Miami
Discover Miami
Miami is a major city in the southeastern United States and the second most populous city in Florida. The Greater Miami metropolitan area is the largest in the state with an estimated population just under 6.1 million (2021), which makes it the 9th most populous metro area in the United States. Although tourists generally consider Miami Beach to be part of Miami, it is its own municipality. Miami Beach sits on a barrier island east of Miami and Biscayne Bay. It is home to lots of beach resorts, and is one of the most popular spring break party destinations in the world. This article only covers the city of Miami, not Miami Beach. Some other sights associated with Miami, like the Miami Zoo and the Miami Dolphins football team, are in other suburbs within Miami-Dade County, and two other institutions associated with Miami, the Florida Panthers hockey team and Inter Miami CF soccer team, play home games in Broward County.
What to Experience in Miami
Famous Beaches
Taste of Miami...
Foodies and chefs alike herald Miami for its unique American cuisine. Created in the 1990s, the cuisine alternatively known as New World, Nuevo Latino or Florribean cuisine blends local produce, Latin American and Caribbean culinary tradition and the technical skills required in European cooking. Nuevo Latino is said to be the brainchild of four chefs: Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Mark Militello and Douglas Rodriguez. All of them still work in Miami and most of them work at the restaurants they created in the 1990s. New World is not restricted to these chefs’ menus. This cuisine influences several restaurants around the city to this day. Miami may be known for its Latin American cuisine (especially its Cuban cuisine but also cuisines from South American countries such as Colombia), but there are other different kinds of restaurants to be found around the city. In addition to stand-alone Chinese, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Italian (among others) restaurants, there are cafés, steakhouses and restaurants operating from boutique hotels, as well as chain restaurants such as TGI Fridays and Ben & Jerry’s. Miami is known for having nightclubs double as restaurants throughout the city. Most of these restaurants, such as Tantra, BED and the Pearl Restaurant and Champagne Lounge (attached to Nikki Beach), are found throughout South Beach.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Miami into what it is today.
Flagler’s railroad sparked a wave of expansion in areas such as Miami Beach, Homestead and Cutler. Soon after the railroad was built, the Overseas Highway was created. This highway connected the Florida Keys to the mainland. Growth and progress in Miami continued through World War I and into the mid-1920s. A devastating hurricane in 1926 halted Miami’s growth and temporarily put the city and Miami Beach in a recession. It was the city’s support of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal that helped the city rebuild. Roosevelt almost lost his life, however, when Giuseppe Zangara attempted to assassinate Roosevelt when he came to Miami to thank the city for its support of the New Deal. When a German U-boat sank a US tanker off Florida’s coast, the majority of South Florida was converted into military headquarters for the remainder of World War II. The Army’s World War II legacy in Miami is a school designed for anti-U-boat warfare. Following the Cuban revolution, Miami has become a haven for Cuban immigrants. The city has also been the base for cocaine smuggling, as depicted in the 1983 film Scarface, the Miami Vice TV series and the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, Miami is generally hot. The summer months of June–September will see most daytime highs over 90°F (32°C). Combined with the region's humidity, these can make for stifling temperatures, both day and night....
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of Miami.
There are very few city-wide events planned during Jul and Aug because of the high temperatures during the summer in Miami. Miami-Dade College, with more than 165,000 students, is the U.S.' largest institution of higher learning, and one of the country's best community college systems. This community college has locations in Hialeah, Homestead, Kendall, Downtown Miami, and North Miami and also has locations all around Miami proper. In Coral Gables is the University of Miami, one of the best-known universities in Florida. One of the state's largest universities, Florida International University (more commonly FIU), is in University Park, just to the west of the Miami city limits. If you are not from the U.S., you will need a work visa. If you try to work while holding a tourist visa, you are still considered an illegal immigrant in the U.S.
