Miami – General View
What makes Florida such a wonderful destination for tourists is the weather. As the locals say, it’s usually sunny in Florida, and more often than not, they are correct.
Florida is located in the southeastern part of the United States. It is bordered by Alabama from the northwest and Georgia from the northeast. The climate of the majority of Florida is subtropical while the southern part of Florida is tropical. This makes for pleasant to humid weather throughout the state of Florida.
Florida was named after Juan Ponce de Leon who came to the peninsula in April 1513, and today, it is the 3rd most densely populated state in the country.
As of 2020, the population of Florida was over 21 million which means it grew by about 1.5% from 2019. In the city of Miami alone, the population is over 470,000 as of 2020.
Much of the attractions in Florida have something to do with being outdoors like adventure parks, sports, and beaches.
The beaches of Florida are wide breathtaking sands that can sometimes get so packed, especially during the hot summer months. Some of the best-loved beaches in Florida are Daytona and Cocoa Beach on the east coast, Florida Keys and South Beach in Miami, St. Petersburg and Clearwater Beach on the west coast.
Much of the coastline of Florida is being well-taken care of and preserved which makes them desirable places to go to because you know the waters are clean. Along the coast are many kinds of places to stay in such as hotels and condominiums. If you are lucky, you might find a private house that is rented out on a short term basis which means you can enjoy the comfort of a well-kept home and the chance to lower your travel expenses by cooking your meals from the house.
At night, the coastline becomes a veritable sea of lights with bright colourful lights of the nightlife. One of Florida’s prime cities in the city of Miami. It has been one of the most “sought after international recreation destinations” in the world. Miami has some of the top sports facilities in the United States.
Sports enthusiasts and those who want to train for international tournaments come to Miami to be able to experience the facilities and tutelages available in the state. Many sports legends have been trained in Florida. Much of their success is due to the fact that the weather n Florida allows them to train almost all year round.
Miami is also one of the more successful cities in the United States with many of the major multinationals setting up their headquarters here. This makes for a robust economy and an even better employment rate.
History and Climate
The history of Florida shows how the city grew from a very large lake inhabited by Native Americans, to a place controlled by Spain for 250 years, then sold to the United States for $5 million. In 1896, the city of Miami was incorporated with just about 344 voters. However, it was the start of a brand new beginning for Miami.
The real estate boom in 1920 started a tourism industry that grew to such large proportions that we see today. Miami is one of the top tourist destinations in Florida and the United States.
The Climate of Miami is semi-tropical which would explain why so many tourists enjoy coming to this city. There is extreme weather at times due to hurricanes. Generally speaking, Miami only gets about 60 inches of rain a year. The hottest months are July and August. Surprisingly though they are also two of the wettest months.
Many people think that Miami is a hot place to be in but on average, the highest temperature in Miami is only 89.8 degrees Fahrenheit. On January 19, 1977, woe and behold, Miami experienced its first snow in history! It actually was not a lot of snow, just light flurries. Since then, there has been no sign of snow yet.
Not surprisingly. Miami gets a lot of tourists during the winter months because of the very good weather they have. The days are sunny but not hot nor humid, and the nights are a welcome cool temperature that makes it possible to enjoy the outdoors.
Famous Places in Miami
Miami is a tourist haven. Practically every district and place you go to has an attraction for tourists. It’s an amazing state with wonderful weather almost all year round. Here are some of the many famous places you can visit in Miami.
Cape Florida Lighthouse
This tourist spot is located just south of Miami Beach and is the oldest lighthouse that is still operational in Florida. It was built in 1825 as a way to help ships entering Biscayne Bay through the Florida reefs.
The original lighthouse was ruined during the Second Seminole War and the new lighthouse was only completed in 1845 because of American Indian conflicts. The old tower was built to a height of 65 feet, but this was raised to 95 feet when the second structure was built.
Everglades National Park
This is a great place to go if you want to experience water sports and other athletic activities like mountain biking. You might stumble upon an alligator along the bike trails, but that is all part of the attraction. Just don’t bother them, and they won’t bother you as well.
Miami even hosts this local sports event, the MS 150/Breakaway to Key Largo Bike Tour which starts from the Miami Metro Zoo and ends all the way down in Keys.
Jungle Island
Jungle Island is perfect if you are looking for a wholesome family adventure holiday, It has three amazing reptile shows that is sure to astound you and your family. This is a truly enjoyable and different activity to enjoy. Here in this fantastic Miami tourist destination, you and your family will get opportunities to come into close contact with rare animals and you can also see some wildly exotic animals which you are allowed to personally feed.
