Spotlight on Miami

By David Appell, ShermansTravel

Sprawling, sometimes sexy, unruly and occasionally outrageous, Greater Miami has become an urban mix unlike any other in America: One part sun-splashed resort playground; one part glamorama party capital; and one part (the biggest, in fact) bustling, Hispanic-flavored sprawl—parts of which feel more like Latin America than the United States.

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It's the kind of place where you might spot Cuban boat people washed up on Ocean Drive or a guy walking a leashed mountain lion on Lincoln Road. Sure there's some pretty interesting and even cultural stuff to do out here, but it's really all about "the scene"—by day, sun and sand amid scantily-clad, hard-bodied rollerbladers and volleyballers; by night, dining and partying amid a mix of the rich, famous, and fabulous (leavened by a good smattering of none of the above).