Culture in Miami

Miami is a hot, Latin city of sun, surf and sand, well known for its modern architecture and year-round entertainment. There’s always lots happening, whether it’s on the seven mile long Atlantic coast beach, or in the boutique shops, restaurants and glitzy nightclubs.

Yet Miami’s reputation for beach and bars conceals its hidden depths: the city is also home to many theatres, museums, parks, and venues, and it hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year.

USA Car Hire and Fly Drive Holidays

We were  surprised not to see Miami featured in this blog post about USA Fly Drives which featured other popular locations, Orlando and California being top choices for UK visitors in search of year round sunshine and everything else the USA has to offer.

Here we give another suggestion for car hire USA – fly to Miami and explore the far reaches of Florida.

January’s Miami Beach Festival of the Arts

Coming up soon is the annual Miami Beach Festival of the Arts, which in 2010 takes place on 30-31 January at Ocean Terrace. This has evolved from a local street fair into one of the most prestigious cultural festivals on the East Coast, featuring the work of some 150 artists from across the US, spanning sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics and other crafts. The event’s location, Ocean Terrace, is sandwiched between the sea, the commercial district, and the Community Center. Alongside the art exhibits there is also international cuisine, live music, dance, theatre, storytelling and street entertainment.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival

If you arrive too late for the Miami Beach Festival of the Arts, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival is hot on its heels in late February. This is a ticketed festival, with prices ranging from around $15-$300 depending on the event, which features local and celebrity chefs at South Beach giving cooking demonstrations. There’s plenty of food-, wine- and spirit-tasting, and evening foodie parties. Find out more at the official website.

Other Miami tourist attractions

Once you’ve had your fill of festivals, Miami has many permanent attractions that are well worth a visit. Top of the list are the Jewish Museum of Florida, the Holocaust Memorial, Frost Art Museum, Bass Museum of Art, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Bayfront Park, and the Ancient Spanish Monastery.

For shopping, head to Collins Avenue (between 15th and 3rd Streets) which is lined with shops catering for most tastes and pockets, or to Lincoln Road, where alongside the shops there is a Sunday farmers’ market.

For families, MetroZoo, the Seaquarium, Oleta River State Recreation Park, and the tropical garden at Jungle Island are some of the best attractions.

To get out and about to these attractions car hire Miami is a smart option with a range of comfortable vehicles available to rent and fuel still much cheaper than in the UK

Dining out

Despite all the super-skinny model types wandering around Miami, this is a city that loves to dine out. With more than 6,000 restaurants, there’s no shortage of choice, from cosy cafés to Über chic restaurants that turn into clubs in the early hours. South Beach is one of the most fashionable areas to eat, usually after about 9pm but sometimes as late as midnight. You might not get the best value or the best service in South Beach, but you can’t beat it for people-watching. And if you’re still not ready to hit the sack after supper, there are plenty of nightclubs in the area where you can knock back a few Mojitos.

Florida Holiday Ideas

There is no better summer holiday for the family than traveling throughout the state of Florida. There is so much variety in what you can do in the Sunshine State that you would not run out of activities and attractions no matter how much time you spend.

The beaches, of course, are world-known and can be enjoyed all along the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other side. Daytona Beach is one of the most popular. The Gulf Coast with its long stretches of sandy beach encourages swimming, boating, fishing, diving, and more. Panama City beach is another favorite.

Disney World Florida

Disney World in Orlando is the most popular destination along with Epcot and Universal Studios, and there are many discount packages being offered, some even including food as well as accommodations. Disney World has a total of four theme parks, two water parks, thousands of hotel rooms, golf courses, and shopping.

St. Augustine, the oldest city, offers many historical memorials covering 500 years of Florida’s history and unusual attractions such as a preserved fort and the Spanish Quarter Living Museum where the day-to-day life of settlers from the 18th century is acted out with craftsmen from the past.

The Florida Keys are popular with fishermen, scuba divers, snorkelers, jet skiers, and tourists who can enjoy the historical offerings of this southernmost tip of Florida.

The Tampa Bay area is a busy cruise port with nearby Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, and more.

In St. Petersburg the Salvador Dali Museum will permit you to see the world’s most exclusive collection of Dali’s works.

Amelia Island, the northernmost barrier island, has natural beauty and a gorgeous resort.

NASA Kennedy Space Center

The NASA Kennedy Space Center is extra popular right now as the 40th anniversary of the first man on the moon is being celebrated. You and your children can enjoy a simulated launch, see space exhibits and the launch pad (and sometimes a shuttle), visit the astronaut training center, and learn a tremendous amount about space travel.

There is Sea World, Wet n” Wild, Parrot Jungle, and other animal attractions as well as many amusement parks.

The Miami area offers a Latin vibe, art deco architecture, South Beach has been renovated and is “party central”, or you can take an airboat ride in the Everglades.

Natural attractions are abundant throughout the 8,426 miles of coastline. The summer weather is quite hot and humid, so remember your light-weight cotton clothing, sun screen, and hats.

You can get great deals on Florida holidays this summer as well as package holidays from a wide range of different online tour operators.