Miami Boat Show
This is an annual 5 days boating event when Miami gets full of boating enthusiasts from all over the country. Hotels across and along the coast of Miami are all bound to be fully booked during this time.
According to the locals of Miami, this is the best boating event of the year in the entire United States. You get to see so many kinds of boating events and innovative designs. It’s really just one big party for the whole city of Miami.
The Venetian Pool
This used to be a rock quarry in the early 1900s and you can find it in Coral Gables which is a residential area in Miami. It was an inspiration of Phineas Paist who was the architect and Denman Fink who was the artistic designer.
The inspiration of these two gentlemen was to bring to Miami a Venetian type lagoon. When it was finally finished in 1924, the public was finally allowed to see the Venetian Pool. It is now still open to the public and has been enhanced by Venetian style architecture surrounding the pool and the Mediterranean design of the Coral Gables residential community.
Other Things To Do In Florida
Miami may not be the sports city of Florida, but it still has a lot to offer by way of sporting events and facilities for the athlete tourists. For instance, you can go to the Fitness Complex of Eden Roc which offers day membership for tourists. In there you will find an amazing 28-foot high rock wall. It is the only indoor rock wall in all of Miami Beach.
If you really want to push yourself in rock climbing, try the Rock Climbing Center of Miami. The main attraction of this place is the textured walls and the different kinds of climbing activities you can try. Here in the Rock Climbing Center you can try top-rope climbing, lead rope climbing and bouldering.
Naturally, while in Miami, you have to step foot on the famous beaches of the city, about 30 miles of beach. The spectacular sight of sea, sand and beach whether during daytime or nighttime can blow you away.
Since Miami is in a semi-tropical area if you plan to go down to the beaches during the daytime, make sure to bring some sun protection like sunblock, a hat, and some sunglasses.
In Miami, you will also find the Miami Runners Club. This is the 3rd biggest organization of runners in the country. Their headquarters are located in Tropical Park which has about 10 miles of paved courses for running. There is also a South Bay Bike Path and a mile-long bike path that takes you straight to the wild mangroves of Florida.
Every June, there is a running event that anyone can join. This is the Rums of Puerto Rico which is a 5 K run along the shores of Miami Beach. There is a great after-party with loads of rum at the end of the day which is an attraction on its own.
For more physical activities n Miami, you can try rollerblading in Ocean Drive. Rollerblades can be rented from the nearby rental shops.
Florida is known for its tennis courts. The weather permits all-year-round court action for the serious player to the club players. There are about 254 public tennis courts in Miami. These include tennis court surfaces like grass, clay and hard-court. Every March there is the annual Miami Open Tennis Championship which is open to the different age groups. This tournament is held in the high tech Crandon Tennis Centre in Miami.
Miami has other fun activities and experiences for the adventurous in spirit and mind. Try jai alai, sky diving, golf, and basketball. Miami also has its share of recreational parks like the City of Miami Beach Recreation, the Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation which has facilities all around the Miami Dade county which offer swimming pools, tennis courts, golf courses, marinas, beaches and sports fields. Then, if you prefer to rough it out a bit, you can create your own RV adventure. Travel to the different districts in Miami, visit the everglades and national parks.
Miami Culture
Culture in Miami has reached astronomical proportions. Luckily for the Miami tourists, there is so much to do, and so many places to visit. So, let’s see what catches your fancy.
Performing Arts
Amazingly there is so much talent and skills in Miami. This is probably why there is an abundance of performing arts venues – far more than what you would expect in a regular city. However, since Miami is a hot tourist destination, it should come as no surprise that there are many shows to see.
One of the best venues in Miami is the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts. This is the 2nd biggest performing arts centre in the entire country. This is the home to the Florida Grand Opera, the Knight Concert Hall, the Ziff Ballet Opera House, the Peacock Rehearsal Studio, and the Carnival Studio Theater.
A visit to the Adrienne Arsht Center is sure to entertain you since there is always something happening here. If you are a ballet and opera enthusiast, there are regular shows here that you can catch on a weekend. If not, there are musicals and concerts being staged.
Other performing arts venues in Miami are the Coconut Grove Playhouse, the Lincoln Theatre, the Jackie Gleason Theatre, Gusman Center for Performing Arts, Colony Theater, Actor’s Playhouse at the Miracle Theatre, New World Symphony House, Ring Theatre, the Wertheim Performing Arts Center, the huge Bayfront Park Amphitheater and the Fair Expo Center.
