Miami has a variety of vibrant diverse neighborhoods. Immigrants of every variety have capitalized on the building of Miami that began more than one hundred years ago, as hardy adventurers and pioneers braved heat and hardship to build the Magic City. Their footprints are everywhere in Miami neighborhoods, overlaid by the millions who have come after. From the old ranches of Homestead and Hialeah to the brand new condos of Sunny Isles Beach, with Coral Gables, Kendall, Overtown, the Design District, Little Havana, Brickell, Coconut Grove, downtown Miami and more in between, Miami's neighborhoods are both rich in history and ever-evolving.

Downtown Miami Area
World trade, commerce and finance converge at the heart of downtown but culture also courses through the veins of this bustling area: The Miami-Dade Cultural Center (101 West Flagler Street) is the Mediterranean setting for the Miami Art Museum, the Historical Museum of Southern Florida and the huge Miami-Dade Public Library.

Bayside Marketplace is an all-encompassing, open-air shopping and entertainment center featuring the Hard Rock Cafe, Hooters, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Fat Tuesday and lots of food court options. Live mariachi bands frequently entertain shoppers and party cruises depart regularly from Bayside, a Miami landmark for more than 20 years. Shoppers also find their way to the downtown retail area near Flagler Street and SE First Avenue, filled with discount electronics, jewelry and clothing stores.

Miami Design District
Just north of downtown, the Miami Design District from NE 36th Street to 41st Street between N. Miami Avenue and NE 2nd Avenue features designer home furnishings, antiques and art to the public and trade. The now-famous Wynwood Art District started in 1986 with the Bakehouse Complex project, which provided artists' space inside an old bakery building. As artists moved into other buildings, the District decided formally to unite (2003), and today has more than 70 galleries. Every second Saturday of the month, a community-wide Art Walk affords visitors a chance to see many galleries in one evening.

Brickell
Mary Brickell and her husband built a trading post on the south side of the Miami River at the turn of the 20th century. For years, everything south of the river was referred to as Brickell. Today, the Brickell area is a mix of international banking and business, coupled with luxury condominiums and hotels. At night, Mary Brickell Village is alive with people in several restaurants and bars that grace the area, including Tobacco Road, holder of the first liquor license issued in the state of Florida. Mary Brickell Village also has an eclectic mix of restaurants ranging from the Oceanaire Seafood Room to Baja Fresh and Quizno's - lots of choices for grabbing a bite after a day at the nearby Vizcaya Palace or Miami Science Museum.

Little Havana
West of Brickell Avenue with Calle Ocho (SW 8th Street) as its main thoroughfare, Little Havana offers visitors a taste of Cuba and many other Latin American countries, making the area a Hispanic melting pot. Every March, on SW 8th Street, the “Calle Ocho” festival takes place. It’s billed as the biggest block party in the world.

Coconut Grove
Historic sites include the Miami City Hall which began as an aviation training base for the U.S. Navy during WWII. Later, it became the operations base for Pan American Airlines. In 1946, it was bought by the city and leased as a restaurant until 1954, when it became City Hall. Plymouth Congregational Church is a picturesque coral rock building built in 1917, that features a 300 year-old hand-carved door. The Barnacle Historic State Park is the 112-year old home of Commodore Ralph Munroe, a Coconut Grove pioneer, and is the oldest home in Miami-Dade county.

Shopping is part of the fun in Coconut Grove. Visit the many boutiques along Main Highway and the side streets; then spend time at CocoWalk, an open-air shopping and entertainment center with a Mediterranean ambiance and live entertainment. Stop by The Streets of Mayfair, where you’ll find shopping, restaurants, and laughs at The Improv Comedy Club & Cafe.

Throughout the year, the Grove hosts many festivals including the famous Coconut Grove Arts Festival, the Great Taste of the Grove Festival, the Miami/Bahamas Goombay Festival, the King Mango Strut and the Coconut Grove Bicycle Race.

