South Beach Miami

The camera stands at the kerb on Ocean Drive with the road immediately in front of it, and the long exposure has turned the traffic into unbroken ribbons of white and red running the length of the frame. Across the road the Art Deco fronts are lit: rounded corners, horizontal banding, flat parapets, all outlined in tube neon, with the Colony’s blue vertical sign standing out furthest and a red BOULEVARD HOTEL sign further along. Tables and umbrellas are set out on the pavement in front of them and the restaurants are full. Turn the other way and it goes dark quickly - the palms of the park strip, a footpath, people standing in silhouette, and beyond them the beach and the sea, which at this hour is just black. A row of motorcycles is parked along the kerb beside the tripod. The sky is still holding a deep blue.

The South Beach Area of Miami is the most famous section of the city. Complete with Art Deco architecture, sugary beaches, luxury hotels, and excellent dining, South Beach is known for its glamorous lifestyle and nonstop nightlife. The neighborhood stretches for about twenty blocks on the southernmost tip of the Barrier Island, and the glamour of South Beach dates back to the 1920s, when millionaires began to build homes on the island. The most significant—and lasting—building period in South Beach history was the 1930s; this is when the Art Deco South Beach that so many travelers know and love was built, and today it is still possible to see many of these original buildings, which have been extraordinarily well preserved.

After the peak of Art Deco glamour, South Beach couldn’t maintain its popularity. During the 1970s and 1980s, South Beach was known as a retirement community and not a chic beach escape, and the neighborhood became run-down. All of this changed again in the late 1980s and 1990s, when developers came in and rescued some of the old Art Deco buildings, turning South Beach into the shopping, dining, nightlife, and leisure capital that it has become.

The small neighborhood of South Beach is known for delivering a unique culture—even in comparison to other areas of South Florida. The community has a high proportion of gay and lesbian residents and there is a distinct Latin flavor in restaurants, shops, and nightclubs. Art Deco buildings that were once crumbling after decades of being ignored have now been restored to their former glory, and the Art Deco District has become one of the city’s best attractions. A stroll down Washington Avenue, Collins Avenue, or Ocean Avenue will reveal a serious effort of historical conservation in Miami Beach. These Art Deco masterpieces are now home to boutique hotels, fine dining restaurants, and designer shops.