| Population | 362,470 |
| Language spoken | English, Spanish |
| Currency | American Dollar (USD) |
| Average temperature | Summer: 81°-83°F; Winter: 67°-69°F |
| High season | October to March |
Beautiful in so many ways, Miami attracts visitors with its beaches, great weather, incredible nightlife, and cultural diversity. It is a place of dizzying delights; a multicultural wonder comprised of different boroughs, each as unique as the city itself.
As over half of Miami's population is of Hispanic decent, there is a special Latin American flavor that permeates throughout all of the city, contributing to its lively character.
Celebrities flock to the city to open superb restaurants and nightclubs, and party at many of the city's trendy South Beach spots, while the rest of the country's people swarm in during the winter months to enjoy the sun and sand.
In an effort to emulate the notorious spending sprees of the rich and famous in the Magic City, I'll set the bar high as far as expenses are concerned during a whirlwind, three-day itinerary. See what a $30,000 budget can bring in a city where heat, honeys and "hola!" are all commonplace.
All amounts are in U.S. dollars.
Day 1: Become a South Beach bum
As a party-loving tourist with money to burn, there's only one place to stay in Miami: the South Beach area. This trendy, beachside region is home to a circus-like atmosphere, where people of all flavors congregate to tan, drink, eat, and be seen. The city's coolest hotels are here as well, and you'd be wise to select The Shore Club, an Ian Schrager-owned establishment with richly decorated rooms and an awesome patio area modeled after L.A.'s famous SkyBar.Forget staying at a suite at The Shore Club -- you're better than that. For $2,500 a night, stay in a cabana, and enjoy all the fine luxuries that only an Ian Schrager hotel can bring.
Your second big decision of the vacation involves transportation. Although much of your time in Miami will be spent in the busy beach areas, there will still be time allotted for shopping and other activities. You'll need a vehicle for this, so why not cruise in style?
Miami's Auto Rent Executive Group offers luxury car rentals for all flashy tourists. Get a Ferrari 360 Spider for $2,500 a day, or, if you want an SUV, try a Range Rover for $495 daily.
the glitter at lummus park beach
You're now all set to begin your tour of Miami. Begin by stepping out of your cabana at The Shore Club and onto South Beach's beachfront. Lummus Park Beach (a.k.a. Glitter Beach) is a great place to people-watch and tan; it's located between 6th and 14th Streets along the famous Ocean Drive. It is at this beach where models pose for fashion magazine photographers and where topless sunbathers hang out, since the practice is legal here. Park yourself on the sand and enjoy the view.Once the sun has soaked up all your energy, it'll be time to reenergize at a trendy lunch spot. Find the Hotel Astor on Washington avenue; inside is Metro Kitchen + Bar, an extremely popular spot to drink cocktails and eat off of an eclectic fusion menu. A typical lunch with appetizers and drinks will set you back $100 for two.
the art deco district
Next, walk off that full feeling in your stomach by cruising South Beach's Art Deco District. This area hosts the world's largest collection of Art Deco-inspired buildings, and these pastel-colored structures provide a cool backdrop as you pass the happening cafes and shops.As the evening approaches, claim your ticket to one of the hottest shows in town: a Miami Heat basketball game. One of the NBA's most exciting teams plays in downtown Miami's American Airlines Arena; tickets behind the Heat bench will cost about $150 per person, while floor seats can go for $195 or more.
dine beyond the blue door
Once the game has ended, find your way back to South Beach and indulge in some fine dining. Ian Schrager's second Miami hotel, the Delano, is home to the Blue Door, easily one of Miami's finest restaurants. The French tropical menu is the brainchild of Chef Claude Troisgros, and unique dishes -- like ragout of Maine lobster in coconut-milk broth -- attract a wide range of well-to-do businessmen and celebrities. Dinner for two can set you back $140 before wine.To top off a spectacular first night in Miami, you'll want to experience the city's famous nightlife. Head to Opium Garden (located in South Beach, of course) a place famous for its exclusive clientele, including Jennifer Lopez, Diddy and Janet Jackson. Cover is typically $20, but you'll have to drop a few hundreds if you want to get in at a good hour, indulge in a bottle of champagne and perhaps even enter the club's VIP area, called Prive. A conservative estimate for a night's activities at Opium Garden is $450.
Price tag for day one: Approximately $13,500 (with a two-night reservation at The Shore Club and a three-day Ferrari rental).
Day 2: Blue Monsters & crabs
On your first day, you got a taste of Miami's South Beach and experienced firsthand what all the fuss is about down south. Day two will bring more adventure, indulgence in Miami's finest outdoor activity and a party that keeps going all through the night.For a hearty breakfast to get you started, stroll over to the Front Porch, a waterfront restaurant on Ocean Drive that offers great omelettes and superb fresh juices. At about $35 for two people, this is easily the cheapest meal you'll have during your trip.
tackle the blue monster
Freshly energized from your meal, head to the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, and experience one of the USA's greatest courses. The Blue Monster at Doral is a notoriously long (7,125 yards, to be exact) and challenging golf course, one that plays host to the Ford Championship every year on the PGA tour.Playing 18 holes here will cost $175 per person, plus club rentals if you can't cram your own into the small confines of the Ferrari 360 Spider. Note that Doral is one Florida's best courses and, as a result, you'll need to book a tee time way in advance.
try joe's crabs
Assuming you grabbed a light snack during your arduous four to five hours on the golf course, you'll be in desperate need of a great late lunch. Head back to your hotel to wash up, and then make a beeline for Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant, a Miami institution. Do not be surprised if, even at lunch, there's an hour wait for a table. Slipping the maitre d' a few 20-dollar bills should help you skip the line (reservations are not accepted).Once seated, you're in store for the finest stone crabs ever, served with the prerequisite creamed spinach and sweet-potato fries. Try the King Crab claws, at roughly $50 per serving. Lunch for two will cost about $140 with drinks.
hit the bal harbour shops
Your second afternoon activity will revolve around shopping. At Bal Harbour, home to the city's very wealthy, you'll find Bal Harbour Shops, Miami's answer to Rodeo Drive. Here, the finest collections of clothes and accessories are housed. Request to have the Fendi, Armani, D&G, and Cartier stores closed, so you can purchase special Miami designs in privacy.The man needing to expand his wardrobe (and get a gift for his female traveling companion) can easily drop $10,000 on a couple of suits, a fine watch and some jewelry for the woman.
