Sun, swim, waves, and diversity of culture, Miami, Florida has it all for an outstanding vacation spot. Miami is a melting pot of culture, highlighting its diversity through art, entertainment, easy living, and food. Taking one step into the Miami heat from MIA airport, one can immerse themselves into the one city that represents destinations from all over the world. The variety of languages you can hear on an everyday basis can make a person feel like they are in a whole different world. Along with the diversity of cultures, one can enjoy Miami’s finer aspects as far as nightlife, first-class dining, spas, exquisite accommodations, and entertainment. For those that want to delve into Miami’s true self, there are thousands of acres of everglades to explore, miles of beautiful beaches, and endless wildlife at every corner. Living in my hometown of Miami, Florida for ten years I learned a lot about some of the best places to go, some heavily advertised, and some little holes in the wall that will push your vacation over the top as one of the best.
“Miami South Beach” by Gary Bembridge is licensed under CC BY 2.0
First, starting with the famous South Beach, which was featured in numerous movies and TV shows such as “2 Fast 2 Furious,” “Ballers,” “Burn Notice,” and many more. I tell visitors that South Beach is unlike any other experience in the country. You can see everything from a million dollar McLaren drive by to a guy juggling on a unicycle riding down the road with a snake slithering around his body. South beach is full of unique quirks that make it unlike anywhere else. For adults, the nightlife is lively, with numerous bars, clubs, and restaurants to visit all with optimum entertainment. For the kids, there are miles of beautiful beaches, sandcastle competitions daily, Botanical gardens, and plenty of other attractions near the beach such as the Miami Seaquarium, State Parks, and Jungle Island. Miami Beach will always be a vacation mecca for families or couples looking to get away.
“MIAMI SEAQUARIUM” by LEONARDO DASILVA is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The acclaimed Mango’s Tropical Café is one of my favorite places to go in Miami. I used to go all the time with my parents to watch the dancers on the stage while enjoying a pina colada and a delicious dinner. The Mango dancers immerse you into Miami’s Spanish culture and provide all-night entertainment while enjoying dinner including salsa, bachata, hop-hop, break-dancing, singing, Brazilian samba, cabaret, belly dancing, Michael Jackson tributes and many more. If you’re ready to party the night away, the restaurant has a huge dance floor with a DJ all night long and provides plenty of fun for 21+. If you’re looking to sit back, relax and enjoy the show, they have an abundance of dining tables available for a front row view of the show.
Living in Miami for ten years allowed me to find the hidden gems of the city, one such place I particularly enjoyed was Robert is Here Fruit Stand and Farm. Away from the big city lights, Robert’s is a local food market selling anything from homemade juices, locally grown produce, and over 1,000 different honeys, jams, and jellies.
“Everglades National Park” by Daniel Zimmermann is licensed under CC BY 2.0
The store is sandwiched between Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the country, and Biscayne National Park, an underwater park that protects Florida ocean wilderness and corals. The best part about Robert’s is by far their famous thick, creamy milkshakes! They have a variety of flavors and they are out of this world. My all-time favorite is lychee and key lime! A milkshake I crave weekly and definitely a stop I recommend when in Miami. After listening to live country music, enjoying a delicious fruit milkshake, and a juicy ripe mango they cut up for you to enjoy for lunch, and grabbing a homemade key lime pie to go, you can stop by in the back to visit the petting zoo! They have a variety of birds, including ostriches, macaw parrots, ducks and emus. They also have pigs, goats, sheep, chickens, and turtles. Having a solid five stars on Yelp for many years, it is a great pit stop if heading south to go to the keys or one of the numerous wildlife parks.
“Wynwood Art District, Miami” by T.Tseng is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Wynwood is another place in Miami unlike any other place in the country. Graffiti once seen as urban decay, is now an accepted form of art work in Wynwood. Artists from all over the world are able to express themselves on the walls of Wynwood and it subject to a new tour in one of Miami’s trendiest places. Wynwood has thousands of beautiful legal murals on the walls surrounding art galleries, restaurants, bars, clothing stores and entertainment. Wynwood is also home to the world-famous Art Basal where artists from all over the world come to share their unique art pieces and murals. “Wynwood is also now home to the world’s largest installations of murals by multiple graffiti artists” (Washington times). When I think of graffiti, I think of tags from local people spray painted on a train, but in this case, it is completely different. Wynwood is full of the most amazing, beautiful works of art, huge murals you could only dream of seeing. Walking or biking through the streets of Wynwood feels like you are submerged into a different world; a world of color, freedom, and beauty.
The last hot spot in Miami that I love to visit is the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. If you love unique museums packed with fun ways to learn, this is the place for you. This six-level museum features a huge planetarium, a three-level aquarium featuring South Florida’s aquatic ecosystems, dinosaurs, space travel, a touch pool, ways your body works, a giant brain model, monster fish, everglades ecosystems, water shapes, and many more, this museum can peak anyone’s interest. The museum staff provide educational and interesting shows and demonstrations at each exhibit. This museum can be enjoyed by children, families, couples, and individuals; people of all ages. This is definitely a go-to spot when visit Miami.
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