Check out these historic churches, unbelievable street art, brightly-colored buildings, and more - Miami is popping! Roll up those sleeves and take off those socks, we're heading to Miami!
LessIn 1995, three years after Hurricane Andrew, architectural firm William Lane was commissioned to design some very charmingly outlandish lifeguard towers. Each one is unique with vividly painted hues. The bright colors such as magenta, cyan, lime green, and sunflower yellow are a stark contrast to the natural ecru of the sand. Bring your beach gear and head out for a walk along the coastline!
St. Bernard de Clairvaux Church was a medieval Spanish monastery cloister built in the town of Sacramenia in Segovia, Spain in the 12th century. How did it get here you ask? The monastery was dismantled in the 20th century and shipped to New York City and eventually reassembled at 16711 West Dixie Highway, North Miami Beach, Florida. Now it's an Episcopal church and tourist attraction.
Today's art is all about digital technology that immerses you in an interactive experience. This location is one of three, the other two being in D.C. and NYC. Digital artists, Adrien M. and Claire B., invite you to surround yourself with 10 digital landscapes, each one bearing a different theme.
There's a little neighborhood in Miami that caters to the bohemian-spirited. Wynwood Walls used to be a bunch of decrepit warehouses until the early 2000s when real estate developer Tony Goldman turned it into a mecca of folk and graffiti art. Today it is a colorful maze of murals painted by people from all over the world who bring their own cultures and experiences to the artwork you see there.
Located in the heart of the Art Deco District, this museum utilizes its collection to illustrate the history of erotic art. You'll find drawings, paintings, and photographs ranging from folk art to well-known artists and their artwork. Rembrandt, Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Fernando Botero, Robert Mapplethorpe, Helmut Newton, and Bunny Yeager are only a few named out of 4,000!
Innovative, progressive, and modern describes this Miami neighborhood. This is a haven for art lovers with over 130 galleries, antique stores, and creative services. Two of the most noteworthy sculptures are a geodesic dome designed by Buckminster Fuller and the giant statue of architect Le Corbusier. The area also offers haute couture such as Prada, Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. Not bad for what used to be a pineapple farm in the 1920s!
Previously known as Villa Vizcaya, the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens is the former villa and estate of businessman James Deering of the Deering McCormick-International Harvester fortune. The estate includes: extensive Italian Renaissance gardens, native woodland landscapes, and historic village outbuildings. Miami-Dade County owns the Vizcaya property which is now known as the Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. It is open to the public and it's served by the Vizcaya Station of the Miami Metrorail.
This interactive zoological park was formerly known as Parrot Jungle but moved from another location to its present location in 2007 and was renamed to Jungle Island. Jungle Island features: Jungle Theatre where visitors can encounter wildlife from the world round that includes a liger (a cross between a lion and tiger), a trained bird show at the Parrot Bowl, and reptiles and other animals at the Serpentarium!
The Bacardi Building in Miami is at its most beautiful when lit up against the nighttime sky. It was built in 1963 by Cuban architect Enrique Gutierrez and the citizens of Miami are campaigning to make this building a historical landmark. One of the most amazing features of the building are the tower murals constructed from 28,000 hand-painted and glazed tiles.
Nicknamed "The Historic Spanish Village," the Old World and the New World collide beautifully here. Trees and bougainvillea are nestled between restaurants and shops. The development was started in the 1920s as an artists' colony. It took its inspiration from the villages of Spain and France. Boutiques and cigar shops do business alongside national chains such as Forever 21. Shops stay open late and so do the restaurants in case you get hungry.