pay around US$150-175 per hour (for a minimum of three hours) or US$170-190 per hour at weekends. Driving in the City Although, Miami’s network of roads is certainly sprawling, driving here is not as fraught as it may appear. Streets and Terraces usually run east–west, while Avenues, Places and Courts are aligned north–south (except in Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach). Highway interchanges can be very confusing, so visitors should be sure to read the signs carefully. Main routes include State Road 112 – which leads from Miami International Airport to the major north–south I-95 expressway and onto Miami Beach via the I-195 – and the Dolphin Expressway – the major east–west expressway connecting Florida’s Turnpike to State Road 826, I-95 and Miami Beach. Seven causeways link Miami and Miami Beach and, once there, the A1A (Collins Avenue) is the main thoroughfare running parallel to the coast. The orange ‘sun’ signs visible on selected highways identify official tourist routes – to Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, downtown Miami, Key Biscayne, Miami Beach and the Port of Miami, as well as to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West. Visitors should note that the practice of cruising along Ocean Drive in South Beach has been illegal for several years, not that it seems to deter posers in their Cadillacs or on their Harley Davidsons. There is plenty of metered parking available in Miami. Visitors should check displayed information for rates and hours of operation. The average rate for parking is approximately US$1 per hour. The fine for an expired meter is US$18 (US$45 if not paid within 30 calendar days). Further information on locations of car parks, hours and rates is available from the Miami Parking System, 190 Northeast Third Street, in downtown Miami (tel: (305) 358 7312). Car Hire Hiring a car is relatively cheap and straightforward. However, drivers must be over 25 years old and possess a valid national driving licence and a credit card to pay a deposit. When arranging car hire, visitors should ask for an all-inclusive rate. This should include all taxes, airport fees and car handling fees. CWD (also known as LDW), which makes the rental company responsible for damage to the car, rather than the driver, and SLI (supplementary liability insurance), also sometimes called top-up liability insurance or EP (extended protection), increases third-party liability cover from Florida’s standard US$20,000 to US$1 million. All visitors should have personal accident insurance (PAI) as part of their standard travel insurance. All-inclusive rates may also include a tank of petrol and additional drivers (otherwise around US$5 per driver). There is usually an extra charge for child seats (US$3-5 per day). Major providers include Alamo, 3355 Northwest 22nd Street (tel: (305) 633 4132; website: www.goalamo.com), Avis, 17760 Collins Avenue (tel: (305) 932 2350; website: www.avis.com), Budget, 3901 Northwest 28th Street (tel: (305) 871 3053; website: www.drivebudget.com), Biscayne, 4801 Northwest 36th Street (tel: (305) 888 0721), Hertz, 3795 Northwest 21st Street (tel: (305) 871 0300; website: www.hertz.com), Interamerican, 1789 Northwest Le Jeune Road (tel: (305) 871 3030; website: www.interamerciancarrental.com) and Thrifty, 2875 Northwest 42nd Avenue (tel: (305) 871 5050; website: www.thrifty.com). It is worth shopping around for the best rates. These vary considerably, from a minimum of around US$150 per week or US$30 per day. Free one-way drop-offs are normally possibly within Florida, although rarely with the cheapest cars. Bicycle Hire There are no hills in Miami so bicycle rental is a cheap and easy way to explore a district. Most rental outlets are in Miami Beach, including the Miami Beach Bicycle Center, 601 Fifth Street (tel: (305) 674 0150). Rates are approximately around US$20 per day and visitors should ask for a sturdy U-type lock, as bicycle theft is common. Business Business Profile Thanks to its strategic situation at the gateway to the Caribbean, Central and South America, as well as its superior seaport and airport capabilities, Miami is known as the major international trading hub of the Americas. Founded in 1977, the Miami Free Trade Zone – the first and largest privately owned and operated trade zone in the world – is located just west of Miami International Airport and boasts around 200 major international clients. The customs in Miami process 40% of all US exports to Latin America and the Caribbean. Top export trading partners include Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Argentina. Recent years have seen the steady economic growth and strengthening of international business opportunities, with trade, construction, manufacturing (clothing, metal fabrication, printing and medical products), real estate and the service sectors showing the strongest potential. The city’s main commercial district is at the heart of downtown Miami, where six blocks of government and municipal offices house such prestigious multinationals as AT&T, Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Kos Pharmaceuticals, Sony, Texaco and Toshiba. More than 400 multinational companies have operations in Miami and many have their Latin American headquarters here. The city is also emerging as a key international banking centre. Indeed, Brickell Avenue has more international banks (over 100) than any other place in America. The city’s chief source of income, however, derives from tourism. The direct economic impact of over 9.2 million visitors to Miami in 2000 was visitor expenditure of US$19.8 billion. Thanks to its multitude of hotels with conference suites, it is also a major business convention centre. The film and entertainment industry has grown dramatically in the last few years, with over US$212 million generated by film, television, commercial and fashion photography production in 1998 alone. Major media organisations located in Greater Miami include Telemundo and Univision (the top two Spanish-language television networks in the USA), the Discovery Channel, MTV Networks and the Travel Channel. Nevertheless, Miami’s unemployment rate, standing at 7.6% in December 2001, is one of the worst in the USA, considerably higher than the national average, which peaked to 5.4% in 2001. Business Etiquette Miami’s close proximity to Latin America makes it a fascinating place to do business. Throughout the past decade, a large number of companies from the Caribbean, Central and South America have set up offices here and, as a result, Greater Miami’s work force has grown younger, more multilingual, and more culturally diverse. However, for business purposes, it is still essentially the USA. Therefore dress code is smart and business is managed the American way – quickly, efficiently and frankly. Business cards should be presented. Outside the boardroom, Americans often are informal and will use first names. Business socialising, drinking and dining, is popular in Miami. Office hours are generally 0900-1700, although these can vary slightly from one organisation to the next. When public holidays occur on a weekday or weekend, they are usually celebrated on the nearest Friday or Monday, thereby creating a three-day weekend. Meetings often take place in social situations and, in keeping with the fast-paced business life of Americans, breakfast meetings are common. Lunch meetings are also popular, sometimes with alcohol. Meetings may also take place over the weekend. Sightseeing Sightseeing Overview Miami has long been a premier tourist destination, acclaimed for its physical beauty and its excellent climate. Year round, the fabled white-sand beaches and clear blue waters lapping Miami Beach have beckoned visitors to America’s ‘Riviera’. Others are lured by Miami’s world-class shopping and cosmopolitan dining, its international culture and legendary nightlife. Miami’s real appeal, however, lies in its diverse neighbourhoods – from the architectural elegance of residential Coral Gables and the bustling Bayside harbour complex in Downtown Miami, with its boat excursions, to the distinctly Latin district of Little Havana, home to the city’s huge Cuban population. Of course, South Beach is Miami’s most-visited attraction, famed for its candy-coloured Art Deco buildings, where the legendary Ocean Drive boulevard is fringed by Miami’s trendiest sidewalk boutiques, bars and restaurants – the favourite haunts of such local celebrities as Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Donatella Versace, Mick Hucknall and Michael Caine. Perhaps Miami’s biggest crowd-puller is its rich multicultural flavour, which gives the city an undeniably unique atmosphere. Just as the rest of America is starting to discover the rhythms of heart-throb Ricky Martin and other Hispanic music sensations, Miami has long been swaying to a Latin remix of sensuality, salsa and South Beach style, making it one of the most exciting cities in the USA. Tourist Information Greater Miami and the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau Suite 2700, 701 Brickell Avenue Tel: (305) 539 3063. Fax: (305) 539 3113. E-mail: visitor@tropicoolmiami.com Website: www.tropicoolmiami.com Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0830-1800. There are also Visitors Centers at Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura, and Bayside Marketplace, 401 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. Passes There are no tourist discount passes currently available in Miami. Key Attractions Downtown Miami Downtown Miami is the metropolis’s nerve centre – the commercial heart of the city – distinguished by its sleek skyscrapers, impressive government buildings and cultural centres and edged by the Port of Miami, the largest cruise-ship port in the world. Flagler Street, Miami’s bustling main thoroughfare, is lined with shops and ethnic eateries. Brickell Avenue is home to major international banks, businesses and power-lunch restaurants. On the waterfront, lively Bayside Marketplace is a popular shopping and entertainment arcade, clustered round a small harbour and abuzz with bars, shops and market stalls. Bayside is the main stop for the water taxi service (see the Getting Around section) and the starting point for several boat tours (see the Tours of the City section below) of Miami Bay. Beyond the port, exclusive Fisher Island, accessible only by boat or private plane, is the address in Miami and home to many celebrities. Bayside Marketplace 401 Biscayne Boulevard Tel: (305) 577 3344. Website: www.baysidemarketplace.com Transport: Metrorail Brickell, Government Center or Overtown Arena. Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 1000-2200, Fri-Sat 1000-2300, Sun 1100-2100. Admission: Free. South Beach Glitzy, glamorous South Beach is undoubtedly the trendiest part of town, the place to see and be seen and a magnet for celebrities and fun-lovers who thrive on its cosmopolitan atmosphere, designer shopping, upbeat restaurants and fast-paced nightlife. By day, a young, hip crowd of trendy film-star wannabes, international supermodels, artists, writers, tourists, strollers, strutters and the thriving local gay community all cruise Ocean Drive, providing the colourful mix that fuels the district’s feverish energy levels. By night, salsa rhythms flow from the many outdoor dance clubs on the beach. South Beach itself, with its white sands, palm trees and dazzling blue sea, stretches from 15th Street to South Pointe Park at the southernmost tip (great for surfing, fishing and sunsets). The main access point is Lummus Park, bordering Ocean Drive, a favourite park for in-line skaters and volleyball players. However, the most striking feature of South Beach is its famous Art Deco Historic District – over 800 buildings within one and a half sq kilometres (one sq mile), all in the same streamlined architectural style, painted in pastel shades and lit with brilliantly coloured neon lights. Even the Burger King on Alton Road is housed in an Art Deco structure. 15th Street to South Pointe Park Transport: Bus C, K, M and W. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Miami Beach Miami Beach is located on a long slender island connected to mainland Miami by six causeways. It comprises various coastal towns, each with its own personality – including Surfside, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, South Beach (see above) and Golden Beach. Miami Beach’s white sands extend from 15th Street northwards to 87th Street, with a scenic boardwalk popular with joggers and strollers, and pastel-coloured Art Deco lifeguard stations dotting the shoreline. A variety of watersports are available including windsurfing, sailing, jet-skiing and parasailing. 15th Street to 87th Street Transport: Bus C, G, H, L, M, S and W. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Little Havana After Fidel Castro took power in 1959, refugees fleeing Cuba settled just west of downtown Miami, in a neighbourhood known as Little Havana. Today, with its 800,000-strong Cuban-American community, this colourful district has a distinctly Latin atmosphere with its Spanish signs, Cuban coffee bars and restaurants, small cigar factories and street-side food stalls, selling such delicacies as baho (Cuban stew) and freshly-squeezed sugarcane juice. Monuments to anti-Castro Cubans line the streets, especially around Calle Ocho, the liveliest part of Little Havana and the venue for a famous annual spring carnival – America’s largest street party. Little Havana Transport: Metrorail Vizcaya; then bus 17 or 24. Key Biscayne Linked to the mainland by the Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne combines traditional Florida-style houses with ostentatious mansions belonging to some of Miami’s wealthiest residents. The beaches here rank among Florida’s best – their fine sand and relatively calm seas make them a popular choice for families. Other top attractions include two beautiful parks – Crandon Park and the Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area – both with magnificent beaches, bike trails and nature walks. Crandon Park 4000 Crandon Boulevard Tel: (305) 361 5421. Transport: Bus B. Opening hours: Daily 0800-sunset (park); daily 1000-1900 (amusement area). Admission: US$4 per car. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Recreation Area 1200 South Crandon Boulevard Tel: (305) 361 5811. Website: www.dep.state.fl.us/parks Transport: Bus B. Opening hours: Daily 0800-sunset. Admission: US$2; US$4 per car. Miami Seaquarium Located on beautiful Biscayne Bay, the Miami Seaquarium is one of Florida’s premier marine parks, containing over 10,000 aquatic creatures on display – including crocodiles, ‘gators’ and seals, as well as fish of every imaginable shape, size and colour. Star acts include Lolita, a 7000-pound killer whale (visitors should sit at least six rows back in the audience to keep dry), Salty the sea lion and TV superstar Flipper the dolphin. The most impressive aspect of Seaquarium, however, unlike so many aquatic fun-parks, is its genuine attempt to preserve and protect marine life. Numerous exhibits are endangered species and the in-house Marine Mammal Rescue Team is constantly striving to save stranded or injured manatees, dolphins and whales in the waters of South Florida. Other exhibits include Discovery Bay, a natural mangrove habitat used to rehabilitate rescued sea turtles; and the special Manatee Exhibit where manatees are nursed back to health, ready for release into the wild. 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne Tel: (305) 361 5705. Fax: (305) 365 0075. Website: www.miamiseaquarium.com Transport: Bus B. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800. Admission: US$22.95, concessions available. Coconut Grove Located on the edge of Biscayne Bay, south of downtown Miami, Coconut Grove is one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods. Today, it is a trendy district with a bustling village atmosphere, full of colourful galleries, theatres, nightclubs, fine restaurants, hip sidewalk cafés and shops. The main attraction is the stylish CocoWalk, a stylish shopping mall packed with restaurants, bars, shops and a cinema. CocoWalk 3015 Grand Avenue Tel: (305) 444 0777. Website: www.cocowalk.com Transport: Metrorail Coconut Grove. Opening hours: Sun-Thurs 1100-2200, Fri-Sat 1100-2400 (bars and restaurants until 0200). Admission: Free. Coral Gables This elegant Mediterranean-style residential district – 16km (ten miles) southwest of downtown Miami – was created by local developer George Merrick, during the boom years of the 1920s. Today, it contains some of the city’s finest architecture, set amid broad boulevards, canals and parkland. Some buildings are preserved as historic landmarks, including the gigantic Biltmore Hotel, identified by its 15-storey tower modelled on the Giralda bell-tower in Seville. The remarkable Venetian Pool, with its exotic bridges and waterfalls, was once a quarry. Today, it is the only swimming pool on the National Register of Historic Places. Coral Gables is also known for its art galleries, its exclusive Miracle Mile shopping street, its neatly manicured golf courses and some of the best hotels and restaurants in town. Biltmore Hotel 1200 Anastasia Avenue Tel: (305) 445 1926. Fax: (305) 913 3152. Website: www.biltmorehotel.com Transport: Metrorail Douglas Road, then bus 42, 72 or J. Opening hours: Daily 24 hours. Admission: Free. Venetian Pool 2701 De Soto Boulevard Tel: (305) 460 5356 Website: www.venetianpool.com Transport: Metrorail Douglas Road, then bus 42, 72 or J. Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1100-1930, Sat-Sun 1000-1630 (Jun-Aug); Mon-Thurs 1100-1730, Sat-Sun 1000-1630 (Sep-Oct); Mon-Fri 1000-1630, Sat-Sun 1000-1630 (Nov-Mar); Mon-Fri 1100-1730, Sat-Sun 1000-1630 (Apr-May). Admission: US$8.50 (Apr-Oct); US$5.50 (Nov-Mar). Museums The Historical Museum of Southern Florida offers a fascinating insight into the region’s past, with a small but impressive collection of hands-on displays, archive material, historical objects and multimedia presentations covering 10,000 years of Florida history from the first settlers to the present day. The Miami Art Museum displays international art since World War II, complemented by art from other periods to provide historical perspective. The nationally renowned Miami Museum of Science & Space Transit Planetarium features over 140 interactive scientific exhibits on physics, electricity, light, sound and anatomy, as well as daily astronomy and laser shows in the adjacent planetarium. It also boasts South Florida’s largest natural history collection and a wildlife centre that rehabilitates injured birds of prey and reptiles and displays more than 175 live animals. Historical Museum of Southern Florida Miami-Dade Cultural Center, 101 West Flagler Street Tel: (305) 375 1492. Fax: (305) 375 1609. E-mail: hasf@historical-museum.org Website: www.historical-museum.org Transport: Metrorail Government Center. Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed and Sat 1000-1700, Thurs 1000-2100, Sun 1200-1700. Admission: US$5, concessions available. Miami Art Museum Miami-Dade Cultural Center, 101 West Flagler Street Tel: (305) 375 3000. Fax: (305) 375 1725. Website: www.miamiartmuseum.org Transport: Metrorail Government Center. Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1700, Sat and Sun 1200-1700, third Thurs of the month 1000-2100. Admission: US$5, concessions available; free on Sun and second Sat of the month. Miami Museum of Science & Space Transit Planetarium 3280 South Miami Avenue, Coconut Grove Tel: (305) 646 4200. Fax: (305) 285 5801. Website: www.miamisci.org Transport: Bus 48. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (last entry at 1700). Admission: US$10, concessions available. Zoos Miami Metrozoo is a state-of-the-art cageless zoo, with over 700 animals of 240 species roaming the 116-hectare (290-acre) grounds. Wildlife shows, a petting zoo, tram tours, monorail, gift shops, food courts and a playground provide fun for all the family. Metrozoo has also won a number of awards for their successful breeding of rare and endangered animal species. At Monkey Jungle, the humans are kept in caged walkways while the primates roam freely. Here, visitors can see North America’s first colony of wild monkeys, crab-eating monkeys diving for treats and hundreds of other exotic primates in lush, tropical jungle surroundings. The Parrot Jungle and Gardens is a unique bird sanctuary-cum-botanical garden with more than 1100 birds and 100 plant varieties, together with alligators, giant tortoises and apes. Spectacular trained bird shows run throughout the day and children can help hand-feed the birds, hold one of the free-flying macaws or play with the animals at the petting zoo. Miami Metrozoo 12400 Southwest 152nd Street Tel: (305) 251 0400. Fax: (305) 378 6381. Website: www.metro-dade.com/parks/metrozoo.htm Transport: Metrorail Dadeland South; then Metrobus Coral Reef MAX to Miami Metrozoo. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1730 (last entry at 1600). Admission: US$8, concessions available. Monkey Jungle 14805 Southwest 216th Street Tel: (305) 235 1611. Fax: (305) 235 4253. Website: www.monkeyjungle.com Transport: Bus 35 to Cutler Ridge Mall. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700 (last entry at 1600). Admission: US$15.50, concessions available. Parrot Jungle and Gardens 11000 Southwest 57th Street Tel: (305) 666 7834. Fax: (305) 661 2230. Website: www.parrotjungle.com Transport: Bus 57. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1800 (last entry at 1700). Admission: US$15.95, concessions available. Further Distractions Fairchild Tropical Garden A magnificent 33-hectare (83-acre) botanical garden, just south of Coconut Grove, with extensive collections of rare tropical plants, a 1440-sq-metre (16,000-sq-foot) conservatory, 11 lakes and lily ponds and the world’s greatest collection of palm trees. 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 667 1651. Fax: (305) 661 8953. Website: www.fairchildgarden.org Transport: Bus 65. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1630. Admission: US$8, concessions available. GameWorks Miami Hollywood meets high-tech in this vast game factory, created under the direction of Steven Spielberg, with the motto: ‘Life’s a game, it’s meant to be played’. Here, both adults and children can try their luck at state-of-the-art and classic video games, ride high-energy modern simulators (skiing, motorcycling and jetskiing) and then combat their hunger in the bar and GameWorks Grill Restaurant. The Shops at Sunset Place, 5701 Sunset Drive, South Miami Tel: (305) 667 4263. Fax: (305) 740 0912. Website: www.gameworks.com Transport: Bus 65. Opening hours: Sun-Wed 1100-2400, Thurs-Sat 1100-0200 (minimum 18 years after 2200). Admission: Free. National Hurricane Center From June to November, hurricanes are a constant danger in Florida and Miami has the highest frequency of hurricane-force winds in the whole of America. At this fascinating research centre, visitors can learn everything they want to know and more about hurricanes, tropical cyclones, storms and ‘twister’ tracking in the USA. Florida International University Campus, 11691 Southwest 17th Street, Sweetwater Tel: (305) 229 4470. Website: www.nhc.noaa.gov Transport: Bus 87 to FIU University Park Campus. Opening hours: 30-minute tours held Tues and Thurs 1100-1300 (by prior appointment only). Admission: Free. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Vizcaya is a beautiful Italian Renaissance-style palace set in four hectares (ten acres) of picturesque formal gardens, south of downtown Miami on Biscayne Bay. Built as a winter residence for the Chicago industrialist, James Deering, in 1916, its 70 rooms are filled with antique furnishings spanning the 15th to the 19th century. 3251 South Miami Avenue, Biscayne Bay Tel: (305) 250 9133. Fax: (305) 285 2004. Website: www.vizcayamuseum.com Transport: Metrorail Vizcaya. Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700; gardens until 1730 (last entry at 1630). Admission: US$10, concessions available. Tours of the City Walking Tours The Miami Design Preservation League (tel: (305) 672 2014) conducts 90-minute walking tours of South Beach’s Art Deco district twice a week (Saturday at 1030 and Thursday at 1830), departing from its Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Drive, and costing US$15. Self-guided audio tours are available here daily and cost US$10 to rent the 45-minute cassettes. Bus Tours Dragonfly Expeditions (tel: (305) 774 9019) and Dade Heritage Trust, 190 Southeast 12th Terrace (tel: (tel:(305) 358-9572; fax: (305) 358-1162), operate the Miami Magic City Bus Tour, which takes in the city’s most famous and historic neighbourhoods in a three-four-hour tour, costing US$40. Bicycle Tours The Miami Beach Bicycle Center, 601 Fifth Street (tel: (305) 674 0150), organises two-hour bicycle tours of South Beach and Art Deco district. These depart from the Bicycle Center, on the first and third Sunday of the month, at 1030, and cost US$15, which includes bicycle rental (reservations are essential). Boat Tours Island Queen Cruises, Bayside Market Place, 401 Biscayne Boulevard (tel: (305) 379 5199; website: www.islandqueencruises.com), tour Miami Bay in one and a half hours, travelling past the Port and exclusive Millionaire’s Row – home to such celebrities as Gloria Estefan, the Bee Gees, Oprah Winfrey, Boris Becker, Paul Newman and Whitney Houston. The tours depart from Bayside Market Place, daily every hour on the hour, between 1100-1900, and cost US$14 (concessions are available). Excursions For a Half Day Fort Lauderdale: Only 40km (25 miles) north of Miami, this smart east coast resort and international yachting centre is often described as the ‘Venice of America’, because of its many canals and waterways. It is easily accessible by train from Miami railway station but really has so much to recommend it that a full day could easily be whiled away here. It boasts magnificent sandy beaches, as well as excellent shopping and nightlife. Attractions include the contemporary collections of the Museum of Art, the Museum of Discovery and Science and the spectacular Hugh Taylor Birch State Park and Recreation Area. The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Suite 303, 1850 Eller Drive (tel: (954) 765 4466; fax: (954) 765 4467; website: www.sunny.org), provides further information. For a Whole Day Everglades: South of Miami, the Everglades National Park is the second largest national park in the USA, with its 6070 sq kilometres (2344 sq miles) of marshes, mangrove forests, freshwater and saltwater areas and open grass prairies. Gator-spotting is one of the main attractions in this vast subtropical wilderness, which is also home to an abundance of rare plants, birds and animals – including wild orchids, Florida panthers, ospreys, manatees, giant loggerhead turtles, the Everglades mink, the Florida black bear and the only saltwater crocodiles in America. There are several entry points, each with visitor centres that organise ranger-led walks and talks, boat and tram tours, as well as canoe trails. The main Visitor Center (tel: (305) 242 7700; fax: (305) 242 7728; website: www.nps.gov/ever) is just southwest of Homestead, south on