"The diverse and the beautiful" a Miami Beach Travel Page by goingsolo

Miami Beach is known for several things. There are, of course, the beaches. Then there's the non-stop South Beach nightlife where all the beautiful people go to sip $25 martinis and the rest just watch. And there's the Art Deco style buildings.

When traveling, I'm often asked if Miami Beach is anything like it was portrayed on the show Miami Vice. I'm not kidding about that. The answer, in case you're wondering, is no. For one thing, the show was set in the 80s and times have changed since then. For another, its a tv show and how often do tv shows approximate what a place is really like?

Miami Beach is set apart from the "mainland" Miami by several bridges. Its somewhat of a different world over here. Those that live on the beach park their cars on Friday and do not use them again until its time to go to work on Monday. This is one of the only areas in South Florida which is compact enough to walk from point A to point B. Everything needed is just a couple of blocks away. And if it isn't there, its not needed, as folks who live on "The Beach" aren't prone to travel off the beach unless its a workday or a hurricane warning.

The beaches and the nightlife surrounding them make this a famous destination. As is usually the case, locals generally don't patronize either. But Miami Beach residents are an exception to this. Many people live in this area due to its close proximity to beach activities, including the nightlife. Some of these people actually go to the beach during the day as well, an unheard of thing for a local to do.

Most of the above is meant in jest. Miami Beach is a fun place to visit. Its a place to party and not a place to do much else except lie on the beach and recover. Still, its a popular winter tourist destination. Since I live in nearby Miami, I should have more information on this page. I make attempts to update it whenever possible and it remains my neglected work in progress. But, if you have any questions about Miami Beach, or Miami in general, feel free to email me and I will do my best to answer them.