Miami Beach is One of the Easiest Cities to Navigate Like a Local; Relax and Enjoy as You Do What the Locals Do Every Day While on Your Vacation
With summer here, now is the time to throw some Beats on your iPod and
head down to the tropics to experience the flavor of Miami Beach like a
local. On its surface, Miami Beach is a hub for international jetsetters
and celebs, but for the residents of Miami Beach the city is a tropical
metropolis a perfectly blended cocktail of nature, commerce and style.
A city of good eats and history, Miami Beachs true spark is its
walkability it is, after all, an island. In one morning you can pick
exotic fruits, buy a designer outfit or/and dip your toes in the
Atlantic Ocean no car needed. Take a weekend to live like a local and
youll see why year after year, people flock to Miami Beach.
FRIDAY
3 p.m.
PARTY CENTRAL
1020 Ocean Drive
Get right into the party mood as soon when you hit Miami Beach. Its
easy at South Beachs #1 party hotel, The Clevelander. The
heartbeat of Ocean Drive and a popular meeting spot for locals, the
hotel recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation with upgrades
to the public areas and guestrooms. The Clevelander Pool + Patio,
C-Level Rooftop Terrace and the SPF4 Sun Deck offer great music, endless
sports on television and places to chill with your travel companions.
The C-Level Rooftop Terrace features 360 degree panoramic views of Ocean
Drive. A brand new chic retreat high atop the Clevelander, the Rooftop
Terrace has step-in waterfalls, private cabanas, sun beds and loungers
which are also available for non-hotel guests with a day pass.
The SPF4 Sun Deck is a second elevated party terrace atop the new
Clevelander. Relax on couches, refresh yourself in cool water features,
sip specialty drinks and take advantage of the full cafe menu at this
lofty enclave. Facing busy Lummus Park and the Art Deco Welcome Center,
the Clevelander is ground zero for South Beachs best live music – hot
electro, house and dance DJs, twilight R&B sessions and SOULcentriCITY
Sundays with Latin-inspired Jazz – inside at the 1020 Lounge or outside
on its famed patio.
7 p.m.
GET STONED AT MONTYS
Miami Beach Marina
300 Alton Road
Dock your Deco bike near the Miami Beach Marina and cool off at Miami
Beachs happiest happy hour: Montys Raw Bar. Tourists and locals mingle
noshing on the one thing that unites all: delicious and prudently priced
stone crabs. Paired with a fruity rum drink, its just the thing you
need to get your vacation started.
8:30 p.m.
SOUNDSCAPE CINEMA
500 17th Street
Love going to the movies but feel guilty about missing out on the balmy
Miami Beach weather? Well, watch movies outside with the Soundscape
Cinema Series at the New World Center (NWC)
Soundscape Park
at the affordable price of free! Shows often start at 8:30pm or later
and sit anywhere as the 7,000 sq. foot projection on the wall of the NWC
can be seen all across the park. Spread out on the artfully landscaped
green with a picnic dinner from the popular Le Sandwicherie for a
relaxing and unique cinematic experience with hundreds of your closest
friends under nothing but a starlit sky.
SATURDAY
9 a.m.
HOLA, DESAYUNO
700 Collins Avenue
No matter what city youre visiting, everyone knows theres nothing like
a local secret when you want to eat out. Well, shhhh .. Enjoy a
delicious meal and embrace the local culture (at local prices!) at Puerto
Sagua, a Miami Beach favorite for traditional Cuban cuisine serving
favorites for breakfast (desayuno), lunch, or dinner.
11:30 a.m.
HIT THE COURTS
11th Street and Jefferson Avenue
Flamingo Park is an athletes paradise with clay tennis courts, a
swimming pool, a running track, basketball and racquetball courts as
well as a playground for small children. The park is also home to the
Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade County. Once host to the Junior Orange
Bowl Tournament, Flamingo Park offers its services to non-residents at
$8/hour. Classes are also available for only $20. Dont have equipment?
