Rumler.com accurately points out that when referring to Miami, it is important to consider the greater metropolitan area, which is comprised of surrounding towns and incorporated areas, such as Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Homestead, Key Biscayne and Coral Gables. These areas are popularized by music, movies and such television shows as "Miami Vice," "CSI Miami," "Miami Ink," "Miami Medical" and "Miami Social." The Technicolor glitz and glamor from popular media remains a consistent draw, especially on Saturday nights. World-class food, dancing and beaches surround locals and tourists alike.
The Guide to the Good Life has rated Miami restaurants based on decor, service, ambiance, wine list and other factors. Miami’s best rated restaurants are Azul, Little Palm's Dining Room, Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink, New American Cuisine and Michey's.
Azul
Mandarin Oriental
Miami, 500 Brickell Key Drive
Miami, FL 33131
305-913-8254
mandarinoriental.com/miami/dining/azul/
Little Palm’s Dining Room
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
28500 Overseas Hwy, Little Torch Key, FL 33042
305-872-2551
littlepalmisland.com/LittlePalmIsland_Dining.aspx
Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink
Atlas Plaza
130 NE 40th Street
Miami, FL 33137
305-573-5550
michaelsgenuine.com
Michey’s
6927 Biscayne Blvd.
Miami, FL 33138
305-759-2001
In a recent AOL/Travel & Leisure poll, Miami was ranked the top city in America for the singles scene and Latin beat. Dancing and clubbing are a popular pastime, especially on Saturday nights when you can see movie stars, rocks tars, and guest DJs frequenting some of the largest clubs in America, many boasting over 30,000 square feet of dance floor. Miami’s most popular nightclubs according to NightCure are BED, Mansion, Dolce Miami, Nikki Beach Club and Club Boca.
BED
929 Washington Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-532-9070
nightcure.com/Miami/clubs/25/B.E.D/B.E.D.html
Mansion
1235 Washington Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-531-5535
nightcure.com/Miami/clubs/18/Mansion/Mansion.html
Dolce Miami
1501 Ocean Drive
Miami Beach FL 33139
305-662-2221
nightcure.com/Miami/clubs/182/Dolce Miami/Dolce Miami.html
Nikki Beach Club
One Ocean Drive
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305-538-1111
nightcure.com/Miami/clubs/60/Nikki Beach Club/Nikki Beach Club.html
Club Boca
7000 West Palmetto Park Road
Boca Raton, FL 33433
561-392-3747
nightcure.com/Miami/clubs/46/Club Boca/Club Boca.html
Now everyone wants to dance or go to fine restaurants. Frankly, not everyone has the desire to stay awake all night long, or spend lots of money. For those who desire something off the beaten path, there are plenty of unusual alternatives. There is the avant guard theater production Broadsword, free live music on Saturday nights in Miami’s Design District and beaches, beaches, beaches.
Broadsword is a play about a fictional New Jersey Metal Band, who after a 20-year hiatus, gets back together at the funeral of their former lead guitarist. As Brandon K. Thorpe of the New Times reveals, “a similar production in most other theaters would proceed more or less as follows: The musicians would discover what they lost when they gave up their band. They would bare their souls, come to a realization about the fleeting nature of youth, and find closure.” But this is not that play. The band wants to bring their former leader back from the dead. Tickets can be advanced purchased at arshtcenter.org.
The Miami Design District is an 18-block neighborhood with over 150 venues, including a gallery walk every second Saturday. Event listings and maps of the various venues can be found at miamidesigndistrict.net.