the Florida Turnpike (Route 821) until it merges with US 1 at Florida City, where drivers should turn right on to Palm Drive (State Road 9336/Southwest 344th Street) and follow the signposts. The park is open 24 hours a day, all year round. The visitor centres are open daily 0800-1700. Admission costs US$10 per vehicle. The Keys: This chain of small coral-and-limestone islands (‘keys’) south of Miami, stretches 180km (113 miles) out across Florida Bay and is linked by just one highway, the US-1. The keys have a unique atmosphere – more slow Caribbean than fast-paced American – and offer some of the best sport fishing, scuba diving, boating, swimming and snorkelling in the world. Further information is available from the Florida Keys and Key West Visitor’s Bureau, 402 Wall Street, Key West (tel: (305) 294 2587). Key West: The most visited island in the Keys, Key West, is at the southernmost point of Continental USA, just 144km (90 miles) north of Cuba. This five-kilometre-long (3.5-mile) sandbar is renowned for its sunset celebrations, its key lime pie, its sizeable gay community and as the home of Ernest Hemingway (see Literary Notes). The Key West Information Center, 1601 North Roosevelt Boulevard, Key West (tel: (305) 292 5000); e-mail: info@keywestinfo.com; website: www.keywestinfo.com) provides further information. Hotels The prices quoted here do not include consumer tax of 6.5% nor the special taxes levied on hotels by most municipalities, which vary from 9.5% to 12.5% depending on the district. On top of this, it is normal to tip porters (around US$1 a bag), valet parkers (US$2) and housekeepers (US$1). The prices quoted below are the starting prices for double rooms, excluding breakfast unless otherwise stated. Business JW Marriott Hotel Miami This US$80 million, 22-storey new business hotel and meeting centre is conveniently located at the hub of downtown Miami’s financial district. The hotel features 300 elegantly furnished guestrooms and luxurious suites, three executive level floors and a 24-hour business centre. Expansive conference facilities contain state-of-the-art audiovisual, tele-conferencing, video-conferencing and Internet capabilities. The four top-notch restaurants, health club facilities and an inviting tropical outdoor swimming pool provide the perfect opportunity for busy executives to relax and unwind at the start or end of the day. 1100 Brickell Avenue Tel: (305) 374 1124. Fax: (305) 374 4211. Website: www.marriotthotels.com/miajw Price: US$189. Mandarin Oriental Miami Situated in one of Miami’s most prestigious commercial districts, this new five-star waterfront hotel is also convenient for the major shopping and nightlife centres of Bayside and Coconut Grove, making it the ideal choice for both business and leisure travellers. Business executives will want for nothing here, with facilities including Internet access from the palatial guest rooms, 12 multiple-sized function and meeting rooms, a 24-hour business centre offering all the latest technology and secretarial services, two first-class restaurants and a sophisticated cocktail bar. But it is also easy to combine work with pleasure here, thanks to the luxury health spa, tennis courts and a splendid swimming pool. 500 Brickell Key Drive Tel: (305) 913 8288. Fax: (305) 913 8300. E-mail: momia-reserve@mohg.com Website: www.mandarinoriental.com Price: US$550. Marlin At the heart of Miami Beach’s celebrated Art Deco district, this candy-coloured boutique hotel, just one block away from the ocean, is a veritable gem, attracting celebrities, entertainment executives, trendy business clientele and others in the know. Each of the 11 suites contains a state-of-the-art entertainment centre, two-line cordless telephones, web-TV with Internet access and private e-mail addresses for every guest. Special massage, aromatherapy and ‘energy management’ treatments provide the perfect anecdote for stressed-out business executives. The Marlin is also home to the South Beach Studios, drawing artists such as Aerosmith, U2 and Grace Jones, and enjoys a reputation as the ‘rock’n’roll hotel of South Beach’. 1200 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 604 5063. Fax: (305) 673 9609. E-mail: reservations@islandoutpost.com Website: www.islandoutpost.com Price: US$195. Miami International Airport Hotel The deluxe Miami International Airport Hotel is the ideal choice for those on a limited budget or a tight schedule. Located inside the airport terminal, guests can comfortably be at their first meeting within an hour of landing. The hotel offers elegantly appointed bedrooms, top-class, fully soundproofed meeting facilities, conference suites and boardrooms, with a catering service available. There is also an excellent choice of restaurants and bars, not to mention the rooftop swimming pool, health spa and racquetball court, to use if meetings happen to end early. Concourse E, Miami International Airport Tel: (305) 871 4100. Fax: (305) 871 0800. E-mail: reservations@miahotel.com Website: www.miahotel.com Price: US$125. Luxury The Biltmore Hotel When The Biltmore Hotel first opened in 1926, it was advertised as ‘the last word in civilisation’. Today, this gigantic hotel in fashionable, prosperous Coral Gables still remains one of Miami’s finest, upholding all the high standards of old-fashioned traditional hospitality, craftsmanship and style with handpainted ceilings, magnificent crystal chandeliers, Italian marble floors and Spanish ceramics. The grand edifice, with its imposing 15-storey tower, modelled on Seville’s splendid Giralda belltower, is registered as a National Historic Landmark. Inside there are 280 luxuriously appointed bedrooms and suites, a fitness centre and spa, while outside there are ten tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course and the largest hotel swimming pool in the entire Continental United States. 1299 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 445 1926. Fax: (305) 913 3159. Website: www.biltmorehotel.com Price: US$279. Delano Hotel James Bond’s Goldfinger movie was filmed at this impressive Art Deco building on South Beach with its distinctive winged tower. Today, it is considered one of America’s coolest hotels and the place to stay in Miami. Recently, its popularity was further enhanced when singer Jennifer Lopez began her affair with rap artist, Puff Daddy, here. The interiors, designed by Philippe Starck, are strikingly chic, minimalist and predominantly white. The ‘beautiful people’ come here for state-of-the-art bedrooms, a penthouse beauty spa (for women only), a funky swimming pool and a garden leading to the beach. 1685 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 672 2000. Fax: (305) 673 0888. Website: www.ianschragerhotels.com Price: US$375. Moderate Kent Perfectly placed for the ocean, the Miami Beach Convention Center and some of the city’s hottest shops, sidewalk cafés and nightspots, this recently restored Art Deco hotel is one of very few affordable yet trendy retreats in the celebrated South Beach district. The hip lobby, with its brightly coloured cube-shaped furniture, e-mail station and breakfast bar, sets the tone for the modern bedrooms, which are decked out with all mod cons – smart stainless steel accessories, cable TV/VCR, radio and CD players. Business services are available upon request and there is even an attractive garden patio. For something really different, the Lucite Suite is fitted entirely with clear plastic furniture. 1131 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 604 5068. Fax: (305) 531 0720. E-mail: reservations@islandoutpost.com Website: www.islandoutpost.com Price: US$99 (including breakfast). Miami River Inn This famous bed and breakfast inn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1906, not only is it the city’s oldest hotel, but it is also one of Miami’s best-kept secrets – quiet, atmospheric and set in a charming garden at the heart of downtown Miami. The bedrooms are comfortable and homely, with highly polished hardwood floors and antique furnishings, and the delicious breakfast (including home-baked muffins and freshly squeezed Florida orange juice) is served in the rooms or in the shaded courtyard. Despite Miami’s many attractions, guests staying here are often found relaxing by the small pool or on the veranda simply watching cargo ships ply the Miami River. 