Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Miami Beach blossomed in the early 20th century when Jewish developers recognized
the potential American Riviera in their midst. Those hoteliers started building resorts that
were branded with a distinctive art-deco facade by daring architects willing to buck the
more staid aesthetics of the northeast. The world wars brought soldiers who were stationed
at nearby naval facilities, many of whom liked the sun and decided to stay. Latin American
and Caribbean revolutions introduced immigrants from the other direction, most famously
from Cuba. Cuban immigrants arrived in two waves: first, the anti-Castro types of the '60s,
and those looking for a better life since the late 1970s, such as the arrivals on the 1980
Mariel Boatlift during a Cuban economic crisis. The glam and overconsumption of the
1980s, as shown in movies like
Scarface
and
Miami Beach,
attracted a certain breed of the
rich and beautiful, and their associated models, designers, hoteliers and socialites, all of
whom transformed South Beach into the beautiful beast it is today.
Political changes in Latin America continue to have repercussions in this most Latin of
cities - as former mayor Manny Diaz once said, 'When Venezuela or Argentina sneezes,
Miami catches a cold.' In the last half of the 'aughts,' Miami embarked on a Manhattaniza-
tion of its skyline that - barring a brief pause from 2008 to 2010 due to the financial crisis
- hasn't really let up. Miami has, as of this writing, the third-biggest skyline in the USA
(after New York and Chicago), most clearly evident in the area around Brickell.
Maps
McNally, AAA and Dolph's all make great maps of the Miami area. The best free map is
