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Miami

Its culture, commerce, and climate are hot, hot, hot!

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Miami deserves its nickname of the “Magic City.” Magically, famously opulent lifestyles coexist with infamously poor inner-city neighborhoods. The tropical climate defies winter’s powers and permits year-round boating, golfing, swimming, surfing, and tennis. And when you ask for salsa, you’re as likely to get a hot dance as a hot sauce. Impressive tricks for a former swamp.

A trip to South Beach may net you a glance at superstars visiting or living there, but three unlikely celebrities made Greater Miami what it is today. Millionaire industrialist Henry Flagler extended his railroad route to South Florida in 1896, leading to Miami’s immediate incorporation as a city. The regime of Fidel Castro led to hundreds of thousands of Cuban refugees in the ’60s and ’70s, new residents who helped Miami mature into a sophisticated, multicultural metropolis. And actor Don Johnson’s 1980s TV show, Miami Vice, gave the city a glamorous reputation, which skyrocketed property values and tourism.

Photo Credit: Greater Miami CVB

Perched near Florida’s southeastern tip, about midway between Fort Lauderdale and the Keys, Miami is hectic in both traffic and commerce. The Port of Miami is distinguished as the world’s busiest cruise port, while Miami International Airport claims the country’s second highest number of international passengers. Headquarters to several Fortune 500 companies seeking Latin and Caribbean business, Miami also serves as the nation’s second largest international banking center. Throngs pack Miami Beach on any given weekend, and a sizeable retiree population supports an abundance of healthcare services.

Though politically conservative, Miami–Dade County is liberal with its free “attractions,” such as art deco architecture, bask-worthy beaches, and ubiquitous palm trees. In its touristy meccas, the restaurants and nightclubs are cool, and the people and fashions are hot. Diversity unifies this area where Hispanics count for more than half the population. Bahamians, Haitians, Jews, and other ethnicities also color the cultural mix. The resulting atmosphere will make you feel you’ve stepped into an exotic paradise.