Just a century ago Miami was
just swampy mosquito-tormented settlers outpost.
With the arrival of the railroad in 1896 got the city its first land-link with
the rest of Florida, and cleared the way for the start of the 20's property boom.
In the 50's, Miami Beach became a celebrity-filled resort town. At The same time
thousands of Cubans fleeing the Fidel Castro regime of began arriving in
calling Miami their new home. The 60's and 70's brought decline to Miami's
reputation in the 80's it was known as the vice capital of America this was at least partly
deserved. As the TV cop show Miami Vice so glamorously portrayed, with the
endemic of drug smuggling; as well, in 1980 the city got the not so good
honors for the highest murder rate in America.
Now much has changed for a couple very good and different reasons. First, the
revival of South Beach helped to make tourism the new cash cow of the local
economy again in the early 90's. Second, the city's determined wooing of
Latin America brought big investments, both international and domestic: many US
companies now run their South American operations out of Miami and certain
neighborhoods, like Key Biscayne, are now home to thriving communities of expat
Venezuelans, Peruvians and Colombians.
Miami's many districts are officially cities in their own right, each with there background and character very much
in its own. For the most people head straight for Miami Beach , mostly the South Beach strip,
and it's famed
Art Deco buildings that have been restored to their former splendor, with all
pastels, neon and wavy lines. Touted as the chic gathering place for the
city's most fashionable faces, You will find it's not as exclusive as you might
think, on weekend afternoons when families and out-of-towners join the washboard
stomachs and bulging pecs on the beaches. Make time to visit, too
Key Biscayne , a secluded
island community with some beautiful beaches, just five miles off the mainland
but easily gotten to by a causeway.
On the mainland, Miami downtown has a few good museums but not much else for
the interest
to visitors.
Little Havana ,
just to the west, is the best spot to head out for a great Cuban lunch, while
just south you find the spacious boulevards of
Coral Gables just as
impressive now as they were back in the 1920s, when it set new standards in
urban planning. The independently minded and also equally wealthy
Coconut Grove is also
worth taking a look at, thanks to its walk able center and a couple of the most popular
attractions in Miami.
LITTLE HAVANA
The Cubans impact on Miami , without question the most visible and largest
ethnic group in this city, has been incalculable. Not like most of the
immigrants that came to America. That traded one form of poverty for another.
The first Cuban's to Miami where middle and upper class professional fleeing the
Fidel Castro regime. They had been use to the good life in Cuba as they arrived
during the late 50's and soon they had the same in Miami. Many of them or their
children now help with the running of the city and wield considerable clout.
With one of their own now in the US Senate.
Just a few miles west of downtown Miami you will find Little Havana and where
many Cubans first
set up home when they came to America. You will not find old men sitting around
playing dominoes.
Many of the now Cuban-Americans have move to other places around Miami. You will
find that now
it mostly a mix of immigrants from other Countries in Central America. Making
this more of a working
mans neighborhood and not for tourist. Still if you can try and grab some lunch
at one of the small
neighborhood restaurants.
COCONUT GROVE
Coconut Grove (the Grove) now rivals
South Beach Miami with all its Art Galleries, upscale cafes and
restaurants. It has come a long way from its 60's image of writers and
artist. Soon you will notice that
their is a lot of big money around. The marinas with rows of muti-
million dollar yachts. You may want to check out the Fairchild
Tropical Garden. Open 9:30 to 4:30 The admission was $8 last
time I was there it is located 10901 Old Cutler Rd, and is one of the
biggest Tropical Botanical Gardens in America.
CORAL GABLES
Southwest of Miami you will find Coral Gables (the Gables) one of the first
planned communities in the 20's. It was
designed by George Merrick with an architecture that is almost entirely
Mediterranean with wide tree lined boulevards. To get to Coral Gables take the
Miracle Mile
SW 22nd St. You will find high end department stores
very good
restaurants, gourmet shops, and
Bridal Shops.
There is now a new free trolley system that makes the
area very pedestrian-friendly. Wrapping its broad wings around the southern end
of De Soto Boulevard, Merrick's crowning achievement was the fabulous Biltmore
Hotel
KEY BISCAYNE
Key Biscayne is five miles off the mainland easy gotten to with
the Rickenbacker Causeway a continuation of SW 26th Road.
A very upscale neighborhood and where a lot of Miami's big money people live.
Some of the best restaurants found here. There are also a couple of nice parks.
Crandon Park Beach , a mile along Crandon Boulevard (the continuation of the
main road from the causeway), is one of the finest landscaped beaches in the
city. Cape Florida State Recreation Area , four hundred wooded acres covering
the southern end of Key Biscayne
South Beach Miami