Climate
Because of its proximity to the Tropic of Cancer, Miami is generally hot. The summer months of June–September will see most daytime highs over 90°F (32°C). Combined with the region's humidity, these can make for stifling temperatures, both day and night. Heat indices in the summer months tend to average around 98 °F (37 °C) during the daytime hours and 82 °F (28 °C) at night. On some particularly sweltering days, the heat index can climb upwards to 106 °F (41 °C) and not go below 90 °F (32 °C) at night. You won't see nearly a car or home without running air conditioning. Winters average an impressive 75°F (24°C) for daytime temperatures and nights are slightly cooler. During June to November, rain and thunderstorms can be expected and are most common in the afternoon hours. Rain is known to fall heavily for a few minutes, to stop entirely, and then to begin again.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsMiami Executive Airport (FAA LID: TMB), known until 2014 as Tamiami Executive, is another private jet hub southwest of Miami and just west of the Florida Turnpike near Kendall. OPF and TMB offer 24 hour operations, private terminals, and customs & immigration services. Amtrak runs two daily services from New York City, the Silver Meteor and Silver Star, via Washington, D.C., Savannah, Orlando, Tampa and other cities along the eastern coast. The two trains take slightly different routes; the Silver Meteor calls in Charleston while the Silver Star takes an inland route, calling in Raleigh and Columbia. Between Winter Haven and Kissimmee, the Silver Star detours towards Tampa and Lakeland while Silver Meteor proceeds directly between Kissimmee and Winter Haven: Brightline operates intercity passenger service from Orlando International Airport via West Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
Miami's public transit system is the most diverse and extensive of any locality in Florida. If travel time is not a priority, it is possible to travel to all commercial areas and major attractions within Miami without a car. That being said, this approach will involve a lot of walking, which can be unpleasant at many times of year. A map of transit run by Miami-Dade is available at this website. Miami's bus system covers the entire county and connects to bus lines serving Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale area. Sometimes buses still have a hard time remaining on schedule. Most routes run about once every 20 minutes, while the most popular routes may run every 5-10 minutes, sometimes with service all night long. One useful route is the S, which connects downtown Miami to all of Miami Beach, terminating at Avenutra Mall in north Miami-Dade. The Metrorail is an elevated rail system serving Miami and surrounding cities, running 22.
Where to Stay
Miami is known for its boutique hotels (especially those in South Beach). Designers such as Ian Schrager (the Delano, Shore Club), André Balazs (Raleigh, Standard on Belle Isle) and Todd Oldham (the Hotel) helped put South Beach on the map with their creative hotel designs. The downside of many of the boutique hotels is that rooms can be small, particularly if the building was built during the height of the Art Deco period in Miami. If you value space, a boutique hotel may not be the type of hotel for you. If you don't need to stay in a boutique hotel (and value space), Miami has several upscale high-rise hotels north and south of South Beach, as well as near the downtown area. Miami does have its share of less costly chain hotels for those who value space and/or money. The high season for hotels is around Nov to Apr because of the lower temperatures. However, Miami's lower temperatures, in comparison to the majority of the United States around this time, are still warm.
Money & Budget
There are a few shopping malls in the city of Miami, but more spread out across Miami-Dade County, including South Beach. The major supermarket chains in Miami are Publix, Walmart, Winn Dixie, Sedanos, Fresco Y Más, and Aldi. In addition many specialty and organic supermarkets such as Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, and Fresh Market can also be found in Miami. Foodies and chefs alike herald Miami for its unique American cuisine. Created in the 1990s, the cuisine alternatively known as New World, Nuevo Latino or Florribean cuisine blends local produce, Latin American and Caribbean culinary tradition and the technical skills required in European cooking. Nuevo Latino is said to be the brainchild of four chefs: Allen Susser, Norman Van Aken, Mark Militello and Douglas Rodriguez.
Language & Talk
Miami has the largest Latin American population outside of Latin America, with nearly 65% of its population either from Latin America or of Latin American ancestry. Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places, although English is the language of preference when dealing with business and government. Many locals do not speak English, but this is usually centered among shops and restaurants in residential communities and rarely the case in large tourist areas or the downtown district. Even when encountering a local who does not speak English, you can easily find another local to help with translation if needed, since most of the population is fluently bilingual.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
Miami's crime rate is a routine topic of news media, but the city is only relatively dangerous for the passing tourist in certain areas. Almost all crime is related to the illegal drug trade, owing to Miami's proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, which makes it a major transit point for narcotics from South America. Overtown (next to Liberty City) has the highest violent crime rate in the city and is best avoided altogether. Little Haiti is also best avoided at night. If you are in any crime-afflicted neighborhood, take the same precautions as you would in other dangerous neighborhoods in the US: mind your own business, be aware of your surroundings at night and in high-traffic areas, get to your destination quickly, and avoid wearing flashy jewelry and electronics. The emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911. If you require non-emergency assistance, do not call 911. To contact police in a non-emergency situation, call +1 305 4POLICE.
Glimpses of Miami
Miami, Beach, sun, ocean, Aerial, Sand, Beaches, buildings
Miami Rules
aerial photography of buildings
1980 Miami
Palm tree-lined road.
I took this picture when I went to Ultra Music Festival, Miami in 2019
Aerial view of downtown Miami and Brickell from a morning flight on FlyNYON Miami.
After a long day of filming with a client, I had the opportunity to grab this HDR photo. Probably one of my most favorite photos that I have captured.
I was traveling to the bahamas and wanted to get this awesome shot as I left from Miami!
South Beach
Miami, Beach, sun, ocean, Aerial, Sand, Beaches, buildings
Miami Rules
aerial photography of buildings