From its beginning just over 100 years ago, Miami billed itself as a travel destination: Its first motto was "America's sun porch." Warm weather, sandy beaches and bright sunshine were its selling points then, and they remain a potent draw today. But America's sun porch has allure far beyond the U.S. People from all over the Caribbean and Latin America have settled there in the past 40 years, giving the city a new nickname, "the capital of the Western Hemisphere." As much as we love Miami's warm-weather fun, it's the city's lively, international character that sets it apart from many other travel destinations.

Though its residents come from all walks of life, it's the city's upscale sheen that most often catches the eye. The South Beach Art Deco District (or SoBe) is the center of Miami's trendy dining and nightlife scene, though its cheerful, neon-pastel buildings and palm-tree-lined avenues please the hip and unhip alike. Elsewhere in the city, Coconut Grove and Coral Gables offer their own versions of fine living. As attractive as these areas are, take time to enjoy the colorful happenings in other corners of Miami. And don't overlook the natural world -- though you may have to make a drive to the Everglades to get a good view of it.

Sights -- The breathtaking view of the city from the MacArthur Causeway at night; the Everglades; the palmy streets and posh estates of Coral Gables; Coconut Grove and CocoWalk ; a drive down historic Old Cutler Road from Coconut Grove to Southwest 168th Street.

Museums -- The Italianate gardens of Vizcaya; art-nouveau and art-deco objects at the Wolfsonian on South Beach; first-rank traveling exhibits at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in North Miami; and extensive collections at Lowe Art Museum on the University of Miami campus in Coral Gables and the Bass Museum of Art on Miami Beach.

Memorable Meals -- Roll up your sleeves and enjoy stone crabs with the rich and famous at Joe's Stone Crab Restaurant ; Chef Norman Van Aken's nationally renowned cuisine at Norman's ; "Palm Tree Cuisine" at Chef Allen's ; tropical fusion at Ortanique on the Mile ; Latin blends at Azul .

Late Night -- The street scene in the Art Deco District: wall-to-wall cars, open-air cafes and dance clubs; the sidewalk bars and bistros, shops and nightclubs along Lincoln Road and elsewhere on Miami Beach; in Coconut Grove; along Southwest Eighth Street; in the Design District; and in South Miami.

Recreation -- Golfing at one of Miami's many courses; betting on a horse race; scuba diving, snorkeling or fishing in the Atlantic or Biscayne Bay; hang gliding, kiteboarding and windsurfing on Biscayne Bay along Rickenbacker Causeway; bicycling or Rollerblading through Coconut Grove or South Beach.

Winter is the ideal time to go to Miami, when temperatures average 59-76 F/15-24 C. Days are warm, the humidity is reasonable and nights are comfortably cool (take along a sweater). Visitors heading to Miami as early as November or as late as April will find comfortable temperatures (low 80s F/high 20s C) and bearable humidity. Summers tend to be hot and quite humid, with frequent lightning. The heaviest rainfall is expected May-October, and hurricanes, while far from common, can occur from June through November, with the highest probability in September and early October.

The city's public transportation probably serves residents better than visitors: While it's possible to combine public transport with walking and/or taxis, we recommend renting a car for easy access to all the attractions. If your plans don't involve venturing far from SoBe, a car won't be necessary.

Miami-Dade County sprawls over 2,000 square mi along the southeastern tip of Florida. Unless you don't intend to leave your hotel or your immediate neighborhood, you'll need a car to see the sights. Public transportation exists, but it does not easily reach many places you'll want to visit. Rent a convertible if you can -- there's nothing quite like putting on some shades and feeling the wind in your hair as you drive across one of the causeways that links Miami to Miami Beach and Key Biscayne.

Downtown has become the lively hub of the mainland city, now more accessible thanks to the Metromover rail extension. Park at one of the outlying Metrorail stations and take the train in, connecting to the Metromover if need be. In South Beach you absolutely don't need a car. Park it and use the inexpensive Electrowave shuttle -- or your feet -- to get around. In Coconut Grove metered street parking is hard to come by; try parking at CocoWalk, Streets of Mayfair, or the garage at Mary Street and Oak Avenue and stroll the neighborhood.