No problem. The park has on-location pro shops capable of meeting all of
your needs.
2 p.m.
BEACH BLOOM
1108 15th Street
After a great workout, take a shower and then take a walk over to Bloom
Boutique, one of the cutest clothing boutiques on South Beach and a
local favorite. The store boasts an eclectic mix of clothing in the
latest styles including brightly hued dresses that range from long and
flowy to short and summery, t-shirts and tops, colorful skinny jeans,
striped tanks and sexy tunics with plunging backs. Dotted across store
shelves are faux leather purses and totes, flip-flops, platforms and
high heels.
8 p.m.
THE ROAD TO HAPPINESS
1104 Lincoln Road
Owned by Kevin Aoki, the son of Benihana founder, Rocky Aoki, Doraku
sushi restaurant has been a South Beach favorite for years. Combining
the flavors of Latin and Pan Asian cuisine with the Japanese foods of
his youth, Aokis Doraku is packed with locals who love the
restaurants family style service, uber-popular Happy Hours and
extensive Sake selections, one of the largest lists in the U.S. Doraku,
which means the road to happiness, in Japanese, is a Miami Beach
must-stop during your vacation.
10 p.m.
FOXHOLE LOUNGE
1426a 14TH Court
Behind an unmarked door on an easy-to-overlook side street off Alton
Road, youll find a secret hideout brimming with neighborhood charm; oh,
and vintage guns. To find Foxhole, an
invisible-to-the-naked-eye cocktail lounge, youll need to make your way
to the back of the Dominos on Alton and 14th Court (always the
beginning of a memorable night). Look for the unmarked gray door, walk
through and your night begins. Dont let the location fool you. The
place is pretty slick a polished cement bar, plenty of deep leather
booths and an Internet-enabled jukebox that ensures theyll have
whatever James Brown deep cut youre longing to hear.
SUNDAY
12 p.m.
BEER BRUNCH
7337 Harding Avenue
Before leaving town, you have to check out one of the best places to
dine in Miami Beach right now: Lous Beer Garden for a Beer Brunch. Chef
and Miamian Luis ‘Lou’ Ramirez presents a laid-back gastropub that can
satisfy food critics and beer snobs alike. The carefully curated
micro-brewed beers and dishes are all imagined by Lou and change
with the seasons. A real Miami Beach treat: Mango Mojitos from Lous
mango tree.
2 p.m
I SPY
Everywhere
Wherever you are on Miami Beach, you dont need a pair of binoculars to
enjoy some of the best people watching in Florida. A walk down Ocean
Drive will prove there is no shortage of characters providing
endless entertainment and great material for your next film. Look
closely and you may even catch a celebrity in action. Also, check out Lummus
Park, the historic News Café or head over to Nespresso
on Lincoln Road for exciting people watching where youll see Miami
Beachs finest and strangest characters!
About Miami Beach
With an average year-round temperature of 75 degrees, Miami Beach has an
unrivaled reputation for culinary offerings, nightlife, culture,
fashion, and luxurious hotels. Also a popular destination among
travelers, Miami Beach was recently ranked by
Advisor as number one on its
Winter Sun Vacation Rental Getaway Destinations for 2011 list and
was included on both the
25 Beaches in the World and
25 Destinations in the U.S. lists. Boasting seven miles of
breathtaking beaches, Miami Beach is easily accessible from the Port of
Miami and Miami International Airport. The City of Miami Beach has just
been named one of the top cities worldwide for ‘walkability’ and is
equally easy to navigate by bike or by boat. Home to unique museums, to
the New World Symphony and Miami City Ballet, to over 17,000 luxury,
boutique and resort hotel rooms, 12 public parks and to the Miami Beach
Convention Center, Miami Beach is a destination for all seasons. Miami
Beach is like no other place in the world!
Visit MiamiBeachGuest.com or
for more information or contact Grisette Marcos at Groquemarcos@miamibeachvca.com.
