...HOTELS...

1.  Mandarin Oriental Miami

Mandarin Oriental, Miami provides unsurpassed levels of luxury and service in Miami. The urban oasis is ideally located on Brickell Key, a 44-acre island in Biscayne Bay, just minutes from the international financial district and convenient to Miami International Airport, South Beach, Bayside and Coconut Grove. This elegant waterfront hotel, with its contemporary and dynamic design, features some of the most spacious guest rooms and suites. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental, Miami provides a combination of pampering and rejuvenating treatments for mind, body and spirit. Other hotel features include a comprehensive fitness center, Oasis Beach Club providing a private beach, infinity-edge swimming pool, sushi and pool bar and jogging trail circling the island, Cafe Sambal, an all-day dining restaurant, Azul, the 120-seat, award-winning signature restaurant, an elegant Lobby Lounge and M-Bar, a martini and champagne bar overlooking Biscayne Bay. Spacious guest rooms and suites evoke a serene, residential feel and provide spectacular views from balconies and terraces overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline. The guest room interiors draw on the sophistication of a cosmopolitan city with diverse cultural influences. A tranquil and elegant haven, the guest rooms combine contemporary touches from South Florida with exotic Asian elements, such as the bamboo hardwood floors in the suites, to the Spanish marble bathroom tiles in all rooms. All guest rooms are equipped with dual phone lines, cordless phone, wireless Internet access, and Bose sound systems.

2.  Four Seasons Hotel Miami

Four Seasons Hotel Miami is located in the 794 feet tall, 70 storied structures that is regarded as the tallest in Florida. The hotel occupies floors 8 to 40 and is regarded as the most expensive hotel. The elegant interiors with plush and soft sofas vie for position with the massive sculptures in the lobby. The sculptures are an in-house collection by local artists and are an estimated worth USD3.5 million. Almost all the rooms offer guests amenities to suit individual needs and spectacular views of the city and the bay. You can also check out the services at the spa within.

3.  Marriott Doral Golf Resort and Spa, Miami

Positioned on 650 tropical acres, this Miami, Florida golf resort and spa challenges players of all skill levels on five championship 18-hole courses. Experience the prestigious TPC Blue Monster at Doral Course, host of the PGA Tour for over 45 years. A modern selection of treatments inspired by European design welcomes you at Doral's revitalizing Miami, Florida spa resort, which boasts classic Italian villa charm as well as 48 luxury suites. Dive into a world of fun at the Blue Lagoon, presenting family-friendly Miami resort recreation complete with cascading waterfalls, a 150 foot waterslide and The Nickelodeon Getaway experience offered at this hotel on weekends. Six delectable restaurants, unsurpassed Miami spa resort accommodations, and over 100,000 square feet of innovative meeting and event space.

...GREATER MIAMI'S BEACHES...

..Miami’s beaches offer a great opportunity to get some exercise or just enjoy some time in the sun! In this article, I take a look at a few of my favorite beaches, including a couple of lesser-used spots where you’ll be able to avoid the tourist crowd.

1.  South Beach 

Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau

South Beach is the quintessential Miami Beach experience. It’s the place to see and be seen and show off the product of months in the gym. South Beach isn’t clothing optional, but topless bathing is permitted. The beach is located on Ocean Drive, across the street from many of Miami Beach’s famous nightclubs.

2.  Virginia Key Beach

Marc Averette

Virginia Key Beach is one of the most interesting beaches in South Florida. It’s located right off the Rickenbacker Causeway (on both the north and south sides) near the Miami Seaquarium. The location makes for easy access and some areas become crowded, but there are plenty of secluded spots (such as the one shown in the photo) if you’re willing to explore a bit.

3.  Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park

 Florida Department of Parks and Recreation

Bill Baggs State Park, located on the south end of Key Biscayne, is home to the famous Cape Florida lighthouse. The park provides sunbathing, swimming and history in the same spot! You can spend some time on the beach and enjoy a guided tour of the lighthouse. Fishing is also allowed from the seawall. The park also hosts Boater’s Grill, a full service restaurant.

...MUSIC...

The Downtown neighborhood of Park West is home to many large nightclubs

Miami music is varied. Cubans brought the conga and rumba to Miami from their homelands instantly popularizing it in American culture. Dominicans brought bachata, and merengue, while Colombians brought vallenato and cumbia, and Brazilians brought samba. West Indians and Caribbean people have brought reggae, soca, kompa, zouk, calypso, and steel pan to the area as well.

In the early 1970s, the Miami disco sound came to life with TK Records, featuring the music of KC and the Sunshine Band, with such hits as "Get Down Tonight", "(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty" and "That's the Way (I Like It)"; and the Latin-American disco group, Foxy (band), with their hit singles "Get Off" and "Hot Number". Miami-area natives George McCrae and Teri DeSario were also popular music artists during the 1970s disco era. The Bee Gees moved to Miami in 1975 and have lived here ever since then. Miami-influenced, Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine hit the popular music scene with their Cuban-oriented sound and had huge hits in the 1980s with "Conga" and "Bad Boys".