Finding your way around Greater Miami is easy if you know how the street numbering system works. Miami is laid out on a grid with four quadrants -- northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest -- centered at Miami Avenue and Flagler Street. Miami Avenue separates east from west, and Flagler Street separates north from south. Avenues and courts run north-south; streets, terraces, and ways run east-west. Roads run diagonally, northwest-southeast. In Miami Beach the numbering on north-south thoroughfares gives you a pretty accurate idea of the nearest cross street: 500 Ocean Drive is at 5th Street, 7100 Collins Avenue is at 71st Street, 17800 Ocean Boulevard is at 178th Street, and so forth. So far, so good.

Confusion arises because Coral Gables, Hialeah, and Miami Beach do not generally follow the same system. Even some longtime Coral Gables residents don't know the names of their streets. And along the curve of Biscayne Bay, the symmetrical grid shifts diagonally. It's best to buy a detailed map, stick to the major roads, and ask directions early and often. However, make sure you're in a safe neighborhood or public place when you seek guidance; cabbies and cops are good resources.

Greater Miami's potent cultural mix keeps its pulse pounding with nonstop nightlife. When sultry, humid nights, the huge full moon rising out of the ocean, and fragrant night-blooming jasmine intoxicate the senses, who can resist Cuban salsa, Jamaican reggae, and Dominican merengue, with some disco and hip-hop thrown in for good measure? When this place throws a party, hips shake, fingers snap, bodies touch. It's no wonder many clubs are still rocking at 5 AM.

The reputation of Miami and Miami Beach as playgrounds for the hip and famous is well deserved, making the cities' nightlife some of the best on the planet. But if you're in search of finer cultural fare, you face more of a challenge. The museums aren't as easy to find as the beaches. Theaters don't advertise as widely as nightclubs. And the art houses that show foreign films and independents are tucked away in nooks and crannies of the city. All that's starting to change, however; so you have your pick of entertainment here night and day. Whether you're interested in dancing 'til dawn to the hottest DJs or catching the newest work by Latin artists in exile, you'll want to head to a newsstand first.

If the arts are what make cities like New York, London, Tokyo, Buenos Aires, and Paris great, then Miami and Miami Beach are not great cities -- not quite yet. But seeds of greatness, sown decades ago, have sprouted strong and true. Greater Miami, perceived by some as a comely lightweight in the arts, is undergoing a cultural renaissance about which other cities only dream.

Many Miamians are heaving a sigh of relief as their hometown at long last shrugs off its reputation as a cultural backwater. Led by an expanding roster of up-and-coming collecting museums and performing groups, the arts scene in Greater Miami is coming into its own. In recent years nonprofit cultural organizations have grown dramatically in number, from 110 to 750 in the last 20 years, including the internationally known Miami City Ballet and the New World Symphony. But to savor the area's vibrant cultural diversity, don't overlook the smaller, lesser-known arts groups. Performances from dance companies such as La Rosa Flamenco Ballet and the smooth Freddick Bratcher & Company, Afro-Haitian drumming and dance from the Performing Arts Network, and works from the Bridge Theater's Hispanic and Hispanic-American authors are as Miamian as yucca and plantains.

Larger venues regularly attract international talent such as contemporary dance and theater troupes and touring Broadway shows. The winter season especially brings traveling art exhibits to local museums and gallery walks to Coral Gables and South Beach, as well as occasional special events to the Design District, a cluster of galleries and interior design showrooms just north of downtown. And there are any number of cultural festivals throughout the year.

Thanks to the Art in Public Places program, you've probably already been exposed to large-scale installations: the sound- and color-charged 180-ft Harmonic Runway at Miami International Airport's Concourse A, or Michele Oka Doner's bronze and mother-of-pearl marine life in the terrazzo walkway in the same concourse. In Miami Beach, you can't miss the exuberantly painted shuttle buses cruising down Washington Avenue, or monumental outdoor sculptures like Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen's Dropped Bowl with Scattered Slices and Peels, at downtown's Government Center. Major new cultural projects under way are the restoration of the 85-year-old Lyric Theater in Overtown, home to famous jazz artists in the 1930s and '40s, and a $10 million art museum at Florida International University. New on the scene is the Cultural Campus, a two-square-block arts complex housing offices, performing space, rehearsal studios for the Miami City Ballet, and a new library, all adjacent to the recently renovated Bass Museum, in Miami Beach. And after years of delay, ground was finally broken on the Performing Arts Center complex, due to open in 2004.