118 SW South River Drive Tel: (305) 325 0045. Fax: (305) 325 9227. E-mail: info@miamiriverinn.com Website: www.miamiriverinn.com Price: US$69 (including breakfast). Other Recommendations Claridge Hotel This recently refurbished boutique hotel on Miami Beach is located just 20 minutes from Miami International Airport, ten minutes from the main business district and a stone’s throw from Ocean Drive, yet far enough away from the crowds to be exclusive. The bright, cheerful guestrooms are situated around an elegant interior courtyard atrium. Each contains Spanish colonial-style decor, artwork and artefacts, together with such state-of-the-art amenities as in-room fax machines, dual-line telephones and modem points with quick-access Internet service. Further facilities include a variety of meeting spaces, an acclaimed restaurant specialising in Mediterranean cuisine and Miami’s only in-lobby splash-spa. 3500 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 604 8485. Fax: (305) 674 0881. E-mail: reservations@claridgefl.com Website: www.claridgefl.com Price: US$129. The Tides The tallest and most elegant Art Deco hotel on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, this chic, minimalist hotel offers genuine style for the incurably hip. The interior is sophisticated, spacious and sumptuous, decorated in soft tones of white, taupe and sand. The light, airy bedrooms all have incredible views of the beach and the Atlantic, and contain complete entertainment centres and the very latest in telecommunications, with three two-line telephones and modem points. The telescopes in every room are a clever bonus – the ultimate tool for people-watching. The bar and alfresco restaurant beside the swimming pool on the Mezzanine Terrace, overlooking Ocean Drive, is the place to see and be seen. 1220 Ocean Drive, South Beach Tel: (305) 604 5070. Fax: (305) 604 5180. E-mail: reservations@islandoutpost.com Website: www.islandoutpost.com Price: US$350. Restaurants Miami boasts a huge range of restaurants catering to all tastes and pockets. We have selected 25 restaurants, which we have divided into five categories: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments. As well as a 6.5% state sales tax, most municipalities levy special taxes on restaurants varying from district to district from 9.5% to 12.5%. These taxes are not included in menu prices but they are added to the bill. A few places also include the tip in the bill, but this is not common. It is normal to leave a tip of 15%, or 20% for outstanding service. The prices quoted below are for a three-course meal and for a bottle of house wine or equivalent, unless otherwise stated. Gastronomic Chef Allen’s Chef Allen’s is an ideal restaurant for a special occasion. Chef-owner Allen Susser counts among America’s most respected chefs, celebrated for his innovative New World and ‘Floribbean’ cuisine. The stylish Art Deco restaurant, with its contemporary artwork, fresh flowers and pink neon lighting, is dominated by a glass-enclosed kitchen where you can watch Allen create masterpieces from his nightly changing menu, such as Bahamian lobster and crab cakes with strawberry ginger chutney or tamarind chilli BBQ dry-aged prime sirloin steak with smoked onion mashed potato and mango ketchup. Evenings only. Reservations recommended. 19088 North East 29th Avenue, North Miami Beach Tel: (305) 935 2900. Fax: (305) 935 2900. E-mail: reservations@chefallens.com Website: www.chefallens.com Price: US$65. Wine: US$40. The Forge With its elegant 19th-century façade, plush oak-panelled dining rooms, Tiffany chandeliers and haute cuisine, this veritable institution has catered for the stylish Miami Beach crowd since its opening in 1968. The Forge is best known for its succulent steaks, but the menu also features a wide variety of seafood and chicken dishes. It also boasts one of Miami’s most extensive wine cellars. Reservations recommended. 432 Arthur Godfrey Road (41st Street), Miami Beach Tel: (305) 538 8533. Fax: (305) 538 7733. Price: US$60. Wine: US$25. Norman’s One of America’s most celebrated chefs, Norman Van Aken, is considered by many to be the originator of ‘New World cuisine’ – a blend of Latin, Caribbean, Asian and American cooking, and his restaurant is one of Florida’s finest. Among menu highlights are rum-and-pepper-painted grouper on a mango habanero mojo or yucca-stuffed crispy shrimp with a sour-orange mojo, served from an open kitchen in ultra-modern surroundings to a chic clientele of food aficionados. Reservations recommended. 21 Almeria Avenue, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 446 6767. Fax: (305) 446 7909. E-mail: comments@norman.com Website: www.normans.com Price: US$65. Wine: US$40. Pacific Time This stylish South Beach restaurant offers the finest in contemporary Asian-American and Pacific Rim cuisine. From the open kitchen, star-chef Jonathan Eismann prepares innovative and intensely flavoured dishes, such as Mongolian lamb salad, Sichuan grouper and sweet sake-roasted sea bass, from a predominantly seafood menu. Each dish is a work of art, served to a trendy, appreciative clientele in elegant, airy surroundings. It is a great place for celebrity-spotting too. Reservations recommended. 915 Lincoln Road, South Beach Tel: (305) 534 5979. Fax: (305) 534 1607. Price: US$65. Wine: US$27. Wish This is one of South Beach’s latest culinary hotspots, located in The Hotel – an Art Deco boutique hotel with interiors by fashion designer Todd Oldham. Wish’s chef, Andrea Curto, is one of a new wave of up-and-coming local chefs specialising in American fusion cuisine. Her flavoursome signature dishes include ginger fresno tuna tartare with taro-root chips and caviar or crispy-skinned yellow-eye snapper served with sweetcorn and poblano risotto. The unusual outdoor-indoor restaurant provides a choice of alfresco dining in a lush tropical garden setting or in the colourful, cosy Persian-inspired restaurant. The Hotel, 801 Collins Avenue, South Beach Tel: (305) 674 9474. Fax: (305) 695 9539. E-mail: info@thehotelofsouthbeach.com Website: www.thehotelofsouthbeach.com/wish.html Price: US$50. Wine: US$28. Business Cafe Abbracci The best Italian restaurant in town is a favourite choice for business entertaining, thanks to the upscale cuisine, the efficient but discreet service, and the elegant Art Deco-style setting with modern wood and marble, crisp white linens and fresh flowers. The menu focuses on specialities such as mouthwatering antipasti, homemade pastas, risottos and carpaccios, as well as a knock-out tiramisu for dessert. Reservations recommended. 318 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 441 0700. Fax: (305) 442 0061. Price: US$35. Wine: US$22. Capital Grill This upscale, New York-style steakhouse is a popular restaurant for power lunches and dinners, and is conveniently located in the heart of the financial district of downtown Miami. Specialities include dry-aged beef and succulent seafood. There is live music in the evenings from Tuesday to Saturday. 444 Brickell Avenue Tel: (305) 374 4500. Fax: (305) 374 2777. Price: US$60. Wine: US$35. China Grill The name is misleading. There are no mini pagodas and Chinese dragons on the walls here, as this buzzing, atmospheric restaurant specialises in ‘world cuisine’, combining ingredients, flavours and techniques from around the globe. Menu highlights include irresistible treats such as crispy duck with caramelised black vinegar sauce or seared tuna sashimi with a spicy Japanese pepper rim. It is especially popular for business lunches and with the ‘beautiful people’ of South Beach. Reservations recommended. 404 Washington Avenue, South Beach Tel: (305) 534 2211. Fax: (305) 534 2565. Price: US$55. Wine: US$33. Christy’s One of the most exclusive and elegant establishments in prosperous Coral Gables, Christy’s prides itself on its quality aged beef – filet mignon, prime ribs, New York strip, tenderloin tips and other classic cuts. It has also received numerous accolades for its Caesar salads. In the dimly lit, red-walled dining rooms, the tables are carefully positioned to create privacy for diners wishing to discuss business. Reservations recommended. 3101 Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 446 1400. Fax: (305) 446 3257. Price: US$45. Wine: US$22. Fishbone Grille Centrally located in the main business district and ideal for a cheap, quick working lunch, this spartan fishmonger-cum-restaurant is acknowledged as one of Miami’s best value seafood joints, serving fresh grouper, snapper, Florida spiny lobster, bay scallops and other local catch. There is not much atmosphere, but the daily specials are sensational, especially the fishcakes and the ceviche (raw fish ‘cooked’ in lime juice and served with a spicy sauce). Reservations recommended at weekends. 