Miami, USA

Miami is unlike any other American city. The combination of Cuban, Caribbean, South American and Haitian culture with Art Deco architecture, year-round warmth and one of the world\'s most significant contemporary art scenes produces something genuinely distinctive. The 2026 World Cup brings passionate South American and Central American fans to Hard Rock Stadium — and Miami\'s Latin culture means this city will feel like a home game for half the world.

World Cup 2026: June–July. Miami in summer is hot and humid — 32–35°C with afternoon thunderstorms that pass quickly. The heat is manageable with normal precautions; the humidity less so. Book everything well in advance. Best months overall: November–April — the dry season brings perfect weather, lower humidity and peak cultural activity including Art Basel Miami Beach in December.

Miami has a Metrorail and Metromover system but coverage is limited. The Brightline high-speed train connects Miami to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach. A hire car or rideshare is the most practical option for Hard Rock Stadium (in Miami Gardens, 25km north). The South Beach area is walkable; a water taxi connects South Beach to Bayside and Brickell.

South Beach is the iconic choice — Art Deco architecture, the beach, Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue. Wynwood and Brickell offer more contemporary urban character. Coconut Grove is the city\'s oldest neighbourhood — leafier, quieter and excellent for independent restaurants. Avoid the cheapest South Beach hotels on the west side of Collins — they trade on postcode rather than quality.

The Art Deco Historic District in South Beach — the world\'s largest concentration of Art Deco architecture, best explored on a walking tour from the Miami Design Preservation League. Wynwood Walls — the outdoor street art museum that transformed a warehouse district into a global art destination. The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) — outstanding Latin American and Caribbean art collection in a striking waterfront building. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens — a Gilded Age villa with European formal gardens overlooking Biscayne Bay; one of the most beautiful houses in America. The Everglades — just 45 minutes from Miami, an airboat tour through the sawgrass is unlike anything else in North America.

Cuban food is the foundation of Miami eating. Versailles in Little Havana is the most famous Cuban restaurant in America and deserves the reputation. The Little Havana Food Tour on Calle Ocho is excellent for context. For contemporary dining, Mandolin Aegean Bistro in the Design District is outstanding. The Time Out Market Miami in South Beach is a good introduction to the city\'s food range. Seafood at Garcia\'s Seafood Grille on the Miami River is honest, local and excellent.

The heat and humidity are the main challenge in summer — plan outdoor activity for early morning and evening. All major venues are air-conditioned. The beach requires sunscreen of at least SPF 50. Walking in South Beach is flat and easy; Coconut Grove involves some gentle hills. Mosquitoes can be present near the Everglades — bring repellent.

Miami is a safe city for tourists in all the areas described above. Exercise normal awareness in unfamiliar neighbourhoods after dark. The emergency number is 911. Travel insurance essential.

Attend a game at Marlins Park — the baseball team is often terrible but the stadium\'s retractable roof, swimming pool and art collection (works by Warhol and Lichtenstein are incorporated into the architecture) make it worth a visit regardless. The Coral Castle in Homestead — a genuinely inexplicable sculpture park built single-handedly by a Latvian immigrant using coral rock; one of the strangest places in America. Drive Collins Avenue north of South Beach into Miami Beach proper — the quieter streets, mid-century modern hotels and local coffee shops north of 23rd Street show a city beyond the tourist infrastructure.