Miami Beach, a city like no other place in the world, is inviting travelers and art enthusiasts to take a step back from day-to-day stresses, headlines, and routines and experience the city’s extensive arts and culture offerings. From Art Deco-themed hotels to world-renowned museums and art installations, Miami Beach is the picture-perfect option for a socially distanced getaway or staycation to celebrate the arts.
“Miami Beach’s rich architectural history allows visitors and locals to escape to a bygone era filled with colorful buildings and décor elements of the early 1920s and 1930s. Impressive modern art pieces by living art world legends also populate our public spaces,” says Steve Adkins, Chair, the Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA). “We’re inviting travelers and art lovers to see the world through a kaleidoscope of art and culture and gain a reinvigorated outlook on the year ahead.”
Travelers can embark on a whimsical journey unlike any other with must-have experiences that can only be found in Miami Beach, including:
- Stay:
- Pharrell and David Grutman’s Goodtime Hotel is one of the top must-have experiences in Miami Beach this spring. This Insta-worthy hotspot features a plant-filled atrium, a 25,000-square-foot pool deck, a day club with DJ booths, and a unique blend of Art Deco, Aztec, and jungle décor.
- Experience the historic 70-year-old Sagamore Hotel known as Miami’s original ‘Art Hotel.’ Visit the sculpture garden to see award-winning works by Australian public sculpture artists Gillie and Marc. Then, view the Sagamore Walls filled with larger-than-life paintings by world-acclaimed artists. The paintings are inaugurated during the annual Art Week Brunch and remain on display until Art Basel.
- Deemed ‘World’s Best’ by Travel + Leisure, The Betsy is a hub of arts and culture featuring visual art exhibits personally curated by Lesley Goldwasser, co-owner of the hotel, with an emphasis on photography from both new and established artists. The hotel also features two works of public art: The Betsy Orb, which connects The Betsy Ross and The Carlton; and Poetry Rail, which pays homage to poets who helped shape Miami literature, including Hyam Plutzik and Langston Hughes.
- Explore:
- Discover Miami Beach through the city’s unique Art in Public Places Program, where creative greats incorporated art into everyday spaces for all to enjoy. Visit the newly-renovated Miami Beach Convention Center, host of Art Basel Miami Beach, to view interior and exterior murals like Frank Ackermann’s About Sand. Take a selfie with Tobias Rehberger’s South Pointe Park Pier Gate, which features a speech bubble painted in the artist’s signature bright colors, and take in panoramic views of the shoreline or rent an umbrella and beach chair to enjoy some quality beach time.
- Head over to Collins Park and view iconic works like Ugo Rondinone’s colorful Miami Mountain and Jim Drain’s Chess Tables. Relax at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and explore the serene Japanese Garden and the Insta-worthy circular fountain designed by Morris Lapidus. Visit the Fillmore Miami Beach on Washington Avenue and 17th Street to view Roy Lichtenstein’s Mermaid, a beautiful celebration of art deco, sea, sand, and sun.
- Through summer 2021, Miami Beach is inviting artists to fill vacant storefronts with their creativity through the Miami Beach Open House program. Visitors can step into the worlds of more than 70 artists, including Bas Fisher Invitational’s Waterproof Miami series that addresses issues like sea-level rise and the Sunset Archive project at Miami Beach Urban Studios that highlights sunsets from a beach in India.
- When visiting Miami Beach, visitors have a wide selection of museums at their fingertips, including The Bass, Art Deco Museum, The Wolfsonian, Jewish Museum of Florida, and Museum of Illusions Miami. These museums feature everything from diverse artifacts and sculpture gardens to unique collections that can only be found in Miami Beach.
- Dine:
- Take a culinary adventure with a walk down Española Way, designed to mirror the romantic Mediterranean villages of France and Spain.
- Sip on refreshing cocktails and indulge in savory French dishes at A La Folie or zesty Italian fare at Stefano Versace Gelato while watching people salsa in the streets. Take a peek into the lavish lifestyle of Gianni Versace by visiting Villa Casa Casuarina – built by Alden Freeman in 1930 – and discover the Kneeling Aphrodite statue, unique Spanish architecture, richly decorated walls, floors, and ceilings, and the thousand-piece mosaic pool.
- Enjoy a luxury Mediterranean dinner at Gianni’s with dishes like chicken scallopini and octopus carpaccio. Then, step into the world of Gianni Versace by visiting The Villa Casa Casuarina, originally built in 1930 by Alden Freeman.
- Play:
- Experience nightlife in true Miami Beach fashion by visiting some of the city’s most talked about entertainment venues, including Basement Miami, LIV Fontainebleau, Clevelander, and Broken Shaker.
For those ready to escape the day-to-day and dive into the rich arts and culture of Miami Beach this spring, follow @ExperienceMiamiBeach on Facebook, Instagram and @EMiamiBeach on Twitter, and download the Miami Beach App at http://www.miamibeachapi.com/app/.
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