Hotel at a Glance: The Gates Hotel South Beach - a DoubleTree by Hilton

South Beach is known for its fashionable nightlife, its trendy restaurants, and its picture-perfect beaches. The Gates Hotel South Beach - a DoubleTree by Hilton puts you steps from all three from an enviable spot along bustling Collins Avenue. Located inside the former Ankara Motel, an art deco-inspired building from 1954, the hotel has kept its vintage facade while constructing a modern, almost futuristic vibe on the inside.

• Where you'll stay: Loft-like guest rooms manage to toe the line between vintage-cool and post-modern sleek, with 42-inch flat-screen TVs.
• Premiere dining: at the onsite restaurant serving Mexican and American cuisine.
• Grab a drink at the posh Lobby Bar.
• Dive into the outdoor swimming pool.

Miami's South Beach: World-Famous Nightlife and Beaches

Just east of downtown Miami, on the barrier island that forms Miami Beach, you'll find one of the world's nightlife capitals: South Beach. The clubs along Ocean Drive are legendary for their boisterous, all-night blowouts—and for good reason. With all 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 film and TV shows, including Burn Notice and ­_The Birdcage_.

The coast of South Beach is known as Lummus Park, which Frommer's calls Miami's "best beach for people-watching." Head across the bay, to South Pointe Park or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park, for quieter, more secluded shores.