650 South West Seventh Avenue Tel: (305) 530 1915. Fax: (305) 379 2545 Price: US$30. Wine: US$15. Trendy 1220 at The Tides Located at The Tides, one of South Beach’s most glamorous Art Deco hotels, this beautiful, minimalist restaurant is decorated almost entirely in white, with crisp linens, candles and fresh flowers on all the tables. The food is equally simple and uncluttered, focusing on fusion or ‘progressive American’ cuisine, such as lobster gazpacho and grouper in a curry-ginger broth, with a small but select wine list to compliment the menu. 1220 Ocean Drive Tel: (305) 604 5130. Fax: (305) 604 5180. Website: www.islandoutpost.com Price: US$70. Wine: US$30. Big Pink At the heart of the South Beach hustle, this upscale, modern diner and sports bar serves classic all-American fare to a young, hip crowd. Living up to its name, everything is pink – the bar stools, the lamps, the Plexiglas tables… even the menu, which consists predominantly of pizzas, burgers, pasta and salads all served in hearty, value-for-money portions. The real speciality here, however, is the TV dinner (US$13.95) – a six-compartment metal tray loaded with satisfying comfort food. 157 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 532 4700. Fax: (305) 532 4187. E-mail: info@bigpinkrestaurant.com Website: www.bigpinkrestaurant.com Price: US$20. Wine: US$22. Café TuTuTango This hugely popular café-restaurant, at the heart of the action in Coconut Grove, is decorated to resemble an artist’s loft in Spain, with dozens of original paintings on the walls. Diners lounge in comfy armchairs or at sturdy wooden tables, entertained by artists poised at easels, strolling musicians and magicians, while chefs at three open kitchens prepare an adventurous menu of hot and cold tapas dishes. The choice is bewildering, ranging from pizzas, kebabs, BBQ wings and ribs to specialities such as alligator bites, hurricane shrimp fritters and Cajun chicken egg rolls, washed down with a jug of sangria, ‘Matisse Margarita’ or ‘Picasso punch’. Reservations are not accepted. CocoWalk, 3015 Grand Avenue, Coconut Grove Tel: (305) 529 2222. Fax: (305) 461 5326. Website: www.cafetututango.com Price: US$5-US$8 (per dish). Wine: US$19. Larios on the Beach Owned by local heroine, Gloria Estefan, this ultra-chic, minimalist café-style restaurant serves nuevo (lighter) Cuban cuisine to a trendy crowd of Ocean Drive strollers and strutters, with funky Latin music and lethal mohitos (white rum, lime juice and sugar). Diners enjoy fabada asturiana (black bean and sausage soup) or camarones al ajillo (shrimp in garlic sauce) on the pavement terrace – one of the best locations in South Beach to see and be seen. 820 Ocean Drive, South Beach Tel: (305) 532 9577. Fax: (305) 531 5725. Price: US$30. Wine: US$18. Nemo’s Not only does this ultra-chic restaurant count among America’s best, it also represents the epitome of South Beach cool. Chef Michael Schwartz’s eclectic menu blends Caribbean, Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences with his seafood-oriented cooking to produce signature dishes such as steamed Mediterranean mussels with tomato-harissa broth, sticky black rice and garlic chips; wok-charred salmon with four-sprout salad, toasted pumpkin seeds and soy-lime vinaigrette; and key lime and white chocolate cheesecake flan for dessert, served with a drunken tropical salsa. The bright colours of the jewel-studded restaurant create the perfect backdrop for the sophisticated cuisine while the tree-shaded terrace tables offer a more relaxed seaside atmosphere. 100 Collins Avenue, South Beach Tel: (305) 532 4550. Fax: (305) 532 4187. Website: www.nemorestaurant.com Price: US$50. Wine: US$21. Budget Gables Diner Located amid the gourmet restaurants of sophisticated Coral Gables, this simple, classic family-style diner is a welcome find for those on a tight budget. With its quick and friendly service, an impressive menu of American-style comfort food with a gourmet twist, and unparalleled value for money, it is hard to beat for a light bite. The meatloaf and the chicken pot pie are especially tasty and there are plenty of vegetarian options too. 2320 Galiano Drive, Coral Gables Tel: (305) 567 0330. Fax: (305) 567 0091. Price: US$15. Wine: US$17. Johnny Rockets The pastel-coloured Art Deco buildings of South Beach provide a suitably light-hearted backdrop for Johnny Rockets diner, one of the most popular breakfast venues in the district, with its sensational cooked breakfasts served on the pavement terrace in full view of all the film-star wannabes, supermodels, tourists, joggers and rollerbladers cruising on Ocean Drive. The rest of the day, this classic diner, decked out with old jukeboxes and a Harley Davidson, serves old-time favourites – hamburgers, hot dogs, salads and club sandwiches – along with milk shakes, ice cream sodas and hot fudge sundaes. 728 Ocean Drive, South Beach Tel: (305) 538 2115. Fax: (305) 538 2567. Website: www.johnnyrockets.com Price: US$18. Bottle of local beer: US$3.99. News Café A cult address – where Gianni Versace drank his last cup of coffee shortly before being gunned down on his doorstep just two blocks away. This trendy, European-style café of minimalist decor is one of South Beach’s coolest hangouts, open 24 hours, and an ideal place to while away the hours. (The adjacent News Store is conveniently stocked with magazines and newspapers.) The menu boasts everything from eggs Benedict to bagels and ice cream sundaes, and has an excellent wine list. The signature ‘News Cake’ is a must for chocoholics. 800 Ocean Drive, South Beach Tel: (305) 538 6397. Fax: (305) 531 0394. Website: www.newscafe.com Price: US$35. Wine: US$22. Shorty’s Bar-B-Q This barbecue house is a veritable institution located in a log cabin in South Miami and decorated with mounted boar and caribou heads, saddles and cowboy hats. The informal, fun menu is served at long wooden picnic tables, with specialities including barbecued ribs and chicken – slow-cooked over hickory logs and smothered in Shorty’s own spicy barbecue sauce – accompanied by tangy baked beans, corn on the cob, coleslaw and chilled, thirst-quenching beers. 9200 South Dixie Hwy, South Miami Tel: (305) 670 7732. Fax: (305) 670 7733. Website: www.shortys.com Price: US$12. Pitcher of local beer: US$6. Versailles Versailles is where the local Cuban community of Little Havana come to eat simple, authentic cooking from their home country. Large, lively and brimming with immigrant optimism, this is one of Miami’s most ornate budget eating places, with tuxedoed waiters and an elaborate decor of mirrors, murals and chandeliers. The sopa de platanos (plantain soup) and ropa vieja (beef stew) are especially tasty, and the café cubano (a thimble-sized cup of exceedingly strong, sweet black coffee) is reputedly the strongest shot of caffeine in South Florida. 3555 SW Eighth Street, Little Havana Tel: (305) 444 0240. Price: US$20. Wine: US$14. Personal Recommendations 94th Aero Squadron In an unlikely location overlooking the Miami International Airport runways, this upmarket restaurant contains a choice of small (well-soundproofed) dining rooms, some decorated in country-house style and others with aeronautical memorabilia. One room even has a head set enabling plane spotters to tune in to the control tower while tucking into a simple but quality menu of fish and steak served with delicious garlic mash, Latin specialities and salads. On Sundays, there is a sensational Sunday buffet brunch (US$19.95). An ideal dining venue for anyone suffering a flight delay. 1395 NW 57th Avenue Tel: (305) 261 4220. Fax: (305) 264 2143. Price: US$35. Wine: US$22. Astor Place The delicious ‘Floribbean’ cuisine of chef Johnny Vinczencz, combined with exceptional service and a dazzling wine list, has made Astor Place one of Miami Beach’s hottest dining locations. His innovative culinary creations include flavourful combinations such as smoked tomato soup with grilled brie and coriander sour cream or seared tuna steak served with rock-shrimp rice, cashew nuts, seaweed and sprout salad and pineapple ponzu. The airy, poolside restaurant has a casually chic atmosphere and is a favourite with celebrities. Astor Hotel, 956 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 674 6400. Fax: (305) 531 3193. E-mail: info@hotelastor.com Website: www.hotelastor.com Price: US$50. Wine: US$28. Joe’s Stone Crab A meal at this venerable institution is undoubtedly one of Florida’s most entertaining dining experiences, with its huge baskets of stone crab claws – Florida’s tastiest seafood delicacy – boiled, cracked and served with melted butter, piquant mustard sauce, a cracking board, mallet and bib. Opened in 1913 as a simple shack and steeped in tradition, the restaurant has now grown to over a thousand covers – all non-smoking. No reservations are accepted and there are frequently long queues, but the delicious fare (which also includes soups, steaks, salads and other seafood dishes) is well worth the wait. Closed mid-May to mid-October. 11 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 673 0365. E-mail: QandA@joesstonecrab.com Website: www.joesstonecrab.com Price: US$55. Wine: US$22. Rusty Pelican Located on the peaceful island paradise of Key Biscayne, this romantic colonial-style restaurant offers the best views of any restaurant in Miami – overlooking Biscayne Bay and the sensational skyline of downtown Miami. Seafood is the speciality, but there are also excellent surf-and-turf combinations, prime steaks and vegetarian options. The food is good but the real reason to dine here is the view, especially at sunset and by night when the city’s skyscrapers are magically illuminated. 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne Tel: (305) 361 3818. Fax: (305) 361 8384. Price: US$65. Wine: US$23.50. Smith & Wollensky This branch of the celebrated New York steakhouse boasts a magnificent location at South Pointe Park, the southernmost tip of Miami Beach. Through the huge picture windows of the smart, dark-wood restaurant, diners can watch the endless parade of ships large and small pass through the Government Cut, the shipping channel of the Port of Miami. At the same time, they can tuck into large, juicy steaks, chicken or fish dishes, served with tasty side dishes, such as onion rings, creamed spinach and hash browns, followed by scrumptious desserts. The restaurant attracts an upbeat crowd, especially for weekday business lunches and for weekend brunch. 