About Miami

Miami.

Known for its vast beaches, diversity, music, and….Burger King. Yep, you read that right. The first Burger King opened in Miami in 1954. And, that’s not its only fun and quirky fact. Although it has snowed exactly once in Miami’s meteorological history, you can find one of the country’s biggest snow skiing clubs in Miami Beach. It also installed the first bank automated teller machine made especially for rollerbladers.

Miami is an eclectic force that was established in 1896 after a local businesswoman, Julia Tuttle, who saw its potential, encouraged a railroad mogul to expand into the area, making it the most southerly city in the continental United States and the only major U.S. city to be founded by a woman.

Take in the sun at Miami Beach (which is largely man-made), or visit the country’s largest collection of Art Deco architecture. While you’re looking at houses, be sure to find the home on Palm Island that Al Capone bought in 1929! Stop by Little Havana for amazing Cuban food and cigar shops. Visit the Design District and Wynwood for a dose of galleries, interesting cocktails and foodie favorites. Miami definitely won’t disappoint!

Things to Do and See

Take in Art Deco on Ocean Drive
Miami Beach is young by most city standards but its Art Deco District-containing more than 800 buildings dating from the 1920s to 1940s-has made it onto the National Register of Historic Places. To see the highest concentration of these geometric structures in the US, take a walk along Ocean Drive north of 5th Street, and stop by the Art Deco Welcome Center for self-guided audio tours. Fun Fact: The seemingly iconic neon colors of Miami's Deco buildings aren't original, but were introduced in the 1980's as a preservationist's attention-grabbing tactic.

Experience Cuba Stateside in Little Havana
You don't need to go to Cuba to experiences the flavors! Stop by the Vedado and Miramar neighborhoods in Miami's Little Havana. Mediterranean-style houses with rocking chairs on the porch, fragrant scents wafting from cigar stores, the sound of dominos in Maximo Gomez Park and the melodies of Latin music from record shops all contribute to the neighborhood's authentic Cuban vibe. Stop by Azucar Ice Cream Company to get a taste of Cuban flavors!

Wander the Botanical Gardens
Established in 1962, the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens offers free access to 2.6 acres of glorious horticulture and calm. You can shop for local produce at the farmer's market or Namaste under the palm trees during their lunchtime express yoga. Farther south, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden has been open to the public since 1838. The landscape itself is a veritable horticultural wonder.

Sample Miami-Brewed Pints
Leave your martinis behind on Ocean Drive for Wynwood Arts District's craft breweries and biergartens. Try house made-sausages and a rotating selection of beers, ranging from IPAs to porters and beyond, at the Butcher Shop. To sample more local ales, visit one of these breweries (all of which have tap rooms!): Wynwood Brewing Company, Miami's first craft brewery; J.Wakefield Brewing, the leading local brewer of sour beers; Concrete Beach Brewery, which has a gigantic 30-barrel brewing system.

Photograph Amazing Street Art
Warehouses and dilapidated structures have become a working canvas for local street artists in the Wynwood Arts District. It's more than just graffiti - murals span multiple blocks and take months to complete. Some of the neighborhood's most notorious pieces can be found at the Wynwood Walls, an outdoor gallery. Some 50 artists from around the world have had murals inside the Walls, including Shepard Fairey (who created the famous Obama "Hope" poster). Want to take in the streets by bike? Join the free Wynwood Mural Bike Tours, departing on Sundays from Panther Coffee.

For a self guided tour of the Wynwood Walls in Miami, click here.