Miami

Downtown

The heart of Miami city is here in Downtown. It's the hub for culture, commerce and entertainment and the constant arrival of cruise ships keeps the area very busy! It's not a cheap place to stay but it's certainly close to the action, with the Centre for Performing Arts and the Miami-Dade Cultural Centre offering plenty of events, as well as the Miami Art Museum and plenty of shops.

Islands

Further east from Downtown are the areas of Miami Beach and South Beach, as well as the Venetian Islands. These are the most popular tourist areas and a whole range of Miami hotels are available from luxury to more modest. There are plenty of attractions to suit everyone with the Children's Museum, Parrot Jungle Island, Lummus Park and Miami Beach Golf Club. Excellent shops and great art deco architecture are also to be found here, and the beaches are ever-popular.

North Side

Attractions revolve around the beach here, with North Beach, Sunny Isles Beach, and if you fancy going 'au naturel' on holidays then Haulover Beach is for you. The cultural highlight is the medieval Spanish monastery of St. Bernard de Clairvaux. The area is a melting pot of different nationalities, with Haitian being the most prevalent so look out for ethnic foods and events.

South Side

Whilst not as close to the beaches, the South of Miami has lots to offer, and there's a better choice of accommodation if you're on a Miami holiday with a budget. For animal lovers the Monkey Jungle and Zoo Miami are definite highlights, and who can resist the lure of the Science Museum? The Coral Gables area is known for its picturesque architecture and Vizcaya Museum is a stately home to remember. Biscayne National Park is also nearby, offering a myriad of activities.