Miami Information and Miami Tourism
(Miami, FL, USA)



Miami is often referred to as the epicenter of 'cool' and is located on the south-easterly tip of Florida. Famous for many things, Miami is best known for its extremely sunny weather, golden beaches, Art Deco character and lively nightlife. Also known as the 'Gateway to the Americas', the 15 miles / 24 km of glorious beaches make Miami a little different to other large cities and it is understandably popular with all ages, attracting a broad spectrum of tourists.

Various tourist information outlets are dotted around the city, with the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce on Meridian Avenue being well worth a visit. Other tourism centers of note include the Art Deco Welcome Center on Ocean Drive, and the Greater Miami and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has branches located on Brickwell Avenue, Coconut Grove, at the Snapper Creek Plaza and next to Sunny Isles Beach.




Accommodation in South Florida tends to be a little expensive, and Miami hotels are certainly no exception to this. Beachfront hotels understandably fetch a premium rate, although holidaymakers can enjoy considerable savings by simply staying a few blocks back from the beach. Miami is small enough that you can stay just about anywhere without feeling isolated, although for many, the beach serves as an ideal base for nightlife, dining out and touring the city.

Miami is full of interesting and appealing tourist attractions, and the most notable include the Miracle Mile - one of the city's major shopping regions, situated in the Coral Gables district; the Freedom Tower - an important landmark tower built in 1924; the Miami Metrozoo - one of the finest wild animal parks in America; and the Seaquarium - a 15-hectare / 38-acre complex of huge saltwater pools, with a number of majestic killer whales and friendly dolphins, sea lions, porpoises and a group of manatees. Countless other tourist attractions are situated nearby, such as the Miami Everglades National Park, which is amongst the largest natural parks in Florida, made up of large swamps and marshes. Air boat tours are available to safely negotiate the Everglades National Park and view the numerous alligators residing here. More information on Miami Tourist Attractions and Miami Landmarks.

There are also many excellent museums in Miami, providing interesting heritage information about bygone days. Some of the best include the Gold Coast Railroad Museum - one of the city's most popular and impressive cultural attractions, home to around 30 large, retired locomotives, including a 1928 Pullman sleeping car redesigned in 1942 for President Franklin Roosevelt; and the Miami Art Museum - recently declared as ranking amongst Miami's most important cultural institutions by the state of Florida.

This city has a range of communities and districts, including Downtown Miami, a vibrant and diverse area, filled with clothes and jewelry shops, restaurants, cafés and fast-food stands. The South Beach Area (SoBe) is a particularly exciting and lively area, occupying the city's southernmost 3 miles / 5 km and filled with up-and-coming art galleries, stylish diners, stylish Art Deco buildings, glorious beaches and many top nightclubs. The Art Deco District is at the very center of city's clever reinvention, with more than 800 Art Deco buildings, including some excellent hotels close to the beach. Central Miami is a quieter area than South Beach and one of the most wealthy areas of the city, being full of palatial homes, affluent residents and a number of excellent golf courses.

The North Miami Beach district includes Collins Avenue, which runs for 7 miles / 11 km through North Miami Beach, and there are also several noteworthy beaches and parks in this part of Florida. North Miami Beach is made up of four small communities, Surfside, Bal Harbor, Haulover Beach and the Sunny Isles and Golden Beach area. Little Havana is home to the city's largest ethnic group, with a thriving community of Cubans that have been rapidly expanding over the last few decades. The Coral Gables district is located south of Little Havana and is one of the most individual and distinctive areas of Miami, with around 12 square miles / 31 square kilometres of wide boulevards, attractive streets and many stunning buildings with Spanish and Italian architecture.

The Coconut Grove district is a fashionable area of Miami and is often full of celebrities and the glitterati. The main areas of the Coconut Grove include Villa Vizcaya, Central Coconut Grove, Charles Avenue, Black Coconut Grove and South Coconut Grove. Coral Way is a commercial district to the north, embracing the neighborhoods of Brickwell, Coral Gate, Douglas, Parkdale-Lydedale, Shenandoah, Silver Bluff and the Roads. The South Miami district is situated to the south of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove, and full of middle-class suburbs and family homes, reaching the edge of the Everglades. The Key Biscayne area is a compact and well-presented community, located some 5 miles / 8 km from the coastline, with many upmarket houses and condos - Richard Nixon once had his presidential winter house in this area.

Warm days and nights throughout the year are what make South Miami Beach the closest thing to a 24-hour city in America. Biscayne Bay, which separates the city from Miami Beach's barrier island, is a sailor's delight and there are numerous small islands waiting to be explored. The city is home to an enormous cruise port and the Port of Miami is considered the cruise capital of the world. There are also a number of large public parks, preserving thousands of forested acres and grass beaches.

Over the years, Miami's reputation has changed from being the celebrity hangout in the fifties to the vice capital of America in the eighties. More recently, the last few years has seen Miami undergo a major personality change, known as the 'second wave'. Basically, Miami is booming and has never been more popular, riding high and becoming one of the 'in places' in America, attracting all kinds of people, all ages and all persuasions.

Miami International Airports Guide - useful Miami International Airport (MIA) information.

Miami hotels

More Miami Information / Fast Facts and Orientation

• Country: USA
• Location: Miami-Dade County, Florida (FL)
• Status: city, county seat
• Area: 45 square miles / 117 square kilometers
• Population: 625,000
• Language: American English
• Currency: US Dollar (USD)
• Time zone: GMT - 5 hours Eastern Standard Time (daylight saving time is observed)
• Country dialing code: +1
• Telephone area code: 305
• Religion: various religions
• Electricity: 110 volts AC, 50 Hz - flat two-pin plugs or third round pin are used
• Average daily January temperature: 24ºC / 75ºF
• Average daily July temperature: 32ºC / 90ºF

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