DISCOVER MIAMI

Miami's importance as an international financial and cultural center has elevated Miami to the status of world city. Because of Miami's cultural and linguistic ties to North, South, and Central America, as well as the Caribbean, Miami is many times referred to as "The Gateway of the Americas." Florida's large Spanish-speaking population and strong economic ties to Latin America also make Miami and the surrounding region an important center of the Hispanic world.

Miami is also home to one of the largest, most influential ports in the United States, the Port of Miami. The port is often called the "Cruise Capital of the World" and the "Cargo Gateway of the Americas". It has retained its status as the number one cruise/passenger port in the world for well over a decade accommodating the largest cruise ships and the major cruise lines.


THINGS TO SEE IN MIAMI

• Ancient Spanish Monastery. Originally built in Segovia, Spain in 1141, this monastery was originally supposed to be a part of William Randolph Hearst's property in California. Partly because he ran out of money and partly because the United States would not allow the monastery to be built in California, the monastery remained in New York Harbor until 1954, when a couple of businessmen bought the property and assembled it in Miami. Parts of the monastery have not been assembled because the government removed the pieces from numbered boxes and then placed the wrong pieces in the wrong boxes. Today the monastery is a church as well as a popular marriage location. As seen on the History Channel show Weird U.S
  
  
• Holocaust Memorial. This memorial was created with the help of Miami Beach Holocaust survivors and sculptor Kenneth Treister in 1984; it was finally opened to the public in 1990. The most noticeable features of this memorial are its large arm with Holocaust victims trying to climb up the arm (it even has an Auschwitz tattoo similar to the ones issued at Auschwitz), its pool with a dedication to the 'Jewish victims of the Holocaust' just outside the pool and sculptures of a mother and her children perishing to death surrounded by Anne Frank quotes. Behind the massive arm is the Garden of Meditation, dedicated to life, and a history of the Holocaust etched (with some covered-up errors) in granite. Surrounding the arm is a tunnel highlighted by an eternal flame. The tunnel has the names of the concentration camps sculpted inside of it and leads you to more sculptures surrounding the arm as well as names of victims of the Holocaust etched in granite and items such as Jewish candles placed by visitors honoring the memory of the dead. Free.
  
  
• Coral Castle. An odd complex of stone structures, built with enormously heavy stones, and allegedly by one man, without the help of modern equipment.
  
  
• Jewish Museum of Florida. This museum, located in a 1936 synagogue that hosted Miami's first Jewish congregation, has a permanent exhibit detailing how Florida's Jews arrived in Florida as well as their history in Florida and their customs. The museum also has videos to view while you're inside the museum, temporary exhibits in the center of the synagogue and a gift shop.
  
  
• Bass Museum of Art. This art museum, expanded by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki, houses several European artworks from the 15th to the 20th century. Baroque and Northern European artworks are the highlights of the Bass Museum's collection. The Bass Museum also hosts touring exhibitions and the New Information Workshop, a computer laboratory that allows visitors to create their own artwork.
  
  
• Wolfsonian-Florida International University. Back in the 1930s and 1940s this building was the headquarters of the Washington Storage Company, a facility where the rich could stash their valuables whenever they were out of town. Movie theater heir and Miami native Mitchell Wolfson, Jr. stored so much artwork here that he decided to buy the storage company and later give the building to Florida International University, hence the museum's odd name. The Wolfsonian hosts a large modernist art collection on its upper three floors (the only floors, excluding the first floor, that are open to the public) that includes propaganda posters and postcards and Art Deco household items as well as touring exhibits. There is also a café, bookstore, fountain and a modernist-inspired artwork on the first floor. After paying admission, patrons enter the Wolfsonian with a sticker that has a picture of an artifact from the museum's permanent collection.
  
  
• Venetian Pool. In the 1920s Denman Dink transformed this limestone quarry into a pool with a waterfall, an area for kids and an area for adults. The water in this pool comes from a spring and is drained daily. In addition to the swimming facilities there is a snack bar (you cannot bring outside food into the Venetian Pool) and lockers. Swimming lessons are also offered here. The Venetian Pool is best known for having Esther Williams and Johnny Weissmuller (the silver screen's first Tarzan) swim here.
  
  
• Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. European-inspired estate. Includes a main house filled with art and furnishings and ten acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay.
  
  
• Bayfront Park. In addition to two amphitheaters (one large amphitheater and a smaller one, the South End Amphitheater, which hosts live performances), this park has memorials for the astronauts who perished in the Challenger spaceship accident, former president John F. Kennedy (the JFK Torch of Friendship), and a fountain dedicated to Claude Pepper, a distinguished US congressman.
  
  
• Oleta River State Recreation Park. The largest urban park in Florida has trails for biking, a beach for swimming, picnic areas and a playground for kids. Get a canoe or kayak to row to a mangrove island within the park. Several animals such as eagles and fiddler crabs also make their home here. Fourteen cabins with air conditioning are also on the premises, but bathrooms, showers and grills are located outside the cabins and guests should bring their own linens.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS IN MIAMI

There are very few city-wide events planned during the months of July and August because of the high temperatures during the summer in Miami.

• FedEx Orange Bowl Football Game, Dolphin Stadium. Held in early January around New Year's Day. A major Bowl Championship Series (BCS) game held ironically in Dolphin Stadium. Top teams from two conferences, one of the conferences being the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), battle for this prize.
  
  
• South Beach Wine & Food Festival, various locations throughout South Beach. Held in late February. Sponsored by Food & Wine magazine and the Food Network, this event raises money for Florida International University's hospitality program by having celebrity cooks and chefs (many of them who work for or have appeared on Food Network at one time) descend upon South Beach to do cooking demonstrations and throw parties. Florida International University's hospitality program students volunteer at some of the festival's events. Wine and food tastings featuring local chefs and cuisine are also held during the annual event. Tickets range from $15-$300 depending on the event.
  
  
• Winter Party, various locations throughout South Beach. Held between mid-February and mid-March. This circuit party benefits several queer organizations throughout Dade County as well as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Beach parties, pool parties, parties held at local clubs and a dinner are the main features of the Winter Party.
  
  
• Winter Music Conference, various locations throughout South Beach. Held in mid-March. Don't confuse the Winter Music Conference with the Winter Party. While the Winter Music Party attracts queer people for a good cause, the Winter Music Conference attracts electronic musicians (and the labels they belong to) and DJs as well as fans of various electronic music genres for the love of music. In addition to several parties held in clubs, parks and on Lummus Beach (and occasionally in retail stores and hotels), there are seminars for people to learn more about the music business and DJ showcases.
  
  
• Independence Day, city-wide. Held on July 4th. The Miami skyline is illuminated by fireworks on the 'birth date' of the United States. While Key Biscayne has great views of the fireworks show, Bayfront Park has live music as well as a laser show.
  
  
• White Party, various locations throughout South Beach. Held in mid-November. Miami's oldest queer circuit party raises money for Care Resource, the largest and oldest HIV/AIDS association in South Florida, over a span of 10 days. It's not nearly as popular as the Winter Party held earlier in the year, but the White Party still manages to sell out its tickets nearly a year in advance.
  
  
• King Mango Strut, Main Avenue and Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove. Held after Christmas. This parade began as a parody of current events as well as the Orange Bowl Parade. The Orange Bowl Parade, unlike its famous Rose Bowl counterpart, is no longer held anymore, but the King Mango Strut is still having a good time making fun of the previous year's follies.

MIAMI HOTELS & ACCOMMODATION

MIAMI TOURS, TRAVEL AND ACTIVITIES