After wearing out the magnetic strip on your platinum credit card and stopping for a bite at one of the fine cafes in Bal Harbour Shops, it'll be time to visit another one of Miami's best restaurants. Nobu, located inside The Shore Club, is part of a chain of fine sushi restaurants (co-owned by Robert De Niro), with sister locations in New York and Los Angeles, among other cities
Simply put, the establishment is known for creating some of the best sushi in the world, so this is a great place to have some lighter fare after pigging out on crabs for lunch. The Chef's Choice multi-course menu goes for $70, but if raw fish is not your bag, Nobu offers Kobe steaks for nearly $100. Two can dine for about $200 here, and, although reservations are not accepted, you should have no trouble getting a table as one of The Shore Club's best customers.
stay fresh at mynt
At night, continue to make your mark on the city by strolling in to Mynt Lounge with not so much as a glance from security. This huge lounge and nightclub is the regular host to Miami's A-listers; a place known for its hyper-exclusivity. A fat wad of cash in your pocket is what will get you into Mynt, and once inside, you're bound to bump into people you'd normally read about in Us Weekly. Put aside $600 for entrance and drinks (and more drinks) at this special nightspot.Price tag for day two: Approximately $11,000.
Day 3: Little Havana & the Fish
A busy second day was merely a prelude to the activities on the itinerary of your final day in Magic City. To get you started off on the right foot, return to the Blue Door in the Delano Hotel for a gourmet breakfast with choices like salmon benedict on toasted brioche and Belgian malted waffles. You'll find a $45 budget will get you a satisfying breakfast here.Once you've downed your orange juice and coffee, it's time to take advantage of your Ferrari. Head to Miami's mainland, park your rental safely, and stroll through Little Havana, which looks, feels and sounds eerily similar to its Cuban namesake.
A walk along Calle Ocho (Little Cuba) opens your eyes to Miami's diversity and reveals another aspect of the city's attractiveness. Hear merengue beats from many of the coffee and retail shops, and watch cigar-smoking old men play a lively game of dominoes on the street corner.
Once back in SoBe (as South Beach is affectionately called) try China Grill for lunch, an immense restaurant serving incredible pan-Asian cuisine. Portions are large here, so share a few funky dishes with your traveling companion. Expect to spend about $110 for the two of you.
see the fish at dolphins stadium
For a late afternoon activity, it would be wise to continue the sports trend of your vacation by securing tickets to a Miami Dolphins game at Dolphins Stadium. Located 16 miles northwest of the city, the stadium is packed on game days. So you'll likely have to pay a premium to get two tickets at the (relatively) last minute.Two seats in the 200-level club section can cost up to $500. Securing an executive suite or the best seats at the 50-yard line will cost thousands more.
Once you've watched the Fish demolish their opponents in a lively, memorable atmosphere, drive back to the city in your Ferrari. Don't gravitate to South Beach, though; head instead to Coral Gables, a picture-perfect suburb with Mediterranean-style houses and tree-lined streets featuring plazas and fountains. It is there that you'll find Chispa, one of the city's finest Latin American restaurants.
For about $95 (per couple), you can enjoy croquetas (a gourmet version of Cuba's signature greasy shrimp and black eyed peas dish), suckling pig, seafood ceviches, or Mahi Mahi served with sour-orange aioli.
the skybar at the shore club
How do you take advantage of your last night in Miami? First, head back to your hotel -- but don't worry, you're not settling down for the night. Head to The Shore Club's SkyBar, a wonderful terrace and lounge area that features the Redroom bar and garden, the Rumbar (75 different rums available here) and the exquisite Sandbar.Once you've downed a few drinks here (at a cost of approximately $40), mingle with the chic crowd, schmooze and invite them out. To where, you ask? Your party yacht, of course.
For a cost of $3,200, you can invite 49 of your closest friends aboard a 76-foot luxury vessel. Assuming you can find 49 people to party with, you'll pay an extra $1,000 for the use of a full bar.
Tour Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean for up to four hours on the yacht, and then dock at Miami Beach. Simply put, this is an ideal way to finish off your stay in Miami.
Price tag for day three: Approximately $5,500.
and the total is...
With the right itinerary, a visit to Miami can be unforgettable. It doesn't hurt to have $30,000 to burn either, since then you can live the life that the town's many celebrities experience when touring the Magic City.Total price tag: $30,000.
tips for the trip
Resources:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/north-america/usa/miami/
http://www.frommers.com/destinations/miami/
http://www.worldexecutive.com/cityguides/miami/tips.html
http://rent.autorentexecutive.com/english/book/vehicles.asp
http://www.doralresort.com/
http://www.miamiboat.com/en/private-parties.php
http://www.10best.com/Miami/Restaurants/Breakfast;Brunch/index.html?businessID=6746
Miami Travel Guide
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