Miami

Miami is a tropical metropolis at the southern tip of Florida, where South American temperament meets Caribbean ease and American scale. The city is known for its Atlantic beaches, Art Deco quarters, Cuban culture and a year-round salsa rhythm.

About the city

Miami is the largest city in Miami-Dade County and one of the main gateways between the United States and Latin America. A large share of residents speak Spanish, and the metropolis has long been a crossroads of cultures: Cubans, Haitians, Colombians, Venezuelans and people from dozens of other countries have shaped an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in America. Here a warm ocean sits beside the downtown skyline, and 1930s historic districts beside ultra-modern galleries.

Main sights

• South Beach — the city's calling card: about 10 km of pale sand along the warm Atlantic. Its central artery is Ocean Drive, lined with pastel Art Deco façades.
• The Art Deco Historic District — more than 800 buildings from the 1930s, with flowing lines, neon lighting and nautical motifs. The Miami Design Preservation League runs walking tours (from roughly $35).
• Wynwood Walls — a street-art quarter in the former industrial district of Wynwood, with large-scale murals by artists from around the world on warehouse walls. Viewing is open-air and free.
• Vizcaya — a 1916 Italianate palace on Biscayne Bay, surrounded by formal gardens and fountains (tickets around $25).
• Little Havana — the heart of the Cuban diaspora. On Calle Ocho they brew strong cafecito, older residents play dominoes, and live music drifts out of the cafés.
• The Design District and downtown — fashionable boutiques and galleries, plus the skyline of the banking district.
• Coral Gables, Coconut Grove and the causeway islands — green, unhurried neighbourhoods for walking, with historic mansions and water views.

Outside the city, set aside time for Everglades National Park, with its wetlands and alligators, and for the Florida Keys, reached by a scenic highway across the ocean.

Food

Miami's cooking is above all Latin American. Cuban classics include the hot medianoche sandwich, chicharrón de pollo (crisp fried chicken), fresh tropical fruit on Calle Ocho and flan for dessert. Among local seafood, stone crab is famous — served at the historic Joe's Stone Crab (dinner is decidedly expensive, from $50 up). Food lovers should look in on the Wynwood food halls, where several cuisines sit under one roof.

Indicative prices (Numbeo): an inexpensive lunch from $15, dinner at a mid-range restaurant around $55, a coffee about $5.

Getting around

Public transport is run by Miami-Dade Transit: the Metrorail (about $2.25 a ride), buses, and the elevated Metromover, which circles downtown free of charge. Getting by without a car is realistic mainly within South Beach; for travel between districts most visitors and locals use taxis or Uber and Lyft. Renting a car makes sense for trips to the Everglades or the Keys.

Accommodation

The range is wide: a hostel bed costs from about $40 a night, a mid-range hotel room around $200. The most expensive options cluster by the beach in South Beach; cheaper ones are on the mainland and in residential districts.

When to go, and practical advice

• Season. The best time to visit is November to April: the dry season, comfortable temperatures and less rain. Summer brings heat around 35 °C with high humidity and frequent thunderstorms.
• Hurricanes. The official tropical storm season runs from June to November; in those months it is worth watching the forecasts before you travel.
• Parking. Spaces are scarce and expensive in South Beach and downtown — paid garages are easier, or leave the car behind altogether.
• What to bring. Sunscreen, a hat and light clothing; some Ocean Drive venues enforce a dress code in the evening.

How long to allow

About four days is comfortable: a day for South Beach and the Art Deco district, a day for Wynwood, downtown and Vizcaya, an evening in Little Havana with salsa and Cuban food, and one more day for the Everglades or the Florida Keys.