Sunshine State
Only in Miami
From ultra-luxurious extravagance to the humble joys of nature, we have the inside scoop on Miami’s most unique experiences.
by Suzan McDowell
Like this article? Share it with your friends!
Just when you think you’ve seen and done it all in Miami—you haven’t!
Miami has a well-deserved reputation as an unusual and intriguing place. How could it not? The city welcomes and embraces people from all over the nation and world—creating a wondrous mélange of so many languages and cultural nuances, experiences and income brackets. Which means there is always something incredible to discover—or rediscover!—in this enigmatic ecosystem we call home.
The Social Experiment
High-end social clubs are popping up across Miami, but few rival the crown jewel of the Miami Design District: the iconic, reimagined, gorgeous Moore Building, home to Moore Miami, an ultra-exclusive, invitation-only social club created for the VVIP set who gather under soaring ceilings to enjoy the Moore’s blend of historic grandeur and modern luxury. This is where access, beauty, pedigree, and good living converge.
Also swimming in social club waters is the eco-forward Arkhaus, a stunning, see-it-to-believe-it floating two-story mansion surrounded by Biscayne Bay. Beyond its extraordinary views, Arkhaus hosts curated performances, master yoga and meditation classes, chef demonstrations, cocktail tastings, and networking events—or just book the whole thing for a private celebration. For a cute lunch, make reservations (up to a party of six) on the rooftop lounge and enjoy a globally inspired light bite menu and first-class service.
Champagne anyone?
No Miami event experience is quite as sparkly and exciting as the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. For a quarter of a century the festival has attracted the best chefs, the most exciting culinary innovators, and flavor foodies from across the globe to our sunny shores. From star-powered dinners and cutting-edge tastings hosted by luminaries such as Food Network’s Guy Fieri, Marcus Samuelsson, Kardea Brown, and Bobby Flay—among many others—to passionate conversations about culture, cuisine, and creativity, SOBEWFF’s legacy is elevating Miami’s culinary profile while celebrating the city’s vibrant, ever-evolving and unique flavors. With over a hundred events in Miami Beach and across Miami Dade County, there is something for every palate.
For the festival’s 25th anniversary, Lee Schrager and his team have outdone themselves, curating ever-finer cuisine and booking stars such as Sophia Vergara, Diplo, and Ja Rule. Miami’s own James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein and French winemaker Sacha Lichine will be honored with an evening of unparalleled culinary excellence hosted by Master of Ceremonies Bobby Flay, which will celebrate their profound influence on the gastronomic world. And then—serving as further proof of SOBEWFF founder Schrager’s boundless, restless creativity—the festival presents Las Lap Link Up: A Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Cuisine, a new event hosted by Kwame Onwuachi. One of the most influential chefs of his generation, Onwuachi’s New York City restaurant Tatiana has been hailed as the best in the city for the past three years, earning top accolades including The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Kwame will be joined by James Beard Award Winner Nina Compton, who is known for her bold, soulful approach to Caribbean cuisine.
SOBEWFF also continues to shine and give back to its community with over $45 million raised to date for the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, fueling the next generation of hospitality leaders in Miami.
Upside Down in Wynwood
Looking for a truly mind-bending experience that is fun for the entire family? Head to the Paradox Museum in Wynwood, an alternate universe where up is down, down is up, and the fantastical suddenly feels very real. Walk on the ceiling in the Reverse Room. Lose your depth perception in the Zero Gravity Room. Disappear in the blink of an eye in the Camouflage Wall. From optical illusions and inverted rooms to tactile installations, the Paradox Museum blurs the line between what you see and what you believe.
A Nuba Night to Remember
“For me, the city is best discovered through small rituals and local encounters,” Micaela Martinelli, an advisor at the newly opened Miami office of NUBA Travel—an agency known for its luxury travel experiences offers across the globe—tells AQUA.
“It might start with a drink at Dune Beach Bar at The Ritz Key Biscayne. Go for the casual beachfront vibes but stay for the frozen mojitos, made by Geno, a lifelong island local. For something entirely different, the Faena Theater is a hidden gem. Few people realize the Faena hotel houses a cabaret-style theater with excellent shows. Dinner paired with a captivating performance makes for a completely delightful and unexpected date night.”
A Lush & Hushed Garden of Enlightenment
Tucked away in Coconut Grove, The Kampong is a stunning hidden garden sanctuary that feels worlds away from the city. Once the former estate of renowned botanist David Fairchild, The Kampong has so many scenes of serene garden beauty and an extraordinary collection of exotic plants and tropical fruit trees from all over the world. Tree lined paths wind toward the waters of Biscayne Bay, where a bright red bench beckons visitors to pause, sit quietly, and consider the meaning of life.
Get Spicy in South Dade
Experience a one-of-a-kind tropical botanical garden at the Fruit & Spice Park in Homestead, where visitors are fully immersed in a lush oasis of everything. The park is the only tropical botanical garden of its kind in the nation, benefiting from Miami’s rare tropical climate, producing more than 500 varieties of fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, and nuts.
Given that South Florida boasts one of the most culturally diverse populations in America, many of these plant varieties are originally from Latin America and the Caribbean. For many, whether it’s Jamaican allspice, Colombian cacao, or Cuban wax jambu, the Fruit & Spice Park tastes, smells, and feels just like home. The park offers specimens from around the world, showcasing an extraordinary 150 varieties of mangos, 75 varieties of bananas, 70 bamboo varieties, and numerous others unique varieties. Visitors are invited to sample fruits at the tasting counter or enjoy fallen fruit along the trail. The park offers daily delicious tasting tours.
@fruitandspicepark
An Architectural Masterpiece Returns.
What’s old is new at The Venetian Pool in Coral Gables, reopened after a renovation hiatus. The pool is refilled daily, with over 820,000 gallons of water fed by spring water from an underground aquifer. Carved from a historic coral rock quarry and hailed for its Mediterranean-inspired architecture, this massive property features two waterfalls and cave-like grottos for swimmers. The Venetian Pool has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places—making it the only swimming pool in the United States to hold this distinction. From its origins as the Venetian Casino in 1924 to today’s amazing restoration, The Venetian Pool is an iconic living landmark, treasured and celebrated by Miami and beyond.