Miami is also considered a "hot spot" for dance music; Freestyle, a style of dance music popular in the 80's and 90's heavily influenced by Electro, hip-hop, and disco. Many popular Freestyle acts such as Pretty Tony, Debbie Deb, Stevie B, and Exposé, originated in Miami. Indie/folk acts Cat Power and Iron & Wine are based in the city,[48] while alternative hip hop artist Sage Francis, electro artist Uffie, and the electro clash duo Avenue D were born in Miami, but musically based elsewhere. Also, ska punk band Against All Authority is from Miami, and rock/metal bands Nonpoint and Marilyn Manson each formed in neighboring Fort Lauderdale. Popular Cuban American female recording artist, Ana Cristina, was born in Miami in 1985, and became the first Hispanic person in history to perform the "Star Spangled Banner" at a presidential inauguration.

The 80's and 90's also brought the genre of high energy Miami Bass to dance floors and car subwoofers throughout the country. Miami Bass spawned artists like 2 Live Crew (featuring Uncle Luke), 95 South, Tag Team, 69 Boyz, Quad City DJ's, and Freak Nasty. Examples of these songs are "Whoomp! (There It Is)" by Tag Team in 1993, "Toot see Roll" by 69 Boyz in 1994, and "C'mon N' Ride It (The Train)" by the Quad City DJ's in 1996. These songs all reached the top 10 in the pop charts and gave Miami Bass a new commercial success.

Miami is also home to a vibrant techno and dance scene and hosts the Winter Music Conference, the largest dance event in the world, Ultra Music Festival and many electronica music-themed celebrations and festivals. Along with neighboring Miami Beach, Miami is home to nightclubs such as Space, Mansion, Park west, Ink, and Cameo. The city is known to be part of club land, along with places such as Mykonos, Ibiza and Ayia Napa.

There are also several rap and hip hop artists out of Miami. They include Trick Daddy, Trina, Pitbull, Pretty Ricky, DJ Khaled, Flo-Rida, Jackie-O, Rick Ross, DJ Laz, and the Miami Bass group 2 Live Crew.

...PARK...

The Barnacle Historic State Park, built in 1891 in Miami's Coconut Grove neighborhood

Miami's tropical weather allows for year-round outdoors activities. The city has numerous marinas, rivers, bays, canals, and the Atlantic Ocean, which make boating, sailing, and fishing popular outdoors activities. Biscayne Bay has numerous coral reefs which make snorkeling and scuba diving popular. There are over 80 parks and gardens in the city. The largest and most popular parks are Bayfront Park and Bicentennial Park (located in the heart of Downtown and the location of the American Airlines Arena and Bayside Marketplace), Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Key Biscayne (Crandon Park and Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park), Tropical Park, Peacock Park, Morningside Park, Virginia Key, and Watson Island.

Other popular cultural destinations in the area include Jungle Island, Zoo Miami, Miami Seaquarium, Coral Castle, St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church, and the Charles Deering Estate.

...GEOGRAPHY...

The mouth of the Miami River at Brick ell Key

At only 35.68 square miles (92 km2) of land area, Miami has the smallest land area of any major U.S. city with a metro area of at least 2.5 million people. The city proper is home to less than 1 in 13 residents of South Florida. Additionally, 52% of Miami-Dade County's population doesn't live in any incorporated city.

Miami and its suburbs are located on a broad plain between the Florida Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east that also extends from Florida Bay north to Lake Okeechobee. The elevation of the area never rises above 40 ft (12 m) and averages at around 6 ft (1.8 m)  above mean sea level in most neighborhoods, especially near the coast. The highest undulations are found along the coastal Miami Rock Ridge, whose substrate underlies most of the eastern Miami metropolitan region. The main portion of the city lies on the shores of Biscayne Bay which contains several hundred natural and artificially created barrier islands, the largest of which contains Miami Beach and South Beach. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current, runs northward just 15 miles (24 km) off the coast, allowing the city's climate to stay warm and mild all year.

...MIAMI IN MY HEART...

Miami is almost more Latin American than simply American - famed for its sunny weather, savoir faire, legendary party scene and super-cool South Beach style.

Art deco hotel in Miami

Miami and its neighbouring city Miami Beach are cities of emotion, color and texture. Much of Miami's appeal is due to its diverse neighborhoods, which range from towering skyscrapers in downtown Miami (the commercial heart of the city) to Little Havana, home to the Cuban community. Meanwhile, the Port of Miami is the world's largest cruise port.

Miami

Miami Beach is world-renowned for its 'gold coast' hotel strip, palatial properties and exceptional outdoor recreational facilities. It’s glamorous, see-and-be-seen South Beach neighborhood is instantly recognizable, with its candy-colored art deco buildings set against a pure South Florida backdrop of cloudless skies, dazzling Blue Ocean, pale sandy beaches and swaying palm trees.

Miami beach lifeguard hut

Thanks to its warm weather year-round, both cities share one ethos: life here is not about work but plenty of play.

Ocean Drive by night, Miami