MIAMI IS NOT A REAL PLACE

The Miami guide

Real neighborhoods, real places. No sponsorships in this guide — every pick is independent.

Neon-lit art deco hotels along Ocean Drive, Miami Beach

The postcard, but better at 7am

South Beach

A large mural inside the Wynwood Walls outdoor gallery in Miami

The city's open-air gallery

Wynwood

The Brickell skyline lit up at night over Biscayne Bay

Rooftops and skyline money

Brickell

Men playing dominoes at Domino Park on Calle Ocho, Little Havana

Calle Ocho, cafecito, dominoes

Little Havana

The gardens at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Coconut Grove, Miami

Banyan shade and bay breezes

Coconut Grove

A storm front rolling in over the water at Key Biscayne

The calm-water island

Key Biscayne

Pérez Art Museum Miami on the edge of Biscayne Bay

Luxury storefronts, free art

Design District

The coral-rock Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, built in 1924

Mediterranean calm

Coral Gables

Every pick, by category

The full list behind the neighborhood guides and your trip recommendations.

Restaurants

  • The exterior of Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho in Little Havana
    Versailles$15–$30

    The Cuban institution since 1971. Ropa vieja, cafecito at the ventanita, and history on every wall.

  • The Joe's Stone Crab sign in South Beach, Miami Beach
    Joe's Stone Crab$60–$120

    A 110-year-old Miami Beach ritual. Stone crab season runs October to May — get the mustard sauce.

  • Komodo$70–$140

    Three floors of see-and-be-seen Asian dining. The Peking duck and the people-watching both deliver.

  • Mandolin Aegean Bistro$50–$90

    A bougainvillea-covered 1940s house serving Greek and Turkish plates. The most romantic patio in Miami.

  • Zak the Baker$12–$25

    Kosher bakery café with Miami's best sourdough. The shakshuka and a loaf to go is the move.

  • La Mar by Gastón Acurio$70–$130

    Peruvian fine dining on the Mandarin Oriental waterfront. Cebiche with a skyline view.

  • Boia De$60–$110

    A tiny Michelin-starred counter in a strip mall. Book weeks ahead; order the beef tartare.

Nightlifes

  • E11EVEN$40–$200+

    The 24/7 ultraclub. Arrive after 1am, expect aerial performers, and don't plan anything before noon.

  • Sugar$20–$40 a drink

    40th-floor rooftop with palm trees and the best sunset-to-skyline transition in the city.

  • The neon sign outside Ball & Chain on Calle Ocho, Little Havana
    Ball & Chain$15–$30

    Live salsa, mojitos and a pineapple-shaped stage running since 1935. Thursday nights go off.

  • Lagniappe$10–$25

    Backyard wine garden with live jazz every night. Pick a bottle at the counter, find a string-lit table.

  • Club Space in Downtown Miami
    Club Space$30–$100

    Legendary techno temple with a sunrise terrace. The marathon sets are the whole point.

Attractions

  • A large mural inside the Wynwood Walls outdoor gallery in Miami
    Wynwood Walls$12

    The outdoor museum that turned a warehouse district into a landmark. Go before 11am for empty photos.

  • The gardens at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens in Coconut Grove, Miami
    Vizcaya Museum & Gardens$25

    A 1916 Italianate villa on Biscayne Bay. The gardens at golden hour are Miami's best-kept photo spot.

  • Pérez Art Museum Miami on the edge of Biscayne Bay
    Pérez Art Museum Miami$18

    Hanging gardens, contemporary art and a waterfront terrace. Free on the second Saturday each month.

  • Bayside Marketplace on the waterfront in Downtown Miami
    Bayside MarketplaceFree to wander

    Open-air market on the marina. Touristy, yes — but the boat tours leave from here for a reason.

  • The coral-rock Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, built in 1924
    Venetian Pool$21

    A spring-fed public pool carved from a 1924 coral quarry, with waterfalls and grottoes.

Beachs

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