Miami has come a long way since its Don Johnson days. The city’s vibrant arts scene has propelled it into the international spotlight. Art Basel Miami Beach is one outgrowth, but the city stirs year-round with inspired creativity. Faded icons, such as the art deco–era Raleigh Hotel with its curvaceous pool (Esther Williams swam here!), have been reinvigorated, adding to the city’s retrocool vibe.
Viceroy Miami
At the 162-room Viceroy Miami, maximalism rules. The hotel is set in a statement-making downtown skyscraper, and Florida’s longest infinity pool graces the two-acre rooftop. A sumptuous Philippe Starck–designed spa is tricked out with marble soaking tubs, redwood-lined saunas, tranquil lounging nooks, and an enormous chartreuse Murano chandelier.
Rubell Family Collection
The Rubell Family Collection occupies a former Drug Enforcement Administration warehouse in the Wynwood Arts District. Contemporary artists exhibited here include Jeff Koons and Kara Walker.
Rabbit Hole Vintage Boutique
A whimsical boutique, the Rabbit Hole is the go-to spot for savvy fashionistas seeking vintage finds. Owner Tya Tiempetch scours the country for the best ’60s baby-doll dresses, ruffly ’70s Givenchy blouses, and studded ’80s suede skirts.
Margulies Collection
Showcasing photography, video, and sculpture, the Margulies Collection at the Warehouse displays work by such luminaries as Donald Judd and Richard Serra.
Inkanta, Miami Beach: Designer Garage Sale
The first U.S. outpost of the Colombian gift shop Inkanta is the perfect place to score a memento of design-mad Miami. (Hungry for a Kidrobot banana figurine?) The jewel box–like store—gleaming white walls contrasting with a perforated stainless-steel counter—is the work of up-and-coming local architecture firm NC-office. The boutique’s stock and aesthetic are in step with its Miami Beach location, a visionary public-garage-as-upscale-retail-space that opened last year. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, it may be the world’s only must-see car park.
Miami Beach: Rum For Your Life
On the former site of Bacardi’s U.S. headquarters in Miami Beach sit two stunning Latin Modernist structures that recently secured landmark status. The cantilevered Annex has exterior walls composed entirely of stained glass murals that were inspired by the rum-making process.
Wolfsonian Collection
Devoted to historic industrial design, the Wolfsonian Collection holds some 120,000 artifacts—ceramics, metalwork, glass, textiles—created from 1885 to 1945.
>> Next: The AFAR Guide to Miami
