Set on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida, Miami has become a leader in the arts, entertainment, media, culture, commerce, finance and international trade. Port Miami has been the world’s No. 1 cruise passenger port for more than two decades — it currently hosts 15 cruise brands mooring 34 ships — earning it the nickname “Cruise Capital of the World.” The city is also often called the “Capital of Latin America,” as 70 percent of the population is of Cuban, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Colombian, Venezuelan, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Mexican, or other Hispanic or Latino descent. Miami is rife with Latin influences, and no visit would be complete without some immersion in the city’s vibrant culture.
In the Little Havana neighborhood, a center of social, cultural and political activity named for Cuba’s capital city, Carnaval Miami is held yearly in March and April and features events including a Latin jazz festival, a cooking contest, and a domino tournament. Carnaval’s most popular event, Calle Ocho is a block party held on SW Eighth Street (Calle Ocho) where participants could wear colors or flags to represent and celebrate their ethnicity. Hundreds of street vendors now participate in the event selling food from different countries, and more than 30 stages are set up to blast the tunes of salsa, reggaeton and merengue. At any time of year, stop by Little Havana’s Versailles Restaurant, which is renown for its Cuban cuisine.Image may be NSFW.
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Possibly the most recognized images of Miami are of South Beach, located on the southernmost part of Miami Beach, a series of natural and man-made barrier islands across Biscayne Bay from the city proper. This party town has been called the American Riviera, with its white-sand beaches and world-class nightlife. Not to be outdone is South Beach’s stunning Art Deco architecture. An Art Deco Weekend, which began in 1976 to raise awareness of and appreciation for the Art Deco era, is held annually on South Beach’s Ocean Drive.
Back across the bay and just north of Midtown is the Design District, home to more than 130 art galleries, antique dealers, showrooms and stores. The pedestrian-friendly area is a mix of new buildings and historic structures as well as public art installations. Adjacent to the Design District is Wynwood, a once-quiet warehouse district where businesses made shoes, textiles, handbags and clothing that has blossomed into sites for galleries, art complexes and performing arts spaces. The Wynwood Walls, one of the world’s largest open-air street-art installations, are located in the 25th-26th Street complex of six separate buildings. Pay a visit to the Walls then sit down for salads, pasta and pizza on the charming patio at Joey’s, the first restaurant to open in the arts district.
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Adding to Miami’s influence in the art community is the annual Art Basel Miami Beach, held at the Miami Beach Convention Center every December and attracting art enthusiasts from around the world. In 2013, the show featured 258 galleries from 31 countries, showcasing modern and contemporary works of art. Exhibitions are on view year-round at the Frost Art Museum, which is noted for its collection of Latin American and 20th century American art, and the Pérez Art Museum Miami, the city’s newest contemporary art museum. For more museum culture, check out the Miami Children’s Museum, the Museum of Science, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and HistoryMiami, which specializes in the history of southeastern Florida.
With all the creative souls who reside in Miami, it is no wonder the city has also become a shopping mecca. There’s designer shopping at the Bal Harbour Shops and more than 280 shops and six department stores at the Aventura Mall, the largest mall in the area. In addition to its art galleries and showrooms, the Design District is also notable for its high-end shopping. Louis Vuitton, Prada and Christian Louboutin all have storefronts here, alongside boutiques and home décor stores.
Residents also take great care with their cuisine, combining Caribbean and Latin American influences with American cooking to create a unique South Florida style known as “Floribbean” cuisine. Seafood is quite popular as well, due to Miami’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and history as a seaport. The city is home to top chefs, such as Michael Schwartz and his restaurant Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink, located in the Design District. Miami native and James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein has a bakery and café here, too, called Crumb on Parchment. Bernstein also runs the kitchen at the Thompson Miami Beach’s restaurant Seagrape.
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There seems to be a flood of culture, creativity and cuisine everywhere you turn in Miami. It might be impossible to experience everything that makes the city so unique in just one visit, but it is absolutely worth a try. And with the numerous events and experiences happening throughout the year, Miami is a city you’ll want to return to again and again.
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