The Skinny on South Beach

South Beach is THE place to see and be seen when in Miami. Taking up a wide swath of Miami Beach, this 23-block area is actually a barrier island of Miami proper, separating Biscayne Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. South Beach is perhaps the glitziest part of Miami, containing all of the high-end clubs and designer boutiques. It is a cultural center, with an abundance of art galleries and theatre facilities, and is the part of the city many tourists refer to when talking about Miami.

South Beach was first developed in the early 1900s and has gone through a number of changes since that time; including enduring two hurricanes that brought the community to its knees. South Beach’s main streets consist of Collins Ave., Washington Ave., Ocean Drive --- the most infamous of all the South Beach streets, 5th St., and Alton Rd. In the 1920s, several millionaires called the area home, including J.C. Penney, Harvey Firestone and Albert Champion.

Moreover, South Beach is responsible for the art deco style of architecture for which Miami is so well known; even today, it boasts the largest collection of Streamline Moderne Art Deco architecture.

In the 60s, South Beach played host to Jackie Gleason and his weekly variety act, The Jackie Gleason Show. In the 80s, it was known as a senior retirement community for northern snowbirds; it was also the stomping ground for the “cocaine cowboys,” Cuban drug lords who waged large-scale drug wars on the streets of South Beach. By this point, South Beach had become a collection of run-down apartment buildings and dilapidated homes. Once the popular TV show Miami Vice showcased the condition of the beachside community, a renaissance began and the region got its glamour back.

To kick things off, fashion industry heavyweights moved operations beachfront and the entertainment scene exploded. Celebrities like Madonna and Rosie O’Donnell invested in South Beach real estate and today, just about every star owns a villa in South Beach, including Jennifer Lopez, Shaquille O’Neil, Matt Damon, Lil Wayne, Lenny Kravitz, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Janet Jackson.

The South Beach community consists of numbered streets that run east to west and roads and avenues that run north to south. Many of the roads are pedestrian-friendly, which is more than can be said for the rest of Miami. Unbeknownst to most tourists, there are residential neighborhoods in South Beach. They include Flamingo Park, Espanola Way Historic District, Flamingo West and Collins Park, which is the newest up-and-coming neighborhood in South Beach.

Locals know that Lincoln Road in South Beach is the place to go when you just want to hang out, eat, and shop. It is an open-air mall, open to pedestrian traffic only, and is the premier shopping destination in South Beach. In addition to the boutiques and large retail shops, there are also a number of restaurants and night clubs in the Lincoln Road area.

However, when most tourists think of South Beach, it is really Ocean Drive that comes to mind. This is the area where all of the spring breakers hang out and is home to some of the hottest clubs South Beach has to offer, including Mango’s, Pearl and Clevelander. This is also where Gianni Versace’s mansion was located, taking up prime beachside real estate.  The Carlyle hotel is also located on Ocean Drive and is a true art deco classic, making it a popular attraction for many Hollywood filmmakers.

However, above all else, South Beach is synonymous with nightlife. There are more than 150 different clubs in South Beach and new hot spots open with great regularity. Most clubs stay open until 5 a.m., allowing revelers to party all night long. However, patrons can expect to pay a pretty penny when partying in South Beach, as most clubs charge anywhere from $20 to $60 just to get in the door, with drinks costing even more. Wait times to get into the more popular clubs can sometimes span hours and some clubs have door staff evaluations to determine who gets in.

For the last few years, BED has been the top spot, mimicking the original NYC location; however, the popularity of a given club is ever-changing and what’s hot today will likely be old news tomorrow.  In fact, the South Beach governing body has tried to initiate protocol to prevent clubs from opening on a whim, as most clubs in South Beach only last for a season.

In addition to its expansive --- and expensive --- nightlife scene, South Beach is a fashion smorgasbord of designers, models, photographers and boutiques. This is one of the most popular locations to conduct fashion photo shoots in the country and more than 1,000 models call South Beach home. Moreover, triple the numbers of models are seasonal guests of the area from October through March, which is the prime time for outdoor photo shoots in South Beach.

South Beach is one of the country’s top destinations for cultural activity, from nightclubs to restaurants to funky boutiques and more. Moreover, it has since earned a spot on the international stage with tourists from Canada, the Middle East, the nearby Caribbean islands and Europe making regular treks to South Beach. Locals and tourists alike flock to South Beach to enjoy the sun, shop in the exclusive boutiques, dance in sexy nightclubs and soak up the unique South Florida flavor.

Copyright 2009 MiamiSmarts

1. An Introduction to Miami
2. Getting Around Miami
3. Secrets of South Beach
4. Dolphins in Heat in Miami
5. The Miami Music Scene
6. Things to See in Miami
7. The Miami Cultural Scene
8. Shopping in Miami