Travel :BCD Travel Recommends: Miami
This Latin American gateway is hip, sunny and ready for business…
Miami, the U.S. gateway to Latin America, thrives on tourism, but it’s also home to a rich mix of technology, financial and services firms. Sun-drenched beaches and swanky architecture complement commerce in
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Article Content:
This Latin American gateway is hip, sunny and ready for business…
Miami, the U.S. gateway to Latin America, thrives on tourism, but it’s also home to a rich mix of technology, financial and services firms. Sun-drenched beaches and swanky architecture complement commerce in this tropical city. Charged with energy, Miami also has colorful nightlife and an arts scene that puts this Florida city on the cultural map.
Getting there:
Miami International Airport is the second-largest U.S. airport for international passengers. The airport is about 8 miles (13km) from downtown Miami, heart of the central business district. Taxi stands are just outside the airport and are controlled by traffic officers from the Miami Dade Airport Department. Taxis to the downtown area cost about US. A shared shuttle can be a less expensive option to a taxi at around US, but it will make several stops on the way. Alternatively, rent a car at the Rental Car Center (RCC), connected to the airport via the MIA Mover electric-powered train.
Getting around:
If you don’t have a car, you can easily get around Miami using the city’s public transport system, which consists of the Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover. The Metrorail is a 21-mile elevated rail system that serves downtown Miami and extends west to Hialeah and south to Kendall, with stops about every mile. The Metromover is a bus-like vehicle that runs on a 4.4-mile elevated track looping around the downtown area and to the Brickell and Omni business districts. The Metrobus, Miami’s bus system, offers more than 60 routes in Miami-Dade County. You can also rent bikes from Decobike, which has more than 100 stations around Miami.
Where to stay:
Luxury and upscale options in downtown Miami include Conrad Miami, 1395 Brickell Ave., Ph: (305) 503-6500; The Ritz-Carlton South Beach, 1 Lincoln Road, Ph: (786)-276-4000; Hilton Miami Downtown, 1601 Biscayne Blvd., Ph: (305) 374-0000. Also try the Courtyard Miami Downtown, 200 SE. 2nd Ave., Ph: (305) 374-3000 or the Holiday Inn Port of Miami Downtown, 340 Biscayne Blvd., Ph: (305)-371-4400. Budget options offered outside downtown include the Rodeway Inn Miami Airport, 1050 N.W. 14th St., Ph: (305) 324-0200.
What to do:
Stroll along South Beach or check out Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road to find an array of boutiques, art galleries, museums, restaurants, bars and clubs. On the downtown waterfront, Bayside Marketplace offers shopping, dining and entertainment options.
The cageless Zoo Miami is considered one of the nation’s best. Spend a few hours at Miami Seaquarium on the Rickenbacker Causeway or Parrot Jungle Island, in the same area, to get a close look at marine life and tropical birds.
The 50-acre Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, centered around a 1916 European-style mansion, is a quiet retreat in the heart of Miami that provides a glimpse of life in turn-of-the-century South Florida.
Bargain hunters should plan a trip to Sawgrass Mills’ factory outlet stores, a 30-minute drive north of Miami. But you’ll find shopping options all over the city, too. Dolphin Mall, 7 miles west of the airport, has more than 240 stores and restaurants. Miracle Mile, in Coral Gables, offers more than 170 upscale shops and gourmet eateries. The Miracle Mile area is also a great place for a late afternoon walk.
At the end of the day, catch a smoldering Miami sunset on the outdoor patio bar at Smith & Wollensky. With an icy mojito in hand, watch locals stroll by with their dogs while giant cruise ships float to and from the port.
If you have extra time and a car, venture out to the Florida Keys and the Everglades National Park, a public park with 1.5 million acres of swamps, saw-grass prairies and sub-tropical jungles on the southern tip of Florida.
Dining out:
Miami is a multi-cultural melting pot and this is reflected in its cuisine. Sample a Peruvian ceviche, made from fresh raw fish marinated in citrus juices and spiced with chili peppers, at Cvi.Che 105, 105 N.E. 3rd Ave., Ph: (305) 577-3454. Or try a Colombian bandeja paisa, red beans cooked with pork, white rice, ground meat, fried eggs and plantains, at Rincón Antioqueño, 6521 Southwest 8th St., Ph: (305) 262-1515. Meat lovers should head for one of the many rodizios or churrascarias (Brazilian steakhouses).
For local flavor, sample a frita – a Cuban hamburger made with ground beef, pork and chorizo sausage, spiced with onion powder and paprika and served with shoestring fries and sauce. A popular frita spot is El Mago, 5828 S.W. 8th St., Ph: (305) 266-8486.
If you come to Miami during stone crab season (October to May), then check out Joe’s Stone Crabs on South Beach, in business since 1913. It’s at 11 Washington Ave., Ph: (305) 673-0365.
For a sweet dining adventure, drive an hour to Islamorada to dine at Lorelei’s, said to offer the best Key Lime pie in the area. The beachfront restaurant, perfect for watching the sunset, is at 81924 Overseas Highway, Islamorada, Ph: (305) 664-2692.
Photos credits: Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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