DK Travel : Miami

At its best, Miami is all pastel hues and warm, velvety zephyrs – a tropical reverie. The culture is sensuous and physical, often spiked with Caribbean rhythms and accents. Outdoor activities hold sway throughout the area, at the world-famous beaches and in the turquoise waters; the vibrant nightlife, too, attracts pleasure-seekers, while significant historical sights are around every corner.

Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens

Blossoming from a Japanese colony founded here in 1905, the Yamato-kan villa is surrounded by formal Japanese gardens of various ages: a Heian (9th- to 12th-century) shinden -style garden, a paradise garden emulating those of the 13th–14th centuries, rock gardens, a flat garden, and a modern romantic garden. Serenity and restraint amid the tropical effusiveness of South Florida.
Mrs. Jeb Bush

The Florida governor’s wife was caught with $19,000 of undeclared couture in 1999.
Museum of Contemporary Art

The museum (MOCA) opened its state-of-the-art building to the public in 1996. It’s known for its provocative exhibitions and for seeking a fresh approach in examining the art of our time.
Museum of Natural History of the Florida Keys

You can see a 600-yearold dugout canoe, remnants of pirate ships, a simulated coral reef cave, and the Bellarmine jug (circa 1580), a shipwreck artifact in almost perfect condition. There’s also the Florida Keys Children’s Museum and Marathon Wild Bird Center.
Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium

The young and curious will find much to capture their attention and imagination in this multifaceted facility. There are over 140 hands-on exhibits to explore the worlds of sound, light, and gravity, not to mention the chance to hug a dinosaur. Outside – beyond the collections of fossils, mounted insects, spiders, and butterflies – lies the Wildlife Center, home to birds, tortoises, and enormous snakes. The stateof-the-art Planetarium offers laser light shows set to rock music.
Mynaya

Off the back garden of Soyka restaurant is this lovely little shop featuring imported clothing and accessories.
Mynt

Go – even if it’s just to sample a tipple or two from the cocktail menu. This stylish, sophisticated nightspot is for a hip South Beach crowd in the know.
Mynt

Enjoy a menu of custom cocktails at this hot nightspot in South Beach. The hippy crowd here enjoy partying in style.
Nancy’s Secret Garden

Lose yourself, or perhaps find yourself, in this impossibly lush acre of land just a block off Duval Street. Intensely beautiful, the garden emanates a palpable sense of peace and contentment. The ravishing varieties of flora – orchids, bromeliads, rare palms – and the well-loved parrots put any visitor at ease.
Nancy’s Secret Garden, Key West

Imagine entering a timeless world, full of humor and a funky, indefinable Key West aura (see Nancy’s Secret Garden).