Everyone knows about South Beach and its appeal, its effervescence certainly does not need any kind of formal introduction. For those who frequent the locale, they often forget that other neighboring areas do exist, namely Downtown Miami. It’s overshadowed by the 800 pound gorilla that is South Beach but this area is still capable of offering a just as venial and exhilarating experience.
Downtown Miami’s multifaceted appeal has turned into something of a metaphorical diamond in the rough. If it seems considerably less crowded than South Beach, it’s not so much that the area has lost its once prominent stature as it is simply that people have been led to believe South Beach is the “be all end all” when it comes to having a good time in South Florida.
Try looking for a couple with two kids navigating down Ocean Drive. The chances of spotting them are slim, likely due to these parents not wanting to expose their children to the oftentimes borderline NC-17 behavior that takes place there during the evening. Even when the sun has fallen, Downtown Miami is still a fairly nice place to walk around with less crowded sidewalks and nearly all of its major locations like Bayside Market Place are reachable on foot.
Not that Downtown Miami is designed for or is now catering exclusively to soccer moms. Even at night, the ambiance can become just as elating as what you’d find in South Beach, albeit to a not as uninhibited degree. It therefore emanates an inviting trendy vibe where people of nearly all interests and age groups can live harmoniously among the high end coastal condos that maintain a distinctly relaxed pretension.
Obviously South Beach’s perpetual celebratory propensity has worked and continues to do so and by all means, if you haven’t been there yet it’s a required visit. The next time you’re choosing to hit the town however, stop and consider some of the alternatives that are capable of offering an experience that is arguably just as rich and enlivening.