If performing arts is not your interest, there are many museums in the city that will probably catch your eye such as the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, the Bass Museum, Miami Children’s Museum, the Frost Art Museum, the Art Museum, Lowe Museum, and the Science Museum of Miami – just to name a few.
Aside from these cultural spots, Miami also has a lot of parks and adventure spots like the Jungle Island, the MetroZoo, and the Miami Seaquarium. Of all the parks in Miami, the most popular is the Bicentennial Park and the Bayfront Park. If you enjoy open spaces, you could also make a stop at the Tropical Park, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, Morningside Park, Key Biscayne and Watson Island.
Miami is also famous for its annual Miami Fashion Week and the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. This is the time when you will be able to witness the spectacular fashion creations of some of the best designers from Florida state.
Music is an integral part of the Miami culture. Since Miami is a virtual melting pot of different races, you have interesting and unusual instruments and music here.
Here in Miami, you get to enjoy fusion music from the Cuban and Columbian heritage and get to hear the conga and merengue from the Dominican influence. Listening to Miami music is an auditory experience unlike any in the country.
Miami has produced such music legends as the KC and the Sunshine Band, Gloria Estefan, Teri de Sario and the Miami Sound Machine.
Shopping In Miami
Shopping in Miami is a lot of fun because there are so many places to go to buy anything you want. Since Miami is a top tourist destination, commercial areas are easy to find. Most, if not all. Tourist spots have a nearby area where you can buy some local memento of your visit to that specific spot. Naturally, anything you buy in a tourist location is bound to be more expensive than if you were to get it in the local Miami department store.
The Greater Miami and Beaches has some of the most awesome shopping experiences in all of the city. There are dozens of speciality retail shops and malls. Here are the most populated (by tourists) shopping locations in Miami.
Dolphin Mall
This mall has over 15 anchor stores and over 240 other retail stores and entertainment facilities to enjoy. It is near the Miami International Airport and you can actually spend the day here and not see and enjoy everything.
The Falls
This is a fabulous open-air mall near the southern section of the Miami-Dade area. You can experience the tranquil peace of waterfalls while shopping around for unique finds and discoveries. This is a truly amazing shopping experience unlike any other.
Sawgrass Mills
For the budget-conscious shopper, this mall is perfect for you. It is a haven of factory outlet stores where you can buy factory overruns and discounted branded items for a reasonable price. You will have to go to Broward county which is north of Miami.
Lincoln Road
This is a large 10 block mall that is a tourist’s dream come true. Not only can you enjoy the boutiques and speciality stores, there are also museums and art galleries to see. It is a whole day or even an entire weekend activity for the whole family.
Coco Walk
This is another outdoor complex that houses restaurants, shops and vibrant nightlife. If you are in the Coconut Grove area, stop by and check out the activities that they usually have lined up on a regular basis.
Other malls and shopping venues in Miami are the Bal Harbour, Aventura Mall, Bayside Marketplace, Miracle Mile and the Dadeland Mall. As a shopper, you will likely drop dead on your tracks at all the wonderful places to see and go to. Your wallet will likely enjoy being lighter after a trip to these places because there is just so much to enjoy, especially since Miami is alike a melting pot of different races. There are products here in Miami which you will not find in another city in the country.
One excellent idea for your shopping adventure is to visit places that has something for the entire family. This way you can browse leisurely around the mall without being bothered by the rest of the group.
Miami Accommodations
Since Miami is such a melting pot for tourists from all across the globe, it should not come as a surprise that finding accommodations in Miami is rather easy, but only if you book in advance.
Accommodations in Miami has the usual range of places such as 5-star hotels, resorts, apartments, inns, beachfront homes for rent, motels, and even cabins. You can also choose the kind of environment you want to stay in. For instance, if you are planning a quiet weekend holiday in Miami, you might prefer to rent a beach house farther along the end of the beach, and away from the crowd, or you could check into a hotel surrounded by lush greenery for some quiet solitude.
If you are planning a trip down to Miami, and are looking for accommodations, the first question you should answer is what you intend to do in Miami. With all the different activities that are available in Miami, it is best to choose accommodations near the area that caters to the objective of your trip. For instance, if you want to relax under the sun, then why not go to where they have a wonderful bed and breakfast accommodations right smack near the beach and coastal areas.
If you plan to enjoy a golf holiday, there are many golf courses that have accommodations or adjacent accommodations nearby where you can stay. If you prefer to go nature tripping, there are RVs you can rent to drive around, with very convenient and reasonable RV parks to park in.