1 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach Tel: (305) 673 2800. Fax: (305) 673 5943. Website: www.smithandwollensky.com Price: US$60. Wine: US$30. Sport Miami is an excellent city for spectator sports. Several major American teams hail from Miami, including basketball heroes, Miami Heat (website: www.nba.com/heat), who play at home between November and April, at the American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Boulevard (tel: (305) 577 4328 or (305) 960 8500; website: www.aaarena.com). Miami’s top football team, the Miami Dolphins (website: www.dolphinsendzone.com), plays at the Pro Player Stadium, 2267 Northwest 199th Street (tel: (305) 623 6100), from August to December, as do the Florida Marlins (website: www.flamarlins.com), winners of the 1997 Baseball World Series. Their season runs from April to September. For years, South Florida has been a popular horseracing centre. Celebrated racetracks include Calder Racecourse, 21001 Northwest 27th Avenue (tel: (305) 625 1311; website: www.calderracecourse.com) with thoroughbred racing from May to January, and Hialeah Park and Racecourse, 2200 East Fourth Avenue, Hialeah (tel: (305) 885 8000; website: www.hialeahpark.com), with racing from March to May. Tickets to sporting events are available for purchase direct from the venues or from Ticketmaster (website: www.ticketmaster.com). Diving: The Biscayne National Underwater Park, 9700 Southwest 328th Street, Homestead (tel: (305) 230 7275; website: www.nps.gov/bisc), with over 72,400 hectares (181,000 acres) of marine habitat, is popular for diving, snorkelling and glass-bottom boat rides. PADI-registered South Beach Divers, 850 Washington Avenue (tel: (305) 531 6110; e-mail: info@southbeachdivers.com; website: www.southbeachdivers.com), offers lessons, equipment and daily diving trips. Fishing: Deep-sea fishing day trips are operated by a variety of companies, including Therapy-IV, 10800 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach (tel: 305) 945 1578; website: www.therapy4.com), and Reward Fishing Fleet, Miami Beach Marina (tel: (305) 372 9470; website: www.fishingmiami.com). Fitness centres: Most fitness centres and gyms require private membership. However, the Spa at Doral, 8755 Northwest 36th Street (tel: (305) 593 6030), offering the latest in health and fitness programmes with a choice of half-day to seven-night programmes, is open to the public by appointment only (daily 0700-2000). Golf: Florida is a golfers’ paradise, with favourable weather year round and more courses than any other American state. The Biltmore Golf Club, 1210 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (tel: (305) 460 5364), is among Miami’s most beautiful courses. Green fees are US$76 before 1400, US$48 after 1400, including the cart. Crandon Golf Course, 6700 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne (tel: (305) 361 9129), is one of America’s top-ranked municipal courses and home to the Royal Caribbean Classic golf tournament. Green fees are US$131, including the cart, or US$36.21 after 1500. Doral Golf Resort and Spa, 4400 Northwest 87th Avenue (tel: (305) 592 2000; website: www.doralresort.com), boasts five 18-hole courses, each varying in difficulty, from the Great White course to the notorious Monster Blue. Green fees (depending on course and season) are US$125-275. All golf clubs mentioned are open to the public and do not require membership. In-line skating: Visitors can join the South Beach crowd and rent a pair of in-line skates from Skate 2000, 1200 Ocean Drive (free lessons on Sundays). Sailing: Moorings, 2550 South Bayshore Drive, Coconut Grove (tel: (305) 858 8650; website: www.moorings.com), charters yachts from Miami Bay. Tennis: There are public courts at the North Shore Tennis Center, 350 73rd Street, Miami Beach (tel: (305) 993 2022), the Biltmore Tennis Centre, 1150 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables (tel: (305) 460 5360), and Key Biscayne Tennis, 6702 Crandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne (tel: (305) 361 5263). Shopping Shopping opportunities abound in Miami, with a broad assortment of facilities ranging from sophisticated malls to small specialist boutiques. The Miracle Mile in Coral Gables has quality galleries, boutiques and department stores, while the 6.4-hectare (16-acre) waterfront Bayside Marketplace, in downtown Miami, offers an unusual mix of retail shops and local artisan stalls. Other key areas are the funky boutiques of South Beach – most notably the Lincoln Road shopping district, nicknamed the ‘Fifth Avenue of the South’ – CocoWalk, the exclusive Streets of Mayfair shopping centres in Coconut Grove and the numerous malls scattered about Greater Miami. Aventura Mall, 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura, is one of the most popular malls, featuring Burdines, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Sears, JC Penney and over 250 smaller shops. Bal Harbour, 9700 Collins Avenue, is renowned for its chic designer boutiques, while Dadeland, 7535 North Kendal Drive, is one of the biggest malls in America. Sawgrass Mills, 12801 West Sunrise Boulevard, Sunrise, is the place to shop for bargains – it is the world’s largest outlet mall with more than 270 discount outlet stores. Indeed, America has some of the best prices in the world, with clothing, sunglasses, running shoes, CDs, and cameras all especially good value. Most malls are open Monday to Saturday 1000-2100 and Sunday 1200-1800. Most supermarkets open daily 0800-2200, although some are open 24 hours. Sales taxes total 6.5% but cannot be claimed back. Credit cards are the most common form of payment. Culture As home to the Florida Grand Opera, the New World Symphony, the Florida Philharmonic Orchestra and the Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, Miami’s cultural life is very much alive and kicking. The local newspapers are a good way for visitors to find out what is on – the New Times or the Friday edition of the Miami Herald are best – or the excellent online events calendar (website: www.miami.nightguide.com) gives daily listings of special events. Tickets can be bought at the various venues or by phone through the Ticketmaster booking agency (tel: (305) 358 5885; website: www.ticketmaster.com). Music: The Florida Grand Opera (website: www.fgo.org) is undergoing a renaissance, breaking box-office records with its repertoire of well-loved classics and lesser-known works, at the Dade Country Auditorium, 2901 West Flagler Street (tel: (305) 547 5414). The Florida Philharmonic Orchestra, America’s premier regional symphony orchestra, also performs there regularly, while the New World Symphony (website: www.nws.org), America’s unique orchestral academy, plays from late September to early May in the historic Lincoln Theater, 555 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach (tel: (305) 673 3331). The only symphony orchestra of its kind in the world, the New World Symphony has been training gifted graduates for careers in music since 1987. Both symphony orchestras sometimes play at the historic Gusman Center for the Performing Arts, 174 East Flagler Street (tel: (305) 374 2444), a renovated 1920s movie palace, which now stages a huge variety of arts events, including the annual Miami Film Festival. Theatre: The Jackie Gleason Theater of the Performing Arts, 1700 Washington Avenue (tel: (305) 673 7300; website: www.gleasontheater.com), is Miami Beach’s top artistic venue, showcasing Broadway shows, concerts and dance from the Florida Philharmonic, the Miami City Ballet, the Concert Association of Florida and other celebrated productions. Also on South Beach, the intimate Art Deco Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road (tel: (305) 674 1026), hosts an exciting and varied programme of dance, theatre, music and film. Other major theatres include the Edge Theater, 405 Espanola Way, Miami Beach (tel: (305) 531 6083), noted for its comedies and its 20th-century classics, and the Coconut Grove Playhouse, 3500 Main Highway, Coconut Grove (tel: (305) 442 4000; website: www.cgplayhouse.com), nationally recognised for its innovative productions. Dance: Florida’s internationally acclaimed dance company, the Miami City Ballet (website: www.miamicityballet.org), performs a wide repertoire of classical and contemporary works, at a variety of venues including the Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700 Washington Avenue (tel: (305) 673 7300; website: www.gleasontheater.com). Film: There are cinema complexes at every major shopping mall. Miami’s three-dimensional Imax Cinema at Sunset Place, 5701 Sunset Drive, South Miami (tel: (305) 663 4629; website: www.imaz.com/miami), offers the ultimate 3-D movie-going experience, with a screen the size of a six-storey building and a wraparound sound system as dynamic as a full-sized