There have been missteps and setbacks: the city's sole (and beloved) classical music radio station was abruptly replaced with techno-dance programming; funding squabbles threaten such venerable venues as the 75-year-old Coconut Grove Playhouse; and politics periodically disrupt appearances from Cuban musicians or cause major events, such as the Latin Grammys, to find a friendlier host city. But forward thinkers see enough in the works to envision a Miami that can fully express its multicultural uniqueness in limitless forms. So arts junkies, never fear -- Miami is on its way.

On weekend nights -- and on weeknights in high season -- the level of activity in popular Miami and Miami Beach neighborhoods can be exhilarating or maddening, depending on your perspective, as partiers spill into the streets and traffic grinds to a stop. Parking is a challenge in areas with lots of bars and clubs. If you do find a metered space on the street, you'll need plenty of quarters. Parking lots and garages (especially at complexes such as Bayside and CocoWalk) are an easier but potentially more expensive option than street parking. In South Beach, don't even think about driving from club to club; park in one of the municipal lots and take the Electrowave shuttle that makes a loop along key streets. Once you've found a place for your car, do your club crawling on foot: the major nightlife neighborhoods are safe and compact.

How to get past the velvet ropes at the hottest South Beach nightspots? First, if you're staying at a hotel, use the concierge. Decide which clubs you want to check out (consult Ocean Drive magazine celebrity pages if you want to be among the glitterati), and the concierge will fax your name to the clubs in order for you to be put on the guest list. This means much easier access and usually no cover charge (which can be $20 or so) if you arrive before midnight. Guest list or no guest list, follow these pointers: make sure there are more women than men in your group. Dress up -- casual chic is the dress code. For men this means no sneakers, no shorts, no sleeveless vests, and no shirts unbuttoned past the top button. For women provocative and seductive is fine; overly revealing is not. Black is always right. At the door: don't name-drop -- no one takes it seriously. Don't be pushy while trying to get the doorman's attention. Wait 'til you make eye contact, then be cool and easygoing. If you decide to tip him (which most bouncers don't expect), be discreet and pleasant, not big-bucks obnoxious -- a $10 or $20 bill quietly passed will be appreciated, however. With the right dress and the right attitude, you'll be on the dance floor rubbing shoulders with South Beach's finest clubbers in no time.

The Miami Herald () is a good source for information on what to do in town. The "Weekend" section, included in the Friday edition, has an annotated guide to on everything from plays and galleries to concerts and nightclubs. The "Ticket" column of this section details the week's entertainment highlights. You can also pick up the Herald's free weekly tabloid, The Street, at newstands and bookstores for a list of local happenings. Providing even more detailed information is Miami New Times (), the city's largest free alternative newspaper, published each Thursday. It lists nightclubs, concerts, and special events; reviews plays and movies; and provides in-depth coverage of the local music scene. "Night & Day" is a rundown of the week's cultural highlights.

Two upscale fashion and lifestyle magazines, Channels and Ocean Drive, squeeze club, bar, restaurant, and events listings in with fashion spreads, reviews, and personality profiles. Paparazzi photos of local party people and celebrities give you a taste of Greater Miami nightlife before you even put on your black going-out ensemble.

In South Beach various independent newspapers devote themselves to the area's huge nightlife scene. Wire (), the longest running of these, is published on Thursday and is distributed free at many clubs, restaurants, and retail establishments in South Beach and the Miami Design District. It includes a directory of nightclubs and restaurants, amusing columns on local politics, and information on gay venues.

The Spanish-language El Nuevo Herald, published by the Miami Herald, has extensive information on Spanish-language arts and entertainment, including dining reviews, concert previews, nightclub highlights, and more. Spanish-language radio, primarily on the AM dial, is also a good source of information about arts events. Tune in to WXDJ (95.7 FM), Amor (105.7 FM), or Radio Mambi (710 AM).

Much news of upcoming events is disseminated through flyers tucked onto windshields or left for pickup at restaurants, clubs, and stores. They're technically illegal to distribute, but they're mighty useful. And if you're a beachgoer, chances are that as you lie in the sun, you'll be approached by kids handing out cards announcing the DJs and acts appearing in the clubs that night.

Prices are per person for a main course at dinner.

