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It's no mystery why visitors from northern climes flock to Miami. In addition tropical breezes, Latin beats and an international art and fashion scene, the city is a hedonist's delight — beautiful people on non-stop parade.
But after being hyped for more than a decade, sometimes it's hard to separate the glam from the good here. Ocean Drive on South Beach is the ubiquitous image you see in movies and on TV, though many of the restaurants along this strip are mediocre and overpriced.
Instead, much of Miami's best — from art-deco hotels to great urban beaches with a funky array of decoratively painted lifeguard shacks, volleyball nets and hard-packed surfaces for running and biking — are free of charge. Just don't forget your sunscreen.
What's coming up
People come to Florida to relax on the beach — and eat and drink. What better way to do all three than at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival (305-460-6563; www.sobewineandfoodfest.com)? Now in its fifth year, this event from Feb. 24 to 26 showcases chefs such as Ferran Adria and Jose Andres, as well as wine and spirit producers. The signature event: a Grand Tasting Village in two huge tents by the ocean.
Using chocolate syrup (and other ephemeral materials like dirt and string), Brazilian artist Vik Muniz makes images he then photographs. His show — Vik Muniz: Reflex — will be at the Miami Art Museum from Feb. 10 to May 28 (101 W. Flagler St; 305-375-3000; www.miamiartmuseum.org).
From March 24 to 28, the Winter Music Conference (The Wyndham Resort, 4833 Collins Ave.; 954-563-4444; www.wmcon.com) brings dance-industry fans to a five-day networking event featuring more than 280 performance events, including a DJ spin-off. Wear your boogie boots and don't expect to get much sleep.
Diversions
For authentic Cuban food and culture, Little Havana is a great destination on any day. But at Viernes Culturales the last Friday of the month, a four-hour street fair starting at 7 p.m. captures the spirit of this animated ethnic enclave with live music, food, arts and crafts (Calle Ocho, between 14th and 17th Avenues; 305-644-9555; www.viernesculturales.com).
Architecture buffs, and anyone else drawn to the colourful structures built along the beach in the 1930s, will appreciate a 90-minute walking tour of the Historic District offered by the Miami Design Preservation League (Art Deco Welcome Center, 1001 Ocean Dr.; 305-535-2645; mdpl.org/tours.html). The focus is on art-deco and Mediterranean-revival styles. Or, if you prefer to meander at your own pace, self-guided audio tours are available in five languages.
Shoppers will want to head to the open-air market every Friday, Saturday and Sunday on the pedestrian-only Espanola Way (between 14th and 15th Streets, and Drexel and Washington Avenues). There, pink Spanish-style buildings house restaurants and boutiques, and tables on the street are piled with pottery, jewellery, hand-crafted clothing and fresh flowers.
Locals walk a little farther west for crêpes and café au lait at the tiny bistro A La Folie Cafe (516 Espanola Way; 305-358-4484).
Where to stay
The glitterati still like to visit the Delano Hotel (1685 Collins Ave.; 1-800-697-1791; www.delano-hotel.com), where designer Philippe Starck transformed the lobby from mere entryway into a theatrical experience, with larger-than-life lamps, wafting white curtains and whimsical furniture. The pool is a study in elegance, complete with a table for two in the shallow end. Doubles start at $525.
The Hotel Nash (1120 Collins Ave.; 1-800-403-62; www.hotelnash.com) is a boutique hotel closer to the heart of the Deco District. And, though it's not on the water, the beach is only a block away. Standard rooms start at $209.
For those on a budget, but who still want a good location, the Best Western South Beach (1050 Washington Ave.; 1-888-343-1930; bestwestern.com) took over the former Kenmore Hotel, an art-deco gem. Bonus: a pool in a garden setting with a view of the passing traffic along lively Washington Avenue.
Where to eat
At trattoria La Locanda (413 Washington Ave.; 305-538-6277), owner Francesco Cavaletti — flashing his thousand-watt smile — can be spotted darting through tables. Don't miss the penne dell'Appennino, a mix of wild mushrooms with a touch of truffle oil.
For perfectly cooked and creative seafood dishes such as sea bass on ginger-laced spinach, nothing can beat Nemo (100 Collins Ave.; 305-532-4550; nemorestaurant.com).
There are any number of competent restaurants serving Cuban food in Little Havana. But for something a notch above, there's Tete (1444 SW 8th St.; 305-858-8801), where classically trained chef Caprice Tassinari puts a gourmet spin on traditional Cuban fare.
After dark
The inside bar at the Raleigh Hotel (1775 Collins Ave.; 305-534-6300; raleighhotel.com) has classic deco lines. Or sit beneath the stars and the palms at the poolside bar. On Sundays, there's an after-beach soirée around 5 p.m. (though bathing suits are not acceptable attire).
Hard-core rockers will like Rok Bar (1905 Collins Ave.; 305-535-7171; www.rokbarmiami.com), owned in part by ex-Motley Crue member Tommy Lee and dubbed “the anti-club.” Or hop next door to the jamming club Mynt (1921 Collins Ave.; 786-276-6132) in the upper Collins Avenue club district.
If you're still hunting for fun, head to the mainland's hot club Nocturnal (50 NE 11th St.; 305-576-6996; www.nocturnalmiami.com), where the Friday night “Local Celebrity Party” gets started around 4 a.m. The 20,000-square-foot space accommodates 600 clubbers on its dance floor, with an overflow crowd on the rooftop patio.
Necee Regis has spent the past 10 winters in Miami Beach
