So, you’ve come down to Miami for business meetings and you’ve got the weekend off, or maybe you’re returning to Miami for a little down-time as the sights, sounds and friendliness appealed to your senses! Well, whether you’re looking for a little stereo typical beach culture, some great dining, shopping, art or culture, Miami delivers the tried and true and a few new and surprising tricks.
Here are our top 3 recommendations on how to spend a day off, out and about in Miami:
Indulge South Beach and then Ocean Drive
A great place to enjoy an afternoon either actively or relaxing; the South Beach scene absolutely lives up to the stereotype of Miami. You’ll find surfers, beautiful bodies, volleyball, rollerblades, fun characters and more peppering the sidewalks, sand and aquamarine ocean up and down South Beach.
Finished with the sand? Take a stroll around Ocean Drive to catch Miami’s golden era of art deco architecture. The stunning hotels of the 20’s dot the landscape including the Breakwater, Park Central Hotel and the Imperial. The Art Deco District of Miami contains over 800 flamboyantly styled building from the ‘30s and ‘40’s, pop into the Art Deco District Welcome Center for a self-guided audio tour.
Check out what’s changed, and what’s still the same in Little Havana
Little Havana is a cultural taste of Cuba right in the heard of Miami. A testimony to the American dream, Little Havana is a neighborhood originally created by the thousands of Cubans who fled Cuba during Castro’s uprising. You’ll find restaurants, cigar stores, Latin music and great little shops. A few Miami enthusiasts are bringing even more art into the region, adding some new gallery spaces. As you walk down brightly colored 8th Street, you’ll find the little parkette where the locals play dominoes and other games – Viva la Cuba! The last Friday of every month from 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm Calle Ocho (8th Street) in Little Havana closes its street to traffic to showcase artists, sculptors, and musicians. Be sure to pop into Azucar, and meet the owner, Suzy; this fun ice cream shop has been featured on TV (including us) and in the New York Times!
Top your evening off with Dinner and a Show
Miami is filled with great restaurants; one could go on forever listing them. Michael’s Genuine (www.michaelsgenuine.com) is a good bistro recommendation; Michael Schwartz’s delicious, local and unpretentious food is served in a laid back atmosphere. For amazing American Comfort Food with a twist, check out City Hall, a beautiful Art Deco 2 storey restaurant located just five blocks north of Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts… and then, of course, take in a great show.
Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts is a stunning state of the art theater facility hosting live performances in dance, music and live theater; something for every age and taste can be enjoyed here (www.arshtcenter.org).
This tropical, cosmopolitan paradise is definitely one of the world’s best cities to mix business and pleasure. So make sure you stay an extra day and enjoy the city’s great hotels, do some shopping, grab a mojito and enjoy.
