Introducing Miami:
The South Florida region had been inhabited by the Calusa and other Amerindian tribes for millennia by the time Spanish conquistador Don Ponce de Leon arrived in 1513. Ponce was looking for the fountain of youth but instead found a bay with inlets and a vast swampland. The Name Miami comes from the Calusa Indian word for ‘big water’ and their main village became what we now know as the City of Miami. The area was formally claimed for Spain in 1566 and the first Spanish Mission was built in 1557. The Spanish were never able to successfully settle in the area, beset by wars with the natives and with other European powers and sold Florida to the USA in 1821 for $5 million US dollars. The area remained a sparsely populated backwater known as the ‘Biscayne Bay area’ until the railroad was extended south to the village of Miami in 1896. The boom brought in by the railroad transformed a once sleepy village into a summer resort and by 1915 Miami Beach was founded, aided by the construction of the first bridge over Biscayne Bay. Miami’s population boomed during World War II, as the tourists were replaced by soldiers training to fight German U boats. The Second population boom started in 1959 when the Cuban revolution forced a large number of middle class Cubans into exile.
After several more waves of immigration from Cuba and Latin America, including the ‘Mariel Boatlift’ of 1980 (featured in the movie Scarface), Miami now boast a population that is 67% Spanish speaking or of Latin American descent. Only 25% of Miami residents are registered as Anglo speakers, leading Miami to be called ‘The Capital of The Americas’. Miami is currently the 3rd richest city in the USA, with a booming downtown that is rapidly getting Manhattanised with glass skyscrapers. Miami’s magnificent luxury villas on private islands attract the rich and famous, and it’s gorgeous stretches of white sandy beaches, magnificent boutique hotels and vibrant Latin culture, led by a Cuban community that brought ‘Mojito’ and ‘Cubano Sandwich’ into the American lexicon, attract tourists from the world over. Miami is also known for its ‘snowbird’ population, largely Canadians who flock south in the winter to escape the cold and a large Jewish-American population that have made Miami a haven for retirees, among the youthful exuberance of Latin dance clubs and photo shoots of bikini clad models on the sands of south beach. Miami is the place to be.
Getting Around:
Miami is served by Miami international Airport, offering nonstop flights to Europe and Latin America as well as domestic connections. Fort Lauderdale Airport, just north of Miami is convenient for travelers flying in from the New York area and other domestic USA or Canadian cities. Miami is also a world class cruise port and has both an Amtrak and a Greyhound station. The city counts with an efficient municipal bus system and downtown Miami is interconnected with the suburbs with an overhead metro system. You can rent a bike and pedal along South Beach and downtown as Florida is perfectly flat, the highest elevation in the city is only 20 feet above sea level.
Things To Do:
Miami is a beach paradise during the day and a nightlife paradise at night, with excellent restaurants and a vibrant art scene. Take an afternoon stroll along the pedestrian Lincoln Road for its bars, open air restaurants, art galleries and drag shows. South beach is nonstop fun, with art deco hotels and café’s facing a sandy beach. Downtown has great shopping and museums, including the ‘Casa Vizcaya’ a Venetian style luxury villa facing the waters of Biscayne Bay. Make time for a stop in Little Havana’s ‘Calle Ocho’ for a Cuban coffee, a Cubano sandwich and a couple of refreshing Mojitos.
If you want to explore more of Miami and the nearby places, you can rent a car. There are plenty of car rental services available. You can also check with your hotel staff as most of the hotels provide the car rental services.
Miami Climate:
Miami has a tropical monsoon climate where the climate is hot and humid in summers and mostly warm and dry winters. The humidity levels in summers are very high and they usually range between 85-90 percent, making it one of the humid cities in the United States. Miami receives rainfall during summer and early autumn.
Hotel Accommodation:
Miami Beach is one of the top tourist destinations and has plenty of hotel accommodation that ranges from luxury to mid-range to budget accommodation. Miami Beach, South Beach, Bal Harbour, Central Miami, Coral Gables, Coconut Grove and West Miami are the most popular places for lodging.
Tags: budgetair, budgetair deals, budgetair travel, international cheap travel
