SOUTH BEACH

The balance of Miami Beach is simply known as that, Miami Beach.  It too hosts hundreds of hotels and apartments but does not have the nightlife of South Beach, which is quite acceptable to those seeking a more laid back and subdued environment day and night.  Other than the Florida Keys, Miami Beach normally sports the warmest weather in the mainland United States.  It also boasts the internationally famous Art Deco District of historic hotels.

DOWNTOWN MIAMI

Although Miami is thought of more as a residential and business area, which it is, the city also has its own beach, located off Old Cutler Road south of the downtown and Brickell areas. Matheson Hammock Park is very lush and scenic, with a man-made atoll pool, refreshed constantly by the tidal action of Biscayne Bay. Its predictable breezes and shallow waters make it a favorite for kite-boarding because it affords easy launching. The park also has a full-service marina, snack bar and restaurant.

Miami is a major center and leader in finance, commerce, culture, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. It has been nicknamed the “Capital of Latin America”. It has various sections: Downtown Miami includes Brickell, Virginia Key, Watson Island and the Port of Miami, including the cruise and cargo ports. It is Florida’s largest and most influential central business district. Northwest of Downtown is the Civic Center, Miami’s center for hospitals and research; on the southern side is Coral Way, The Roads and Coconut Grove, the latter including Miami’s City Hall, the Coconut Grove Playhouse and CocoWalk; the western side includes Little Havana, West Flagler and Flagami, the city’s traditionally immigrant neighborhoods; and the northern side includes Midtown with a great mix of diversity, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and the Design District. The cuisine of Miami is a reflection of its diverse population, with heavy influence especially from Caribbean cuisine and from Latin American cuisine.