Miami Beach is a barrier island connected to the mainland city of Miami by a series of bridges.
Miami Beach, like Miami, has a huge Latin American population, and Spanish is a language often used for day-to-day discourse in many places, although English is the language of preference, especially when dealing with businesses and government. Spanglish, a mixture of English and Spanish, is a somewhat common occurrence, with bilingual locals switching between English and Spanish mid-sentence. The local Latin population is mostly Cuban exiles (which have now become second and third generation locals,) with South Americans from various countries gaining ground. There is also a large Haitian community as well, and many signs and public announcements are in English, Spanish and Creole.
Get In
By plane
Miami International Airport (MIA) is closest, but Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL) is only around 40 minutes away (depending on traffic) by shuttle and the rates are often better.
By car
Get around
Taxis are generally expensive, but available at almost any time and place. Car rentals are the most convenient for of transportation for visitors, with local companies offering better prices but national chains offering more convenience vis-a-vis return policies and times.
Public Transportation
When traveling within Miami Beach, a good choice is the Electrowave, an electric shuttle bus that operates from 19th street to the southern end of Miami Beach, fare is only 25 cents.
Regional transit buses throughout the greater Miami area are available, but may be slow and inconvenient. Schedules and routes are available from the Miami-Dade Transit website or by calling +1 305 770 3131.
On bike and foot
Miami Beach is bicycle and pedestrian friendly, the streets can get congested close to the beach so going on foot is sometimes easier.
See
Do
Learn
Eat
There are many seafood restaurants on the beach, probably the most famous of which is Joe's Stone Crab -- the wait is long, so you may want to reserve ahead of time. Many international cuisines are to be found, with a heavy leaning towards Latin foods, particularly Cuban cuisine. Cuban cuisine to try: a sandwich cubano (Cuban sandwich), and a cafecito (literally: little coffee, but compares to a strong, sweet expresso.)
Budget
The 11st diner is really cool and is located on the corner of Washington and 11th street in South Beach. They serve breakfast all day. We had a full breakfast for three people and the price was around $30. Not bad.
Mid-range
Splurge
Drink
Most of the drinking nightlife is centered around South Beach or Coconut Grove. "Cuba Libre" is a popular drink, known to the rest of the world as plain old "Rum and Coke". Also popular is the "Mojito" a sugar/mint/soda-water and rum drink.
Caffè Tramonto -- 235 Washington Ave, Miami Beach Florida. A bar with fun international atmosphere in South Beach. Between 2nd and 3rd on Washington Ave. Opens at 6PM daily. +1 305 672-2137
Purdy Lounge -- 1811 Purdy Lounge, Miami Beach Florida. A funky locals dance joint, the world famous Purdy Lounge is open till 5AM every day of the year. Daily drink specials, live reggae on Monday and Live local bands Tuesday. The joint gets packed on the weekends most of the crowds start coming in at 11:00. Drinks are inexpensive and pours are generous. http://www.purdylounge.com
Sleep
Miami Beach is a tourist town and has many hotels, located mostly around the beach area. High season (fewer rooms, higher prices,) is during the winter months of November through February, with Summer being the low season. There are hostels throughout the city.
Do your homework when booking a hotel in South Beach. Nearly all of the hotels have a restaurant, at least a small one, out in front of the hotel. That appears to be what gets the hotel a three-star rating. But, in many cases, the hotel by itself is far from three-stars. Read reviews from other travelers before booking or you might be very disappointed.
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Stay safe
Emergency telephone number for fire, police and rescue emergencies is 911.
Miami Beach is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated on March 26, 1915.
Miami Beach has been one of America's pre-eminent beach resorts for almost a century. The city is often referred to under the umbrella term of "Miami," despite being a distinct municipality, making Miami and Miami Beach two seperate cities. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 87,933. 55.5% of the population was foreign born. A 2005 population estimate for the city was 87,925.
Description
In 1979 Miami Beach's Art Deco Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Art Deco District is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world and comprises hundreds of hotels, apartments and other structures erected between 1923 and 1943. Mediterranean, Streamline Moderne and Art Deco are all represented in the District. The Historic District is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the East, Lenox Court on the West, 6th Street on the South and Dade Boulevard along the Collins Canal to the North. The movement to preserve the Art Deco District's architectural heritage was led by former interior designer Barbara Capitman, who now has a street in the District named in her honor.
Miami and Popular Culture
South Beach (also known as SoBe, or The Beach) is one of the more popular areas of Miami Beach. Topless sunbathing is tolerated on certain designated areas of the beach. Before the TV show Miami Vice helped make the area popular, SoBe was under urban blight, with vacant buildings and a high crime rate. Today, it is considered one of the richest commercial areas on the beach, yet poverty and crime still remain in some places near the area.
Miami Beach, particularly Ocean Drive of what is now the Art Deco District, was also featured prominently in Scarface.
Lincoln Road is a nationally known spot for great outdoor dining, bike riding, and shopping.
