South Beach Guide And Information

South Beach is one of the Florida beaches that is most growing in popularity.  It's actually a 23 block chunk of Miami Beach and separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Biscayne Bay.  This section first started getting developed in the first part of the 20th century, and since then, has gone through many changes, both natural and man-made, not the least of which was the booming economy and tourism industry.

Today's South Beach would be almost unrecognized by people who saw it in the first half of last century, with hundreds of restaurants, nightclubs, and botique hotels welcoming visitors, and making it one of the area's most attractive entertainment destinations. 

South Beach's bar and nightclub scene is quite active, hosting over 150 clubs and similar venues.  Most of these don't close until five in the morning.  The cost for entry to the more popular night spots runs between $20 and $60, dending on special events and venues. 

Especially popular by the nightclubbing crowds are Mac's Club Deuce and The Clevelander.  Also, B.E.D. is a nightclub that was recently named by the TV show, "UberGuide" as one of the 10 most legendary bars in the world.

Something that many tourists don't know is that South Beach is a popular spot for fashion shoots.  In fact, it's one of the world's most foremost such locations, with Mimi considered the "shoot capital" of the U.S.  There are about 1,500 models who live around South Beach, with even more coming during the peak fashion shooting times of year (Generally from October through March).

Some of the more popular attractions that tourists love to see  include:

• Miami Beach Cultural Campus.  This is considered the area's museum district, and runs between 20th and 22nd Streets.  It includes the Bass Museum, the Miami City Ballet Building, Miami Beach Regional Library, Collins Park, and more.

• Jewish Holocaust Memorial, at 1933 Meridian Avenue.  This is funded by a nonprofit group and was first opened in 1990.  It includes 11 areas that honor survivors of the Holocaust.

• Wolfsonian-FIU Museum has exhibits on Miami and American history, and is considered a must  see in the area.

• Art Deco District (at 1001 Ocean Drive) has the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world.

• Casa Cauarina, found at 1116 Ocean Drive, was build by Gianni Versace and is where the designer died.  As such, it is South Beach's most photographed memorial or landmark. It is not, however, open to the public.

Some things to do in the area include:
• Miami Duck Tours, at 1665 Washington Ave.  Ride on a boat with wheels, over both water and street, in this 90 minute tour of South Beach. 

• Miami Beach Golf Club at 2301 Alton St. has some of the country's best golf courses, and of course great weather.

• The Beach.  Naturally you can't come to this area without a trip to the beautiful beach.  You can find concession stands, beach chairs, umbrellas, shower facilities, volleyball, and more.  The beach runs between Ocean Drive, 5th St., Collins Ave. and 21st St.