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| This is probably what comes to mind when you think about Miami Beach... big wide
stretches of sand, blue water, people sunning, and mile upon mile of high-rises lining the
shore. But for the real sights, head to South Beach where, despite the view on
the beach (which is worth a stroll), the real show is in the Deco District, especially
along Ocean Drive. During the day you'll get a good mix of tourists,& locals but
the real parade takes place at night starting no earlier than 10:00PM (although if you
wait TOO late to show up, you'll never find a place to park!)... |
| Even though the scene around SoBe is not quite as extreme as was portrayed in 'The
Bird Cage', holding down a table at one of the sidewalk cafe's is a definate spectator
sport. The passing parade of the fringes of humanity is enough to keep you entertained for
hours. Recommended perches: the outside bar at the Clevelander or the balcony
at Wet Willies... Mango's (is it still called that?) usually packs them on on the weekend
for live music in the courtyard... Foodwise, the Clevelander is pretty reliable, Lario's on the Beach for Cuban (although I prefer the original location west of the airport off of 8th)... Many of the other places (like Mezzaluna) have pretty good food but I always feel like I'm getting gouged when I look at the menu. During the day (or 24 hours for that matter) the News Cafe is an Ocean Drive institution (This is where Versace was headed the morning he was shot)... While I'm not especially partial to stone crab myself, many people crave them and they are a trademakr of South Florida, so if it's the season (most of the winter months), head to Joe's Stone Crab, a Miami Beach landmark for many years. It's almost at the southern tip of Miami Beach, and you'd better make a reservation... For additional Miami Beach recommendations coming from one of the local Latin celebrities, I've summarized them here. For an even more complete guide to the area check out our South Florida links... especially SoBe Diary or Exito...
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| If you ARE in the area during the day, feel free to venture past the Ocean Drive
strip.. The Art Deco architecture in the area (it IS a National Historic Area) is worth
checking out and the mix of restored and run down buildings (along with the mix of
young/hip and old/retired people) gives the place a unique atmosphere...
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More Miami Beach Recommendations
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Last Updated July 3, 1999 by Jonathan Bales