The dining scene in Miami and Miami Beach is much like the cities themselves: a quirky mix of exotic adventure and upscale glamour. You can sample dishes from all over the globe and pay just a few dollars, or you can have the meal of a lifetime and spend accordingly. Indeed, deep-pocketed diners can easily empty their wallets here. In the process you can enjoy the work of the celebrity chefs who have pioneered New World cuisine, a loose fusion of Latin American, Asian, and Caribbean flavors, using fresh, local ingredients.

The most famous, and best, of Miami's high-end restaurants is Norman's, run by Norman Van Aken, who has moved into the big leagues with a truly dazzling New World menu. Van Aken's competition includes Allen Susser, at Chef Allen's, a stylish Aventura place where international influences combine the finest of contemporary cuisine. At Nemo, a trendy near-oceanside spot, chef-proprietor Michael Schwartz puts a global spin on a seafood-oriented menu. As locally renowned as Van Aken is nationally, Jonathan Eismann maintains his Lincoln Road eatery, Pacific Time, a pan-Asian take on New World cuisine. And in South Miami, Two Chefs, run by Jan Jorgensen and Soren Bredahl, provides fine dining to the suburbs.

Miami's Latin-American influence is a fact of dining life that no food-loving resident would want to change. You can sample Brazilian rodizio (barbecue) at Porcao downtown; taste Nicaraguan at Guayacan, in Little Havana, or at Los Ranchos, in multiple locations throughout Miami; dip into Colombian at Patacón's several outlets; or peruse Puerto Rican at the Puerto Rico Restaurant, in Miami. It's almost impossible not to experience Cuban cuisine with the hundreds of cafes and bodegas that abound here; head to the glamorous but inexpensive Versailles, on Calle Ocho, home of South Florida's strongest shot of Cuban coffee.

Miami's most unusual import, though, comes from Vietnam: amid the bodegas of Little Havana, Hy-Vong, a frustratingly slow but deliciously rewarding hole-in-the-wall, serves up chicken in pastry with watercress sauce and dolphin sauteed with mangos and green peppercorns. In the Gables, Miss Saigon Bistro delivers authentic Vietnamese fare in more sophisticated surroundings, complemented by live orchids.

Dining out is an essential part of Miami nightlife, and many restaurants don't even expect customers until late in the evening. Others cater to neighborhood folk and close just when places like South Beach start to heat up. No matter which type of restaurant you choose, you should double-check its status before you set out for the evening.

Miami teems with sophisticated shopping malls whose wares beckon to thousands of shoppers daily, and the bustling avenues of its commercial neighborhoods that glitter with storefronts of name-brand retailers from Armani to Zegna. Bal Harbour Shops, the ultimate shopping mall, is anchored by Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue and overflows with high-end merchandise from Escada, Chanel, Prada, Cartier, Fendi, Gucci, and dozens of other exclusive shops. Collins Avenue in South Beach satisfies all kinds of fashion appetites, whether for Banana Republic, Theory, or Nike. One block over on Washington are a handful of trend-conscious shops like Versace Jean Couture and Betsey Johnson and flashy club wear stores. The discriminating Design District is where many top name designers hold shop when they are not rehabbing the latest South Beach hotel.

But this is also a city of tiny boutiques tucked away in side streets -- such as South Miami's Red, Bird, and Sunset roads intersection -- and where outdoor markets tout unusual and delicious wares. Bring your wallet and choose from a wide variety of booty that is downright rare anywhere but here. Stroll through Spanish-speaking neighborhoods where shops sell clothing, cigars, and other goods from all over Latin America. At an open-air flea market stall, score an antique glass shaped like a palm tree and fill it with some fresh Jamaican ginger beer from the table next door. Or stop by your hotel gift shop and snap up an alligator magnet for your refrigerator, an ashtray made of seashells, or a bag of gumballs shaped like Florida oranges. Who can resist?

People fly to Miami from all over the world just to shop, and the malls are high on their list of spending spots. Stop off at one or two climate-controlled temples to consumerism, many of which double as mega entertainment centers, and you'll understand what makes Miami such a vibrant shopping destination.

Beyond the shopping malls and the big-name retailers, Greater Miami has all manner of merchandise to tempt even the casual browser. For consumers on a mission to find certain items -- art deco antiques or cigars, for instance -- the city streets burst with a rewarding collection of specialty shops.

Pass the mangos! Greater Miami's farmers markets and flea markets take advantage of the region's balmy weather and tropical delights to lure shoppers to open-air stalls filled with produce and collectibles.