The Miami Beach environs are home to a number of Orthodox Jewish communities with a network of well-established synagogues and yeshivas. It is also a magnet for Jewish families, retirees, and particularly snowbirds when the cold winter sets in to the north. They range from the Followers to the Modern Orthodox to the Haredi and Hasidic - including many rebbes who vacation there during the North American winter. There are a number of kosher restaurants and even kollels for post-graduate Talmudic scholars. Miami Beach had roughly 60,000 people in Jewish households, 62 percent of the total population, in 1982, but only 16,500, or 19 percent of the population, in 2004, said Ira Sheskin, a demographer at the University of Miami who conducts surveys once a decade.
Miami Beach is home to the Holocaust Memorial on Miami Beach.
According to the Morgan Quitno Awards, Miami Beach is one of the most dangerous small cities (population between 75,000 and 99,999) in the country.
Geography and climate
Miami Beach is located at (25.813025, -80.134065).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 48.5 km² (18.7 mi²). 18.2 km² (7.0 mi²) of it is land and 30.2 km² (11.7 mi²) of it (62.37%) is water.
It has a tropical climate.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 87,933 people, 46,194 households, and 18,339 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,829.5/km² (12,502.1/mi²). There were 59,723 housing units at an average density of 3,280.1/km² (8,491.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.74% White, 4.03% African American, 0.23% Native American, 1.37% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.05% from other races, and 3.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 53.45% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 40.9% of the population.
There were 46,194 households out of which 14.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 27.4% were married couples living together, 8.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 60.3% were non-families. 48.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was sixty-five years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.76.
In the city the population was spread out with 13.4% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 38.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were sixty-five years of age or older. The median age was thirty-nine years. For every 100 females there were 105.0 males. For every 100 females age eighteen and over, there were 105.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,322, and the median income for a family was $33,440. Males had a median income of $33,964 versus $27,094 for females. The per capita income for the city was $27,853. About 17.0% of families and 21.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.2% of those under age 18 and 24.5% of those age sixty-five or over.
Languages
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language accounted for 54.89% of residents, while English made up 32.75%, Portuguese was at 3.38%, French was at 1.66%, German at 1.12%, Italian 0.99%, and Russian was 0.85% of the population. Due to the large Jewish community, Yiddish made up 0.81% of speakers, and Hebrew was the mother tongue of 0.74% of the population.
Education
Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Miami Beach.
Tertiary education in Miami Beach includes a branch of the National School of Technology
Neighborhoods
Points of interest
Sister Cities
Miami Beach has 9 sister cities
Gallery
Image:Miamibeachnorth.jpg|View of 'North Beach' side of the city of Miami Beach
Image:South beach miami at night.JPG|The historical Art Deco District at South Beach during the night.
Image:Miami ocean drive.jpg|The Art Deco District at South Beach during the day.
Image:Miamibeachfromair.jpg|View of South Beach side of Miami Beach from airplane window.
Image:Miami Beach beach, June 2004.jpg|Miami Beach from the sea from the deck of a cruise ship
Image:Miami Beach from sea, June 2004.jpg|Miami Beach from Government Cut from the deck of a cruise ship
Image:South Beach.JPG|South Beach during the day.
Image:Southbeachboardwalk04.JPG|Entrance to the South Beach boardwalk on 15th St. and Collins Av.
Image:Southbeachboardwalk07.JPG|South Beach boardwalk entrance on Lummus Park and Ocean Drive.
Image:Southbeachdelanohotel01.JPG|Delano Hotel - On 17th Street and Collins Av.
Image:Southbeachnationalhotel01.JPG|The National Hotel between Lincoln Road and 17th Street on Collins Av.
Image:Southbeachloweshotel01.JPG|The Lowes Hotel on 16th Street and Collins Av.
Image:Miami South Beach.jpg |South Point
Image:Miamibeachpostoffice01.JPG|US Post Office - Miami Beach - Washington Av. and 13th Street.
Image:Versacemansion01.JPG| Versace Mansion on 11th Street and Ocean Drive.
Image:Southbeachcameo01.JPG| The Cameo Theater and the restaurant Ostería del Teatro, Washington Av. and Española Way.
Image:South Beach, Miami.jpg|The beach near Government Cut
Image:Movie theater in Miami Beach.JPG| Movie theater in Miami Beach.
Image:Building in Miami Beach.JPG| Miami Modern Architecture in Miami Beach.
Image:BoatsonMiamiBeach.jpg
Image:BuickMiamiBeachMch06.jpg
Image:ClassicMiami.jpg
Image:Hardingand75MiamiBeach.jpg
Image:MIAMI-ArtDeco-rj002.jpg
Image:Miami Beach 11.jpg
Image:MiamiBeach floater.jpg
Image:MiamiBeachDecoHotelMch06.jpg
Image:MiamiBeachFamily1942.jpg
Image:MiamiBeachFlamingoScuptureMch06.jpg
Image:MiamiBeachHollieXmas2003.jpg
Image:Miamibeach001.jpg
Image:Miamibeach002.jpg
Image:North Shore Miami Beach tree.jpg
Image:NorthMiamiBeachConstructionOct06.jpg
Image:OceanDriveSouthBeach.jpg
Image:Palmtreesinsouthbeach.jpg
Image:PoolMiamiBeach1942.jpg
Image:South Beach.jpg
Image:South beach.jpg
Image:Texacogasstation.jpg
Image:TurquoiseHighriseMiamibeachMch06.jpg
Image:Washington Ave and Lincoln Rd.jpg
Image:WashingtonandLincoln.jpg
External links
