Sun, sea, sand, mouth-watering cuisine, culture, great weather, and nightlife…come together to make Miami our Destination of the Week.
Once famed in the 1980s as the home of Crockett and Tubbs in the popular television series ‘Miami Vice’; this vibrant city on America’s South Florida coastline covers 56 square miles and stretches from the serene Everglades to the stylish haunts of the rich and famous on Miami Beach.
Port of Miami is also the embarkation point for cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and beyond; so it makes the perfect place to stay both pre-cruise to get in holiday mode and post-cruise so you can wind down before your flight home.
Here we turn the spotlight on a few of Miami’s favourite neighbourhoods to give you a real insight into what Miami is all about…
South Beach - This vibrant area is not just famous for its long swathe of white sand but its Art Deco architecture is pretty special too. Stroll through the streets and feast your eyes on the pastel-coloured buildings fashioned in the Art-Deco era of the 1930s. Indulge in retail therapy along Lincoln Road; enjoy the old Spanish-style architecture mellow vibe of Espanola Way; and visit Wolfsonian-FIU and Bass Museum of Art for a touch of culture. It’s a culinary hotspot too; from fine dining to casual beachside cuisine.
Miami Design District - This eclectic neighbourhood sits north of Midtown and combines inventive dining with creative entertainment and retail therapy aplenty; equally-matched by art galleries, showrooms, antique dealers, and more. Designer shops from Christian Louboutin to Prada rub shoulders with quirky boutiques and home décor stores. Culture-wise; visit the Institute of Contemporary Art, Locust Projects, and Swampspace; not forgetting the unique Fly’s Eye Dome and Elastika. You’ll also find restaurants by culinary greats such as Michelle Bernstein and Michael Schwartz here too.
Downtown and Brickell - Downtown Miami is a Mecca for skyscrapers, stunning bay views, and hidden places to explore; plus you can watch Miami Heat play baseball, Broadway-style shows, and more at American Airlines Arena. Brickell mixes old with new; from Henry Flager’s Royal Palm Hotel and the Freedom Tower and shopping at the state-of-the-art Brickell City Centre to culture at Maurice A Ferre Park’s Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science and Perez Art Museum Miami.
Little Havana - This thrilling neighbourhood is Miami’s Cuban heart, lined with bustling restaurants, speciality food shops, and Latin American art galleries. Get up close to daily life along the main thoroughfare, Calle Ocho; where you can watch independent and revival films at the historic Tower Theater and play dominoes at Maximo Gomez Park. See how cigars at made at El Titan de Bronze, catch a baseball game at Marlins Park, and watch a live performance at the unique Cubaocho.
Everglades National Park - Just a short drive from Miami; these famous swamplands cover 1.5 million acres and are home to crocodiles, alligators, snakes, and an eclectic mix of birds. Exploring the park is easy; there’s an informative Visitors Center, boardwalks, and walking trails for wildlife viewing. No visit here would be complete without taking an airboat tour through the streams and marshes.
A-list celebrities and world-famous DJs head to South Beach’s LIV at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach, while Basement at the Edition is a little different - combining a bar, bowling alley, ice skating ring, and dancing. The Design District’s The Stage is your go-to for live music from local, international, and cutting-edge bands, while Little Havana’s iconic Hoy Como Ayer is the place to don your dancing shoes.
Miami is famous for its street food: from stone crabs with hash browns and coleslaw; freshly-cooked grouper fish in a baked bun; and arepas stuffed with meat, vegetables, and cheese; through to a Cuban sandwich, Chicharron pork, and Key Lime Pie. Drinks-wise; sip cocktails like a Margarita, Hurricane, and the Caipirinha or sample local crafts beers such as Vera Sur, Concrete Beach’s Rose Ale, and Tripping Animal’s Good Karma.
Miami enjoys a tropical monsoon climate, with hot and humid summers followed by short, warm, and drier winters. April to October expect highs between 30°C and 33°C with occasional showers in early morning or late at night. October to April look forward to averages of 25°C, with December and January temperatures sometimes falling down to 15°C.
To experience Miami for yourself, Hays Cruise have a wide selection of cruises taking in the highlights of this area - to find out more contact Hays Cruise on 0800 408 4229.
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