Hotel at a Glance: Blue Moon Hotel
Art Deco meets the Mediterranean at the Blue Moon Hotel, a historic South Beach property that calls to mind classic Miami Beach glamour as well as a peaceful retreat on the Greek islands. The hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a part of Marriott’s exclusive Autograph Collection.
- Renovated in 2012 to preserve the history of the building while adding comfortable modern amenities
- Rock shrimp and stone crab omelets are on the menu at FIX Restaurant & Bar, which serves locally sourced dishes and craft beer in a chic retro interior.
- Take a dip in the outdoor splash pool.
- World-famous Lummus Park beach is just steps away.
Miami's South Beach: World-Famous Beach Parties and Art-Deco Icons
Just east of downtown Miami, on the barrier island that forms Miami Beach, stands one of the world's epicenters for nightlife: South Beach. The clubs along Ocean Drive are legendary for their boisterous, all-night blowouts, and for good reason—between the rum-soaked mojitos, colorful neon, and celebrity sightings, it can feel like an endless party. Perhaps that's why the area pops up so often in movies and TV shows, including Burn Notice and The Birdcage.
South Beach's coast is known as Lummus Park, which Frommer's calls Miami's "best beach for people-watching." While the bleached sand and curving palms are gorgeous, they're almost overshadowed by the chiseled beach-goers dotting the sand. From here, a wood-slat boardwalk runs all the way up to North Beach, attracting joggers and roller bladers. You can also head about a mile south to South Pointe Park or to Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park across the bay for quieter, more secluded shores.
It’s easy enough to spend the entirety of a trip to South Beach face-down on a beach towel, but that would mean missing out on the city's other trademarks. The historical art-deco district boasts iconic, streamlined hotels in pastel shades and was the first 20th-century neighborhood to be recognized by the National Register of Historic Places. Every morning at 10:30, local experts from the Miami Design Preservation League lead a 90-minute walking tour that highlights the neighborhood's signature architecture.
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