Naturally, the 5-star hotels can be found in most parts of Miami, as well as the key hotel chains. The one advantage hotel chains and 5-star hotels have is that it is very easy to book a room or suite from where you live, or even from your travel agency who might even have a few good hotel deals for you.
You might want to consider staying in some of the wonderful spa hotels for a different kind of Miami experience. It does not have too much commercialism in its accommodations which makes it ideal for a peaceful holiday getaway. There are many tourists who come here just to be able to rejuvenate and enjoy the pampering. Miami has one of the best range of spa hotels and spa resorts in Florida. For a great selection of places to stay with discount prices visit Miami Hotels for more information.
Coming to Miami for any reason is a great and exciting experience. Accommodations will be the least of your problems since the state is replete with so many choices in every district. Just make sure you have reservations especially during the peak summer season.
Of course, you can choose from any one of the Miami districts such as the South Beach, Miami Beach, downtown Miami, Little Havana, Little Haiti, and high-end Brickell Avenue.
Travel to Miami
Planning a trip to Miami starts with your route to the fascinating multicultural city in Florida. There are several routes you can take to get to Miami.
By Air
The Miami International Airport handles nearly 46 million people a year. It is the 10th world largest cargo airport making it one of the busiest airports in the country,
The Miami International Airport is conveniently located in an unpopulated part of the country which is very easy to get to. This is the international gateway for American Airlines which means if you take an American Airline flight from your point of origin, you can have a straight, non-stop flight to Miami.
There are other airports nearby that are not as busy but cater to Miami bound tourists which is the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the Kendall-Tamiami Airport, and the Opa-Lock Airport.
By Sea
The Port of Miami is also one of the largest ports in the country. It also has one of the largest cruise ship ports in the world. This means you can also get a lovely cruise from your point of origin and the chances are most likely that it will dock in Miami.
Some of the more popular cruise ships that dock here are the Oceana Cruises, the Carnival Cruise Lines, the Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Windjammer Barefoot Cruises, and the Costa Cruises.
This port has been called the “Cruise Capital of the World” as well as the “Cargo Gateway of the Americas.”
By Land
Naturally, it is the easiest to enter Miami by land. It is the southern end of the Amtrak service and its final station is in the station at Hialeah, Miami.
You can also get into Miami by your car or by renting a car.
Walking tours is not that common in Miami, mainly because of the efficient public transport system, plus the danger posed by the drivers of Miami.
Thus, if you plan to travel to Miami by land, you can always use the cross country railway system or buses that end up in Miami or pass through the city. Once inside Miami, the excellent public transportation system will never fail to get you to your destination in time.
Traveling Around Miami
 If you plan to visit Miami in Florida, It might be a good idea to consider the very efficient and convenient public transport system of the city, and save on fuel costs and exposing yourself and your family to road risks.
The fastest and most convenient method of travelling around Miami is by using Metrorail. Unlike an underground or ground level pubic transport system, the Metrorail is an elevated transport train that starts at Dadeland Mall and travels all the way to Okeechobee and Hialeah.
It links with another railway system, the Metromover which takes a loop around Miami, stopping at all major intersections including the financial district and the Omni Shopping Center.
If you plan to go to the different museums and shopping malls, just take these two railway systems and avoid the hassle of traffic, parking and securing your car every time you leave it.
Miami is also well organized with a ground-level public bus network called the Metrobus. This is a public transport system that covers most of the county from popular destination points like Miami Beach to West Miami-Dade; and the Key Largo to the south Broward County.
The Metrobus has more than 893 buses and over 93 different routes spanning the city. It even can connect you to the Metrorail and the Metromover. At present, there are plans to expand all the systems from the Metrorail, Metromover, and the Metrobus.
Miami is like a maze of wonderful sites to see. There is even a way for you to travel out of the city to some of the close tourist attractions like West Palm Beach and Mangonia Park. You can simply hop on the Tri-Rail System and be back whenever you want because this Tri-Rail System is also very convenient and economical.
The Tri-Rail system will also take you for the day to the wonderful Boca Raton and not expose you to the hassle and stress of driving through the exhausting turnpike. Using the Tri-Rail system will allow you time to sit back and relax while enjoying the wonderful view and convenient facilities of the Tri-Rail system. You can easily get on the Tri-Rail through the inner city’s public transport system.
As you can see, travelling around the city of Miami is a breeze, and it doesn’t even cost you much.
