I had somehow discovered LA as my first destination in the USA and in fact it was really my first destination outside England ! So it didnt really have to be anything other than different for me to be hooked on travel for a lifetime. I loved it and it was my first experience of the United States, so different to Miami which I found myself drawn to many years later.
Miami is much more than south beach or sobe as its reffered to. But really as a traveller its what Miami is about, and I'm going to give you my Miami and hope that you might be tempted to go.
Miami is a latin american city with United States Law. It is home to a massive latin population from all over the caribbean including Cubans and to the southern americas such as Argentinians. Miami is also home to a big fashion industry and you can see much of this strutting down lincoln a pedestrianised zone on around 16th street. It has fabulous outside restarants and bars and is a real hive of dog walkers and rollerbalders and a great place to meet up. I love lincoln, towards the beach it isn't pedestrianised and it regains some latin grime with stand up coffee outlets serving small cannons of caffeine, perfect for getting you up for the clubs ! Clubs tend to be on washington and from 15th street all the way down to the bottom of the "island" that is sobe. They change less often than new york clubs but you can be assured that there are some stylish hangouts, but be prepared to put up with premadonna bouncers. The best club may be space not in SOBE just across the water however for a truer clubbing experience.
How better to recover than a brunch and some time on the best beach in the world. Yes I have been to some pretty idylic amazing beaches but the point is that here its a good mix of excitment and regardless that it is man made it is pretty clean and you are in another heart of SOBE. It is excellent to exercise upon at the road edge as it has concrete under the sand so you can run along it without loosing so much steam. I'm sorry I get bored in the paradises of the Caribbean and Thailand.
You can chill and meet some really interesting folk down in SOBE while sinking a beer or cocktail. Shopping is also pretty good on Lincoln and down towards the suthern end of SOBE.
One of my favourite hangouts in SOBE was the lost weekend on 14th beween colins and washington I believe. Pool tables and great music beer and the best wings you ever tried. It gets spill out from crowbar the club next door and is open till very late. SOBE doesnt seem to close until your eyes do, and best of all all the hotels have great pools and the weather is just perfect. So thats why I decided to live there for a couple of months. It might be missing some mountains in the back country and some surf but you cant have it all.
