Miami Offers

It used to be called 'God's Waiting Room' because of the many octogenarians eking out their last moments by the pool. Today the old folks mingle with fashion designers, bikini models and Cuban émigrés, and the city that once had the highest murder rate in the US attracts millions of tourists.

Greater Miami is a melting pot that would make America's founders swell with pride. Half the population is Hispanic, giving the city an international outlook that feels rare in the USA. For the casual visitor this means a city spiced with Latin American food, language, music, politics and spirit.

South Florida's warm weather was the only reason anyone ever thought of inhabiting the area in the first place. Ideal conditions on Miami Beach exist between December and May, when temperatures average between 15°C (60°F) and 30°C (85°F), and rainfall is scant. Summer is very hot and humid, with thunderstorms rolling in during the late afternoon. June is the rainiest month, August the hottest, and hurricanes hit from July through September. Because of the humidity, Miami heat can often feel a lot hotter than the temperature reading suggests, but ocean breezes help clear the sultry air.

You can't get much further south in the US than Miami, so when it gets hot, it's searing; consequently winter is the peak season. The city bulges at this time: most of the US squeezes in while the rest of the country freezes their Fanny-Maes off. The 'in-between' months, especially August through to November, see a range of enticing festivals so reservations come in handy at this time. The Calle Ocho Festival in March and the White Party in November especially draws the crowds.