The City of Miami is a wonderful place to visit. I recently traveled there for a business conference with Virtuoso Travel and it was absolutely stunning as I drove across from Miami to Key Biscayne to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel there.
The views along the Rickenbacker Causeway looking across to the Port of Miami and the beautiful expanse of the Atlantic Ocean is absolutely picturesque! Here are a couple of shots I took while staying at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton on Key Biscayne.
The Port of Miami is considered the "Cruise Capital of the World" since it accounted for over 300,000 jobs and $43 billion annually, pre-COVID. Fortunately, it's starting to bounce back as restrictions have been eased and conditions are improving relative to the pandemic.
Another very cool option is to book a river cruise or boat ride along the Miami Canal in order to view mega-mansions lining the waterfront on Millionaire's Row. Although these days, it's not enough to be a millionaire anymore - you need to be a billionaire...
Miami has so much to offer including vast beaches, vibrant nightlife, and rich culture.
Places like Little Havana where there's a huge Cuban influence dating back to the 1950's when many Cubans were forced to flee during the rise of Fidel Castro. They found their home in Miami and left their mark on the city.
A few other cool places to visit in Miami include the following:
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden which is a gorgeous park that has a vast array of exotic plants and wildlife. You can explore the Rare Plant House, which is home to 450 species of rare tropical plants such as palms, orchids, and fruit trees. The Tropical Fruit Pavilion displays fruit species only found in exotic locations such as the Amazon. You can also visit the Butterfly Garden to enjoy rare species of these beautiful insects.
In the heart of downtown Miami sits Bayfront Park, which is host to a variety of events and gatherings. You can enjoy outdoor movies preceded by live music, food, wine and craft beer. You can also bring a yoga mat and enjoy yoga classes with the Miami skyline around you. Bayfront Park is home to the Flying Trapeze School, where you can experience what it's like to fly in the circus.
Villa Vizcaya is a museum located on Biscayne Bay that has over 70 rooms filled with European art and antiques. The building itself, constructed in European Renaissance style, was originally built as a place for plant and wildlife conservation. These conservation efforts can be seen in the beautiful gardens that surround the mansion with their gorgeous plants, ponds, and landscape architecture. The outdoors, both in the gardens and around the building, have countless places for perfect photo opportunities.
If architecture or history appeal to you, the Art Deco District of Miami is a place to visit. It includes over 900 historic buildings designed in the art deco style. Many of the structures throughout the over 5,000 acres of land date back to the 1930s and are considered some of the best examples of this architectural style in the world. The Art Deco Museum teaches visitors more about the history and preservation of architecture in Miami Beach. Much of South Beach has also been overtaken with the Art Deco style as well.
To experience even more art, you can visit the beautiful outdoor murals of Wynwood Walls. Here, the walls of abandoned warehouses have been decorated by graffiti and street artists from around the world, and they change frequently to highlight new artists. Some of the art has also expanded to other buildings in the area for an even better walking tour.
This is just a small taste of some of the many options to consider in Miami but there is so much more to experience in this coastal metropolis, named by Time magazine as “The Capital of Latin America”! When you're ready to travel there, give me a shout and I'd be happy to work with you on planning this trip and any other you may have planned for the future!