South Beach Florida Overview

Whether you are visiting South Beach to sunbathe, dance the night away or to watch the stars come out, you are sure to have the time of your life in this most popular district of Miami, Florida.

The city's culture is patterned after a mosaic of various nationalities. South Beach has a definite Latin America flair to it that is profoundly influenced by the city's Colombian Chilean, Dominican, Puerto, Rican, Nicaraguan, Honduran and Haitian residents. For this reason, ethnic cuisines and exotic music are to be found everywhere you go in South Beach.

The Art Deco District is also one of South Beach's main attractions and features historical buildings designed by such famous architects as Henry Hohauser, Morris Lapidus, Albert Anis, and L. Murray Dixon. Every year in January, the city holds an Art Deco Festival to celebrate this area's unusual style of early twentieth century architecture that includes pastel colored walls, glass friezes and Egyptian and French inspired details.

Beach lovers won't be able to resist the sandy shores of the Atlantic that stretch for miles up the coast and run parallel to South Beach's trendy Ocean Drive. Ocean Drive is lined with trendy cafes, shops and bars and is often likened to Hollywood's Rodeo Drive.

South Beach is also world-famous for its celebrity nightclubs. One of the most famous is Liquid, an impossibly exclusive celebrity haunt that is owned by Ingrid Casares. Latin heartthrob Ricky Martin owns Casa Salsa. Other famous celebrity hangouts are Joia, where Madonna socializes and Larios on the Beach that is owned by singer Gloria Estefan.

Other legendary clubs in South Beach are the Clevelander Hotel that features live nightly entertainment and the stylish ocean-side champagne bar called Pearl.

South Beach itself is a long, man-made beach stretches up the Atlantic for miles and is perfect for early morning runs, sunbathing and romantic walks at sunset. South-Pointe on the beach is great spot for surfing and deep-sea fishing.

Sandy white beaches, shopping, celebrities and a unique multicultural population give South Beach a unique atmosphere that is described as being Monte Carlo, Havana, Rio De Janeiro and Hemingway's Paris all rolled up into one exciting city.