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Introduction to Miami

A week in Miami is not unlike watching an episode of, say, Access Hollywood -- with a little CNN thrown in for good measure. Miami: the city to which Britney Spears flees when things aren't going her way, where Tom Cruise took Katie Holmes to celebrate her never-ending 27th birthday, where the paparazzi camps out for days hoping to catch a glimpse of something or someone fabulous, where former President Bill Clinton kibitzes with modeling agency executives at St. Tropez-ish beach clubs, and where Janet Reno throws a politically driven dance party at a South Beach nightclub. And that's just a small sampling of the surreal, Fellini-esque world that exists way down here at the bottom of the map. Nothing in Miami is ever what it seems.

What used to be a relatively sleepy beach vacation destination has awakened from its humid slumber, upped its tempo, and finally earned its place in the Blackberries and iPhones of cutting-edge jet-setters worldwide -- but don't be fooled by the hipper-than-thou, celebrity-drenched playground that is South Beach. While the chic elite do indeed flock here, it is surprisingly accessible to the average Joe, Jane, or José. For every Phillippe Starck-designed, bank-account-busting boutique hotel on South Beach, there's a kitschy, candy-coated Art Deco one that's much less taxing on the pockets. For each Pan-Mediterranean-Asian haute cuisinerie, there's always the down-home, no-nonsense Cuban bodega offering hearty food at ridiculously cheap prices.

Beyond the glitzy, Us Weekly-meets-beach blanket bacchanalia, Miami has an endless number of sporting, cultural, and recreational activities to keep you entertained. Our sparkling beaches are beyond compare. Plus, there's excellent shopping; nightlife activities including ballet, theater, and opera; as well as the celebrity-saturated hotels, restaurants, bars, and clubs that helped make Miami so famous.


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Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.


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