Miami Beach is a finger of land separating Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, connected by five causeways to the mainland. At its southern tip is South Beach, known as the Art Deco District, or SoBe. This 10-block stretch of Ocean Drive, which fronts South Beach, is one of the most celebrated ocean fronts in America.

The Art Deco District Welcome Center is located there, along with an eclectic mix of chic restaurants, boutiques, delicatessens, produce markets, outdoor cafes and nightclubs. The palm shaded beach side of Ocean Drive in Miami Beach attracts families to its wide, sandy beach and children’s play area. Volleyball, in-line skating on the winding sidewalk, swimming, sunning and water sports are favorite pastimes. Surfside, Bal Harbour and Sunny Isles make up the northern part of “The Beach.”

The heart of Miami Beach and the Art Deco District, Lincoln Road, is an open-air mall of 175 galleries, shops and restaurants along an eight-block pedestrian promenade with shade trees down the middle. At one time, Lincoln Road was a posh shopping strip equal to Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles. The street was closed to traffic, and in the 1960s, it began to decline.

In step with the South Beach renaissance, Lincoln Road has been transformed into a row of successful art galleries, lively performing-arts showcases and trendy cafes. Visitors can stroll through numerous galleries or admire the Lincoln Theater, home of the New World Symphony. There is also a delightful Sunday flea market and farmers market.

Some of the more popular attractions in the greater Miami area are Viscaya Museum and Gardens, Little Havana, Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, and the Miami Metro Zoo. Biscayne Boulevard is a prime spot for shopping. It features the Bayside Marketplace- a shopping experience in the Tropical style. Shopping is also excellent at the Cocowalk shopping and entertainment complex.

The Greater Miami area has over thirty golf courses. Other recreational opportunities include wind surfing, scuba diving, snorkeling and deep-sea fishing. Perfect weather and flat terrain make Miami Beach popular with bicyclists.

The best time to visit is winter, but in the off-season (after Easter and before October) there is still plenty to do and rates are more reasonable. For sun, sand and tropical beauty, Miami Beach is the place to be.