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Created by Luis Villa Updated On: January 4, 2017
This is for friends spending a weekend in Miami and looking for recommendations of very "Miami" things to do, not for locals. It's mostly beach and downtown; email me if you want other neighborhoods.
Luis Villa: The best authentic Cuban food in Miami - not fancy, but clean, and (unlike Versailles) you go there for the food, not the atmosphere. [Disclaimer: one tripadvisor review says they've gone upscale?]
Cajun and Creole Restaurant · Flamingo-Lummus · 74 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: Ignore "Cajun/Creole" - it is Haitian, with atmosphere best described as offbeat. Definitely unlike anything you'll ever see outside of Miami.
Luis Villa: Go for drinks and soak in the view - 360 degrees - and the neighborhood - Lincoln Road, one of the more fun places to people watch in South Beach. Reservations a must for food.
New American Restaurant · Miami Central Business District · 28 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: I haven't been, but the exec chef, Norman Van Aken, is the world's leading (only?) specialist in literally world-class Carribean-inflected fusion - something you can do only in Miami.
Cuban Restaurant · West Flagler · 98 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: This is the quintessentially Cuban exile restaurant - cheap, tasty, huge pictures of Cuba on the walls, and where Miami's cops go for late-night coffee. But La Casita down the street has better food.
The Biltmore Hotel (1200 Anastasia Ave), Coral Gables, FL
French Restaurant · 12 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: Terrific food in a classic Miami hotel. Just a few blocks from where I grew up, but far off the beaten path for most tourists (which is why the hotel was out of business from the '30s to the 80s).
State or Provincial Park · Village of Key Biscayne · 57 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: If you actually want to go to a beach for the sand and beach (and not to people watch) this is the best beach in the city, with the bonus of a historic lighthouse. For people watching, do South Beach.
Tourist Information and Service · 19 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: Take the tram ride out to the observation tower to get a good background on the Everglades and a sense of the vast scope of the place. Take mosquito spray if they are in season (most of the year).
Luis Villa: Make sure to go to the new butterfly building, which is great for kids (and adults). The in-garden Cafe is tasty, with nice outdoor seating.
Historic and Protected Site · Northeast Coconut Grove · 17 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: A sense of how the first European settlers in Miami (in the 1880s!) lived. Make sure to check if a tour is available- may not be worth going otherwise.
Luis Villa: Good for a relaxed, low-key waterfront lunch if you go to the Barnacle or are otherwise in Coconut Grove, but otherwise not worth going out of your tourist-y way for.
Museum · Northeast Coconut Grove · 170 tips and reviews
Luis Villa: Many sources recommend Vizcaya. It's interesting, and beautiful, but there are late-gilded age mansions all over the country. So I recommend The Barnacle as a more 'only in Miami' experience.
Luis Villa: Haven't been, but the view is supposed to be terrific. As frequently happens with places with a view, you're paying for the view, not the food, so only go if you're in the Grove for another reason.