Ocean Drive, Miami (must see)

With more than 900 Art Deco, 1930s/50s-style buildings gathered in one place, including marvels of architecture like the Colony Hotel, a South Beach landmark built in 1939, Ocean Drive is an iconic place located in the heart of South Beach. A mere walk here is an irreplaceable Miami experience, and it's true not only for lovers of sleek lines standard in the Art Deco movement, but also for the average Joe craving to visit the scenic thoroughfare and get a sense of its history and culture.

While many of the local hotels, sidewalk cafes and restaurants are disgracefully expensive (how about a $65 margarita for size), this is still a perfect spot for weird people watching, taking photos and soaking up the nightlife atmosphere of Miami. This said, however, it doesn't mean that you won't be able to find a few affordable and relatively hidden gems along the way either.

Aside from a mix of restaurants, nightclubs, retailers, Art Deco hotels and galleries, there are more than 30 designer boutiques in Ocean Drive, including Guess, Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, and Kenneth Cole, making it the linchpin street in setting up fashion trends of the city. With a clothing store practically around every corner, Ocean Drive is rightfully regarded to be the “Capital of Cool” whose youthful outfits, like Zara, Uggs, Free People and H&M, appeal to a younger and not so younger crowd anxious to stay ahead of the curve.

Why You Should Visit:
If there's any street synonymous with South Beach – central to the story of Miami's evolution as an arts, fashion, cultural, celebrity and entertainment hub – it is Ocean Drive. Walking down this avenue is like passing through a time capsule, where the past and present of Miami intersect harmoniously.