symphony orchestra. Arthouse aficionados should head to the Bill Cosford Cinema, in the University of Miami’s Memorial Building, Coral Gables (tel: (305) 284 4861). Miami’s film and entertainment industry has grown dramatically in recent years. Indeed, the city’s brash reputation was built on the television series Miami Vice in the 1980s. Miami is now the third largest centre for film and TV production in America. Recent films set here include Something about Mary (1998), The Bodyguard (1992), Ace Ventura (1994), True Lies (1994), Get Shorty (1995) and Striptease (1996), not forgetting old classics such as Citizen Kane (1941), Key Largo (1948) and three James Bond movies – Dr No (1962), Live and Let Die (1973) and Goldfinger (1964). Cultural events: The Art Deco Weekend (website: www.artdecoweekend.com) is the world’s largest annual festival dedicated to the preservation of this unique style. It takes place every January, with a huge programme of street theatre, big band concerts and processions in South Beach. The Miami Film Festival (website: www.maimifilmfestival.com) is a springtime event (February and March), which showcases films and videos by filmmakers from across the USA, with a forum for smaller, independent works. Literary Notes Miami itself has little literary history. However, over the years, numerous writers have made Florida their home, in particular Key West. Among them were Ernest Hemingway (1899-1960), author of A Farewell to Arms (1929), For Whom the Bell Tolls (1940) and The Old Man and the Sea (1952), Elizabeth Bishop (1911-79), one of the most celebrated American poets of this century, and Tennessee Williams (1911-83), playwright and author of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1944) and A Streetcar Named Desire (1955). Hemingway – the rough, tough, local novelist – built his reputation in the bars of Key West (see Excursions). The beautiful Spanish colonial-style house, 907 Whitehead Street (tel: (305) 294 1136; website: www.hemingwayhome.com), where he wrote some of his finest works, is open to the public. The contemporary American novelist, Alison Lurie, also has a house in Key West and set her novel, The Truth about Lorin Jones (1989), there. Nightlife Miami never sleeps. When the sun goes down, the stars come out. Celebrities from the entertainment world spend the balmy tropical evenings sipping martinis at hip open-air cafés, before hitting the hot pulsating dance clubs, the cool jazz bars and the countless reggae, merengue and salsa venues. The main nightlife district is South Beach. In recent years, Prince and Simply Red’s Mick Hucknall have opened nightclubs here, while local heroes Gloria Estefan and Ricky Martin both have restaurant-bars on Ocean Drive. South Beach’s Art Deco buildings – neon-lit with vibrant yellows, blues, pinks and purples – provide a suitably light-hearted backdrop to the hedonistic, funky night scene. In the evenings, the bars are abuzz with a colourful, cosmopolitan crowd. After midnight, the whole of South Beach throbs to the international rhythms of its club scene, which offers some of the hottest nightlife in America. Bars close around 0100 and nightclubs around 0600. The average price of a drink while out and about in Miami is US$6-8. The minimum drinking age is 21 years and it is advisable to carry ID. The minimum age for admission for all clubs in Miami Beach (including South Beach) is 21. Many clubs stage theme nights. Check out the New Times or the Friday section of the Miami Herald for further details and listings. Bars: The local scene changes frequently but the South Beach bars that are currently ‘in’ include Joia, 140 Ocean Drive, where Madonna celebrated her last birthday, Larios on the Beach, 820 Ocean Drive, owned by Gloria Estefan, with lethal mohitos (rum punch) and funky Cuban music nightly, Astor Place, 956 Washington Avenue, renowned for its martinis and Wet Willie’s, 760 Ocean Drive, with its outdoor deck, ocean view and irresistible frozen daiquiris. Other hotspots are the Clevelander Hotel’s legendary outdoor bar and dance club, 1020 Ocean Drive, with live nightly entertainment, and News Café, 800 Ocean Drive, one of the Beach’s coolest hangouts (open 24 hours), where Gianni Versace enjoyed his last drink, before being gunned down on the doorstep of his mansion, just two blocks away. The super stylish Pearl, One Ocean Drive, is a beachfront champagne bar for the rich and well dressed, while Raleigh Bar, 1775 Collins Avenue, serves up excellent rum punch in the wood-panelled hotel venue. Casinos: The Casino Princessa offers Las Vegas-style ‘gaming cruises’ for up to 600 passengers, with on-board blackjack, craps, roulette and slot machines. Four-and-a-half-hour trips leave Bayside Harbour (adjacent to the Hard Rock Café), 401 Biscayne Boulevard. Departure times are daily at 1230 and 1930, also Friday to Sunday at 0100. Dress code is casual, the minimum age is 21 years and ID is required. Clubs: You haven’t done the Miami club scene until you’ve been to Liquid, 1532 Washington Avenue, an impossibly exclusive club and favourite celebrity haunt, owned by Madonna’s best friend, Ingrid Casares. Another hot South Beach spot is the Casa Salsa, 524 Ocean Drive, a restaurant-cum-dance club, owned by Latin heart-throb Ricky Martin, which moves to the sounds of Puerto Rico. Likewise Samba Room, 1501 Collins Avenue, features authentic Latin-fusion in a frenetic atmosphere. The eccentric Crobar, 1445 Washington Avenue, has angels on bungee cords above the dancefloor and is frequented by George Clooney. In Coconut Grove, try Chili Pepper, Streets of Mayfair Mall, 2911 Grand Avenue, one of a handful of dance clubs in the area. Nelly and Queen Latifah have been spotted in Level, 1235 Washington Avenue, an old movie house and now a massive clubbing venue, while the Opium Garden, 136 Collins Avenue, is a dance club with a more Eastern atmosphere, attached to an excellent Asian restaurant. Big spenders and celebrities come to enjoy this open-air amphitheatre venue, including Enrique Islesias and Missy Elliot. Live music: For the latest Latin rhythms, try Café Nostalgia, 432 41st Street, Miami Beach, which has a small dancefloor and a house band playing authentic salsa music. La Covacha, 10730 Northwest 25th Street, is one of the hottest places in town for salsa, merengue and Latin hip hop, while the hugely popular Mango’s Tropical Café, 900 Ocean Drive, has flamboyant South Beach salsa with dancing on the tables and in the street. At Miami Beach, the laid-back Van Dyke Café, 846 Lincoln Road, and the more upmarket jazz club, Jazid, 1342 Washington Avenue, both have nightly live jazz and blues. City Statistics Location: Florida, USA. Country dialling code: 1. Population: 600,000 (city); 2.1 million (metropolitan area). Ethnic mix: 82.9% white, 49.2% Hispanic, 20.6% black. Religion: Predominantly Christian. Time zone: GMT - 5 (Eastern Standard Time). Electricity: 110-115 volts AC, 60Hz; flat two-or three-prong plugs are standard. Average January temp: 19.5°C (67°F). Average July temp: 28.5°C (83°F). Annual rainfall: 1425mm (56.1 inches). Special Events Art Deco Weekend, festival for the preservation of Art Deco, Jan, South Beach Royal Caribbean Golf Classic, Feb, Crandon Park Golf Course Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Feb, Coconut Grove Miami Film Festival, Feb-Mar, Gusman Center Olympia Theater for the Performing Arts, Downtown Miami Genuity Championship Open Golf Tournament, Feb-Mar, Doral Golf Resort and Spa Florida Derby, Mar, Gulfstream Park Marlboro Grand Prix, Mar, Miami-Dade Motorsports Complex, Homestead Calle Ocho Festival, Cuban American festival and street party, Mar, Little Havana Ericsson Open, Mar, Crandon Park Tennis Center, Key Biscayne Easter Day Celebration, Mar/Apr, various venues South Beach Film Festival, Apr, South Beach Great Sunrise Balloon Race and Festival, May, South Beach Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival, Caribbean festival, Jun, Coconut Grove Fourth of July Extravaganza, 4 Jul, various venues Annual Reggae Festival, early Aug, various venues Festival Miami, six-week international music festival featuring world premieres, concerts, chamber music and jazz, Sep, various venues 30th Hispanic Heritage Festival, Oct, various venues South Florida International Auto Show, Oct, Miami Beach Convention Center Miami Carnival/Caribbean Mardi Gras, Oct, Coconut Grove and various venues Taste of the Beach, culinary and music festival, Oct, South Pointe Park Junior Orange Bowl Festival, the world’s largest youth festival, Oct-Mar, various venues Annual Winternational Thanksgiving Day Parade, 4th Thurs in Nov, starts at the Orange Bowl Orange Bowl Parade and Big Orange New Year’s Eve Celebration, 31 Dec, Downtown Miami Cost of Living One-litre bottle of mineral water: US$1.70 33cl bottle of beer: US$3.50 Miami Herald newspaper: US$0.35 36-exposure colour film: US$6 City-centre bus ticket: US$1.25 Adult football ticket: US$27-140 Three-course meal with wine/beer: US$15-100 1 American Dollar (US$1) = £0.63; C$1.51; A$1.67; €0.93 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.