South Beach is nearly synonymous with Miami. It is the part of the city seen in postcards and the movies. South Beach is packed with trendy restaurants, nightclubs and hotels. The Art Deco District features the most art deco architecture in one place in the world. Eat a meal at one of the sidewalk restaurants on Ocean Drive and people watch. Wander around the open air pedestrian mall on Lincoln Road. From South Beach you can walk down the Miami Beach Boardwalk. It is four miles of beach and ocean front hotels.
Miami's huge tourism industry gave rise to tours for just about everything. They are handy if you have a specific interest you wish to explore in a short period of time. Cultural tours can take you through the communities of Little Havana, Little Haiti, Liberty City, Coconut Grove or Miami Beach. An Everglades tour takes you into the swamp on an air boat. A Duck Tour is on an amphibious vehicle that drives into the water and motors around Biscayne Bay. For a more leisurely view of Biscayne Bay take the Island Queen tour. For 90 minutes it shows you the Miami skyline, Millionaires' Row and the Port of Miami.
There are many types of outdoor recreational activities that you can enjoy in Miami. Head to Miami Beach, Bayside or Key Biscayne. There you can rent motor boats, kayaks, wave runners or take a windsurf lesson. You can also join a boat tour to scuba dive, snorkel, fish, swim with dolphins or see manatees.
Experience sports Miami style. Watch a Jai-Alai match. It is like racquetball in a huge court except competitors use big curved basket mitts and hurl the ball more than 100 miles per hour. The sport is popular in Spain, France and Latin America. Greyhound Dog Racing is also popular in Miami. The Flagler Dog Track is open June to November while the Mardi Gras race track is open year around. Gulfstream Park features horse racing and also has a casino. It is open January through March.
Miami has a diverse and jovial night life. Top clubs include Nikki Beach Miami, Opium Garden, Flavour, Cameo, Twist, Club Space and the Pawn Shop Lounge. Get there late and stay later. Be sure to dress sharp and bring lots of money. Clubbing can get expensive.
