Miami Florida Travel Guide

Back to Home Page

Vacation rentals in Miami, FL are simply amazing. The cosmopolitan city of Miami which is often regarded as the official gateway to Latin America is an important center for international business, tourism, fashion and nightlife. However until the late nineteenth century this tropical heaven which is characterized by clear blue skies, white sand beaches enveloped by azure seas was largely an undeveloped swampy backwater.

The history of Miami can be traced back to the time when it was settled by the Tequesta Indians nearly 2000 years ago. These Tequesta Indians who lived close to Biscayne Bay and the Miami River were a peaceful tribe who were hunters and gathers. The tribe had infrequent contact with the Spanish who arrived here in 1567 and established a mission which was known as "Mayaimi. Towards the late 1800's these Indians had largely disappeared and Miami remained secluded until 1821 when U.S. acquired Florida. Soon after this event, many settlers came and populated the area around the Miami River but the growth of Miami and its surrounding regions was hampered due to lack of efficient transportation links with the rest of the country.

The building and completion of the Florida East Coast Railroad in 1896 gave its growth the much needed impetus as people discovered the wild beauty of its environs and the pleasure of its year round amenable climate.  Miami soon became a favored tourist destination which experienced much hotel and residential construction during the early years of the 20^th century.  It was at this time that the city's historic pastel hued Art Deco district was also established.

Miami continued to grow in leaps and bounds during the 1950's and it received another shot in the arm in 1959 when it was flooded with Cuban émigrés who escaped to Miami to get away from Fidel Castro's Cuban revolution. These Cuban émigrés who were largely educated professionals contributed greatly to the city's further growth so much so that it soon evolved into an important center for international business with strong links to the Latin American market.

Today this vivacious city which is a cultural melting pot and is renowned for its many distinctive neighborhoods and stylish, glamorous lifestyle continues to be a leading tourist destination  that also serves as the home of the headquarters of several international companies .

Getting to Miami

By Air

Miami International Airport (MIA) is located close to downtown Miami and is served by several leading international and domestic airlines like British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, Air France, Air Canada, Iberia, EL Al, Mexicana, Continental, Delta, American Airlines, US Airways, United and many more.

 Many prominent low cost carriers like Southwest, JetBlue, Sprint also provide air links to the city of Miami by either flying directly into MIA or to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport( FLL) which is easily accessible from Miami via a forty minute car or cab ride.

By Train

Amtrak provides rail connections to Miami from New York City and Los Angeles though these trains traverse through several other prominent southern cities before getting to the party central city of Miami.

By Bus

The Greyhound bus service makes Miami City accessible from nearly every point of the country.

By Car

Interstate 95 provides direct access to city and  it continues to  run through the entire length of the city.

By Ship

The Port of Miami which is located in downtown Miami is one of the busiest ports of the country. It fulfills a dual role in acting as the cruise capital of the world as well as  the cargo gateway of the Americas. Almost all the leading cruise ships call on or set out from the port of Miami.

Transport within Miami

Miami is well served with a well developed public transport system that consists of the Metrobus, Metromover, Metrorail and Tri-Rail services.

Prominent Neighborhoods

Miami is composed of several different neighborhoods which are well known the world over.

South Beach/ Art Deco District

This area which is located along the southern part of  Miami Beach is undoubtedly one of the most famous neighborhoods of this multicultural city. Located with South Beach or ‘SoBe', as it is popularly known are several hip and trendy restaurants, fashionable stores and nightclubs that enable it to be described as a ‘capital of cool'. SoBe also hosts a number of festivals that are held at various times of the year like the Miami Art Basel which is traditionally held in December and the South Beach Wine and Food Festival which is held in February.

The Design District

Miami's Design District lies north of Midtown Miami and is home to more than 130 art galleries, showrooms, stores, bars and eclectic restaurants.

Little Havana

The neighborhood of Little Havana which borders the Miami River was originally a Cuban enclave though today it is populated by people who come from various countries in Latin America. Salsa and Merengue clubs and cultural fests abound in this colorful district that hosts the Calle Ocho festivities which are a part of the annual Carnival Miami.

Coral Gables

This planned residential neighborhood which was designed by George Edgar Merrick in the 1920's is home to the historic Biltmore Hotel. Several  upscale dining and shopping establishments are also located  in this neighborhood which is characterized by plazas, fountains, wide boulevards and large Spanish colonial style homes many of which belong to wealthy Cuban exiles.

Key Biscayne

The island community of Key Biscayne lies south of Miami Beach and east of Miami and is home to the Seaquarium, high end hotels and resorts as well as several public beaches. Key Biscayne is connected to Miami via the Rickenbacker Causeway.

Coconut Grove

This harbor front town which is affectionately known as ‘The Grove' is known for its many varied restaurants and excellent shopping options.

Where to stay

Almost every leading hotel chain in the world has an outpost in Miami, especially along world famous Miami Beach which is renowned for its glitz and glamour. However, if hotels are really not your cup of tea you can always choose to stay at a vacation rental for your sunny getaway in Miami. Miami in fact offers a plethora of vacation rentals that range from furnished ocean view luxury condos, to affordable lodging, beach front villas and small vacations condos that are available in almost all of Miami's delightful neighborhoods.

 Attractions

Undoubtedly the beaches are the main draw in Miami but the city also has much to offer for vacationers who don't like to spend all their time basking in the sun poolside or on the beach. Miami has in fact several cultural attractions like the Bass Museum, the World Erotic Art Museum, The Wolfsonian, the Holocaust Memorial, the Historical Museum of  South Florida( this museum offers several walking tours that visit the various neighborhoods of Miami like Little Havana and the Design District) which can provide a diversion from  the various sun,sand and surf attractions.

If you are visiting Miami with you children your itinerary should include a visit to Miami's many wild life attractions like the Miami Seaquarium, the Everglades National Park, the Miamimetro zoo  and Jungle Island. Another recommended activity is a cruise on the bay aboard a chartered yacht, boat or airboat. Local operators offer a wide variety of cruises and tours which provide much fun for all the family when on vacation in Miami.

For lovers of architecture, Miami attractions like the opulent Italian renaissance style Vizcaya museum and gardens which were built by business tycoon James Deering in 1916 and the Coral Castle which is located on the road to the Florida Keys are not to be missed.

Shopping

 Miami is also a great shopping destination and it has excellent shopping options in most of its neighborhoods. Some of Miami's premier shopping destinations include Aventura Mall located on Biscayne Boulevard,  Bal Harbor Shops which offers upscale shopping and dining, Bayside Marketplace which also located on Biscayne Boulevard and the Village of Merrick Park which is located in the chi-chi neighborhood of Coral Gables.

Restaurant and Bars

Miami, along with New York and Los Angles, is considered to be one of the dining and nightlife capitals of the USA and accordingly has a wide variety of restaurants that cater to every taste. Some of the best restaurants in Miami include Azul which is located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Cacao which serves Latin American Cuisine and is located in Coral Gables, Chef Allen's which is highly ranked for its Caribbean influenced American cuisine and Nobu Miami which is the Florida outpost of the world famous Japanese gourmet restaurant.

However not all dining in Miami is high end and the city offers several wallet friendly dining establishments like News Café, a casual dining spot  located in South Beach,  Pasha's which serves  largely Mediterranean fare and Versailles which serves authentic Cuban and Latin American food.