Coral Gables
The tree-lined, manicured streets, Mediterranean Revival style architecture, and decorative plazas and fountains of "the Gables" give credence to the moniker “The City Beautiful.” Home to art galleries, modern office buildings and historic landmarks such as the palatial Biltmore Hotel and the one-of-a-kind Venetian pool, Coral Gables gracefully combines the past and the future. Upscale shopping abounds at the Village of Merrick Park, while Miracle Mile offers shops, boutiques, cafes and a renovated historic theater. Thanks to developer George Merrick, who also donated the land for the University of Miami, Coral Gables is one of the first planned communities in the US. When founded, Merrick was able to brag that every business in Coral Gables was less than a two block walk! Today, the eco-friendly Gables Trolley puts the Gables in easy reach for those who live or work downtown.

Key Biscayne
An island reached only via the Rickenbacker Causeway, Key Biscayne was once home to President Richard Nixon and parts of it have been owned by the Matheson family and the Deering brothers. Key Biscayne is reached by driving over the Rickenbacker Causeway, named for ace pilot and president of Eastern Airlines Eddie Rickenbacker. Enjoy the postcard view of Biscayne Bay, the Port of Miami and downtown Miami on the drive! Once you reach the island, you’ll find everything from golfing and tennis to the historic Cape Florida Lighthouse at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, and Crandon Park (recreation, beach, marina, nature center and more). Virginia Key, which lies between the mainland and Key Biscayne, is home to the former Virginia Key Park (for use by African-Americans when other parks were reserved for 'whites-only'), Miami Seaquarium, the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, "Hobie Beach," and several restaurants.

South Beach
South Beach is the coolest, red-hot destination for visitors from all over the world. Restaurants, boutiques, nightclubs and historic art deco hotels are part of this famous area. Just 25 years ago, SoBe was a run-down retirement community and then came Miami Vice. The hit TV show reinvigorated interest in Miami Beach, and restoration of its now famous Art Deco District, the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, began. Today, besides the Art Deco District, South Beach boasts the Lincoln Road area, a pedestrian-only plaza lined with boutiques and restaurants, South Pointe with high rise condos and beautiful parks, and much more. The Colony Hotel on Ocean Drive is one of the most photographed buildings in Florida.

North Beach
Check out the outdoor marketplace on Saturdays on Normandy Isle, around the historic fountain that is reminiscent of France. Located from 63rd St. to 87th Terrace (south to north) and from the beach to the bay (east to west). Heading further north, you’ll encounter Surfside, a small community with wide beaches, luxury condominiums and cozy apartments. Just west of Collins Avenue is Harding Avenue, dotted with retail shops, restaurants and cafes. Still heading north along Collins Avenue, you’ll find Bal Harbour, a municipality with elegant, luxury highrises along the beach, coupled with a retail and residential community. One of Miami’s most upscale shopping centers, Bal Harbour Shops, sits on Collins Avenue at 96th Street. Just a few blocks west of Bal Harbour is the intimate town of Bay Harbor, with shops and restaurants along its main street, Kane Concourse. It has a small town ambiance, yet offers the conveniences of nearby metropolitan living. A few more miles north on Collins Avenue is Sunny Isles Beach, where visitors can get a taste of resort Florida with its stretches of beach, beautiful new luxurious highrises, restaurants and shops.

Northeast Miami
NE 125th Street in North Miami has undergone a renaissance. Art galleries, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and restaurants are open along NE 125th Street, a main thoroughfare. The last Friday of every month is Art Walk North Miami: tour MoCA, listen to free jazz, and visit the galleries along 125th Street.

Aventura
Aventura in northeast Miami-Dade is an exclusive community of shopping, elegant highrises and homes, yacht clubs and marinas. Aventura Mall, in the center of this growing city, is the largest super-regional mall in South Florida. Home to a diverse menu of restaurants, Aventura is a food lovers delight for both casual and fine dining.