Miami Beach is the premier party city in the South. Located in Florida, Miami Beach is world-famous; a place where both celebrities and tourists go to mix, mingle, party and be seen. Miami Beach contains many restored Art Deco buildings, some of which house the clubs that make the nightlife in Miami Beach unique and exciting. The two main areas for nightlife in Miami Beach are Ocean Drive and Washington Avenue.
Ocean Drive is one of the main strips for the most beautiful Art Deco buildings right across from the glorious Atlantic Ocean. This is the place to be on Friday nights, when people drive expensive cars, both owned and rented, down Ocean Avenue at a slow pace. Everybody is out on a Friday night, and the sidewalks are where massive people-watching takes place.
Outdoor seating is readily available at the restaurants and clubs along Ocean Drive. The Clevelander is a restored Art Deco landmark that doubles as a bar and hotel. This bar is most unique, for it has a luxury hotel atmosphere with outside sections and a huge pool. This is a well known tourist spot. There is also a café on the premises during the day hours, with views of the ocean. The Clevelander is located at 1020 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 786-276-1414.
Miami Beach is heavily influenced by Latin culture. Cubans have been migrating to Miami since the 1940's, and the culture is evident within the nightlife throughout Miami Beach. One of the main Latin spots the locals go to for salsa dancing is Mango's Tropical Café. Professional costumed salsa dancers perform to live music, right in the middle of the floor close to the tables. The whole atmosphere is quite lively, with various shows until 2 p.m. The club stays open until 5 a.m. They serve tropical drinks with an array of exotic flavors, and food is available as well. There is also seating outside along Ocean Avenue. The Mango Tropical Café is located at 900 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, 305-673-4422.
The beauty of Miami Beach nightlife is that everything is located within a two-block radius, mainly in South Beach. Washington Avenue is just two blocks away from Ocean Avenue. Another aspect of the Miami nightlife is going to the clubs where the celebrities frequent. Once such notable club with celebrity sightings is the club Crobar. This club also has celebrity DJ's. A mix of both tourists and locals frequent this establishment. Crobar is located at 1445 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, 305-531-5027.
There are interesting clubs along Washington Avenue that aren't mainstream dance clubs like the Latin and salsa clubs known in Miami Beach. For instance, there is Jazid; a small jazz club on Washington Avenue that caters to the discriminate jazz enthusiast. This being Miami Beach, the jazz has some Latin influences. The club is located at 1342 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach, 305-673-9372.
